Remember Lot's Wife

LUKE 17:20-32 “REMEMBER LOT’S WIFE”

A) Jesus, naturally, was the greatest Biblical scholar and teacher the world has ever known!

* Here in Luke 17, Jesus is well along in His ministry.

* You might say that the Pharisees were “on to Him!”

* They were between the “rock and a hard spot.”

* They couldn’t just dismiss Jesus as a fanatic, for He had too large a following, and His

knowledge of the Scripture was just amazing.

* In this particular encounter, the Pharisees were demanding a miraculous sign as to when this

“kingdom” was coming.

B) Jesus explains to them that the kingdom of God is not coming with signs - v.20!

* Jesus then goes into a message regarding His last days.

* In doing so, He reminds His disciples of a couple Old Testament tragedies ...

* The days of Noah and the days of Lot.

* What really stands out to me in this passage are the 3 words spoken by Christ in v.32 .......

C) Why would Jesus admonish 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: Genesis Chapters 11 & 12, 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, then we must assume that she too left

Ur with her husband.

* In Chapter 13, the success of the families of Lot and Abraham caused strife among their

herdsmen and the ultimate split between the two of them!

* Lot chooses the Jordan valley and leaves Abraham with the less desirable desert hills of Canaan! D) The key here is this: First, Lot located his family in the fertile Jordan valley!

* Later v.12, he moved his tents as far as Sodom (he kept creeping closer and closer).

* By chapter 19, Lot had traded in his tents for a townhouse!

* Chapter 14, the five southern kings in the Sodom region, who had been serving the four northern

kings, rebel!

* It would appear they (southern kings) try to cut off the “kings highway” (trade route).

E) The four northern kings come down to squash the rebellion, and capture Lot in the process!

* Abraham learns of Lot’s capture, goes up on the opposite side of the Jordan, catches them in the

northern Jordan region (around Damascus), defeats them and rescues Lot!

* Chapters 15-17, we don’t hear much about Lot, these chapters deal with the maturing faith of

Abraham and Sarah, providing also more details regarding the covenant God made to Abraham!

* By chapter 17, 24 years have expired since Abraham left Haran ... plenty of time for Lot and

family to establish roots in Sodom.

F) Chapter 18, God and two angels appear to Abraham as three men!

* They have two primary purposes: * One: To convince Sarah that she indeed would bare a son!

* And two: To tell Abraham of the outcry from Sodom and of His plans to investigate!

G) The City of Sodom is thought to have been located on the SE side of the Dead Sea!

* When you hear the name “Sodom,” what comes to mind?

* Sodom was a cesspool of unspeakable immorality and abominations! * Note Jude v.7

* Sodom’s wickedness and destruction was so renowned it was commonplace for Sodom to be

used as a comparison for the sinfulness of Israel and other nations!

(Deut.32:32; Isa.1:10; Jer.23:14; Ezek.16:49-50)

* The memory of their destruction provide a picture of God’s judgment!

* (Isa.13:10; Jer.49:18; Matt.10:14-15; 11:23-24) and made them an example to be avoided ...

(Deut.29:23-25; 2 Pet 2:6).

* Perhaps the clearest picture of Sodom’s sinfulness is found in the text of our lesson!

H) Before we focus on Lot’s wife, let us look at the story itself: * The Story Begins: Gen.19

* Vs.1, Lot was sitting in the gate! * Elders and judges of a city sat at the gate!

* Here, they conducted business and legal issues were settled.

* So, Lot, apparently, was a leader in the city.

* Vs.2 gives us our first clue regarding the wicked condition of the city and Lot’s knowledge of it!

* It was customary for travelers to spend the night in the city square (an enlarged area just within

the city gate, it served as a market place).

* Their suggestion to sleep in the square was simply customary (these heavenly beings posing as

men simply wanted to fit their part as travelers).

I) Vs.3 - Why did Lot strongly urge these strangers not to sleep in the square, rather to spend the