Dr. Lawrence Butler, The Bridge Church, Pembroke
Our story of Lot and his final evening in Sodom begins with a dark cloud of despair hovering over him and his family. The night arrives and brings great distress upon the man Lot.
The wicked men of Sodom attempt to take captive the two angels who have been sent by God to destroy the city. The idolators of Sodom did not know who they were and their purpose for being in town. They were driven by their fleshly passions, seeking only to satisfy their sinful desires upon the strangers. Lot tried to intervene but was unable to control the crowd. The angels pulled him to safety, demanding that he gather all his family and leave the town immediately in order to avoid destruction. He was unable to convince any to leave with him and lingered himself so long that the angels finally took hold of those in the house and placed them outside the city. This included only Lot, his wife and two daughters.
After being rescued by the angels the group was given instructions. They were to escape to the mountain, not stay in the plain, and definitely not to look back.
They entered a small town named Zoar and when the sun rose God rained fire and brimstone upon the whole area. At this point Lot’s wife “looked back” and then became “a pillar of salt” (Gen. 19:26).
The example of salt speaks of barrenness and ruin. There is a certain permanence to salt and thus reminded all who saw this pillar that the wages of sin are fixed.
Jesus even used her as an example in His teaching on final judgment when He said, “Remember Lot’s wife” (Luke 17:32). She had shared in all the blessings that Lot received, including an angelic warning, physical hand-holding until they reached safety, and the same warning to not look back. She had every opportunity to escape, but a single backward look revealed a divided, disobedient heart.
Some may want to debate whether or not she became a literal pillar of salt, but that is not the most critical point to consider. What we should realize is that judgment can fall swiftly without a second chance. “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him” (Heb.2: 3).