Lot’s Wife – “Don’t Look back”

Lot’s Wife – “Don’t Look back” – Luke 17:32, Genesis 19

God’s Warning

When Jesus spoke to his disciples about the importance of faithfully following him in a time of turmoil and rebellion, He gave them a sobering reminder: “Remember Lot’s wife.” (Luke 17:32) Just three words, but they carry a lifetime of warning and wisdom for us. What happened to Lot’s wife, and what does this command mean for us today?

Abraham’s nephew, Lot, along with his wife and their daughters, lived in Sodom. The twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were large and wealthy, but extremely wicked. God warned Abraham that He was going to destroy the cities. But Abraham pleaded for mercy, and so God sent angels to rescue Lot and his family.

When God was about to destroy Sodom, the angels commanded Lot’s family to flee their home and not look back. But as they ran, Lot’s wife turned and looked back at the burning city, and she was instantly turned into a “pillar of salt.” Genesis 19:23-25 says God rained down burning sulfur on the cities and destroyed everything in the area.

Several years ago, we visited this region near the Dead Sea, and I was struck by how utterly desolate and barren it still is. Archaeologists have found melted glass and scorched surfaces that suggest temperatures exceeded 3600°F. Scientists believe such damage could only be caused by a blast that was far more powerful than an atomic bomb.

Why Did She Look Back?

We know very little about Lot’s wife. We don’t know about her inner thoughts or her faith. But her actions speak volumes. Genesis 19 tells us that even Lot himself did not want to leave Sodom. But when he hesitated, the angels forced the whole family to flee and warned them not to look back.

Lot’s wife did not simply glance back over her shoulder to see what was happening. The original Hebrew wording implies that she stopped, turned around, and looked back longingly. She did not want to leave her home. She wanted to stay in a place so wicked that God destroyed it. Jesus gives us the same warning, “Remember Lot’s wife,” and don’t look back.

To me, this warning means - Don’t look back at what I am burning down. Do not look back and want to return to what I am delivering you from. Don’t look back at what I am finished with in your life; look forward to where I am taking you next. But she stopped. She looked back. And she was forever stuck in a place she was meant to be only passing through.

Lot’s wife reminds us how easy it is to outwardly follow God, while inwardly clinging to the world around us. She was physically leaving Sodom, but emotionally, she was still stuck there. Her home, her possessions, her social life, all the things that made up her identity were still tied to Sodom. Looking back cost her the future that God had prepared for her

Forgetting What is Behind…

I find it ironic that Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt as God destroyed an evil city, whereas Jesus calls his followers to be salt and light to an evil world. It is a striking reminder that disobedience can freeze us in place and prevent us from fulfilling the future God has called us to. Here are some thoughts to help you pursue your future with God.

The Danger of a Divided Heart – In Matthew 6:24, Jesus warns us that no one can serve two masters. A divided heart will ultimately choose one and hate the other. What is dividing your heart today?

The Subtle Pull of the Past – Often, we find ourselves looking back and perhaps romanticizing past accomplishments, or holding onto old grudges, or lamenting past mistakes. The more we live in our past, the harder it becomes to follow God’s future. What part of your past are you clinging to that you need to give to God permanently?

Our Forward-facing Journey - Hebrews 12:1-2 urges us to “throw off everything that hinders you and the sin that so easily entangles you, and run with endurance the race marked out before you… fixing your eyes on Jesus…” As Believers, we are called to be on a forward-facing journey. What hindrance or sin do you need to “throw off” today?

“This one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind… I press on to take hold of that for which Christ took hold of me.” (Philippians 3:12-13)