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Lot's Family
“The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God.” (Revelation 3:12a)
The choices of our lives lead us down paths and journeys which we may not realize. While Abraham kept his nomadic lifestyle, Lot decided to settle in the city of Sodom and became a very influential man. When the angels came, in Genesis 19, Lot was found at the city gate, a center of communal activity, the place of the market, and the meeting place for the honored elders of the city. Lot seems to have made a life for himself in the city, integrating himself into it.
As such a man’s wife, Lot’s wife (unnamed in the Bible, but Jewish traditions name her either Ado or Edith) would need to be just as integrated. She would have known the workings of the city and been a woman of prominence because of her husband. She would have had her friends, business ventures, and activities to do on top of her duties in the home, raising their two daughters. The two daughters would be raised in this same environment that their mother would live.
What happened in Sodom and Gomorrah is incredible. The angels came and Lot and his family experienced the events of that evening. They knew who the angels were, how we do not know. (Genesis 19:1) The household of Lot would have seen what the men outside wanted to do with these angels. (Genesis 19:4-5) The household would have been witness to the blinding of the men outside. (Genesis 19:11) It would have been apparent that the words of the angels were to be heeded, and God to be obeyed.
Lot was considered faithful, but how much longer would he have been? He and his whole family did terrible and sinful things during this terrifying event. The city had gotten into Lot and invaded his family. The environment in which we live affects us. How much do we integrate into the world? Do we even notice when it seems acceptable to throw our daughters to ravenous and predatory men? (Genesis 19:8) Do we notice when despite the incredible events of life leading us one direction leading to life and goodness, we still long for a place of utter destruction? Do we turn around in our life to a time or place of utter destruction and, rather than moving forward to life and light, we become part of the destruction? (Genesis 19:26) Do we notice when it becomes normal to satisfy sexual desires in ways which are disgusting and incestuous and encourage loved ones to do the same? (Genesis 19:33-36)
Many things can be discussed in this story, but there is a gift we have been given that Lot did not have. Lot was on his own in the city of Sodom, surrounded by sin and licentiousness, and he had only himself to protect that from entering his being and invading his spirit.
Coming forward, nearly 4,000 years later, we are living in Sodom as well. Less by choice in the way Lot had, and more that Sodom has grown to encompass most of the world. Satan, himself, rules over this world (John 12:31) after his triumph over man. His power is limited, but the freewill choices we make give him opportunities to slowly stain our spirit with darkness in ways which we may never notice.
How do we protect ourselves from this destruction? The angels in Lot’s story are our Jesus. He has granted us the church and the Holy Spirit by which we can learn, and test ourselves, collectively as a church. We are not alone!
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
By way of the church, each of us now have the active choice: either become a pillar of salt like Lot’s wife (Genesis 19:26), which is made up of this world, and will be destroyed in time, or become a pillar in the temple of God (Revelation 3:12), which will live on forever. We live in the world, but we have that “washing of regeneration” (Titus 3:5) that keeps us clean from the stains of the world, and renews our soul, keeping it clean.
Lance Byers
8/3/2024
- Lots_Family_8-3-24.pdf (57.14 kB)
