If we need to come to God for his righteous in order to escape judgment, then we ought to be wary of the hurdles that might seek to trip us up and prevent us from coming to God for salvation. And the fleeting passions and pleasures of this life have the power to do just that.
Lot, his wife, and his two daughters had been sent out of Sodom to avoid the judgment, which here came down as fire and sulfur at the command of God. But in the midst of this, Lot’s wife looked back upon Sodom. Now, even though nearly every translation uses the phrase, “looked back,” I don’t think it’s very helpful. Because it misses the nuance of the state of her heart.
The word in Hebrew, “navaat,” means to behold, observe, show regard, set one’s desires upon. It’s not as though she merely looked back to ensure she was out of harms way. The text says she was already lingering behind. This is a wanting look. A desirous look. A look of regard for Sodom and it’s pleasures. She was attracted to sin. And those desires slowed her escape from judgment and she was overtaken.
Luke 17:32-33 Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.
An unwillingness to lose one’s life, to leave the old behind and embrace a life with Christ as Lord, will prevent one from turning to the Lord.
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