Titus 2 Men And Women

Lot's Wife And Daughters
By Teddi Neevel

Scripture: Genesis 13-14 & 19

Background information:

The Bible doesn’t tell us who Lot’s wife was. We don’t know if she was from his tribe, a woman from Egypt, or a woman from the plain of Jordan. The early references to Lot refer to him and his herdsmen but not to his family. Because there is so little mentioned of Mrs. Lot we are going to need to look at Lot to understand Mrs. Lot and the girls.

According to Genesis 13 verse 1 when Abram and Sarah left Egypt they took their nephew (Genesis 14:12), Lot with them. Verse 5 tells us that “Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.” The chapter goes on to explain that the land where they settled wasn’t able to handle both Abram’s and Lot’s cattle so they needed to separate their herds. This is common sense land management. The action of separating the herds prevents over-grazing that would have eroded the land.

Abram gave Lot the choice of where he wanted to dwell. Look at verse 10 and we read that Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw the well-watered plain and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot chose the rich fertile plain of Jordan and Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan. I’m sure that Lot was counting his money as he looked at the Jordan valley and saw rich pasture land, plenty of water and people to sell meat and hides to. There is always a demand for fresh meat in large cities.

Verse 12 tells us that Lot “pitched his tent toward Sodom” and verse 13 tells us that “the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly.” I wonder why Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom? I suppose it might have been to take advantage of the morning sun but I believe it goes back to Lot’s plan for prosperity. He set his tent facing Sodom by means of saying, “I’m ready to do business with you.”

In Genesis 14:12 we read that Lot and his possessions were taken captive and Uncle Abram went to the rescue. Abram was successful in rescuing not only Lot and his possessions but he also rescued the other captives and captured the spoils of war. In Genesis 14:22-23 we read that Abram refused to take any reward for rescuing the people. In fact verse 22 says Abram recognized the evil of Sodom and Gomorrah and swore to God he would not profit from them…he did not want to be obliged to them in any way. However, Lot and his family moved back into town.

I want you to realize that Lot didn’t just stumble into this messed up community and then move on. Lot chose to live in Sodom with his family. Chapter 14:5 mentions 14 years of evil dictatorial rule. Abram and Lot left Haran when Abram was 75 years old (Genesis 12:4), they were probably in Egypt less than a year because the prince of Egypt had taken Sarah into his household but had not married her. The normal time of purification for a princess was one year. After Abram and Lot had divided their flocks Ishmael was born to Hagar. Abram was 86 years old. (Genesis 16:16) Abram and Sarah were promised a son when he was 99 years old. (Genesis 17:1) Genesis 18 tells of the two angels visiting on their way to Sodom. Lot chose to live and raise his family in Sodom, a community of exceeding wickedness for at least 15 years and perhaps much longer.

The story of the Lot family continues in Genesis 19. God sent two angels to warn the people of impending judgment by God. Lot recognized them immediately as servants of God. The men of Sodom wouldn’t listen to Lot and wanted instead to sexually assault the angels that Lot was protecting. Lot offered the men of Sodom his two virgin daughters but they were not interested in women. The Sodomites actually turned against Lot but God intervened and caused the men to become blind for the night. (Genesis 19:11)

The next day Lot went to warn his married daughters and their husbands but they didn’t believe him. His lack of standards had been compromised to the point that Lot’s adult daughters and their husband thought that he was joking when he warned them that God was going to destroy the city. (Genesis 19:14)

Genesis 19:15-20 “And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:
Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:
Behold now, this city [is] near to flee unto, and it [is] a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, ([is] it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.”

Even though Lot had protected the angels and warned his daughters and sons-in-laws, he still was hesitant to leave the city that was familiar to him…the community where he had social position and influence. The angels literally took Mr. and Mrs. Lot and their daughters by the hand and transported them outside the city.

Once they were safely outside the city, Lot was still trying to compromise. In essence Lot said, “We can’t go to the mountains, something evil might kill us.” This is the same Lot that had wandered hundreds of miles through mountains, deserts, and wilderness with Abram and now he is sounding like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, “Lions, and Tigers, and Bears, Oh, my!” Again God allowed Lot his way and let the family go to one city that would not be destroyed. The instructions were simple, escape to the city and don’t look back.

Genesis 19:24-26 “Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.”

