Why was Lot’s wife turned into a pillar of salt? Did that really happen or was that just a parable?
Let’s read that account in Genesis 19:15-26, “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. And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. 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.” This is such a fascinating story. I encourage you to go back to Genesis 18:20 where the Lord told Abraham that he would destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Read from there through chapter 19 to get a better understanding of what is going on here.
Because of the great sin of these two cities, the Lord determined to destroy them both. However, Lot was living there with his family. Reading the account of Lot’s life, I don’t think we could even believe that Lot was a believer on the Lord, but we read in 2 Peter 2:6-8, “And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;).” Here, Peter refers to Lot as just and righteous. Sadly enough, Lot is like many Christians today who are truly saved, but their testimony is so bad that there is no evidence of salvation in their lives. However, we have the assurance of God in 2 Timothy 2:19 that, “The Lord knoweth them that are his.” Although his testimony was ruined by his actions, the Lord knew Lot’s heart. Because Lot was one of the Lord’s people, the Lord rescued him from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Notice that Lot was faithful to warn his family and friends of the impending judgment of the Lord, but we read in Genesis 19:16 that, “…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.” Instead of fleeing the cities before their destruction, we see that Lot lingered so long that the angels had to take them all by the hand and lead them away from the destruction. So, Lot, his wife, and their two daughters were led away by the angels with this warning in verse 17, “Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.” They were told to flee the cities, they were told to not look back, not to stay in the plain, but go to the mountain. They all obeyed these instructions, except for Lot’s wife. She looked back. Why do you think that she was not supposed to look back? Why do you think that she did look back?
Let’s read Genesis 19:26 again, “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.” We can see from this verse that Lot’s wife was behind Lot, showing she was the last one out of the city. According to the Strong’s concordance dictionary, the word for ‘looked back’ here also means, “to regard with pleasure, favor or care, to consider.” Although Lot’s wife had left Sodom and Gomorrah, her heart was still there. She longingly looked back at the cities that she loved. Her heart was not with the Lord, it was with the evil world, and because of that, she disobeyed God.
Was Lot’s wife turned into a literal pillar of salt or was she simply covered with liquid lava that probably poured from the sky as Sodom and Gomorrah burned, giving the impression of being turned into salt? I can only refer back to verse 26 which says, “she became a pillar of salt.” I see no profit in speculating about this. Either way, she was quickly and completely judged by God for her disobedience, which was a result of having her heart in the world.
Let’s read Luke 17:28-32, “Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they 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. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. 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.” This is the Lord Jesus speaking of that great and terrible day when He will return to judge those who have rejected him at the end of the seven year tribulation period. He likens that day to the day that Sodom was destroyed quickly and completely. The Lord here tells us to “remember Lot’s wife.” The Lord wants us to think about the judgment that will come upon those who reject and disobey Him. Let’s consider the words of 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8, “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Why do you suppose that Lot’s wife’s name is never mentioned? Read Proverbs 10:7. Respond and let me know what you think.