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REMEMBER LOT'S WIFE
REMEMBER LOT’S WIFE Luke 17:32
(Larry A. Bunch)
This is one of the shortest verses in the Bible and one that is full of meaning to us. The shortness and simplicity may indicate the importance of it, said by Jesus. To remember her means to take heed to the example or to hearken to the principle involved in this incident. Let’s turn to Genesis 19 and read what happened there, but first the background: Because of a dispute between Abraham’s servants and Lot’s servants, they went separate ways. Lot chose the area of Sodom and Gomorrah, wicked cities. Because of the wickedness of the cities, God determined to destroy them, saving only Lot and his family. Two angels come to Sodom in the evening and you can read of the wickedness of the city in Gen.19. We will take up reading at verse 15... 15When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.” 16But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the LORD was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city. 17When they had brought them outside, one said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you, and do not stay anywhere in the valley; escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away.” 18But Lot said to them, “Oh no, my lords! 19"Now behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your lovingkindness, which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, for the disaster will overtake me and I will die; 20now behold, this town is near enough to flee to, and it is small. Please, let me escape there (is it not small?) that my life may be saved.” 21He said to him, “Behold, I grant you this request also, not to overthrow the town of which you have spoken. 22"Hurry, escape there, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the town was called Zoar. 23The sun had risen over the earth when Lot came to Zoar. 24Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven, 25and He overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. 26But his wife, from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.
What Is the Lesson for Us?
- She Perished Even Though Wife of a Righteous Man!
Lot was even the nephew of a righteous man, Abraham, called the “friend of God” (James 2:23). 2 Peter 2:7-8 and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men 8(for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds).
If there had been NINE more like Lot, the city would have been spared! (Gen.18:32) Lesson for us: Even though we have righteous, God fearing relatives, we ourselves may be lost! Our father, mother, brother, sister, husband, wife, may be righteous but the question on the judgment day is not going to be, “What kind of husband (wife) did you have?” But it will be, “What kind of person were you? What did you do?” So many try to ride along on the coattails of their righteous relatives in the church. What does the Bible say? 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Ezekiel 18:19-24 “Yet you say, ‘Why should the son not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity?’ When the son has practiced justice and righteousness and has observed all My statutes and done them, he shall surely live. 20The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself. 21But if the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 22All his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his righteousness which he has practiced, he will live. 23Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord GOD, “rather than that he should turn from his ways and live? 24But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does, will he live? All his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his treachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die.”
- She Perished Even Though She Was a Righteous Woman!
She was one of the four righteous persons found in the city -- Lot, his wife and two daughters. She disobeyed God in ONE point, and God does not tolerate disobedience in anyone! Ezek.33:13 “When I say to the righteous he will surely live, and he so trusts in his righteousness that he commits iniquity, none of his righteous deeds will be remembered; but in that same iniquity of his which he has committed he will die.”
Just because you are righteous doesn’t give you a “license” to sin! “I used to lead singing” (but quit worshipping God). “I used to teach a Bible class” (a woman whose life is messed up with divorce and remarriage). “I used to be a preacher” ( and was led to ruin by alcohol). “I was an elder in the church” (addicted to gambling). “I used to be at church every time the doors opened” (but became a drug addict), etc.
No Good If Sinning Now! James 2:10 “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.” James 4:17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.
You may not be guilty of transgressing ALL of God’s law, but to transgress in ONE point will result in death. (REMEMBER LOT’S WIFE!) Be careful about saying, “Well, just one little sin won’t hurt” She perished because of ONE SIN! And men would classify it as a “LITTLE” sin! She just looked back - she didn’t stab anybody in the back, did not cheat someone out of money, was not an immoral woman... there is no “Big” or “Little” sin in God’s sight! 1 John 3:4 “Every one who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.”
We, today, need to be impressed with the importance of studying God’s word. Study, study, study, and we STILL can make mistakes. What about those who do not study; do not seem to care? Where do you think they will stand? Study and work your Bible Lessons at home. Don’t leave your workbook or worksheet on the pew!
- She Lost Her Life Even Though Warned to Flee from City!
She knew what God wanted her to do. She understood God’s will. Gen.19:17 “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you, and do not stay anywhere in the valley; escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away.” SHE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO!
Today, many plead, “it is too hard; I can’t understand it” cf., baptism, Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet.3:21 (plain statements of face). Some people say, “Well, I don’t have to follow ALL that, just get the MAIN idea!” BELIEVE! God wants you to have FAITH!
“Get out of the city and go to the mountain!” She forget about all the instructions (Don’t look back). -- Such a little thing! She overlooked it! And REMEMBER HER! Don’t ever forget her; let that pillar of lifeless salt be a monument to remind you of what happened to her every time you say we are being “too dogmatic” or “legalistic” in pointing out “little things”!
Warned to flee, knew what to do, but her knowledge did not save her. Knowledge didn’t save her ... Knowledge didn’t save her ... (impress that upon your mind!) Not enough just to KNOW. Knowledge is the instrument for us to USE - the thing that shows us the way and what to do. It is so said that some on judgment day: “I knew what to do!” - Not enough to know; no consolation in knowing. For example, if a tornado is coming and the alarm is sounded but you pay no heed to it and your life is lost: your knowledge of the tornado coming doesn’t save you!
- She Lost Life Even Though She Had Separated Herself from the Wicked Sodomites!
She obeyed God this far, she got out of the city, away from the wicked people. A lot of us do same, but like Lot’s wife, that is as far as we go. Some think they have gotten a train ticket to Heaven when they are baptized and now just have to sit back and wait for the train to take them there. They practice “SALVATION BY BAPTISM ONLY” -- never study or work. Lesson: Even though she started out fine she had to “CONTINUE IN OBEDIENCE” -- not just start; not just “once in a while” - but continue until she reached safety, the mountain or the city Lot pled for! We must continue until we reach the other side!
We can lose our lives even though we have been separated from the world -- She did! When we obey the gospel, we are separated from world. Col.1:13 “For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,” But we may still lose our lives because there are still things to do! Heb.10:25 (assemblies) Heb.5:9 “and having been made perfect. He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation.”
It is a sad thing to see a Christian start out right and then be lost for lack of obedience. Gal.5:7 “You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?” What happened to her? Her backward look. Her backward look. Seemingly, she had every reason to look back! Friends? Father? Mother? (20 years in Sodom?) Sons-in-law? Righteous Lot & two daughters kept walking and never looked back. Luke.9:62 “But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Phil.3:13-14 “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having ‘laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Col.3:1-4 “If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
No matter how many loved ones are in sin and the world, you press onward. (Illustrate: Young preacher proud of himself for baptizing an old man and went to see him afterwards. The old man pointed to a woman working in the garden and said “30 years of her example converted me.”)
No matter who falls by the wayside don’t look back. Keep your eye on Jesus. You try to help. Gal.6:1, but if refused, don’t look back! Keep your eye on Jesus! REMEMBER LOT’S WIFE!
