REMEMBER LOT'S WIFE

"In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. REMEMBER LOT'S WIFE. Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it." (Luke 17:31-33).

Jesus had just cleansed ten lepers, with only one Samaritan returning to give thanks. At that time, the Pharisees asked him "when the kingdom of God would come." Jesus quickly replied, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or, 'There it is!' For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst" (Lk 17:20-21, NASB). By this, He meant the presence of Divine rule was not so apparent that ANYONE could detect it. In fact, the "kingdom of God" was in their very midst, and they did NOT know it. Truth was being established, and Satan was being overthrown, yet those without eyes to see were not aware of what was happening.

Our Lord then began to speak to "His disciples," declaring some signs of His return, and the end of the world. He told them that a time was coming when they would "desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it" (17:22). It would be a time of unparalleled judgment, when no access to Jesus or a favorable word from Him would be given to those who were not with Him.

Vaulting them forward to the end of the world, Jesus spoke of His public return, like lightning that is visible from one end of heaven to the other. He likened it to the days of Noah, when "the flood came, and destroyed them all." He said it would be like the days of Lot, when those in Sodom and Gomorrah "did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all" (17:26-29). He then added, "It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed" (17:30).

He indicated that prior to His return, life would be going on as usual, just as it was in the days of both Noah and Lot. In Noah's day, the people ate, drank, married, and were given in marriage "until the flood came, and took them all away." In Lot's day, they ate, drank, bought, sold, and continued building until fire and brimstone fell from heaven. There were indicators all about them that judgment was coming, but unbelief had so hardened them that they could not see them.

Jesus told His disciples they would see these things "begin to come to pass." When they saw the preliminary signs, they were to "look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh" (Lk 21:28). Some of the indications included "signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken" (Lk 21:25-26).

Amidst His teaching, Jesus said, "In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.  REMEMBER LOT'S WIFE." (17:31-32).

       While this warning did have an application to the destruction of Jerusalem, as later described (Lk 21:20), it is not limited to that destruction. Our Lord was describing a certain Kingdom mentality that all of us need. When it becomes evident that destruction is coming, it is not the time to look with longing eyes on what is to be destroyed! With great solemnity, we are admonished, "Remember Lot's wife."

When Lot, his wife, and their daughters, were delivered from Sodom, they were told, "Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain." En route to safety, however, "his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt" (Gen 19:26). Although the particulars are not supplied, it is apparent that her heart could not separate from that wicked place. She is to be remembered – not for bearing Lot children, or for being hospitable to the angels, but for looking back on what had been cursed.

We are living in times when it is evident an epochal change of some sort is looming on the horizon. It could be Divine judgment, or even the return of our blessed Lord – but something of significance is drawing closer to us, may be at hand. This, of all times, is not the time to become attached to this world. It is not a time to forge alliances with the wicked, and develop an appetite for the temporal. This is a time to "look up," and strengthen our fellowship with Christ. It is a time to look up, not look back!

PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I ask for grace to keep my eye on the goal, and run toward it with perseverance.

-- Monday: THE POWER OF PERFECT LOVE --