Luke 9: 62 Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."Gen 19: 1 The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground……………..12 The two men said to Lot, "Do you have anyone else here--sons-in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here, 13 because we are going to destroy this place. The outcry to the Lord against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it." 14 So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters. He said, "Hurry and get out of this place, because the Lord is about to destroy the city!" But his sons-in-law thought he was joking. 15 With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished." 16 When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them. 17 As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, "Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!" 18 But Lot said to them, "No, my lords, please! 19 Your servant has found favor in your eyes, and you have shown great kindness to me in sparing my life. But I can’t flee to the mountains; this disaster will overtake me, and I’ll die. 0 Look, here is a town near enough to run to, and it is small. Let me flee to it--it is very small, isn’t it? Then my life will be spared." 21 He said to him, "Very well, I will grant this request too; I will not overthrow the town you speak of. 22 But flee there quickly, because I cannot do anything until you reach it." (That is why the town was called Zoar.) 23 By the time Lot reached Zoar, the sun had risen over the land. 24 Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah--from the Lord out of the heavens. 25 Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all those living in the cities--and also the vegetation in the land. 26 But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. Open: Luke 17:20-32
3 words spoken by Christ in vs. 32: "Remember Lot’s Wife!"
Why would Jesus warn His disciples (and us today) to remember Lot’s wife? After all, we don’t even know her name. There must be a powerful lesson for us hidden somewhere in Genesis 19. Let’s take a look!
Historical Background:
Chapter 11 & 12 (Genesis), we find Abram is told to leave Ur, to a land God will show him - 12:4 tells us that Lot tagged along. We’re not told if Lot had a wife at this point, but if he did, we must assume that she too left Ur with her husband.
Chapter 13, the success of the families of Lot & Abraham cause strife among their herdsmen & the ultimate split between the two of them . Lot chooses the Jordan valley and leaves Abraham with the desert hills of Canaan. Key here is this:- First Lot located his family in the fertile Jordan valley Later (vs. 12) he moved his tents as far as Sodom
- By chapter 17, 24 years have gone by since Abraham left Haran - plenty of time for Lot and family to establish roots in Sodom.
Chapter 18, God and two angels appear to Abraham as three men. They have two primary purposes:1. To convince Sarah that she indeed would bare a son.2. Tell Abraham of the outcry from Sodom & of His plans to investigate.
The City of Sodom: A close investigation of the city of Sodom reveals that it was a busy place: a city filled with energy and excitement. It was a place which came alive when the sun went down. In Sodom, diversity’ was the watchword of the day for they loved their ‘diverse lifestyles’ which encouraged all kinds of lewd and lasciviousness behavior, especially homosexuality. Men were sleeping men, women were sleeping with women. They had even gotten the animals of the city in on their nasty behavior.
Jerry Springer could have taped a lifetime worth of shows in Sodom. But little did the Sodomites know that God was about to punish them for their ways. And Jesus says for us to remember Lot’s wife…….What an unusual story found in scripture! A woman, flees from a doomed city, looks back, and dies…
Who was this woman? What was so special about her?
1. She belonged to an excellent family
She married into and became a member of Abraham’s family to which this world owes more to , than to any other family that has ever lived.
She was a part of the select group that has given this world its greatest prophets. She was a niece by marriage to Abraham!
2. She shared the faith of this familyHer name no doubt was on the membership list down at Sodom 1st Church . In fact for some time she may have even headed up the ladies group. Having Abraham as an uncle and Lot as her husband it is safe to assume that she was a lady enriched by the knowledge of God.
But something had happened, you see instead of just living in Sodom somehow she had gotten to the point spiritually where now Sodom was living in her!
Scripture tells us that Sodom was a wicked city! Its disgusting rottenness was a stench in the nostrils of God! Yet this lady, perhaps a one time board member in the church had fallen in love with Sodom! ... the allure of the city…drew Lot & his family in ……. Now Lot didn’t live there initially… he lived upon a hill overlooking the city. But eventually,
– The lights of the city… – The sounds of the city…
– The crowds of the city...Captivated Lot’s attention… and drew Lot TO the city!
AND .. Lot moved from his tent outside of the city, to a house on one of the main streets of the city!
– He raised his family there…– His daughters went to Sodom High...– His wife joined the Sodom Women’s circle...– He became a man of influence there… and was one of those who sat in the gates!
His family fell in love with the city!
- It really is important who you “hang around with” (vs. 15-16):How many righteous people were living in Sodom?
Do you think Mrs. Lot’s friends and acquaintances were a good influence on her?
Lot & HIS family had to be “dragged” out of the city by the arm. Why? Perhaps 20 years of hanging around worldly people had weakened her faith. Maybe she just didn’t believe all this was happening.
