The Christian Family: Marriage and Household Order: Remember Lot And His Wife

Remember Lot And His Wife

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Family Government

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2015-12-09

Synopsis: John Weaver examines the biblical command to remember Lot's wife, using Lot's life as a warning about the dangers of prioritizing financial gain and family connections over obedience to God. He highlights how Lot's choices led to a tormented existence in Sodom and ultimately the loss of everything, urging believers to count the cost of discipleship and make deliberate decisions to follow Christ.

[John Weaver] Well, it's a joy to be back, and I am thankful that the weather is different this time than it was the last time I was here. Last time we had snow, ice, and cold, and now it's much nicer. I don't know if you know the story of the song that you just sang, It Is Well With My Soul. Horatio G. Spafford wrote that song. Spafford was a Christian businessman in Chicago, Illinois. And during the great Chicago fire, he basically lost everything that he had.

[John Weaver] His wife was from England. So he sent his wife and children back to England. And on the way back, there was a storm. And the boat sank. And his daughters all drowned. His wife was spared and saved. And when she got to England, she sent him a telegram, saved but alone. He then took a boat over to England to be with his wife. And when they passed over the very spot where that vessel went down, the captain told him this is where the vessel went down.

[John Weaver] And that's when he sat down and penned those words. When sorrows like sea billows roll, it is well, it is well with my soul. When peace like a river, it doesn't matter to him peace or sorrow, it is well with my soul. If you notice, the music was written by P.P. Bliss. P.P. Bliss was in a train wreck later on. The train not only wrecked, but was on fire. His wife was killed.

[John Weaver] He was disabled, but alive. He could have escaped. In fact, the rescuers came to get him. And he said, no, go help others. I'm going to stay with my wife. And he died singing, it is well, it is well with my soul, the man that put the music to that hymn. So it's a wonderful hymn. I want you to open your Bibles, if you would please, to second Peter, chapter two, second Peter, chapter two, verses six through eight. Second Peter two. Beginning with verse six. The title of the message is Remember Lot and His Wife. In 2 Peter 2, verse 6, the Bible says, In turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemn them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly, and deliver just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked. For that righteous man dwelling among them and seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds. There is a specific command in the Bible to remember Lot's wife.

[John Weaver] In Luke 17, verse 32, our Lord just simply said, remember Lot's wife. When we think of Lot's wife, we ought to automatically also think of Lot because he was her head and he was responsible for her. I understand that each individual must die for his own sins. And I also understand that she is the one that sinned and turned and looked back when the messengers of God says, do not look back. And she was responsible for her own sin. However, you have to remember that Lot did not sin for her, and yet he was her head and he was responsible for her education, for her environment and for her direction.

[John Weaver] She escaped Sodom only by the skin of her teeth. Sodom was in her. She looked back and she longed and she loved that which God absolutely hated. So the command to remember God's, to remember Lot's wife is peculiar to the book of Luke, and it's absolutely a searching command for everyone whose heart is not steadily fixed upon the Lord. For she was not only close to Lot, but she was almost out of danger. And yet she looked back and it cost her her life. Her disobedience proved the veracity of the word of God, and God made her into a monument of his displeasure. So she looked back. You have to understand that we cannot look back either out of curiosity or out of covetousness. Our Lord made an astounding truth. In Luke chapter 9 in verse 62, And Jesus said unto them, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. Now, I don't know if you understand that illustration or not, but when I was a boy, I did plow mules, believe it or not.

[John Weaver] I also plowed tractors. And whenever you're going to lay off the first row in a field, I don't care if you're plowing a mule or plowing a tractor, you have to look straight ahead. You pick out a tree, you pick out a stump, And you look straight at that tree and that stump, and you do not look back whatsoever. It doesn't matter. Do not look back. If you look back, there's always going to be a little crook in the row. So our Lord said, no man putting his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God. So we cannot look back on what we used to be and what we used to do.

[John Weaver] When we read in 2 Peter 2, verses 6-8, our Lord does not tell us to remember Lot like he told us to remember Lot's wife. Rather, what he tells us in 2 Peter 2 is why we should remember Lot. Lot is one believer who really and royally messed up his life. I have often said that if the Bible did not specifically say that Lot was a righteous man, I would have said that he was either a lost man or a hypocrite.

[John Weaver] Because obviously, he did so many things that were wicked and wrong. He may have been a righteous man, and yet the scripture tells us he lived a very tormented life. The question is, why? Have you ever asked the question, what kept Lot in Sodom? And why did he stay? And why did he put up with such wickedness and filth? The Lord's destruction upon Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities of the plain is an example of his justice and wrath. In fact, those cities and their destruction happens to be an example to anyone and everyone, as well as societies and states and nations that turn their back upon God and His Word. If you look in verse six again, the Bible says, turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemn them with an overthrow. Watch. making them an example or an example unto those that after should live ungodly. So God said, I've given you an example of my wrath. I've given you an example of my judgment against all ungodliness. Well, obviously, when you get to Genesis chapter 19, Lot knew all about the wickedness and perversion and the lawlessness of the Sodomites.

[John Weaver] In fact, He had to protect the angels in Genesis 19, or at least he attempted to protect them until the sodomites turned on him and then the angels had to protect him. So you have to ask yourself these questions. Why was he there? Why did he stay and how could he say? Do you understand that God often sends warnings to his people? In fact, one of the most Frequently quoted verses in the Bible is a verse concerning a warning. After the Bible says in Hebrews 11, six, but without faith, it's impossible to please God, for he that cometh to God must first believe that he is and secondly, that he's a rewarder of those that diligently seek him. The very next verse says this by faith, Noah.

[John Weaver] being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his house by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness by faith. So the Bible says Noah being warned of God. So Noah was warned of God and Noah paid attention to that warning. Lot was warned and did not pay attention. He refused to listen. He refused to entertain even the thought that God may have been warning him. You say, well, where in the world did God warn Lot? Well, let me show you.

[John Weaver] Hold 2 Peter chapter 2, but turn in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 14. In fact, you can hold the book of Genesis. We'll come back there several times. But look in Genesis chapter 14, and let's begin reading there with verse 8. Genesis 14 and verse 8. And I think you can see this is a definite warning. Genesis 14 verse 8. And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admon, and the king of Zeboam, and the king of Bela, the saint of Zoar, and they joined battle with them in the vale of Sidon, with Shadrow Lambert, the king of Elam, and with Tidal, the king

[John Weaver] of nations, and Amraphel, king of Shinar, Ariok, king of Elessar, four kings with five. And the vale of Sidon was full of slime pits, and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled and fell there. and they that remain fled to the mountain, and they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their vittles and went their way, and they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed." Note, if you would please, they took Lot. Lot is specifically named, and then the Bible says, and they also took his goods. Everything that he had, they took. Now you know the story how one man escaped and went and told Abram about Lot's capture.

[John Weaver] And Abram then armed the 318 trained servants or slaves that he had in his own house. He also had some Confederates, Aner and Eshcol, and they got together and they went and rescued Lot and all the other people and brought them back. By the way, Have you ever stopped to think how great a person Abram really was if that man had 318 trained fighting men in his own house? They probably had wives and they probably had children and probably there were other servants as well. So probably Abram's household was somewhere between a thousand two thousand people. He was extremely wealthy, had a lot. Now, so a lot and all of his goods are captured. And Abram comes and rescues him.

[John Weaver] Let me ask you a question. Just stop and think about this. If there was a war and you were captured in everything that you had and then somehow, miraculously, you were saved. You were spared. Would you not tend to think, you know, I might have been in the wrong place? I might consider moving, I might consider leaving this area. You know, here was a definite warning to Lot.

[John Weaver] And those thoughts may have entered into his mind, but he certainly never, ever did anything about it. Now, it is true that God delivered Lot from Sodom. Yet, how did he live while he was in Sodom? It was certainly not easy in one sense of the word. Moreover, it certainly did not strengthen him in his faith. It did not encourage him in righteousness, and it did not create a family bond of resistance to wickedness surrounded them.

[John Weaver] The truth of the matter is, it literally destroyed him. Let me show you. I want you to hold Genesis, but go back in your Bibles to 2 Peter chapter 2. I want you to look at this passage very carefully with me, because there are some very interesting words that are used here in reference to Lot. If you'll notice verse 7, The Bible says that and delivered just a lot vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked. So a lot here is identified as a just man and he's vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked. I want you to consider the word vexed. It is a word that indicates oppression and vexation. It literally means to tire down To exhaust, to afflict, to oppress, to wear out, to make trouble for and to treat roughly. Do you remember in Genesis chapter 27 and verse 46, it was Rebecca who said this to her husband Isaac about Jacob.

