In Luke 17, the Pharisees asked Jesus about the coming of the Kingdom of God (Luke 17:20). Jesus responded by comparing the coming of the Kingdom of God with the days of Noah and Lot—that people will be going about their daily activities when judgment will overtake them suddenly. Then, during His description of the day of the coming of the Kingdom, Jesus admonishes the people to remember Lot’s wife (17:32). Of course, the people Jesus was speaking to knew immediately the story of Lot’s wife, as I’m sure you do as well. It is a very familiar story. But, before we look at the reason for Jesus’ reference to this story, let’s go back to Genesis 19 and review it again.

We know from Genesis 18-19 that the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was so grievous that God could not ignore it any longer (18:20; 19:13), and He had no choice but to destroy not only those cities but the entire valley as well (19:24-25). Following His conversation with Abraham, God sent two messengers (probably angels) to the city of Sodom. Once the wickedness of the city became apparent during the night (19:1-11), the messengers told Lot to take his family and leave the city because they were going to destroy it. Then, taking Lot, his wife, and his two daughters by the hand, they led them outside the city and told them to flee to the mountains not looking back or stopping in the valley (19:15-17).

My previous understanding of the action from this point on is that, while Lot and his family were fleeing from Sodom, God began to rain down fire and brimstone upon the cities. And, as they were running away, Lot’s wife turned around to glance at the destruction and turned into a pillar of salt. However, after reading the passage a bit closer, I don’t believe that is exactly how it happened.

I recently noticed that when the messengers took Lot and his family to the edge of the city and urged them to flee, they said, “Escape there quickly, for I can do nothing till you arrive there” (19:22 emphasis mine). Then, in the next two verses, we read that, “The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar. THEN the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah…” (emphasis mine). In other words, the destruction did not begin until after Lot and his family arrived safely at their destination.

However, when we get to verse 26 and read, “But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”, it becomes a little confusing as to when this actually occurred. There are different viewpoints on this, but my feeling is that Lot’s wife did more than merely glance behind her when she turned into a pillar of salt. The word “looked” in verse 26 is the Hebrew word nabat and it means to behold, gaze, observe, look intently on, or regard with pleasure, favor, or care.

I believe that, as they were fleeing, Lot’s wife, who was following behind Lot and their daughters, began to think back with pleasure on Sodom. Maybe she thought of her other family members or friends and didn’t want to leave them, or wanted to try to convince them to escape with her. Or maybe she remembered something she left behind and wanted to go back to retrieve it. For whatever reason, I believe she returned to Sodom while Lot and his daughters, not realizing that she was not with them, continued to Zoar. Once they arrived at Zoar, God began the destruction, and Lot’s wife was caught in it and became a pillar of salt along with everyone else in the cities. God provided a way of escape from the coming judgment, but Lot’s wife’s heart was still attached to Sodom. She chose the world, and it destroyed her.

This explanation of events fits with Jesus’ reference to Lot’s wife in His description of the coming of the Kingdom of God. In Luke 17:28-33, Jesus compares the coming of the Kingdom of God to God raining fire and brimstone on Sodom. He then says that when the Son of Man comes those who are on the housetop or in the field should not turn back to gather their goods from the house (17:31). He admonishes them to remember Lot’s wife (17:32) and concludes with a warning that if we seek to preserve our life we will lose it, but if we are willing to lose our life, we will keep it (17:33).

The point Jesus is making, and the lesson for us is that if we hold on to our old life, as Lot’s wife did, it will destroy us. Instead, we should be willing to give up our old life and the things of the world so that we might obtain the life of the Kingdom of God. He should be our desire above everything else, and He should be more valuable than anything the world has to offer. This is why the Bible tells us to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Deut. 6:5; Mark 12:29-30).

Therefore, it would be good to develop a daily habit of praying David’s prayer: “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Ps. 139:23-24). Or “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit” (Ps. 51:10-12).  Lord, search our hearts so that there is nothing that is drawing us back to the world and hindering us from fully following you. Help us to set our heart on you so that we desire you above everything else. And help us to remember Lot’s wife!