IN spite of every bit of religious exposure she had been subjected to: on this night of heavenly visitation: Mrs. Lot was under the evil spell of Sodom-hood!
3. But even then she was not left alone!
No doubt the name of her and her husband rolled from the lips of Uncle Abraham every night before he WENT TO BED! AND God still knew her address, and when the day of ruin was to come to Sodom God sent His messengers to HER HOUSE! Certainly she couldn’t say that she was not warned. ………….No, scripture shows she was a woman who had the opportunity to escape! But in spite of a visitor from heaven, SHE STILL FAILED!
have you ever wondered HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN? How could she have such a horrible end to life when she had been so faithfully warned?
1. She didn’t fail because of unbelief
When the angels came and gave the warning …She believed them! Scripture never tells us that she laughed at them, or made fun of them. No she even allowed her belief to put her in the small minority of the entire city! Not even 10 people could be found, but listen she was one that believed! And not only did she believe, but;
2. She even responded to the message:
Granted we don’t find a lot of enthusiasm but she did respond! In fact she did exactly what her husband did… she lingered!
Life and promise was waiting for her at the top of the hill, death was pressing in at her ankles, yet she lingered! She was determined to cling to Sodom just as long as she could! In fact. . . if you look at verse 15 of the text, it says that “when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.”In other words, they were trying to rush Lot and his family out of the city, telling him But look at the text… see it there in the 16th verse? It says, “he lingered... “ He didn’t move... “he lingered…” in other words, he didn’t get in a hurry… but “he hung around!” He lingered right there in Sodom! In that strange, but familiar place, “he lingered!“ In Sodom, in that corruptible, detestable place… “he lingered” And somebody today is “lingering” when they ought to fleeing!
before we get to hard on Mrs. Lot, it might so us some good to evaluate our own situations!For some of us here this morning have lingered until the best years of our life has slipped away! Some have lingered until our children have grown up in a Christ less home and now live a life without Jesus! Some have lingered until the worlds grip is so strong: that even when we do try to move towards Him it is next to impossible!
But verses 16 & 17 tell us that even though reluctantly she did start, she did begin…but what happened?The bible says: “She Looked back!”
Come on that seems sort of harsh doesn’t it! the wrong was not so much in the physical act of looking, as it was in what this look actually indicated! For this look you see indicated:
1. A divided Heart! It indicated an unsurrendered will! The reason that Mrs. Lot looked back was because she was still in love with Sodom even though her steps were turned away from it!
And today the message is still the same! Unless you are surrendered totally to God, the divided heart will be your downfall!
Oh Life was calling from the hills, but Sodom was screaming from the lowland… She was torn, so with a divided heart, an unsurrendered will, SHE LOOKED BACK! But I think it is important this morning to realize exactly what this divided heart done to her!
A. It robbed her of her Joy! the warning was clearly given! Doom and destruction are coming in the morning. YOU would think that she would have been running even faster than the messengers, but her heart was divided: Sodom didn’t really look all that bad to her, and in wrestling with the two choices of Sodom or Safety her joy had slipped away! Once a pattern of living has been established, it is hard to change. Once we get into a certain way of doing things, it is nearly impossible for us to even fathom the idea that something could be better for us, or at least we think the way we are accustomed to acting, doing or believing is best for us.Many have looked at this passage and are quick to lay blame on Lot’s wife for her actions. While she does merit some credit for what she did or failed to do in this passage of scripture, she is by no means alone.No, Lot’s wife is really no different from any of us. She was a woman who had been accustomed to a certain lifestyle and then all of a sudden to have that lifestyle taken away from her, it had to be difficult. Imagine yourself in her shoes for a moment. Think about how you may have responded if you were given the same set of circumstances.Think for a moment how you would handle someone coming up to you right now and say that you have to leave your home, job and associates immediately and you’re not given any time to say goodbye. Would you be eager to leave? Would you embrace the overture with enthusiasm and not think about what you’re being asked to do?
What’s so hard about leaving some situation, some job, some relationship, some locale, some attitude, some disposition, some negative behavior, some negative habit, some whatever that’s been determined not to be in your best interest? Later, even Lot, his wife and daughters have to be forced to leave their home because of their contentment.
Remember, they have already been alerted that the area where they presently live will be destroyed by God because of God’s displeasure with what was going on in the area, still verse 16 of Genesis 19 states that Lot, his wife and daughters had to actually be forced to leave the area.
Oh this divided heart also:
B. Slowed her forward progress!
Notice what the scripture says, now the NIV doesn’t use this language but this is one time I like the KJ translation better; Listen “26But Lot’s wife looked back from behind him”Notice where Lot’s wife was when she looked back! she was behind him. The word behind is translated from the Hebrew "achar" which means away from, back, it suggests some distance.
