Remember Lot's Wife

We can learn a 'lot' from Lot’s wife!

Even though very little is mentioned of her in the Bible, she leaves a big impact--enough for Jesus to mention her. Let’s start by looking at a little bit of history…

Where did Lot’s wife come from?

In Genesis 11:31, it is very specific about who left Ur of the Chaldees to go into the land of Caanan, but Lot’s wife is not mentioned. This poses a question as to whether she was part of the original group. They travel as far as Haran, and there Abram’s father dies. In 12:4-5, Abram leaves Haran, and again, all of the original group is named with the exception of Terah, Abram’s father. However, in verse 5, we have an un-numbered and un-named group of people that “they had gotten in Haran.” Was Lot’s wife among these people?

Next, Abram goes to Egypt because of a famine, and in 13:1, we have coming out of Egypt, Abram, “ his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him…” Still no mention of the wife of Lot. At this point, Abram and Lot part ways, because of their flocks competing for pasture. Abram gives Lot first pick, and he “pitched his tent toward Sodom” in verse 12.

Why were they hesitant about leaving the place of danger?

Although she is never mentioned by name, the first mention of her comes when the angels come to lead Lot and his household out of the city that they are about to destroy. ( Chapter 19) Lot and his family linger to the point that the angels must take them by the hand to get them moving, and lead them all the way to the edge of the city. The angel speaks plainly not to look back, yet that's exactly what Lot's wife does. Why would she be so blatant in disobeying God?

Was Lot’s wife a righteous woman?

Lot has talked the angel in letting them go to a small city called Zoar not too far away to escape the wrath of God. But, it is interesting what the angel tells him before they go. In verse 22, the angel says to hurry and escape, “ for I cannot do anything until you get there.” The sun was well up when Lot entered into the city, then the fire and brimstone began to fall, destroying Sodom and Gomorrah, the plain and all the inhabitants and the vegetation. (vs.24-25) “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.” v(26 ) Was Lot’s wife not included in what the angel said in v22? It would seem not, otherwise the fire and brimstone would not have started until she had reached safety as Lot had.

We know from the previous chapter that Abraham had prayed to God not to destroy the cities if He found as few as ten righteous people in the city, which, of course, He did not. So, can we conclude that she was not righteous in God’s eyes, seeing that He did not wait for her to get to safety? After all, if the fire and brimstone had not started to fall, she would have had nothing to look back and see.

What did Jesus mean by “Remember Lot’s wife?”

When Lot’s wife looked back at the destruction, she turned into a pillar of salt. In Luke 17, Jesus says to remember her, but why would He bring up a person that was barely mentioned? Let’s look at the context in which He said it. He is comparing the days of Noah and Lot to the days of the revealing of the Son of man. The people in both examples were ‘living it up” and did not consider their relationship with God. He doesn't want us to look back at our past, or the worldly elements in our lives, but to keep going forward and focus on Him.

What was the significance of a pillar of salt?

What is a pillar, as described in the Bible? The Cruden’s Complete Concordance of the Old and New Testaments describe a pillar this way: that which supports, either actually or metaphorically. Salt had to be offered with every sacrifice, and every meat sacrifice had to salted. (Leviticus 2:13, Mark 9:49)

So, for her disobedience, Lot’s wife was sacrificed, becoming an immobile object, a pillar that supported nothing.

What does the Bible say about disobedience?

This brings to mind another person who ignored a direct command from God. When Saul went against the commandment of the Lord, Samuel admonished him with these words: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king” 1 Samuel 15:22-23

It would seem that Saul suffered the same consequence as Lot’s wife, in that the disobedience brought on destruction so extreme that they could not repent, and undo what they had done. 

As Jesus said: 'Remember Lot’s wife.'