[John Weaver] And let me read that for you. Listen to what she said in Genesis chapter 27 and verse 46. And Rebecca said to Isaac, I'm weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are the daughters of land, what good shall my life do me? Notice what she said, I'm weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. What does she say? They've worn me out. They've tired me down. I'm oppressed. I'm vexed. I don't want any more daughters-in-law like these. And if Jacob marries a woman like this, what good is my life going to do me? So basically, one of the words that is used there, she was vexed. And so the Bible is talking about Lot being vexed. That is, he was consistently and constantly being beaten down, worn out and oppressed mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

[John Weaver] And I can assure you that none of this is conducive even to physical health. So the Bible said he was vexed. Notice secondly, the Bible says in verse 7, and delivered just lot vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked. The word filthy there literally refers to unbridled lust, to excess, to licentiousness, to lasciviousness, to wantonness, to outrageousness, to shamelessness and insolence. Here's what God is telling us.

[John Weaver] The Sodomites were not only perverted, they were arrogant and they were insolent. They were absolutely, totally unabashed and unashamed of their wickedness.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you something. I want you to hold 2 Peter chapter 2, but turn in your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 3 and look at verse 9, because here is a condemnation, not only of the Sodomites, but also a condemnation of the Israelites. who, of course, followed in that shamelessness. Notice, if you would, in Isaiah chapter three, notice, if you would please, verse nine. And by the way, if you look at verse one, before we read verse nine.

[John Weaver] God says, for behold, the Lord, the Lord opposed to take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread and the whole stay of water. So we're talking about Judah and Jerusalem. Then look in verse eight. For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen, because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of His glory. Now watch verse 9. He's talking about Judah and Jerusalem now.

[John Weaver] The show of their countenance doth witness against them, and they declare their sin as Sodom. They hide it not. In other words, they were absolutely ecstatic over their sin. They were unashamed. It didn't bother them. Not only the Sodomites, but the Israelites as well. So he is saying that the open shamelessness and the declaration of their perversion, the only thing they were concerned with was their own gratification.

[John Weaver] They simply live for themselves. And by the way, that's exactly the way it is today with most people. They just simply live for themselves. They could care less what is right. And they don't care who reproaches them or who rebukes them. They just simply seek their own gratification.

[John Weaver] Now, if you look back in second Peter, chapter two and verse seven, the Bible says and deliver just lot vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked. The word conversation there just simply means a manner of life, their conduct, their deportment, their behavior. In other words, this is how they live wickedly perverted. And it's what they live for. Now, I want you to consider the word wicked here. The word wicked literally means one who breaks through the restraints of law.

[John Weaver] And gratifies his own lust. Now, let me just put all these thoughts together. If you look at verse seven, the Bible says, and delivered just Lot vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked. What does that mean? It means that Lot was vexed with the wicked. He was surrounded by the wicked. whose lives were thoroughly filled with unbridled, lustful wickedness, and whose attitude was the epitome of arrogance and haughtiness and insolence.

[John Weaver] This is how they lived. It was the same every day. They did not change, they did not want to change, they did not desire to change, and they flaunted their wickedness in the face of lot. Such had to be a constant oppression upon lot.

[John Weaver] Now look in verse eight, because God goes further. He says for that righteous man dwelling among them in seeing and hearing, vex his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds. Wow. So he was a righteous man dwelling among the wicked. He dwelt among them. He dwelt with them. He was in their circle and in their sphere of influence. So what was the result? The result was in seeing and hearing, he vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds. Now, let me point out the word seeing. Seeing includes looking. It also includes glancing. In other words, you do not necessarily have to look at something Purposely and deliberately, you can inadvertently see something.

[John Weaver] And you wish you'd never seen it, I can assure you, everyone in this room. Has seen things in past that they wish that they had never seen, not the fact that you purposely did it, but you glanced it was inadvertent, but you saw. And it's bothered you. Well, here he is seeing and hearing. He saw what was going on. He knew what was happening. And yet he stayed.

[John Weaver] And then the Bible says that he heard. Now, he did not eavesdrop necessarily. But he could not escape the sights or the sounds. So in hearing and in seeing, the Bible said he vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds. The word vexed in verse eight is a different word from the word vexed in verse seven. Now, please understand something. Lot did not participate in their activities. But yet he vexed his righteous soul, he simply saw and heard, and the word vexed here literally means to question by applying torture. To be harassed, to be distressed, to be vexed with grievous pains of body and mind.

[John Weaver] Let me put it to you like this. It was making him sick, literally, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

[John Weaver] Now, here's what we say in South Georgia. Let me explain it like this. His life was a living hell. Every day. Every day. Nothing changed. There was no peace, there was no respite. There was no teens, there was no neutrality, nothing changed. The only thing he went through was constant and continual torment. So here's the question. Why would any believer stay in such a putrid hell and such a filthy surrounding?

[John Weaver] Who would even want to be there? Who would even desire to be there? I will tell you this. If the Lord sent me to Las Vegas, Nevada, I would go if I knew He sent me. But He doesn't send me I'm not going there. I don't even want to be in Atlanta, Georgia. I don't want to be anywhere near there's a bunch of filthiness and wickedness. On top of that, Adam Clark, in his commentary, says this.

[John Weaver] That Walt lived in Sodom. A minimum. Of 20 years. Wow. In fact, before I get through, I'm going to show you it was probably even more. Than 20 years. So I hope you're thinking. What would make anyone in his right mind, especially a righteous man? Want to stay in a place like that? I want to give you two answers from Scripture. And I want you to see What kept Locke and Sodom? Happens to be exactly the same things that keep most Christians today in the same thinking environment. First of all, why did he stay? Financial considerations. Financial considerations. How many times?

[John Weaver] I could ask our brother this. How many times do you know of people who left a good gospel preaching church? A good church that taught Bible doctrine, Bible truth, and they moved away just to get a better income where there was no gospel preaching church. And their family just deteriorated. You know what the Bible says in 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 10. Now listen carefully. For the love of money, is the root of all evil. Not money itself, but the love of money is the root of all evil, which some, having coveted after, have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

[John Weaver] Now, obviously, Lot was still a righteous man. He did not necessarily err from the faith in that sense of the word, but I can assure you he pierced himself through with a multitude of sorrows. I want you to go back in your Bibles, whole second Peter, but go to Genesis chapter 13. Let me show you what I'm going to talk about. Financial considerations. I want you to look at this. This is absolutely astounding.

[John Weaver] In fact, it boggles our minds. But Genesis chapter 13, beginning there with verse one. And you'll see the greatness of Abram and the greatness of Lot as well, financially, anyhow. Genesis 13, verse one. And Abram went up out of Egypt, he and his wife, and all that he had in Lot was with him into the south. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning between Bethel and Ai, unto the place of the altar which he had made there at the first, and there Abram called on the name of the Lord. Now watch. And Lot also which went with Abram had flocks, and herds, and tents, And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together, for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle, and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled in the land.

[John Weaver] And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen, for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me. If I will take the left hand, then I will go to the right. If I depart to the right, then I will go to the left. And Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, is thou comest unto Zoar. And Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan. And Lot journeyed east, and they separated themselves one from the other. And Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan. dwelled in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent towards Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners exceedingly before the Lord.

[John Weaver] Now, I want to point something out. Actually, verses five and six are pivotal. When you read and Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, herds, tents, and the land was not able to bear them. that they might dwell together for their substance was great so that they could not dwell together. And so the herdman of Lot and the herdman of Abram were arguing and fighting probably over the best water, the best grazing. And Abram said, look, we ought not to be fussing like this. And it was not necessarily Abram and Lot, but it was their their cattlemen, their herdmen. Abram said, I'll tell you what you do. Let's just separate. There's too much. Each of us have too much. The land's not able to bear us. If you go to the right, I'll go to the left. If you go to the left, I'll go to the right. So notice, if you would, the graciousness and kindness of Abram because Abram said, I'm willing to give you first choice. You may go wherever you want to go.

