JesusWalk Bible Study Forum: Q3. Lot's Wife - JesusWalk Bible Study Forum

Q3. (19:26) After nearly being delivered, why did Lot's wife stop and gaze rather than escaping? What was in her heart? Have you ever struggled with this in your heart? What lesson does Jesus draw from Lot's wife in Luke 17:31-33?

to move on from the past,when we are born again we are entering into God's kingdom,so that the past is gone and we are new creations

Q3. (19:26) After nearly being delivered, why did Lot's wife stop and gaze rather than escaping? What was in her heart? Have you ever struggled with this in your heart? What lesson does Jesus draw from Lot's wife in Luke 17:31-33?


She was probably dumbstruck at the sounds and light emanating from behind her and her curiosity (got the cat) got better of her. Or she might have wanted to have one last look at her old town. Its hard to forget one's roots, you see. Or she might have stopped to take a break from her running and casually looked behind to see what was happening, forgetting the Angel's warnings. Whatever, she lost the race by a whisker.

I have struggled many times with this kind of sin. Sins of the past ensnare you, making you drag your feet or rather go slow in the work of the Lord. This is a subtle temptation. We should never give in to this. The time available for us is short. If we don't make use of it judiciously, we will be accountable for our sins of commission. Jesus warns us not to look back and go back to our old habits, traits, and ways. Focus on the things above, not on the things of this earth. Let us heed Jesus' warnings and go forward, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

Pastor Ralph, on Oct 19 2004, 07:17 AM, said:

Luk 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
Luk 17:31 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.
Luk 17:32 Remember Lot's wife.
Luk 17:33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
Luk 17:34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
Luk 17:35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Luk 17:36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Luk 17:37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

Eze 3:18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Eze 3:19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
Eze 3:20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Eze 3:21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.

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[color="blue"]3a.) Like all of us, we sometimes reminisce of times past and wish for the 'good ole' days' I think Lot's wife's heart probably betrayed her before God. She did not want to change her ways that she had become accustomed to in the city. The ways that were leading to this judgement by the Almighty.[/color]
3b.) (19:26) What was in her heart?
[color="blue"]3b.) Her old sinful ways; her reluctance to give up all.[/color]
3c.) (19:26) Have you ever struggled with this in your heart?
[color="blue"]3c.) Yes. And I thank God for His patience with me. [/color]
3d.) (19:26) What lesson does Jesus draw from Lot's wife in Luke 17:31-33?
[color="blue"]3d.) Have you completely given up your old life for the new life through Christ Jesus? I guess that is what we are doing in the process of sanctification.[/color]

Q3. (19:26) After nearly being delivered, why did Lot's wife stop and gaze rather than escaping? What was in her heart? Have you ever struggled with this in your heart? What lesson does Jesus draw from Lot's wife in Luke 17:31-33?

She was surrendering to a wish that things had not changed--that she did not have to leave her old life and habits. Apparently, she left under compulsion of the angels, and regretted her losses. It's hard to get into her skin to her heart to know what was there. But, after being warned not to stop or look back, she must have been having a hard time to leave the known for the unknown tomorrows. Sad.
Have I struggled against leaving the known for the unknown? Not really. I have left the known life here in the USA for foreign mission fields in many far places of the earth. Sure, I knew this was temporary, for only a matter of years, but it still was leaving my family, my friends, my church and a known way of life for who knows what. But we learned there is no more blessed place to be than where God wants us! We always gained so much more than we gave up.
We must be ready and willing to go--without looking back or trying to "save" some "things" from our earthly life. What better place to be than with Him in eternity?

Pastor Ralph, on Oct 19 2004, 07:17 AM, said:

After being nearly delivered, why did Lot's wife stop and gaze rather than escaping?
[color="blue"]It was the city of her birth, somewhere she has always known, her comfort zone, her life and the life of others whom she loved. Even though it was a sinful place maybe she just wasn't grounded enough in God and his ways to gain the strength she needed to totally obey.[/color]

What was in her heart?
[color="blue"]Grief[/color]

Have you ever struggled with this in your heart?
[color="blue"]Yes, as a woman it’s so easy to become emotionality attached to people, places, and things that have sentimental value. That’s how we were wired, that’s how we love. [/color]

What lesson does Jesus draw from Lot's wife in Luke 17:31-33?
[color="blue"]Jesus' will come like as a thief in the night (2 Peter 3:10) we must be ready when to meet with Him when he does. We must be prepared to leave any attachments of this earth and the past behind for “Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of the Lord because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat” We must walk and live in faith that His promise is sure. “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, “look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:12)[/color]

[color="blue"]Wow, those that want to preserve the old life will loose their life anyway. Belief and faith in the Lord is what we have to cling to.[/color]

[color="blue"]Better is one day in His house then a thousand elsewhere[/color]

Q3. (19:26) After nearly being delivered, why did Lot's wife stop and gaze rather than escaping? What was in her heart? Have you ever struggled with this in your heart? What lesson does Jesus draw from Lot's wife in Luke 17:31-33?

