Wicked Woman Lot’s Wife – How to Avoid Looking Back audio video notes. Sadly, her story and legacy don’t end with a block of salt. The overwhelming wickedness concerning Lot’s wife was her deafening silence. The scriptures do not give us one word she spoke. Her wickedness is in her silence.
WICKED WOMEN OF THE BIBLE
By Pastor Delbert Young
Wicked Woman Lot’s Wife – How to Avoid Looking Back
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Wicked Woman Lot’s Wife – How to Avoid Looking Back
Scriptures: Luke 17:28-33, Genesis 13:13, Genesis 18:20-21, Genesis 19:4-5, Genesis 19:6-7, Genesis 19:8, Genesis 19:15-17, Genesis 19:23-26, Genesis 19:30-38
We continue our series on Wicked Women of the Bible. As I attempted to say last time, our series is not intended to beat up on women. Our series’ purpose is to help women understand some wickedness they will face and help them identify and avoid wickedness. The truth is we all have wickedness in us. It’s in our gene pool going all the way back to Grandma Eve, but we don’t have to be wicked.
Today, we glance at a wicked woman we hardly hear about and know little about. Not one word she said is recorded, yet Jesus said to remember her. Her silence is deafening.
Luke 17:28-33 “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left SODOM, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. REMEMBER LOT’S WIFE! Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.
Wicked Woman Lot’s Wife – How to Avoid Looking Back
Do you believe what the scriptures say about the wickedness and destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah? With these words, Jesus gave validity to the ancient story. I’m reminded of the primary lessons from our study on Eve. The serpent asked Eve, “Did God really say…” This one question released the most hellish, venomous, deadly, and wicked force ever injected into humanity.
It’s our assumption that what God said is subject to our judgment, questioning, evaluation, and assessment. No matter what your personal thoughts of all Sodom and Gomorrah speak into our modern-day society, do not question what God said and what God did concerning it. God said it was wicked.
Genesis 13:13 Now the MEN OF SODOM WERE WICKED and were SINNING GREATLY AGAINST THE LORD.
Lot was the nephew of the patriarch Abraham, the father of the Hebrew nation. Lot took his family and followed his uncle Abram as Abram followed God, leaving the heathen worship and lifestyle of Ur of the Chaldeans to the land of Canaan (Gen 11:31). Abram and Lot became extremely wealthy under the blessings of God.
Wicked Woman Lot’s Wife – How to Avoid Looking Back
However, the draw of the sinful city Sodom pulled on Lot. The Bible says Lot looked toward Sodom (Gen 13:10), pitched his tents near Sodom (Gen 13:12), and lived in Sodom (Gen 14:12). So, Lot was well aware of Sodom’s wickedness, yet he put his family there.
The point
Instead of building to it and developing it, I want to go ahead and make the point concerning Lot’s wife. This way, we’ll be able to see it as we investigate her story.
We discussed the amazing guiding influence a woman has on her man to do evil or to do righteousness (Gen 3:6). What was Mrs. Lot’s guiding influence during this time of moving her family into Sodom? We’re not told ‘per se, but if you know the story, it will be she who looked back, was judged by God, and was turned into a pillar of salt (Gen 19:26). She longed for Sodom too, perhaps even more than her husband.
I’m all about a woman loving her man, supporting her man, and sticking with her man, but there’s a place and a time when the woman must take a stand against wickedness, or she will become wicked. This is especially true when her children are at stake. Would you agree? If you are a married, righteous woman, there have been times you said, “No! We’re not going to do this!”
Wicked Woman Lot’s Wife – How to Avoid Looking Back
Lot’s wife was the mother of two daughters. As we will see, these two daughters became vile beyond belief. What was Lot’s wife’s guiding influence not only upon her husband but also on her children? Was it toward righteousness or wickedness? Moms, where are you here? “Delbert, are you saying it was Lot’s wife’s fault Lot moved his family to Sodom?” No, but I am saying it was her fault for not getting her children out of there.
No matter how much she contributed to moving to Sodom, she didn’t have to subject her children to its wickedness by staying there.
Lot was wealthy. Did she sacrifice her children for a comfortable lifestyle? It happens every day. Was she afraid to go out on her own? It was a rough society for women. The bottom line is this: is there any reason a woman should remain in wickedness when her children are in the balance?
Let’s quickly cruise through the scriptures, looking at the environment in which she raised her children. First, back up to the preceding event before Sodom. We find a Christophany (an appearance of Christ) to Abraham. The Lord, along with two angels, appeared to Abraham (Gen 18:1-19). The Lord reaffirmed to Abraham and Sarah they would have a son. As the Lord was leaving, we read,
Genesis 18:20-21 Then the LORD said, “The outcry against SODOM AND GOMORRAH IS SO GREAT AND THEIR SIN SO GRIEVOUS that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”
Wicked Woman Lot’s Wife – How to Avoid Looking Back
This was the environment. It was so grievous that the Lord had to see it for himself. Abraham was aware of how grievous Sodom and Gomorrah were and knew his nephew Lot and Lot’s family were there, so he immediately went to work, entreating mercy from the Lord.
At this point, Abraham asked if the Lord would destroy the cities if there were fifty righteous there. The Lord said, “No.” Abraham asked what about forty-five, forty, thirty, twenty, and finally ten. To each, the Lord said no. Abraham felt confident there would be at least ten righteous, but as you know, there weren’t even ten. It was a wicked area.
Later that night, the two angels arrived at Sodom, where Lot was sitting. Lot, not knowing they were angels, welcomed them (Gen 19:1) and finally convinced them to go to his house. It didn’t take long for the extreme grievous wickedness to show itself.
Genesis 19:4-5 Before they had gone to bed, ALL THE MEN FROM EVERY PART OF THE CITY OF SODOM — BOTH YOUNG AND OLD — surrounded the house. They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us SO THAT WE CAN HAVE SEX WITH THEM.”
This was not a prayer circle! This was the environment in which Lot and Lot’s wife lived and raised their children. When we remain in wickedness, we become wicked.
Wicked Woman Lot’s Wife – How to Avoid Looking Back
Genesis 19:6-7 Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him and said, “No, MY FRIENDS. DON’T DO THIS WICKED THING.
Lot had become too friendly with wickedness. I have no difficulty with Lot referencing these as “My friends.” Likely, we all have friends and relationships with this sexual preference. At least, I hope we do. How can we show them godliness unless we are friendly? We all should have friends of a homosexual persuasion, and there should never be condemnation. No one has any right to judge anyone.
However, it’s still a wicked thing! Lot and his wife knew it was. Yet they raised their family there, and the vile effects took their toll. Where was the guiding influence of Lot’s wife? Look at the next shocking verse!
Genesis 19:8 Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.”
Where was Lot’s wife?
Wicked Woman Lot’s Wife – How to Avoid Looking Back
Do what! Where was Mrs. Lot? What’s wrong with these people? My wife would have my head! Lot had become depraved and was perfectly willing to allow all the men of the city, young and old, to do anything they liked to his daughters?! Where’s the mother? Where’s her influence? God obviously loved Abraham and was attempting to save his nephew for Abraham’s sake, but it seems to me Lot and his wife were as wicked, if not more wicked than the Sodomites.
The Sodomites told Lot to get out of their way, or they would do to Lot what they planned to do to the men inside. They were screaming, angry, and lustful. The angels supernaturally pulled Lot inside and struck all the Sodomites with blindness. Lot, Lot’s wife, nor the daughters could have missed the supernatural power of the “two men.”
The angels asked Lot if they had any more family there to get them, for they were about to destroy the place (Gen 19:12-14). Lot was going to allow his daughters to marry two Sodomites. Amazing parenting! Again, where was Lot’s wife’s guiding influence concerning this? Did she not care who her daughters married? When Lot told the two men who were to marry his daughters, they thought Lot was joking. He was a joke for certain!