[John Weaver] And the Bible says, if you look down particularly in verse 10, And Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld all the plain of Jordan that was well watered everywhere before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as Thou comest unto Zorah. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you this question. Why did Lot choose the plain of Jordan? And the answer is, Because it was good for raising cattle. You could raise cattle there. Plenty of water, plenty of grass. And the Bible says he pitched his tent towards Sodom. I want you to understand something, and I'll point this out before I leave. But what is good for raising cattle is not necessarily good for raising children. What is good for making money is not necessarily good for the family. Lot had a financial consideration. He was so wealthy and so great, either his tents pointed towards Sodom or at least reached to Sodom. And Lot may not have entertained or realized at first how wicked the Sodomites were. He may have known.

[John Weaver] They certainly knew that they were sinners. But the Bible says they were sinners exceedingly before the Lord. Understand this, all men are sinners. But there are some that are worse sinners than others. There are sinners of the first magnitude. There are sinners that are so far in rebellion that they fought their rebellion in the face of God. That's the way these sodomites were. Let me point out the fact it is impossible to avoid sinners. And yet there are certain sinners that God tells us that we are to avoid.

[John Weaver] You remember, it was the Apostle Paul who said, beware of Alexander the coppersmith, he did be much evil. Then another time he said, watch out for Philetus and Hymenaeus. But let me show you something. I want you to turn in your Bibles to first Corinthians, chapter five, first Corinthians, chapter five. It's amazing, the Apostle Paul tells us. If we are going to avoid sinners, there are some specifically that we must avoid.

[John Weaver] Now, look what he says. First Corinthians chapter five, beginning there with verse nine. First Corinthians five, verse nine. Paul says, I wrote unto you an epistle not to company with fornicators, yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world or with the covetous or extortioners. Or with idolaters, for them must you need to go out of the world. Let me just stop right there. If you try to avoid sinners, totally, he says, you've got to leave the world. You cannot avoid sinners. It's impossible. I know so many Christians that says, well, we're going to boycott this company because they support abortion or they support sodomy, and I'm not necessarily Against boycotting, I'm not against that at all.

[John Weaver] But then you turn around and you do business with another company that you haven't even checked into it. In all probability, they support the same thing. So it's almost impossible just to avoid sinners. But look what the apostle said. Let's go back. Verse nine, he said, I wrote a new epistle not to accompany with fornicators, yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world. or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters. For then must you need to go out of the world. But, now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother, be a fornicator, or a covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such in one know not to eat." What is he saying? Well, here's what he's saying. If a man says he's a Christian and lives like that, God says you better avoid him like the plague. Don't even go around him. He calls himself a Christian and he's a fornicator. He's a thief, he's a drunkard, he's an adulterer.

[John Weaver] No. You cannot escape sinners. But there are some that God forbids us to be around. The question that you must ask is this. How much can someone endure just for profit? How much can someone endure just to make money? You must also ask this, why in the world do we place material things over and above peace and health and life and happiness? You know, when our Lord said in Matthew 6 and verse 25, he asked this question, is not the body more than meat? And the life more than raiment?

[John Weaver] You don't have to have a five hundred dollar suit. You don't have to have a hundred dollar pair of tennis shoes. And then he goes on to say this in Luke, not in verse twenty five, what is a man advantage if he gained the whole world and lose himself and be cast away? One of my favorite stories. Is about the extremely wealthy man who died And the pallbearers were carrying the casket to the grave. And one of the pallbearers leaned over and.

[John Weaver] Asked another pallbearer who was a Christian, and he said. How much did he leave? The Christian responded, he left it all. And he did.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just point this out, I don't know if you have thought about this or not, But I want you to consider that the only thing that Lot is known for in the Bible, I mean, really known for, is his residence in Sodom and his incest with his two daughters, which produced a people that were alien toward and antagonistic toward the people of God. That's the only thing he's known for.

[John Weaver] So you'd have to ask yourself this question, was it worth it? So why did he stay in Sodom? I'm going to answer, first of all, out of financial considerations. Now, listen carefully. The second reason he stayed in Sodom is because of family connections. What? Family connections. Have you ever considered, as you read your Bible, that there is absolutely nothing said about Lot's wife or Lot's family? Until you get to Genesis chapter 19. Is it possible, and I'm going to ask this again, is it possible that Lot married a woman of Sodom? Let me show you. I want you to look in your Bibles, beginning with Genesis chapter 12. Genesis chapter 12. And the interesting thing is, as you read through the book of Genesis, You find what mentioned with his connection with Abram, but you never find anything about a wife or a family until you get to Genesis 19. So in Genesis chapter 12, beginning there in verse four. So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken unto him and Lot went with him.

[John Weaver] And Abram was seventy five years old and he departed out of Haran. And Abram took Sarah, his wife, And Lot, his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran, and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan, and into the land of Canaan they came." Notice if you would, nothing is said here about Lot's wife or Lot's family. No, he just took Lot. Abram took his wife and all the souls they got. But nothing is said about a wife. Look in Genesis chapter 13, beginning there with verse 5, we read it earlier, and Lot, Also, which went with Abram had flocks and herds and tents, and the land was not able to bear them that they might dwell together for their substance was great so that they could not dwell together. Notice, if you would, it's just Lot at this particular time. If you look in Genesis chapter 14 and verse 12. Here is where Lot is captured.

[John Weaver] I want you to note specifically what he said. Genesis chapter 14, notice verse 12, and they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom and his goods and departed. Now, when Abram rescued Lot, notice if you would please in verse 16. And he, that is Abram, brought back all the goods and also brought again his brother Lot and his goods. Nothing said about a wife or his family and women also in the people. So Lot is the one who has been brought back. You do not get a mention of Lot's wife until you get to Genesis chapter 19. So I want you to turn there to verses one and two. And here's my question. Is it possible that Lot married a woman of Sodom?

[John Weaver] And I believe the answer is yes. But notice, if you would please, verses one and two. Interesting. And there came two angels to Sodom and Eve, and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. And Lot, seeing them, rose up to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground. And he said, Turn now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servants' house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and you shall rise up early and go on your ways. And they said, Nay, but we will abide in the street all night.

[John Weaver] Now, you know the story, but I want you to note, if you would, two points right here. First of all, the Bible tells us in verse one, and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. You say, what's unusual about that? Well, when you read through the Bible, it's always civil rulers and judges that sit in the gate. Sitting in the gate is a position of authority and power. So here's my question. Is it possible that Lot happened to be a civil ruler in Sodom? It is possible. Whether he was a civil ruler or not, he at least exerted a great deal of influence and power because of his extreme wealth. So he was either a civil ruler or he was there because he was exceedingly rich. Now, you remember, And Genesis chapter 13, the Bible said he pitched his tent towards Sodom. Look, if you would, in Genesis 19 in verse two.

[John Weaver] And he said, behold, now, my Lord's turning, I pray you into your servants. What's that next word? House. Not a tent. But a house and the Hebrew word indicates a dwelling place, a habitation. So Lot is no longer living in a tent. He's now in a house in Sodom. Here is what one commentator said very plainly concerning Lot's wife. It is probable he was a single man when he parted from Abram and therefore that he married a woman of Sodom.

[John Weaver] He has, in that case, fallen into the snare of matching, or at all events, mingling with the ungodly. This was the damning sin of the antediluvians. Their country was as the garden of the Lord, but the beauty of the landscape and the superabundance of the luxuries it afforded did not abate the sinful disposition of the inhabitants. The moral corruption only broke forth into greater vileness of lust and more daring defiance of heaven. They sinned exceedingly before the Lord. Had fallen into the very vortex and vice of blasphemy. So he says very pointedly that he married a woman of Sodom.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to look in Genesis chapter 19 and let's begin reading there with verse 12. You remember, I told you that Adam Clark said that Lot was in Sodom for 20 years. Well, it may have been more than that. So look in Genesis chapter 19, beginning there with verse 12. And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides son-in-law, and thy sons, and thy daughters? And whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place. For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord, and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it. And Lot went out and spake unto his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place, for the Lord will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons-in-laws. And when the morning arose, and the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife and thy two daughters which are here, lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.

[John Weaver] And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters, and the Lord being merciful unto him, and they brought him forth and set him out of the city. 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 the plain, escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

[John Weaver] Now, an interesting thing is this. There are some commentators that say that Lot only had two daughters. And what they say is that these two daughters were betrothed And therefore, they were considered married, although they had not really come together as husband and wife. Betrothal in the Bible was. Kind of like our engagement, but it was far more serious because you were considered married, just like Joseph and Mary. And, you know, so that's betrothal and some said, well, he just had these two daughters.

