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Motherhood – Mrs. Lot

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Don't Look Back - Mrs. Lot

Motherhood

This past weekend I began a series on Quietude titled “Motherhood,” featuring Mom’s from the Bible and trying to get into their heads a bit in order to understand how they got through (or not) the situations they found themselves in. Because of the response and because I love this type of writing I am going to extend the series into my weekly posts for a season.

It is my opinion that women are rock stars – I think God outdid Himself when He took a piece of Adam and created Eve. A woman of order and loveliness. Perhaps we will study her in the weeks to come, but today?

Mrs. Lot

I’ve heard lessons taught and sermons preached which put Mrs. Lot in a bad light – but today, I want to take the road less traveled and try to empathize with her.

We could safely assume Mrs. Lot is from the land of Ur or the land of Haran. Because it is there we find her husband’s grandfather, Terah, and Uncle Abram. They (Terah, Abram, and Lot) traveled from Ur to Haran and dwelt there (Genesis 11.31). After Grandfather Terah died, the Lord told Abram to leave Haran and he, and all that was with him (including Lot), went to the land of Canaan.

From there they went east of Bethel and the tribe of them continued southbound. Abram and all those with him (Lot is still with Uncle Abram) experienced famine in the land and went to Egypt – a lot of things happened in Egypt. A plot of deceit and Abram, his wife, and ALL that he had were expelled from the country. (Genesis 12.20)

Back to Canaan

And, there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdsmen of Lot’s cattle. (here)

I don’t know about you but when my husband is stressed? He loves to share it and spread it around. And, when I say around – I mean onto me. Anyone?

Mrs. Lot, probably now with her two little girls, was tired. Living in portable tents. Moving from here to yon and back to there and then over to far and way.

The picture is getting clear.

Abraham dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. Genesis 13.12

But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord. Genesis 13.13

Four chapters pass before we hear of Lot and his lot again. Four chapters in the Old Testament cover many, many years and the next time we see Lot, God is ready to pour out His holy wrath on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, for their evil and wicked ways.

Abraham pleads with God for his nephew and family

In Genesis 18.22-33 we find Uncle Abraham interceding for his nephew Lot and his family. The LORD was gracious to Abraham’s intercessions. God’s angels, in the form of men, went to Sodom to convince Lot and his family to flee the city. These two men were met by a band of evil, perverted men who had wicked intentions. Lot tried to reason with the relentless perpetrators but the two angelic beings pulled him inside the door and smote the bad men with blindness.

Can you imagine?

Mrs. Lot and her daughters were inside and the commotion was beyond bearable. Lot was offering his two beloved daughters to the evil men and their husbands thought the whole thing was a joke and ignored Lot’s pleading to get out of the city.

Morning came and the two angelic men urged Lot to take his wife and his two daughters and get out of Dodge. The scene was chaotic to say the least.

Was Mrs. Lot thinking of what to pack? What to take and what to leave behind? Was she taking a final look around her home and thinking, “NOT AGAIN.”

The two angels had to take the hands of all of them and (perhaps) transport them outside the city, with the clear instructions to go forward and not to look back.

Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away. (Genesis 19.17)

Lot continues to bargain

Lot begs the angels to not make him go into the hills but if he could just go to the city nearby called Zoar. At sunrise, Lot in the lead, his wife behind him, and his two daughters entered the village of Zoar.

Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven. And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. Genesis 19.24-26

A pillar of salt

Yes, Mrs. Lot disobeyed heavenly orders and she met her doom. This story ends sadly and I cannot help but empathize with Mrs. Lot – finally she had a nice home and her two daughters were married and she was probably looking forward to grandchildren, but, alas…she disobeyed the order of Jehovah God, don’t look back.

Today, we have grace

Because of Jesus Christ we live in a time of grace. How many times do I look back? Or, how many times have I said, “If only.” And, what about those times I live in regret and resentment because of being whiny and discontent? I am eternally grateful for Christ’s atoning blood of forgiveness and His promise of eternal redemption.

We can be recipients of salvation and not wrath.

Mrs. Lot, it could have been me, save for the mercy of Calvary and the grace of resurrection.

Motherhood. Today we look at Mrs. Lot. Her story ends poorly – ours doesn’t have to. #bgbg2

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. This was a very interesting view on Mrs. Lot. I must admit, I didn’t give much thought to her, especially in the case of what her husband was proposing for her two daughters, and now that this has been brought to light, she must’ve been horrified!!

