* Lot’s problems began when he decided to live in the fertile plains near Sodom and Gomorrah. The Bible calls Lot a righteous man (2 Peter 2:7) but he was drawn to the bright lights of the city. He ended up actually living in the city rather staying in his tents and living like a nomad as did Abraham, his uncle.
Abraham bargained with the Lord not destroy the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah based on how many righteous people were living there. This shows God’s heart for people. He agreed not to destroy the city if even 10 righteous people were living there. As it turns out there were only four at the most.
When the angels came to the city their intent was to remove Lot and his family before destroying the city. This also shows God’s heart for his people. Rather than destroy us along with the wicked, he will pull us out from among them. I don’t think this is an example that means the Lord will rapture the church before the tribulation. Rather, this is a picture of the Lord saving us from eternal hell. The reason I believe this is because of how Lot was rescued.
Lot was quite reluctant about leaving. The angels had to drag him and his family out of the city. We have to be dragged away from sin. Even then, he wanted to go to another city that was near, though it was small. We are just too much like Lot after we’re saved. We often want to go back to our old life. We often don’t want to work at sanctification. Others also head for the hills and try to separate completely from society but that doesn’t eliminate sin. Lot’s wife is a warning that looking back can petrify us and make us useless for God’s work.
No, even though we are saved, we still carry around our sinful nature, the flesh. Lot didn’t do a good job of learning how to live in society or living a godly life. Too much time in the city left him fearful and weak. But we don’t have to succumb to those things. We are more than conquerors through Jesus (Rom 8:37).
Dave Harvey puts it this way in his book When Sinners Say "I Do":
The benefits of the new birth—the pardon of our sins and our relationship with Christ—do not remove us from the battle. Instead, they guarantee our victory! Informed by the Word of God, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, you can make your battles fewer, shorter, and not merely less harmful, but actually redemptive, allowing your marriage to steadily grow in sweetness. [1]
This doesn’t just apply to marriages but in all our Christian lives. We don’t have to be defeated as was Lot. We can become better rather than bitter.
[1]Kindle location 591-594.
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