[John Weaver] I don't think that is true. I think there's far more than the two daughters, and I will tell you why. Do you remember? When Abram was interceding for Sodom and Gomorrah. And he asked the Lord. He said, Lord, if there's 50 righteous there, will you destroy the righteous with the wicked? And the Lord said, no. I'll spare it if there's 50 righteous. Abram said, well, I've taken upon myself now to talk to the Lord Suppose there are like five forts that I will not destroy for the lack of five. Then Abram got him down to 40. Then he got him down to 30. Then he got him down to 20. Then he got him down to 10. Have you ever wondered why Abram stopped at 10?

[John Weaver] I mean, he's on a roll. He could have gotten him down to three or four, I think, but he stopped at 10. And I believe the answer. Is because Abram knew that Lot had a wife. And eight others, which would have made 10.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you what I'm talking about. Look, if you would, please, in Genesis chapter 19. Verse 14, and Lot went out and spake to his sons in laws who Married his daughters. So there were some already married, I would think.

[John Weaver] Now, watch carefully and set up, get you out of this place, for the Lord will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that was mocked into his sons in law. Now, sons in law is plural and daughters is plural.

[John Weaver] Now, just stop and think, Lot and his wife and two daughters there, that's four. So if he had three other daughters and three sons in law, that's six, six and four is ten. OK, now watch. Verse 15, and when the morning arose and the angels hasten lot saying arise, take my wife and my two daughters. Are you watching? Look at the next phrase. Take my two daughters, which are here. In other words, he had some that were not there.

[John Weaver] But the angel said we don't have time to wait on those you tried to warn them they would not come. You take the two that are here. Wow. Now, here's the question. Don't you think about this? You know, according to the Bible. That lot escaped Sodom and Gomorrah. You also know. That his two daughters escaped as well. So here's my question outside of Lot and his two daughters. If Lot lived in Sodom. Out of financial considerations. And if he lived in Sodom. For for family connections. When God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. How much did Lot lose? Everything. Everything, he lost it all. He lost absolutely everything.

[John Weaver] If you look back in your Bibles. To Second Peter, Chapter two in verse seven. Look at what the Bible says. And delivered. Just locked. Vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked. The Bible doesn't even mention his daughter's being delivered, except in Genesis 19. Isn't that amazing? Now, think about this. If Watt's wife was a woman from Sodom. That would certainly explain why she looked back. Family. Fortune. Friends.

[John Weaver] Everything she'd ever known was in solving the moral. And she looked back and God judged her. The Bible says, but his wife looked back from behind him and she became a pillar of salt.

[John Weaver] Now, let me try to make some applications, I want to try to put this together. So when God tells us to remember what we understand. Why we should remember a lot. First of all, we must actually count the cost of following Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now, it is true that if we live obedient lives, in all probability, we're going to suffer. What did the Apostle Paul say? This know that he that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. There's no two ways about that. If you live godly and if you live obediently and if you live the way you should live, undoubtedly, sooner or later, you're going to be persecuted.

[John Weaver] Usually by the powers that be. But if not by them, by other wicked people, that is for sure. But you have to understand this. The cost of not following Christ is immeasurably greater and disappointing. And the truth of the matter is. If we forsake him, we lose everything. Our Lord said in Mark 8 in verse 35, for whosoever Will save his life, shall lose it. But whosoever shall lose his life for my sake in the Gospels, the same shall find it. So, yeah, we'll suffer if we live Christ or obediently for Christ. But those who do not live obediently are going to suffer far, far more. You know. It's bad. To lose a family member, to the world, or to the devil. But it's even worse to lose them all. Here's a second application.

[John Weaver] We need to have our minds made up in advance. As to who we're going to obey and who we're going to follow.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to think you remember, God sent Jonah to Nineveh. And what did Jonah do? He ran through Nineveh preaching and saying, Yet 40 days and Nineveh shall be overthrown. God gave them 40 days. The angels grabbed Lot by the hand and said, Get your wife and two daughters and get out of here. They didn't have 40 days. They just had a few minutes. Do you understand that sometimes in the providence of God, we don't have days to make up our minds. We don't have hours to make up our minds. It's seconds.

[John Weaver] We'll either serve Christ and we'll either be obedient or we will not. I've got news for you, I preached a message years ago. That I entitled, What do you want said at your funeral? And I said this. When I die, I don't want people wondering whether or not I was a Christian. I don't want them wondering whether or not I believe the Bible or love the Lord Jesus Christ. I want them to know in advance. You remember what Joshua told those people in Joshua chapter 24? He said to them, he said, choose you this day whom you're going to serve.

[John Weaver] Whether the gods that your father served on the other side of the flood, Or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell, but it's for me in my house. We'll serve the Lord, so you better make up your mind in advance. You better say yes. Because you may only have seconds to make a decision. Here's my next application, I want you to think about this. It does matter.

[John Weaver] What you see and what you hear. Lot, in seeing and hearing, vex his righteous soul. I don't care if you're on the Internet. I don't care if you're in the supermarket. I don't care if you're looking in a newspaper. Usually you see things you should never see. TV is the same way. I've known preachers, I've known Christians that would say, well, I'll never, ever go down to that movie theater and see those things.

[John Weaver] I'm not going to support Hollywood. I'm not going to do that. And yet they'll watch the same ungodly movie on TV in their own home. If it's too ungodly to watch downtown, it's too ungodly to watch in your own home. David said, I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes, that should be our standard. I made up my mind years ago, I'm not going to watch anything that I know that is wicked or wrong or ungodly. I'm just not going to do it.

[John Weaver] It does matter what you see and what you hear. How about this one? It does matter where you live. It does matter. It mattered. For what? I want to be where the Lord wants me, that is for sure. But the Lord knows my life and he knows my heart and I got news for you. If it's not his will, I don't want to be in a concrete city. I don't want to be in a jungle. And in the cities, the jungle for me, I'd rather have. Out watching his creation. And out by myself. But it doesn't matter where you live, and I hope you understand this, young people, it does matter who you marry.

[John Weaver] And you have no business as a Christian marrying an unbeliever. And you have no business. Trying to rush into marriage if you're really unsure whether or not the individual is a Christian. I've known so many young ladies who married men who said they were Christians only to find out after they got married. Oh, no, they're going back to what they've always been to. They just said that just to get married to that young lady.

[John Weaver] It does matter who you marry. And you have to understand this, mom and dad, children are not cattle. What happens to be good for raising cattle is not necessarily good for raising children. Children have to be educated. I don't know about you. But here's another application. Do not. Do not leave a testimony like Lot's. What kind of a testimony did he have? He didn't. He had nothing. Living in Sodom.

[John Weaver] Committing incest with his two daughters. What kind of a testimony is that? I find myself sometimes as I'm reading through the Psalms. I get to that psalm where David says. Remember not the sins of my youth. And I have to say, as I pray that, Lord, remember not the sins of my youth. The sins of my middle age and the sins of my old age. You know, the Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 22, abstain from all appearance of evil.

[John Weaver] Lot certainly didn't do that. And you must understand, we must abstain from all appearance of evil. And here's my last application. Think about this. I want you to see the absolute need and necessity for a godly family, a godly fellowship, and godly friends. Lot didn't have anybody to encourage him. He didn't have anyone at all. He didn't even have a godly family. There were no godly friends in Sodom. There was no godly fellowship. If God has given you a fellowship where the word of God is preached and taught, you better thank God for it. If God's given you a godly family, you better thank God. If God's given you godly friends, you better thank God. And every time you remember a lot and his wife. You better thank God. That he spared you. And you don't live in Sodom. Remember Lot and his wife.

Remember Lot And His Wife

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	12121503791
Subject	Family Government
Course	The Christian Family: Marriage and Household Order: Remember Lot And His Wife
Genre	Sermon
Date	2015-12-09
Dictation Name
Book	Book 027: The Christian Family: Marriage and Household Order — Chapter 15
Source Timed Segments	81

Formatted Transcript

Opening

Well, it's a joy to be back, and I am thankful that the weather is different this time than it was the last time I was here. Last time we had snow, ice, and cold, and now it's much nicer. I don't know if you know the story of the song that you just sang, "It Is Well With My Soul." Horatio G. Spafford wrote that song. Spafford was a Christian businessman in Chicago, Illinois. And during the great Chicago fire, he basically lost everything that he had. His wife was from England. So he sent his wife and children back to England. And on the way back, there was a storm. And the boat sank. And his daughters all drowned. His wife was spared and saved. And when she got to England, she sent him a telegram, "Saved but alone." He then took a boat over to England to be with his wife. And when they passed over the very spot where that vessel went down, the captain told him this is where the vessel went down.

