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There is a short verse in the New Testament that is telling all of us to remember the wife of Lot. This verse is found in Luke 17:32 (ESV)
Remember Lot’s wife.
Why should we do that? I believe there are few warnings in the Bible more solemn than this one— to remember the wife of Lot.
My father told me recently that he never in his life heard more people talking about the end times more than in our days. And I was thinking about his words and I have to admit that I believe he is right. Many of my friends watch the news regularly, and they are telling almost every time we meet how bad things are. And they are right. However, I can see they become kind of cynical about everything, and nearly all they see is darkness. This is not healthy either.
Of course, I believe too that we are getting closer than we think to the end times. However, wise people will focus on Jesus and not on the plans of the enemy. Even though we are not ignorant of his schemes (2 Cor. 2:11). And in the context of the end of times, Jesus spoke these words in Luke 17.
But who was Lot? He was the nephew of Abraham and a righteous man (2 Peter 2:8). Therefore, Lot’s wife knew about the Only true God in the Universe from her husband and his uncle, Abraham. However, she had a tragic end when she looked back to Sodom, thus disobeying God’s command.
Why is the warning of Jesus so crucial for us today? I want to share with you four reasons why we should always keep before our eyes these essential words:
1. We need to remember the wife of Lot because of the Person who is talking
The Person who is delivering this solemn warning is Jesus Christ Himself. And He is speaking from His position and authority as the Son of God. The same Person who did love the sinners, heal the sick, raise the dead and cleanse the lepers is talking here. The same Person who cried for Jerusalem and who came to heal the brokenhearted (Luke 4:18), who later died on the cross on our behalf and rose from the dead, is also warning us. Jesus finds crucial to remind us about the end of this woman— Lot’s wife. He thought is vital for us to remember the wife of Lot— a person who lost her soul.
2. We need to remember the wife of Lot because of the context
In the context of this verse in Luke 17, Jesus is talking about His second coming. He is teaching and informing His disciples of what is about to happen in the end times. Thinking about the end times, Jesus speaks this solemn warning. And by saying these words, He is describing the state in which many believers will be found at His second coming. Therefore, we need to pay close attention to His warning.
3. We need to remember the wife of Lot because of the people who were listening
Here, in the context of these words, Jesus is speaking to His disciples. Do you consider yourself a disciple of Jesus? If yes, then you and I need to be careful and treasure these words in our hearts. Jesus is not speaking here with King Herod, or Pilate, or the Pharisees and the scribes. No, Jesus is talking here with the ones who loved Him and followed Him all over. He is communicating with the people who claim to obey Him and who recognized Him as the promised Messiah of Israel! And Jesus thought it is essential to give His beloved disciples a warning— to remember the wife of Lot and her end.
4. We need to remember the wife of Lot for the way in which these words were spoken
It seems to me that Jesus thought His disciples might have problems with remembering His Words. Moreover, I believe we are all in danger to forget His warning and Words.
Jesus in this verse is not saying — Do not forget the wife of Lot. He is telling us to remember the wife of Lot. To remember refers to something intentional and speaks about an active effort or discipline. We as disciples of Jesus need to develop an intentional mindset to always keep before our eyes this urgent warning. The word ‘remember’ in Greek is a verb, and it has the meaning to call to mind, to be mindful of, to hold in memory, to think of, etc. I don’t know how many disciples of Jesus actively remembered this command of Jesus in the past week.
We need to remember the wife of Lot
It is interesting that Lot’s wife is the only person Jesus is commanding us to remember. He could have told us to remember Adam and Eve, or Abraham, Isaac, Jacob or Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, Elijah, or Daniel. Not even Sarah, Rachel, Zipporah or Esther. The only person we are told to remember is the wife of Lot.
Out of all the Bible characters, Jesus told us to remember someone who lost her soul because of her disbelief and disobedience towards the Lord.
Now what?
In these words of Jesus, there is a warning for the Church today. And the warning comes not from me but from Jesus Himself. We do live in the last days and the second coming of Jesus is closer than we think. Therefore, this warning should help us live with the fear of the Lord in our hearts and watch and wait intentionally. Moreover, it should make us analyze our lives and question our walk with the Lord. And set things right with Him and the people around us.
Jesus Christ is coming soon. May we all love His coming. Revelation 1:7 (ESV)
Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
Indeed, let us fix our eyes on Jesus and not on the things of earth and always remember the wife of Lot. Because Jesus says so!
Do you agree?
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