A Lot to Remember

I will always remind you about these things – even though you already know them…

(II Peter 1:12).

Of all the commands that Jesus gave, none is more disregarded than this one: “Remember Lot’s wife” (Lk. 17:32). It’s strange how we have forgotten the command that encourages us to remember! I have a hunch that most American Christians have no clue who Mrs. Lot even is. But what’s worse, I fear that the majority of those who can recall her tragic story have forgotten what it means.

To “remember” involves more than a cognitive recollection of certain historical facts. When I tell Katy that I have remembered her birthday, she knows that not only have I recalled the date, but I got her a gift! To remember something means that we are allowing the past to impact the present. So, when Jesus tells us to remember Lot’s wife, He is encouraging us not to forget her story so that we don’t make the same stupid mistakes that she did. A famous quote attributed to philosopher George Santayana states this truth succinctly: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

In this commandment, Jesus uses the present imperative tense, which means keep on remembering Lot’s wife. He obviously feels strongly about this. He wants us to tell the story of Mrs. Lot again and again, from generation to generation, in sermons, in small groups, during coffee breaks, around the family dinner table, and in blogs such as this one. It’s interesting that Jesus never commanded us to remember Deborah, Ruth, or Bathsheba. But He singles out this nameless woman who is barely even mentioned in the Bible and tells us in the strongest possible terms: Don’t forget to remember her!

So, perhaps you are wondering: Why, oh why, does Jesus feel so passionately about this?

I’m so glad you asked.

Lot was the nephew of Abraham and Sarah. When his father died, Uncle Abraham took him under his wings as if he were the son he and Sarah were never able to have. As Lot shared in the incredible experiences of his godly uncle, we can assume that his wife was right there beside him, witnessing God’s manifest presence during one of the most significant moments in human history.

Over time, however, Mr. and Mrs. Lot distanced themselves from Abraham and Sarah, choosing to pitch their tent “near Sodom” (Gen. 13:12). It wasn’t long before they gave up their nomadic life entirely and took up permanent residence in this city famous for its moral perversity (Gen. 14:12). The Bible tells us that Lot “sat in the gate” of the city, which suggests he was a civic leader (Gen. 19:1). Mrs. Lot was apparently an enthusiastic supporter of these decisions that led her family to embrace the culture and values of one of the most wicked cities in human history. When Lot’s family was taken hostage by enemy forces and then rescued by Uncle Abraham (see Gen. 14:11-16), we can assume that Mrs. Lot had every opportunity to reflect deeply on the consequences of sin and the redemptive power of God’s grace.

Although Lot maintained a nominal faith in God and practiced a minimal degree of righteousness (see II Pet. 2:7), his wife apparently abandoned the true faith entirely and embraced the cultural beliefs of her Sodomite surroundings. We can only imagine what she must have thought when the angels arrived to announce that judgment was about to fall on the city of Sodom. Although Lot was reluctant to leave, the heavenly messengers seized his hands, and the hands of his wife and two daughters and forcefully led them out of the city saying: “Run for your lives! And don’t look back or stop anywhere in the valley!” (Gen. 19:17 NLT). What happened next is one of the most terrifying depictions of divine judgment in the entire Bible.

Then the Lord rained down fire and burning sulfur from the sky on Sodom and Gomorrah. He utterly destroyed them, along with the other cities and villages of the plain, wiping out all the people and every bit of vegetation. But Lot’s wife looked back as she was following behind him, and she turned into a pillar of salt (Gen. 19:24-26 NLT).

This is the tragic story that Jesus commands us not to forget to remember. Perhaps we can summarize his message this way:

Remember her opportunities. As the “daughter-in-law” of Abraham, Mrs. Lot spent years living up close and personal with one of the greatest saints in human history. Imagine what it was like to live next door to Abraham and Sarah, to share meals, to sit around a fire and talk, to pray together, and to be able to ask Father Abraham any question you needed help with. Yet Lot’s wife made a willful decision to turn away from the true faith and choose a Sodomite lifestyle instead. Her judgment matched the severity of her sin:  “When someone has been given much, much will be required in return” (Lk. 12:48 NLT).

Remember her sin. There is no indication that Mrs. Lot actually participated in the sexual perversions of Sodom or that she was guilty of outwardly wicked behaviors. Her sin was in her heart more than in her actions. She loved Sodom and refused to leave it, even when it was under divine judgment. Mrs. Lot is a terrifying reminder of the truth that those who love this world make themselves an enemy of God (see Jam. 4:4).

Remember her losses. Mrs. Lot lost her possessions, her marriage, her children, and her life. She  illustrates how those who sow to the flesh will from the flesh reap corruption (see Gal. 6:7-8). Although Lot himself may have been rescued from judgment, he is the classic example of what it means to be saved “but only as through fire” (see I Cor. 3:15).

Remember her judgment. The judgment that fell on Mrs. Lot was terrifying, painful, and permanent. Imagining what it must have been like to be burned by fire and brimstone and turned into a pillar of salt is nightmarish, to put it mildly.

So, is Jesus trying to frighten us when He tells us to remember this dear lady? You bet He is! He’s trying to scare the hell out of us – literally! Jesus wants us to remember Lot’s wife because He knows that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 9:10).

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