And that's when he sat down and penned those words. "When sorrows like sea billows roll, it is well, it is well with my soul. When peace like a river"—it doesn't matter to him peace or sorrow—"it is well with my soul." If you notice, the music was written by P.P. Bliss. P.P. Bliss was in a train wreck later on. The train not only wrecked, but was on fire. His wife was killed.

He was disabled, but alive. He could have escaped. In fact, the rescuers came to get him. And he said, "No, go help others. I'm going to stay with my wife." And he died singing, "It is well, it is well with my soul," the man that put the music to that hymn. So it's a wonderful hymn. I want you to open your Bibles, if you would please, to 2 Peter, chapter 2, 2 Peter, chapter 2, verses 6 through 8. 2 Peter 2, beginning with verse 6. The title of the message is "Remember Lot and His Wife." In 2 Peter 2, verse 6, the Bible says,

Scripture Reading — 2 Peter 2:6-8

"And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly; and delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds)."

There is a specific command in the Bible to remember Lot's wife.

Introduction: The Command to Remember Lot's Wife

Weaver introduces the command from Luke 17:32 to remember Lot's wife, noting that remembering her also involves remembering Lot as her head. He emphasizes that while she sinned individually, Lot was responsible for her environment and direction.

In Luke 17, verse 32, our Lord just simply said, "Remember Lot's wife." When we think of Lot's wife, we ought to automatically also think of Lot because he was her head and he was responsible for her. I understand that each individual must die for his own sins. And I also understand that she is the one that sinned and turned and looked back when the messengers of God said, "Do not look back." And she was responsible for her own sin. However, you have to remember that Lot did not sin for her, and yet he was her head and he was responsible for her education, for her environment, and for her direction. She escaped Sodom only by the skin of her teeth. Sodom was in her. She looked back and she longed and she loved that which God absolutely hated. So the command to remember Lot's wife is peculiar to the book of Luke, and it's absolutely a searching command for everyone whose heart is not steadily fixed upon the Lord. For she was not only close to Lot, but she was almost out of danger. And yet she looked back and it cost her her life. Her disobedience proved the veracity of the word of God, and God made her into a monument of His displeasure. So she looked back. You have to understand that we cannot look back either out of curiosity or out of covetousness. Our Lord made an astounding truth. In Luke chapter 9 in verse 62, "And Jesus said unto them, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." Now, I don't know if you understand that illustration or not, but when I was a boy, I did plough mules, believe it or not.

The Danger of Looking Back

Using the illustration of plowing a straight row, Weaver explains that looking back—whether out of curiosity or covetousness—makes one unfit for the kingdom of God, as Jesus taught in Luke 9:62.

I also ploughed tractors. And whenever you're going to lay off the first row in a field, I don't care if you're ploughing a mule or ploughing a tractor, you have to look straight ahead. You pick out a tree, you pick out a stump, and you look straight at that tree and that stump, and you do not look back whatsoever. It doesn't matter. Do not look back. If you look back, there's always going to be a little crook in the row. So our Lord said, "No man putting his hand to the plough and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God." So we cannot look back on what we used to be and what we used to do.

When we read in 2 Peter 2, verses 6-8, our Lord does not tell us to remember Lot like He told us to remember Lot's wife. Rather, what He tells us in 2 Peter 2 is why we should remember Lot. Lot is one believer who really and royally messed up his life. I have often said that if the Bible did not specifically say that Lot was a righteous man, I would have said that he was either a lost man or a hypocrite.

Lot's Tormented Life in Sodom

Weaver describes Lot as a righteous man who was constantly vexed by the wickedness around him, as detailed in 2 Peter 2:7-8. He explains the Greek words for 'vexed' and 'filthy' to show the mental, emotional, and spiritual torment Lot endured daily.

The truth of the matter is, it literally destroyed him. Let me show you. I want you to hold Genesis, but go back in your Bibles to 2 Peter chapter 2. I want you to look at this passage very carefully with me, because there are some very interesting words that are used here in reference to Lot. If you'll notice verse 7, the Bible says, "And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked." So Lot here is identified as a just man and he's vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked. I want you to consider the word "vexed." It is a word that indicates oppression and vexation. It literally means to tire down, to exhaust, to afflict, to oppress, to wear out, to make trouble for, and to treat roughly. Do you remember in Genesis chapter 27 and verse 46, it was Rebekah who said this to her husband Isaac about Jacob.

And let me read that for you. Listen to what she said in Genesis chapter 27 and verse 46:

Scripture Reading — Genesis 27:46

"And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?"

Notice what she said,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 27:46

"I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth."

What does she say? They've worn me out. They've tired me down. I'm oppressed. I'm vexed. I don't want any more daughters-in-law like these. And if Jacob marries a woman like this, what good is my life going to do me? So basically, one of the words that is used there, she was vexed. And so the Bible is talking about Lot being vexed. That is, he was consistently and constantly being beaten down, worn out, and oppressed mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

And I can assure you that none of this is conducive even to physical health. So the Bible said he was vexed. Notice secondly, the Bible says in verse 7, "And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked." The word "filthy" there literally refers to unbridled lust, to excess, to licentiousness, to lasciviousness, to wantonness, to outrageousness, to shamelessness, and insolence. Here's what God is telling us. The Sodomites were not only perverted, they were arrogant and they were insolent. They were absolutely, totally unabashed and unashamed of their wickedness.

Now, let me show you something. I want you to hold 2 Peter chapter 2, but turn in your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 3 and look at verse 9, because here is a condemnation, not only of the Sodomites, but also a condemnation of the Israelites who, of course, followed in that shamelessness. Notice, if you would, in Isaiah chapter 3, notice, if you would please, verse 9. And by the way, if you look at verse 1, before we read verse 9. God says, "For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water." So we're talking about Judah and Jerusalem. Then look in verse 8:

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 3:8-9

"For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory."

Now watch verse 9. He's talking about Judah and Jerusalem now.

"The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not." In other words, they were absolutely ecstatic over their sin. They were unashamed. It didn't bother them. Not only the Sodomites, but the Israelites as well. So he is saying that the open shamelessness and the declaration of their perversion, the only thing they were concerned with was their own gratification. They simply live for themselves. And by the way, that's exactly the way it is today with most people. They just simply live for themselves. They could care less what is right. And they don't care who reproaches them or who rebukes them. They just simply seek their own gratification.

Now, if you look back in 2 Peter, chapter 2 and verse 7, the Bible says, "And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked." The word "conversation" there just simply means a manner of life, their conduct, their deportment, their behavior. In other words, this is how they live wickedly perverted. And it's what they live for. Now, I want you to consider the word "wicked" here. The word "wicked" literally means one who breaks through the restraints of law and gratifies his own lust. Now, let me just put all these thoughts together. If you look at verse 7, the Bible says, "And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked." What does that mean? It means that Lot was vexed with the wicked. He was surrounded by the wicked, whose lives were thoroughly filled with unbridled, lustful wickedness, and whose attitude was the epitome of arrogance and haughtiness and insolence.

This is how they lived. It was the same every day. They did not change, they did not want to change, they did not desire to change, and they flaunted their wickedness in the face of Lot. Such had to be a constant oppression upon Lot.

Now look in verse 8, because God goes further. He says, "For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds." Wow. So he was a righteous man dwelling among the wicked. He dwelt among them. He dwelt with them. He was in their circle and in their sphere of influence. So what was the result? The result was in seeing and hearing, he vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds. Now, let me point out the word "seeing." Seeing includes looking. It also includes glancing. In other words, you do not necessarily have to look at something purposely and deliberately, you can inadvertently see something.

And you wish you'd never seen it. I can assure you, everyone in this room has seen things in the past that they wish that they had never seen, not the fact that you purposely did it, but you glanced, it was inadvertent, but you saw. And it's bothered you. Well, here he is seeing and hearing. He saw what was going on. He knew what was happening. And yet he stayed.

