Questions and Answers: Remember Lot’s Wife

From the Questions and Answers series

This is an important question, because Jesus Himself told us to remember Lot’s wife (Luke 17:32).

At first, the judgment does seem severe. But when we take a closer look, Scripture reveals that there is more going on than just Lot’s wife physically looking behind her.

To begin, we need to understand what led up to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah

The Sin and Judgment of Sodom

Sodom and Gomorrah were consumed by evil. The Bible tells us that their sins were an abomination to God. This place was completely evil and corrupt in every way possible. Let’s take a closer look at Genesis 19 where we are given an idea of just how far they had fallen.

When two angels (appearing as men) came to visit Lot, he brought them into his home to eat and rest for the night. But then:

In the Bible, the word know is often used to refer to sexual relations. In fact, it’s used this way just a few verses later when Lot describes his daughters as having “not known man.”

So, these men and boys (the Hebrew language means pre-adolescents and older) were demanding to sexually assault Lot’s visitors, who were actually angels. This shows extreme violence and sexual perversion (see also Jude 1:7).

But that’s not all. In Ezekiel we’re given even more insight into the types of sin occurring in Sodom and Gomorrah:

As you can see, there was a lot going on in these cities. The cry God heard came from those who were oppressed, suffering, and severely abused.

I don’t want you to overlook this part: God heard the cry of the innocent. Our Heavenly Father hears us when we cry out to Him, even today. He knows what is happening in this world and in the lives of His children. His Judgment is coming again, but so is justice and healing for those who love Him.

The Escape and the Warning

These two angels were sent to warn Lot and his family to leave. They told him several times what was about to happen:

But even after hearing this, Lot hesitated. He didn’t act immediately, so what did the angels do?

The angels physically took hold of Lot, his wife, and his daughters and brought them out of the city. They were saved because of God’s mercy, but also because Abraham interceded on Lot’s behalf. Once they were outside, the warning was clear:

They were told not to stop, not to stay in the plain, and not to look back. They ran to the smaller city (Zoar) and God’s consuming fire utterly destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

Let’s see what happens next:

At first glance it may seem like she simply looked back, but the original Hebrew word for looked gives us a deeper understanding of this verse:

Lot’s wife did look back, but it was more than just physically turning her head to see what was happening.

She had lived in abundance, as they were wealthy. Perhaps she wanted to return, or maybe she mourned the lifestyle she was leaving behind. We are not given those specific details, but whatever it was, it was more important to her than the command God gave her. His divine judgment was raining down hell on Sodom and Gomorrah, yet her longing pulled her back. She was unwilling to fully separate from the things that were an abomination to our Heavenly Father.

Keep Moving Forward

Jesus gave a clear warning to anyone tempted to turn back after choosing to follow Him:

Just like a farmer can’t plow a straight line while looking over his shoulder, we can’t walk forward in obedience if our heart keeps turning back to our old life. God calls us out of sin to bring us into something far better: life with Him, not just now, but for eternity.

When we belong to Christ, our identity is no longer tied to the past we’ve left behind. We are called to continually put off the old man and put on the new, saying no to what once was and yes to the renewed life He is creating within us.

Lot’s wife could not let go. Her story still matters today because it reveals how easily our hearts can linger behind us, even when God is leading us in the opposite direction.

What does this mean for us?

Is this teaching that if we stumble or hesitate, God will destroy us? Of course not. Lot himself hesitated, yet he was still saved. The warning here is about willfully clinging to a sinful lifestyle while ignoring God’s call to leave it behind. When we are truly trying to follow Christ, even when we fall short, our Heavenly Father sees our effort and forgives us when we repent. He has never demanded perfection from His children, but He does expect us to keep moving forward and not remain where we know we shouldn’t be.

This is exactly what Paul says when he writes:

And this is the most beautiful part: We do not walk this path alone. Our Heavenly Father loves us, and He gives us His strength, His mercy, and His guidance every step of the way. Always remember this promise: