Bible Study Lessons | Genesis 19:15-29
I don’t know her name, but the wife of Lot paid a high price for living in the past. This is the story of how Lot’s wife becomes a pillar of salt for not obeying God.
Lot and the Final Days of Sodom and Gomorrah
Learn how looking back can sometimes keep us from moving ahead in this study of the Bible concerning the final days of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Lot’s wife disobeyed God and was turned to a pillar of salt. The Old Testament is full of life lessons such as this one.
Lot’s Wife Becomes a Pillar of Salt in Genesis
When they had brought them outside, one said, “Escape for your life!
Do not look behind you, and do not stay anywhere in the valley; escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away.”
But Lot said to them, “Oh no, my lords!
Now behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your loving kindness, which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, for the disaster will overtake me and I will die; now behold, this town is near enough to flee to, and it is small.
Please, let me escape there (is it not small?) that my life may be saved.”
He said to him, “Behold, I grant you this request also, not to overthrow the town of which you have spoken.
Hurry, escape there, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the town was called Zoar.
The sun had risen over the earth when Lot came to Zoar.
Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven, and He overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.
But his wife, from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. – Genesis 19:17-26 NASB
Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot’s Wife Turns to Salt
This passage about Sodom and Gomorrah really begins back in Genesis 19:1 when the angels appeared in the square of Sodom.
I suggest taking another look at the passages leading up to verse 15 because they will give you more insight as to what was going on in Sodom and Gomorrah at the time of this writing.
The Strangers
Lot had protected the angels from a crowd who wanted to defile them by offering his own daughters up for rape by the raging mob.
This tells the story of how low these two cities had become. Still, Lot had hesitated to leave his home.
Holding on to Material Things
You see, Lot had a great deal of wealth and possessions in Sodom so leaving the city was the furthermost thing on his mind. We may decide from this study that Lot was greedy and self-centered – but what about us?
Lot’s choice seems clear with our 20/20 hindsight but he was drawn in by the glitz and glimmer of a sin city with attractions made of paper.
The Temptation of – Us
We also live in a world of temptation and worldly pleasure. We can purchase almost anything under the sun and it becomes easier to ignore God’s calling for our lives.
Our society is becoming more like Sodom and Gomorrah so we need to be careful not to fall into the trap as Lot did.
Lost Possessions
Lot’s wife held on to the past and what she had left behind by “looking back“.
Just as Lot’s wife was turned to a pillar of salt, we will have no future as long as we pine over things lost – so let’s move forward in what God is asking us to do.
Don’t look back!
Love in Christ
– Bob
If you would like to discover how to receive the love and life-changing experience of Jesus Christ, please take a moment to read John 3:16 and learn more.
Read Today’s Passage Here:
New American Standard Bible
New King James Version