And then the Bible says that he heard. Now, he did not eavesdrop necessarily. But he could not escape the sights or the sounds. So in hearing and in seeing, the Bible said he vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds. The word "vexed" in verse 8 is a different word from the word "vexed" in verse 7. Now, please understand something. Lot did not participate in their activities. But yet he vexed his righteous soul, he simply saw and heard, and the word "vexed" here literally means to question by applying torture. To be harassed, to be distressed, to be vexed with grievous pains of body and mind.

Let me put it to you like this. It was making him sick, literally, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Now, here's what we say in South Georgia. Let me explain it like this. His life was a living hell. Every day. Every day. Nothing changed. There was no peace, there was no respite. There was no ease, there was no neutrality, nothing changed. The only thing he went through was constant and continual torment. So here's the question. Why would any believer stay in such a putrid hell and such a filthy surrounding?

Why Lot Stayed: Financial Considerations

Weaver argues that Lot's first reason for staying in Sodom was financial. He traces Lot's wealth from Genesis 13, showing that Lot chose the well-watered plain of Jordan for his cattle, prioritizing material gain over spiritual well-being.

I could ask our brother this. How many times do you know of people who left a good gospel preaching church? A good church that taught Bible doctrine, Bible truth, and they moved away just to get a better income where there was no gospel preaching church. And their family just deteriorated. You know what the Bible says in 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 10. Now listen carefully. "For the love of money is the root of all evil." Not money itself, but the love of money is the root of all evil, "which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

Now, obviously, Lot was still a righteous man. He did not necessarily err from the faith in that sense of the word, but I can assure you he pierced himself through with a multitude of sorrows. I want you to go back in your Bibles, hold 2 Peter, but go to Genesis chapter 13. Let me show you what I'm going to talk about. Financial considerations. I want you to look at this. This is absolutely astounding.

In fact, it boggles our minds. But Genesis chapter 13, beginning there with verse 1. And you'll see the greatness of Abram and the greatness of Lot as well, financially, anyhow. Genesis 13, verse 1:

Scripture Reading — Genesis 13:1-13

"And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai; Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD. And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.

And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

Now, I want to point something out. Actually, verses 5 and 6 are pivotal. When you read, "And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together." And so the herdmen of Lot and the herdmen of Abram were arguing and fighting probably over the best water, the best grazing. And Abram said, "Look, we ought not to be fussing like this." And it was not necessarily Abram and Lot, but it was their cattlemen, their herdmen. Abram said, "I'll tell you what you do. Let's just separate. There's too much. Each of us have too much. The land's not able to bear us. If you go to the right, I'll go to the left. If you go to the left, I'll go to the right." So notice, if you would, the graciousness and kindness of Abram because Abram said, "I'm willing to give you first choice. You may go wherever you want to go."

And the Bible says, if you look down particularly in verse 10, "And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan." Now, let me ask you this question. Why did Lot choose the plain of Jordan? And the answer is, because it was good for raising cattle. You could raise cattle there. Plenty of water, plenty of grass. And the Bible says he pitched his tent toward Sodom. I want you to understand something, and I'll point this out before I leave. But what is good for raising cattle is not necessarily good for raising children. What is good for making money is not necessarily good for the family. Lot had a financial consideration. He was so wealthy and so great, either his tents pointed towards Sodom or at least reached to Sodom. And Lot may not have entertained or realized at first how wicked the Sodomites were. He may have known.

They certainly knew that they were sinners. But the Bible says they were sinners exceedingly before the Lord. Understand this, all men are sinners. But there are some that are worse sinners than others. There are sinners of the first magnitude. There are sinners that are so far in rebellion that they flaunt their rebellion in the face of God. That's the way these Sodomites were. Let me point out the fact it is impossible to avoid sinners. And yet there are certain sinners that God tells us that we are to avoid.

Why Lot Stayed: Family Connections

Weaver suggests that Lot likely married a woman of Sodom, which kept him there. He notes the absence of any mention of Lot's wife until Genesis 19 and points out that Lot's family connections led to the loss of his entire family except two daughters.

So you'd have to ask yourself this question, was it worth it? So why did he stay in Sodom? I'm going to answer, first of all, out of financial considerations. Now, listen carefully. The second reason he stayed in Sodom is because of family connections. What? Family connections. Have you ever considered, as you read your Bible, that there is absolutely nothing said about Lot's wife or Lot's family until you get to Genesis chapter 19? Is it possible, and I'm going to ask this again, is it possible that Lot married a woman of Sodom? Let me show you. I want you to look in your Bibles, beginning with Genesis chapter 12. Genesis chapter 12. And the interesting thing is, as you read through the book of Genesis, you find him mentioned with his connection with Abram, but you never find anything about a wife or a family until you get to Genesis 19. So in Genesis chapter 12, beginning there in verse 4: "So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him:

Scripture Reading — Genesis 12:4-5

and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came."

Notice if you would, nothing is said here about Lot's wife or Lot's family. No, he just took Lot. Abram took his wife and all the souls they got. But nothing is said about a wife. Look in Genesis chapter 13, beginning there with verse 5, we read it earlier, "And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together." Notice, if you would, it's just Lot at this particular time. If you look in Genesis chapter 14 and verse 12. Here is where Lot is captured.

I want you to note specifically what he said. Genesis chapter 14, notice verse 12,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 14:12, 16

"And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed."

Now, when Abram rescued Lot, notice if you would please in verse 16:

Scripture Reading — Genesis 14:12, 16

"And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people."

So Lot is the one who has been brought back. You do not get a mention of Lot's wife until you get to Genesis chapter 19. So I want you to turn there to verses 1 and 2. And here's my question. Is it possible that Lot married a woman of Sodom? And I believe the answer is yes. But notice, if you would please, verses 1 and 2. Interesting. "And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night."

Now, you know the story, but I want you to note, if you would, two points right here. First of all, the Bible tells us in verse 1, "And Lot sat in the gate of Sodom." You say, what's unusual about that? Well, when you read through the Bible, it's always civil rulers and judges that sit in the gate. Sitting in the gate is a position of authority and power. So here's my question. Is it possible that Lot happened to be a civil ruler in Sodom? It is possible. Whether he was a civil ruler or not, he at least exerted a great deal of influence and power because of his extreme wealth. So he was either a civil ruler or he was there because he was exceedingly rich. Now, you remember, in Genesis chapter 13, the Bible said he pitched his tent toward Sodom. Look, if you would, in Genesis 19 in verse 2.

"And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's"—what's that next word? "House." Not a tent. But a house, and the Hebrew word indicates a dwelling place, a habitation. So Lot is no longer living in a tent. He's now in a house in Sodom. Here is what one commentator said very plainly concerning Lot's wife: "It is probable he was a single man when he parted from Abram and therefore that he married a woman of Sodom. He has, in that case, fallen into the snare of matching, or at all events, mingling with the ungodly. This was the damning sin of the antediluvians. Their country was as the garden of the Lord, but the beauty of the landscape and the superabundance of the luxuries it afforded did not abate the sinful disposition of the inhabitants. The moral corruption only broke forth into greater vileness of lust and more daring defiance of heaven. They sinned exceedingly before the Lord. Had fallen into the very vortex and vice of blasphemy." So he says very pointedly that he married a woman of Sodom.

Now, I want you to look in Genesis chapter 19 and let's begin reading there with verse 12. You remember, I told you that Adam Clarke said that Lot was in Sodom for 20 years. Well, it may have been more than that. So look in Genesis chapter 19, beginning there with verse 12:

Scripture Reading — Genesis 19:12-17

"And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it. And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.

The Cost of Lot's Choices

Weaver highlights that Lot lost everything—his wealth, his wife, and most of his children—when Sodom was destroyed. He emphasizes that the cost of not following Christ is far greater than any temporary gain.

If you look back in your Bibles to 2 Peter, chapter 2 in verse 7, look at what the Bible says: "And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked." The Bible doesn't even mention his daughters being delivered, except in Genesis 19. Isn't that amazing? Now, think about this. If Lot's wife was a woman from Sodom, that would certainly explain why she looked back. Family. Fortune. Friends.

Everything she'd ever known was in Sodom. And she looked back and God judged her. The Bible says, "But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt." Now, let me try to make some applications. I want to try to put this together. So when God tells us to remember Lot, we understand why we should remember Lot. First of all, we must actually count the cost of following Jesus Christ.

Applications for Believers

Weaver provides several applications: count the cost of following Christ, make up your mind in advance to obey God, guard what you see and hear, choose where you live and whom you marry wisely, leave a godly testimony, and value godly family, fellowship, and friends.

Now, it is true that if we live obedient lives, in all probability, we're going to suffer. What did the Apostle Paul say? "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." There's no two ways about that. If you live godly and if you live obediently and if you live the way you should live, undoubtedly, sooner or later, you're going to be persecuted. Usually by the powers that be. But if not by them, by other wicked people, that is for sure. But you have to understand this. The cost of not following Christ is immeasurably greater and disappointing. And the truth of the matter is, if we forsake Him, we lose everything. Our Lord said in Mark 8 in verse 35,

Scripture Reading — Mark 8:35

"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it."

So, yeah, we'll suffer if we live obediently for Christ. But those who do not live obediently are going to suffer far, far more. You know, it's bad to lose a family member to the world or to the devil. But it's even worse to lose them all. Here's a second application.

We need to have our minds made up in advance as to who we're going to obey and who we're going to follow. Now, I want you to think. You remember, God sent Jonah to Nineveh. And what did Jonah do? He ran through Nineveh preaching and saying, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown." God gave them 40 days. The angels grabbed Lot by the hand and said, "Get your wife and two daughters and get out of here." They didn't have 40 days. They just had a few minutes. Do you understand that sometimes in the providence of God, we don't have days to make up our minds. We don't have hours to make up our minds. It's seconds.

We'll either serve Christ and we'll either be obedient or we will not. I've got news for you, I preached a message years ago that I entitled, "What Do You Want Said at Your Funeral?" And I said this. When I die, I don't want people wondering whether or not I was a Christian. I don't want them wondering whether or not I believe the Bible or love the Lord Jesus Christ. I want them to know in advance. You remember what Joshua told those people in Joshua chapter 24? He said to them, he said, "Choose you this day whom ye will serve;

whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." So you better make up your mind in advance. You better say yes. Because you may only have seconds to make a decision. Here's my next application, I want you to think about this. It does matter what you see and what you hear. Lot, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul. I don't care if you're on the Internet. I don't care if you're in the supermarket. I don't care if you're looking in a newspaper. Usually you see things you should never see. TV is the same way. I've known preachers, I've known Christians that would say, "Well, I'll never, ever go down to that movie theater and see those things.

I'm not going to support Hollywood. I'm not going to do that." And yet they'll watch the same ungodly movie on TV in their own home. If it's too ungodly to watch downtown, it's too ungodly to watch in your own home. David said, "I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes." That should be our standard. I made up my mind years ago, I'm not going to watch anything that I know that is wicked or wrong or ungodly. I'm just not going to do it. It does matter what you see and what you hear. How about this one? It does matter where you live. It does matter. It mattered for Lot. I want to be where the Lord wants me, that is for sure. But the Lord knows my life and He knows my heart and I got news for you. If it's not His will, I don't want to be in a concrete city. I don't want to be in a jungle. And in the cities, the jungle for me, I'd rather be out watching His creation and out by myself. But it does matter where you live, and I hope you understand this, young people, it does matter who you marry.

And you have no business as a Christian marrying an unbeliever. And you have no business trying to rush into marriage if you're really unsure whether or not the individual is a Christian. I've known so many young ladies who married men who said they were Christians only to find out after they got married, "Oh, no, they're going back to what they've always been." They just said that just to get married to that young lady. It does matter who you marry. And you have to understand this, mom and dad, children are not cattle. What happens to be good for raising cattle is not necessarily good for raising children. Children have to be educated. I don't know about you. But here's another application. Do not. Do not leave a testimony like Lot's. What kind of a testimony did he have? He didn't. He had nothing. Living in Sodom.

Committing incest with his two daughters. What kind of a testimony is that? I find myself sometimes as I'm reading through the Psalms. I get to that psalm where David says, "Remember not the sins of my youth." And I have to say, as I pray that, "Lord, remember not the sins of my youth, the sins of my middle age, and the sins of my old age." You know, the Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 22,

Scripture Reading — 1 Thessalonians 5:22

"Abstain from all appearance of evil."

Lot certainly didn't do that. And you must understand, we must abstain from all appearance of evil. And here's my last application. Think about this. I want you to see the absolute need and necessity for a godly family, a godly fellowship, and godly friends. Lot didn't have anybody to encourage him. He didn't have anyone at all. He didn't even have a godly family. There were no godly friends in Sodom. There was no godly fellowship. If God has given you a fellowship where the word of God is preached and taught, you better thank God for it. If God's given you a godly family, you better thank God. If God's given you godly friends, you better thank God. And every time you remember Lot and his wife, you better thank God that He spared you and you don't live in Sodom. Remember Lot and his wife.

Study Guide

Major Themes

The Danger of Worldly Compromise

Summary: Lot's decision to live in Sodom for financial gain and family connections led to spiritual torment and ultimate loss, illustrating the peril of prioritizing worldly benefits over obedience to God.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'Why did he stay? Financial considerations. Financial considerations.' and later, 'The second reason he stayed in Sodom is because of family connections.'

The Torment of a Righteous Soul in a Wicked Environment

Summary: Lot was constantly vexed by the sights and sounds of Sodom's wickedness, showing that a believer cannot live in sin without severe spiritual and emotional distress.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'In seeing and hearing, he vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds... It was making him sick, literally, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.'

The Necessity of Decisive Obedience

Summary: Believers must decide in advance to follow Christ, as Lot's lingering and his wife's looking back demonstrate the danger of hesitation and divided loyalty.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'We need to have our minds made up in advance as to who we're going to obey and who we're going to follow... You may only have seconds to make a decision.'

The Consequences of Ungodly Associations

Summary: Lot's marriage to a woman of Sodom and his residence there corrupted his family and left him without godly support, emphasizing the importance of godly relationships.

Evidence: Weaver notes, 'Is it possible that Lot married a woman of Sodom? And I believe the answer is yes... Lot didn't have anybody to encourage him. He didn't have anyone at all.'

Key Arguments

Lot's Righteousness Did Not Excuse His Poor Choices

Summary: Although Lot was a righteous man, his decision to live in Sodom led to a life of torment and a legacy of failure, proving that even believers can ruin their lives through disobedience.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'I have often said that if the Bible did not specifically say that Lot was a righteous man, I would have said that he was either a lost man or a hypocrite.'

Financial Gain Is Not Worth Spiritual Loss

Summary: Lot's choice of the well-watered plain for his cattle prioritized material prosperity over spiritual health, resulting in the loss of everything.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'What is good for raising cattle is not necessarily good for raising children. What is good for making money is not necessarily good for the family.'

Family Connections Can Lead to Spiritual Ruin

Summary: Lot's likely marriage to a Sodomite woman kept him in a wicked city and contributed to his family's destruction, warning against unequally yoked relationships.

Evidence: Weaver argues, 'If Lot's wife was a woman from Sodom, that would certainly explain why she looked back. Family. Fortune. Friends.'

The Cost of Disobedience Exceeds the Cost of Obedience

Summary: While obedience to Christ may bring persecution, the consequences of disobedience—as seen in Lot's life—are far greater and more devastating.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'The cost of not following Christ is immeasurably greater and disappointing. And the truth of the matter is, if we forsake Him, we lose everything.'

Scripture References

2 Peter 2:6-8

Context: Weaver reads this passage as the primary text, describing God's judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah and Lot's vexation.

Luke 17:32

Context: Weaver cites Jesus' command to remember Lot's wife as the basis for the sermon.

Luke 9:62

Context: Weaver quotes Jesus' statement about not looking back after putting a hand to the plow, illustrating the danger of looking back.

Hebrews 11:6-7

Context: Weaver references Noah's faith and warning from God as a contrast to Lot's failure to heed warnings.

Genesis 14:8-12

Context: Weaver reads about Lot's capture in the battle of the kings, presenting it as a warning from God that Lot ignored.

Genesis 27:46

Context: Weaver quotes Rebekah's words about being weary of her life because of the daughters of Heth, using the same word 'vexed' as in 2 Peter.

Isaiah 3:8-9

Context: Weaver reads about Judah and Jerusalem declaring their sin like Sodom, showing shamelessness in wickedness.

1 Timothy 6:10

Context: Weaver quotes this verse to show that the love of money leads to many sorrows, applying it to Lot's financial motivations.

Genesis 13:1-13

Context: Weaver reads the account of Abram and Lot separating, with Lot choosing the plain of Jordan for its wealth, leading him toward Sodom.