    Thanks so much for showing empathy to Mrs. Lot and giving us a different perspective on the person without taking away from the fact that she did indeed disobey God.

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    • She did indeed. So many things about Mrs. Lot that we can learn what to do and what not to do.

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  2. We just read about Lot’s wife this week in my reading with our kids. I appreciated your words about “not looking back”. Israel had this problem with looking back to Egypt.

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  3. Ah yes… I, too, have contemplated Lot’s wife and what pulled on her heart to look back with longing! I love this post and this series sounds so fun! (And yes and amen –or at least me too with the stressed hubby thing!) 😉

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  4. Susan,
    Love this look into the possible mind and heart of Mrs. Lot. I can be the queen of looking back and saying, “If only.” I’m learning that the only good “looking back” is looking back to remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness. Regret is not a healthy way to look back. Thank you for a reminder to keep eyes forward and joining with you in thanking God for His mercy in sending His Son so that I am saved with grace and not a pillar of salt.
    Blessings,
    Bev xx

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  5. I loved your telling of Lot’s story from Mrs. Lot’s point of view. I think we need more of this – telling Bible stories from a woman’s viewpoint! Poor Mrs. Lot! I never thought about the story in exactly this way.

    And…I can relate to a husband sharing the stress, especially when driving! 🙂

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    • Laurie, Jesus came to set women free – so when I look into the lives of our OT sisters I cannot help but wonder…

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  6. Love this elective look at Mrs. Lot who usually gets a bad wrap without much thought to all you describe here. This was a great read and brings her story into 3-D and reminds me that I may have succumbed to the same temptation as she did and can still be tempted to “look back” when I am to be keeping my eyes steadfastly focused forward on the Lord.

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  7. Oh, that pesky rear view mirror! I really try to stay away from it, and I’m grateful to know that everything in it (EVERYTHING! Now that’s amazing!) is covered by Christ’s act of picking it all up and carrying the whole mess to the cross.
    I love unpacking a Bible story from a different slant. Thanks for giving Mrs. Lot some air time and some compassion.

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  8. How have I never thought of mom’s of the Bible?! Other than a few obvious ones (Mary, Eve, Sarah), I’ve just breezed right over the “motherhood” aspect of scripture. Thank you for doing this!

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  9. Interesting read. I love how you explain things in simple terms that even I can understand. You are a blessing. I have to tell you that the only thing I read is my Bible cause I never liked reading (at all) but I look forward to your daily posts. Love you!

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  11. This is really good honey, how sad it must of been with Mrs. Lot, when her goofy husband tried to give her daughters away. It breaks my heart! And don’t we all tend to look back, I do, and I have to say to Our ABBA, help me keep my eyes on the here and now. Thank you honey, love ya!

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    • I know! What on earth was that man thinking? AND, those 2 daughters had HUSBANDS….where were they?

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  12. Such a wise post about Mrs. Lot and looking back. My commentary pointed out that her look back was an intense and prolonged gaze back towards what she truly loved. It was not a curious look back. Thank you for reminding me today to think about “why” I look back at the past – am I seeking to learn from the past or am I not wanting to let go of loving the past? Friend, you always make me think!

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  13. You’ve given us much to think about concerning Lot’s wife. Yeah, how many times have we looked back and wished for the past. But for GRACE.
    Thanks for posting on the LEgacy LInkup. It will be open til the end of the month so feel free to come back and share more from your motherhood series.
    God bless

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  14. I LOVE this! Yeah, we often look down our noses at Lot’s wife, but how would we stack up in the same situation. Thank you for making me think, my friend!

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    • After the selling of a home and the relocation? I’m sure I’ve looked back once or 37 times! But for grace. xo

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  15. I’m pretty sure I’ve been guilty of looking back!

    I want to press on, though, so thanks for this reminder – and a different way of looking at things …

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  16. Oh yes! “Mrs. Lot, it could have been me, save for the mercy of Calvary and the grace of resurrection.” Just this week, the message from God has been that HIS new for me involves letting go of the old ways. Wow. Only His grace.

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  18. Like Rebecca above, I hadn’t considered Mrs. Lot’s role as a mother until I read your wise post, friend. I have your gardening book in my Kindle and still need to leave a review, and a print copy would be wonderful!

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  19. Instead of “one step forward, two steps back” it’s time to just keep walking toward the only one we really need. I think we all are guilty of “looking back.” It is only natural but with persistence we can move ahead with Grace.

    Reply

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