Wicked Woman Lot’s Wife – How to Avoid Looking Back
Genesis 19:15-17 With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished.” WHEN HE HESITATED, the men GRASPED HIS HAND and the HANDS OF HIS WIFE and of his TWO DAUGHTERS and led them safely out of the city, for the LORD was merciful to them. As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “FLEE FOR YOUR LIVES! DON’T LOOK BACK, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! FLEE TO THE MOUNTAINS or you will be swept away!”
It was necessary for the angels to forcefully grasp Lot’s hand, his wife and his two daughters’ hands to get them out of the city. One wouldn’t think anyone would need to tell them to flee. We find the word “flee” four times in these verses. What is there about flee or you’ll be swept away they didn’t understand?
Genesis 19:23-26 By the time Lot reached Zoar, the sun had risen over the land. Then the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah — from the LORD out of the heavens. Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all those living in the cities — and also the vegetation in the land. BUTLOT’S WIFE LOOKED BACK, AND SHE BECAME A PILLAR OF SALT.
Have you ever had sulfur from a match head stick to your finger when lighting it? It’s painful. The Lord rained down on Sodom, Gomorrah, and the entire plain, burning sulfur.
Wicked Woman Lot’s Wife – How to Avoid Looking Back
Lot’s wife looked back. This seems like such a small thing, but as with Eve, it was a clear act of disobedience. The angels told her, “Don’t look back.” She chose her fate. This was what Jesus referenced. Jesus warned his disciples when fleeing Jerusalem, “Remember Lot’s wife” (Luk 17:32). Lot’s wife is the one judged.
The overwhelming wickedness concerning Lot’s wife was her silence. Her silence was deafening. The scriptures do not give us one word she spoke, yet her wickedness is in her silence. Either she never protested what her husband did, or she was in total agreement with it, or she would not leave. Either way, it cost her her life. Sadly, her story and legacy don’t end here.
Genesis 19:30-38 Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters lived in a cave. One day the older daughter said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man around here to lie with us, as is the custom all over the earth. Let’s get our father to drink wine and then lie with him and preserve our family line through our father.” That night they got their father to drink wine, and the older daughter went in and lay with him. He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.
Wicked Woman Lot’s Wife – How to Avoid Looking Back
The next day the older daughter said to the younger, “Last night I lay with my father. Let’s get him to drink wine again tonight, and you go in and lie with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.” So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went and lay with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up. So both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. The older daughter had a son, and she named him Moab; he is the father of the Moabites of today. The younger daughter also had a son, and she named him Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the Ammonites of today.
Passages such as this challenge us and appall us, but the Bible doesn’t hide wickedness. It exposes it. How depraved! How wicked! Where do you think they learned such a lifestyle? Lot fathered two nations through incest. Moab means “from the mother’s father or seed of father.” Ben-Ammi means “son of my people.” Both became idol worshipers and enemies of God’s people.
Last we hear of Lot’s life
Lot was once an extremely wealthy and blessed man. The last we hear of him, he is living in a cave, drunk, having incest with his two daughters, who both become pregnant by him. His wife is dead, and he has nothing. What a horrible epilate.
Wicked Woman Lot’s Wife – How to Avoid Looking Back
What would have happened if Lot’s wife had tried to use her guiding influence to discourage her husband from going to Sodom? Perhaps she couldn’t have stopped him. However, what if Lot’s wife had then taken her daughters and left the wicked city? She could have gone back to Uncle Abraham.
It’s curiously interesting to me that it was Lot’s wife who looked back longing for Sodom and was judged. Likely, we all know at least one Lot’s wife. She didn’t use her influence for righteousness. Likely, she used her influence for wickedness. She chose her fate. The children are the saddest part. Women, use your influence wisely. Remember Lot’s wife.
Wicked Woman Lot’s Wife – How to Avoid Looking Back
Wicked Woman Lot’s Wife – How to Avoid Looking Back
Other Related Sermons:
Wicked Women of the Bible Series video audio notes
Let Us Eat then Sodom sermon notes
Better For Sodom Than You Luke 10:1-16
Let Us Eat then Sodom sermon notes
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