Why did Lot's wife stop and gaze rather than escaping?

I think Lot's wife sought to look at "what was" one last time. She was leaving all she knew, all she had and all she was accustomed to. That is change my friends. As a retired military man I know of this feeling. When you are uprooted and you must go at times your soul asks why? You stop and consider what you have and are being told to leave. It is not easy but there is no room for disobedience. Disobedience presents a resistance to the command. In Lot's wife case, this presented a large problem. Consider the following:

Gen 19:17 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.

Gen 19:26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

Lot's wife was instantaneously struck dead and petrified, and remained as a visible monument of divine displeasure. Consider the following:

Luke 17:31 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.

Luke 17:32 Remember Lot's wife.

Heb 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

These verses say a lot. Lot's wife disobeyed and looked on what she had verses what she was given. We cannot do this and find favor.

What was in her heart?

I think nothing more than love for what was. I think a strong sense of the loss of something valued. I cannot say how her thoughts affected her emotionally; what I do know is the actions that they brought out were not favorable and she was punished.

Have you ever struggled with this in your heart?

Yes, many times before. My punishment was not as severe as Lot's wife received, yet it certainly brought about change in me. I now look to God for all and seek to obey Him daily. I accomplish that minute by minute, it is difficult but possible through Him.

What lesson does Jesus draw from Lot's wife in Luke 17:31-33?

I think verse 33 sums it up precisely.

Luke 17:33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

I said earlier that Lot's wife looked at “what was” versus “what she had been given.” In that sense she placed a value on what she had that was greater in her heart than what God had given.

Everyone who is called by God must leave his life, carry his cross and go. We cannot place a value on what is left behind that is greater that God. The bible is full of examples on this and it is a hard truth. God is above everything and everyone. Nothing was before Him and all was created by Him. What then can have more value than Him for us? What can give us what He gives?

There is no room for question, yet that is what we do in many cases. We question His word, we question His examples and we question each other. It is a problem, but if we continue to seek Him we will persevere. Amen.

Lot's wife stopped and gazed at Sodom rather than escaping, I believe, because her heart was in Sodom. She didn't want to leave because she loved Sodom. It could be that she really didn't believe what the angels told them would happen.

Jesus was telling us in Luke 17: 31-33 that we should not be so attached to the things of this life that we would not want to leave them.

Her mother’s heart may have been touched by the death of her sons or daughters or it may have been that she would miss her birthplace and the memories she had. Her heart was in this life, it was her source of significance and meaning, so she turned back to see all that she loved go up in smoke. Regardless of her motive, she disobeyed a clear command of the angelic messenger.

I’ve struggled with preoccupation with worldly desires which diminish my desire for the kingdom. There is a part of Lot and his wife in all of us. We get caught up in the pursuit of living and at times we are insensitive to spiritual matters. I’ve been guilty of wanting one last, longing, look at friends who do not have the same desire for the kingdom as I do. It was hard at first, but as my relationship with the Lord is strengthened and matured, I find He provides me with just the right things to say to them and the ability to lovingly tell them no, and still love them with all my heart.

I believe that Jesus is trying to teach us, again, that where our heart is, there lies our treasure. Lot’s wifes’ treasure was in Sodom. She hated to lose it. Possessions will possess us if we find our life wrapped up with them. We have received the warning and should understand it. We should be learning in respect to the coming judgement of God.

After nearly being delivered why did Lot's wife stop and gaze rather that escaping. What was in her heart? Have you ever struggled with this in your heart? What lessons does Jesus draw from Lot's wife in Luke 17:31-33.
Perhaps Lot's wife was reluctant to leave her home and her life. Perhaps she was thinking about friends and was wondering what was happening to them. Don't we always want to know the details of what is happening. Her heart was looking back and not ahead to something better. Her heart was not right with the Lord.
I have something I am struggling with. Its not that it is wrong in and of itself but if it takes your eyes off Jesus than I think it is wrong.

J Vernon McGee says "She didn't believe God would destroy that city. Therefore we are to remember Lot's wife. To believe God is the important thing for us."
Matthew Henry says"Do not be unwilling to leave a place marked for destruction. Let them not look back lest they be tempted to go back. "

God Bless
Jen
Numbers 6:24-26

[font="Geneva"]How many believe that sanctification can coexist with sin—after all my sin is “small” and no one was hurt. Living in Sodom presented many of the same challenges that Christians face today. Sin tempts. Sin disguises itself in acceptability. We think we can taste sin’s pleasures, and be “good” and God will roll his eyes and look the other way.

Lot’s wife was drawn to look back at Sodom, despite warnings. Just a peek—can’t I just peek? Maybe she was concerned about her neighbors, maybe she was curious, perhaps her faith was weak and she had doubts about fleeing from her home. How many of use would peek? How many of us are drawn to the roadside accidents? Or the memories of old friends and acquaintances before we committed our lives to God?

How many are drawn to our old life of sin—of drugs, adultery, ***********—of bad relationships—when we have the greatest opportunity in front of us.

Jesus warns us to put aside our earthly treasures when that day is upon us. With heaven awaiting, that sounds so easy—but is it? It wasn’t for Lot’s wife. She couldn’t see the future for the past.
[/font]

Lot's wife stopped and looked back because as the bible states, "Where
your heart is , there will be your treasure also". I believe that the desires
of her heart were upon the materialism of that city, where also she probably
became friends with the ungodly neighbours around her, and rather win them for God, they drew her away from her FIRST LOVE.

I believe we all look back on occasion to our past , but careful assessment of
the things we previously indulged in, makes us realize the goodness and grace of God that caused us to escape the wrath to come.

The lesson, I believe, Jesus drew from Luke 17, is HE THAT LOVETH HIS LIFE
IN THIS WORLD SHALL LOSE IT. This world is only a temporal place of abode
until we are called to the New Jerusalem, where we shall ever be in the presence of the Lord.

After nearly being delivered, Lot's wife stopped and gazed rather than focused on escaping to soak in final moments of her life in that city. Her heart may have had many things going through it, except for the reverence and obedience to God. I have struggled and continue to struggle with this in my heart. The lesson Jesus draws from Lot's wife in Luke 17:31-33 is that if we hold to earthly things we will persih along with them; however, if we obey and trust in the Lord, we will endure forever.

[color="purple"]I think a lot of it had to do with her identity. Everything she knew, who she was, was behind her. Now, who would she be in whatever new place they were going? Would she be happy? Did she really want to play the role of a refugee? How would the people treat them, now that they had nothing but the clothes on their backs?
We are born again in the Lord, made into something new, a new creation. Sometimes it's hard to know what that is, our new identity in the Lord. When you are a child, we all have this idea of what life will be like and who we would like to be. Then Jesus comes and makes us something new, something we never had any inkling of, and sometimes it's just hard to let go of the old self and old habits, when the life your sin created still exists all around you, and you don't know where you are going, just that's it's forward and out of Sodom. It's hard to not look back when the sound of it is all around you!
Personally, I think there is the salvation of your soul which comes first, then the salvation of your life, which comes second, when you follow the Lord as He leads you. Maybe there is a definate time for deliverance, and if we don't follow right then, and look back, then.......remember Lot's wife.[/color]

Her heart was still in Sodom. She was looking at material things that she was leaving behind and the pleasures that clung to her heart. Unbelief was in her heart.
If you are attached to the corruption of this world, you will not be spared from God's Wrath and the destruction that will come upon the ungodly.
Jesus wants us to get our hearts on heavenly things not earthly so when the time is right we won't be looking back at earthly things-- we will be looking for Jesus' return and heavenly things.

Fear is the lack of faith. Fear is why she looked back. Unknown or suspicions create a breeding ground for fear. Lot’s wife here told as being born and raised there fears for others she thinks of. Not looking and only hearing and smelling the devestation set her up to fear, and then the need to confirm. She did not know enough to trust her delivers to obey them.
I often struggle with knowing if the thought I have is of mine or the Lord, so I doubt and only later can see that I did or didn’t do as I should have.
Jesus is illustrating that HIS word can be trusted, now and then and evermore.

Lot and his wife had been removed from Sodom by the angels. Lot's wife may have been born and lived all her life there. She had not the contact with Abraham that Lot had, and certainly had never had the faith (knowledge of God) that Lot had. Possibly she didn't understand anything except that all she ever knew and was familiar with and had was being lost to her, so she turned around and longed for it. There was not the fear of God, only the assurance of worldly things which is no assurance at all.

I have been trapped into fulfilling worldly desires rather than operating faith. It cost me.

Jesus is talking about the last days, saying that we need to be sharp and aware at the time that Jesus comes for us. We need to respond immediately to His call, not with any ifs, buts or wait tills. These will cost us more than we are prepared to pay. CF the virgins with their oil lamps preparing for the bridegroom, we have to be ready and waiting to go. There won't be any second chances on that day.

She was use to her homelife and did not want to leave. Because of her lack of faith and disobedience she turned to a pillar of salt because she looked back.

She felt dispair, loneliness and fear in her heart.

Struggled iwth loneliness and fear within my own heart.

The lesson is that whatever you lose in material things you will gain spiritually

I think Lot's wife could hardly believe she was leaving the city she had spent her whole life in. She probably couldn't believe it was actually going to be destroyed. She may have looked back to see if Sodom was still there.
Plus she probably couldn't let go of her past. It's interesting that the Bible never mentions her name. She is simply known as Lot's wife. God knew what her name was, but obviously He felt that we didn't need to know.
The lesson that Jesus draws from Lot's wife is that He can come back at anytime and we need to be ready to meet Him.
When Christ returns for His own, will we meet Him in the air, our eyes only for Him?
Or will we look back at the people, places, and possessions we are leaving behind on earth with reluctance?