Mrs. Lot not only had to be pulled out of the city, she also lingered behind the fleeing party.
Why?- maybe she was concerned about her friends - maybe she hated to leave her home- maybe her heart was in Sodom Simply, the world had a “death grip” on Mrs. Lot’s heart!There are many things in the world today that “get a hold on us!” Some allow very offensive vices to rule their life:- drugs- alcohol- pornography- the love of money Others allow more subtle things to consume them (recreational activities):- golf- ball games- fishing\what about a mentality of indifference?
What about lukewarmness and complacency, this mindset also have a “death grip” on us today
Sad but true is the fact that it doesn’t take long for the divided, unsurrendered heart to fall behind! But the divided heart, the unsurrendered will cripples our walk, it weakens our power, it diminishes our prayer life, it flounders our devotional time to the point that it is obvious by our walk that we are crippled, and we cannot possibly keep up!
Finally this divided heart;
C. Cost Her, Her Life!
Beware… that one last time may be the last time!
One last passionate kiss might lead to an unplanned pregnancy… One last drink might lead to alcholism…One last snort or one last hit might lead to addiction...– One last fight… – One last lie– One last fling– One last fit of anger or rage and you might get stuck.
All Lot’s wife wanted was one last look, but the real problem is, one last time is never satisfied! One more is never enough! One more always wants one more! And if you’ve read the story, you know that Lot’s wife’s one more time, turned out to be her last time!
– One last look… turned out to be the last look…
– One last thought… ended up being her last thought…
Can you see the struggle ? Every step becomes slower than the last, the others are pressing on to freedom with God, but watch her she is slowing, and then she stops…
and you can hear the voice of satan “GO BACK turn around, that’s where all your friends are, your family, just over your shoulder is where all the good times are”Softly in the other ear we hear God saying “ Go on, climb to a new heights, keep on the journey, better days are ahead.”
Now we see her standing at the point of decision: why she even hears the roar of the rain of fire and brimstone, ,,,,,,,,,her skin begins to feel the intensity of heat like she never has felt before…
It’s decision time now Mrs. Lot… One last time her divided heart and unsurrendered will rises its voice and say’s “, TURN AROUND AND GO BACK HOME”
Lot, his daughters, the angels there are now well ahead of her climbing up the hill and out of the valley…and scripture says “she looked back” And IMMEDiately she became a pillar of salt… No 2nd chance, no next revival, next Sunday school…IT WAS OVER…Her divided, unsurrendered heart became her DOOM!
Remember Lot’s wife - No matter how trivial we may think a commandment from God is, we have to take God seriously (vs. 17)
the most obvious thing we see when we remember Lot’s wife is that she didn’t do what God said! We have to take God seriously.
But Why salt? Why wasn’t Lot’s wife just incinerated? Why a pillar of salt? Lot’s wife’s disobedience was more than just looking back. It was an outright rejection of God. God had no choice but to also make an example of her. He made her into a pillar of common salt. Jesus says: Matt 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men And so it’s clear here that when we disobey God we lose our place in God’s kingdom and become nothing more than dead and useless things! .. don’t let the same thing happen to you that happened to Mrs. Lot. God is looking for obedient people who will help season the world.
If God has delivered you from something, don’t look back – . . . And the thing I like about God is that He CAN bring you out!
Several truths concerning Lot’s wife
1- She Perished Even Though She Had Been Warned Of Danger.2. She knew exactly what God had said He would do! 3- She Perished Even Though She Made An Effort To Be Saved. 4- She Was Separated From The Godless But Was Still Lost. 5- She Perished Even Though She Was Given Clear Directions.
Just like Lot’s wife, God has given us warnings, righteous men, all kinds of opportunities.
If Lot, his wife and daughters could speak to us today, I’m sure each of them would be able to attest to the message’s theme that, “What’s important is where you are going.”
What happened to Lot’s wife is still happening today.
It’s extremely hard to walk away from something that you are comfortable with. Our yesterdays are goneThe problem with the world today, is that we are to worried about what is behind us rather than what is yet to come.The Lord graciously delivers us from things in our life, but we feel we have to continue looking back at those things.We spend more time holding onto those things in the past instead of giving God the glory and praise for bringing us through them.As we move forward this day, let’s remember that, “What’s important is where you are going, not where you have been.” If we continue to focus on that , all of our lives will be richly blessed and we will continue to become the people that God has created us to become.
Luke 17:32 Remember Lot’s wife! 33 Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.
Song “I have decided to follow Jesus”