There it is…the last reference to Mrs. Lot! She looked back and became a pillar of salt. It is easy for us to judge her from our place in history, but think about her for a minute. She had lived in Sodom with her husband for many years…her home was there…her friends were there…she hadn’t had time to think, say good-bye or pack her favorite possessions…she was leaving at least two daughters there… she may also have left grandchildren in Sodom. The temptation to look back must have been very great, but God forbid it. Yet, she turned for one last longing look at the allure of sin and it cost her life. Oh, how many of us are so busy looking back at an incident in our life, living constantly in the memory land of “If Only” that we are unusable to God. Not unusable because we have sinned but because we refuse to leave the sin behind and become available for life.

Lot then was afraid to remain in the small town of Zoar, so he and his two daughters went into the mountains and dwelt in a cave. Obviously, Lot recognized that his previous fear of the mountains was only an excuse he was using to do what he wanted rather than doing what God commanded.

Genesis 19:31-34 “And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father [is] old, and [there is] not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:
Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, [and] lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.”

It was while they were living in the cave that Lot’s daughters decided they would cause their father to become drunk and then have intercourse with him so they could each conceive a child. They used their father’s habit of justifying disobedience to God by the situation. Did they really believe there was no man in all the earth? Of course not! They knew there were men living in Zoar. They knew that Uncle Abram had many men in his family unit. They must have known some of the history of their father’s tribe. They knew that Uncle Abram would eventually send someone to look for them after he saw the smoke of the brimstone. God had already told Abram he would destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. They chose to make an excuse to sin, but they had watched their father make compromises and deals all of their life. Today we call this type of thinking situation ethics…but God still has the final word.

We cannot hold Lot blameless in his daughter’s deceit and conceptions even if he was too drunk to know what he was doing. All he had to do was say, “No thank you, I don’t care to drink any more wine.”

This is a family history that could come out of almost any TV program or newspaper headline of our day. I want to summarize the destruction of this family unit and see if we can draw some conclusions about what our lives should be.

• Lot’s family looked at sin: Genesis 13:12 “Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched [his] tent toward Sodom.”
  
  
• Lot’s family lived with sin: Genesis 14:12 “And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.”
  
• Lot’s family was respected by sinners: Genesis 19:1 “And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing [them] rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;”
  
• Lot’s testimony was worthless: Genesis 19:14 “And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.”
  
• Lot’s family had a problem being obedient to God: Genesis 19:16 “And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.” Genesis 19:18 “And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:” Genesis 19:26 “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.”
  
• Lot’s inconsistency left his daughter’s with no values to cling to in trouble: Genesis 19:31-32 “And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father [is] old, and [there is] not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth: Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.”
  
  It is so easy for any one of us to become complacent about the sin around us and to feel there is nothing we can do to change our society. Many times we can’t change things but we do not have to condone or justify ungodly behavior. Lot’s wife looking back is an example of our living today, looking back…at the would have, could have, and should have…we become a pillar of salt…useless to ourselves and every one else when we live like this.
  
  As Christians we need to realize that sometime the place that looks the best or the job that pays the most may not be in the our best spiritual interest.
  
  We need to guard our eyes from looking on sinful behavior. If we become comfortable looking at sinful behavior it becomes enticing. How often do we hear someone say they only wanted to try something once and now find themselves hooked on alcohol, drugs, pornography, or any other self-destructive behavior?
  
  We need to speak up within our homes about wickedness in our society and world, so our families know we agree with God rather than with man. Ephesians 4:13-15 is written to the church but it teaches a principle that holds true for the home also. Unity of faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ gives children stability and enables them to stand firm against temptation and peer pressure. That unity of faith means the parent or parents must be steadfast and consistent in their walk and their talk.
  
  We need to keep sin out of our homes. I realize that there are things we cannot do, but we need to do what we can. We always have our remote set to flip back and forth between two channels. As an example, if a Victoria’s Secret commercial comes on we flip the channel. Our young people do not need to see commercials for mood altering drugs, underwear, alcohol, condoms, feminine hygiene products, or to correct impotence just to list a few. How many times does a teenage boy need to see a commercial about sexual enhancement before his mind is fantasizing?
  
  We need to be motivated by the prospect of hearing a “Well, done” from God rather than seeking the praise or approval of man.
  
  We need to realize that being consistent in anything involves self-discipline and personal conviction. You can not set the standards for your family if you have no standards for yourself.
  
  I don’t want to leave any of us feeling hopeless about the Christian life and our parenting skills. While many people would say that Lot’s family was ruined and certainly it was devastated, yet it was not without hope of redemption. One of Lot’s descendents was Ruth who married Boaz and is named in the lineage of Christ. We need to keep our focus on the end of the race. A runner watches the finish line not the competition or the cheering crowd. Philippians 3:14 “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

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