1 Corinthians 5:9-11

Context: Weaver reads Paul's instruction to avoid certain sinners, especially those who claim to be believers, applying it to Lot's situation.

Matthew 6:25

Context: Weaver quotes Jesus' question about life being more than food and the body more than clothing, emphasizing priorities.

Genesis 12:4-5

Context: Weaver reads about Abram and Lot leaving Haran, noting the absence of any mention of Lot's wife.

Genesis 14:12, 16

Context: Weaver reads about Lot's capture and rescue, again noting the absence of his wife in the narrative.

Genesis 19:1-2

Context: Weaver reads about Lot sitting in the gate of Sodom and inviting the angels to his house, indicating his settled life there.

Genesis 19:12-17

Context: Weaver reads the angels' urgent command for Lot to flee with his family, highlighting the limited time for decision.

Genesis 19:14-15

Context: Weaver reads about Lot's sons-in-law and the angels' instruction to take only the two daughters present, suggesting other children.

Mark 8:35

Context: Weaver quotes Jesus' teaching that whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, applying it to the cost of discipleship.

Joshua 24:15

Context: Weaver quotes Joshua's declaration to choose whom to serve, urging believers to decide in advance to follow the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 5:22

Context: Weaver quotes the command to abstain from all appearance of evil, contrasting it with Lot's failure.

Historical References

Horatio G. Spafford and the hymn 'It Is Well With My Soul'

Context: Weaver tells the story of Spafford losing his daughters in a shipwreck and writing the hymn, and P.P. Bliss dying in a train wreck while singing it.

Adam Clarke's commentary on Lot's time in Sodom

Context: Weaver cites Clarke's estimate that Lot lived in Sodom for at least 20 years, possibly more.

Important Quotes

And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds).

Significance: This is the key text describing Lot's torment, which Weaver expounds to show the consequences of living in a wicked environment.

Remember Lot's wife.

Significance: Jesus' direct command that forms the basis of the sermon, emphasizing the importance of learning from her example.

No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Significance: Weaver uses this verse to illustrate the danger of looking back, comparing it to plowing a straight row.

And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.

Significance: This verse shows Lot's choice based on material prosperity, which Weaver identifies as the start of his downfall.

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

Significance: The consequence of Lot's wife's disobedience, serving as a stark warning against longing for the world.

Discussion Questions

What were the primary reasons Lot stayed in Sodom, and how do those reasons apply to Christians today?

Context: Weaver identifies financial considerations and family connections as the two main reasons Lot remained in Sodom.

How does the concept of being 'vexed' by the world's wickedness manifest in a believer's life, and what should we do about it?

Context: Weaver explains the Greek words for 'vexed' in 2 Peter 2:7-8, describing Lot's constant torment.

In what ways can financial prosperity become a snare that leads us away from God's will?

Context: Weaver warns that what is good for raising cattle is not necessarily good for raising children, emphasizing misplaced priorities.

Why is it important to make up our minds in advance to obey God, and what are the dangers of delaying that decision?

Context: Weaver stresses that we may only have seconds to decide, using the example of Lot's urgent escape.

How can we guard what we see and hear in a world filled with ungodly influences?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that Lot was vexed by seeing and hearing, and that believers should set no wicked thing before their eyes.

What does Lot's life teach us about the importance of godly family, fellowship, and friends?

Context: Weaver notes that Lot had no one to encourage him, highlighting the need for a supportive Christian community.

Applications

Count the Cost of Following Christ

Summary: Believers must recognize that while obedience may bring persecution, the cost of disobedience is far greater, as seen in Lot's loss of everything.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'The cost of not following Christ is immeasurably greater and disappointing. And the truth of the matter is, if we forsake Him, we lose everything.'

Make Up Your Mind in Advance to Obey God

Summary: We should decide beforehand to follow Christ, because we may only have seconds to make a decision when temptation or trial comes.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'We need to have our minds made up in advance as to who we're going to obey and who we're going to follow... You may only have seconds to make a decision.'

Guard What You See and Hear

Summary: Since Lot was vexed by the sights and sounds of Sodom, believers should avoid exposing themselves to wicked media and environments.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'It does matter what you see and what you hear... David said, "I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes." That should be our standard.'

Choose Where You Live and Whom You Marry Wisely

Summary: Lot's location and likely marriage to a Sodomite woman led to his downfall, so believers should prioritize godly environments and spouses.

Evidence: Weaver warns, 'It does matter where you live... It does matter who you marry. And you have no business as a Christian marrying an unbeliever.'

Leave a Godly Testimony

Summary: Lot's legacy was one of failure and incest; believers should strive to leave a testimony that honors God, abstaining from all appearance of evil.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Do not leave a testimony like Lot's... We must abstain from all appearance of evil.'

Value Godly Family, Fellowship, and Friends

Summary: Lot lacked any godly support, so believers should be grateful for and cultivate relationships that encourage faithfulness.

Evidence: Weaver concludes, 'If God has given you a fellowship where the word of God is preached and taught, you better thank God for it.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T19:51:00Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T12:36:18Z

Clean Transcript

Remember Lot And His Wife

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Well, it's a joy to be back, and I am thankful that the weather is different this time than it was the last time I was here. Last time we had snow, ice, and cold, and now it's much nicer. I don't know if you know the story of the song that you just sang, "It Is Well With My Soul." Horatio G. Spafford wrote that song. Spafford was a Christian businessman in Chicago, Illinois. And during the great Chicago fire, he basically lost everything that he had.
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His wife was from England. So he sent his wife and children back to England. And on the way back, there was a storm. And the boat sank. And his daughters all drowned. His wife was spared and saved. And when she got to England, she sent him a telegram, "Saved but alone." He then took a boat over to England to be with his wife. And when they passed over the very spot where that vessel went down, the captain told him this is where the vessel went down.
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And that's when he sat down and penned those words. "When sorrows like sea billows roll, it is well, it is well with my soul. When peace like a river"—it doesn't matter to him peace or sorrow—"it is well with my soul." If you notice, the music was written by P.P. Bliss. P.P. Bliss was in a train wreck later on. The train not only wrecked, but was on fire. His wife was killed.
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He was disabled, but alive. He could have escaped. In fact, the rescuers came to get him. And he said, "No, go help others. I'm going to stay with my wife." And he died singing, "It is well, it is well with my soul," the man that put the music to that hymn. So it's a wonderful hymn. I want you to open your Bibles, if you would please, to 2 Peter, chapter 2, 2 Peter, chapter 2, verses 6 through 8. 2 Peter 2, beginning with verse 6. The title of the message is "Remember Lot and His Wife." In 2 Peter 2, verse 6, the Bible says, "And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly; and delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds)." There is a specific command in the Bible to remember Lot's wife.
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In Luke 17, verse 32, our Lord just simply said, "Remember Lot's wife." When we think of Lot's wife, we ought to automatically also think of Lot because he was her head and he was responsible for her. I understand that each individual must die for his own sins. And I also understand that she is the one that sinned and turned and looked back when the messengers of God said, "Do not look back." And she was responsible for her own sin. However, you have to remember that Lot did not sin for her, and yet he was her head and he was responsible for her education, for her environment, and for her direction.
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She escaped Sodom only by the skin of her teeth. Sodom was in her. She looked back and she longed and she loved that which God absolutely hated. So the command to remember Lot's wife is peculiar to the book of Luke, and it's absolutely a searching command for everyone whose heart is not steadily fixed upon the Lord. For she was not only close to Lot, but she was almost out of danger. And yet she looked back and it cost her her life. Her disobedience proved the veracity of the word of God, and God made her into a monument of His displeasure. So she looked back. You have to understand that we cannot look back either out of curiosity or out of covetousness. Our Lord made an astounding truth. In Luke chapter 9 in verse 62, "And Jesus said unto them, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." Now, I don't know if you understand that illustration or not, but when I was a boy, I did plough mules, believe it or not.
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I also ploughed tractors. And whenever you're going to lay off the first row in a field, I don't care if you're ploughing a mule or ploughing a tractor, you have to look straight ahead. You pick out a tree, you pick out a stump, and you look straight at that tree and that stump, and you do not look back whatsoever. It doesn't matter. Do not look back. If you look back, there's always going to be a little crook in the row. So our Lord said, "No man putting his hand to the plough and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God." So we cannot look back on what we used to be and what we used to do.
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When we read in 2 Peter 2, verses 6-8, our Lord does not tell us to remember Lot like He told us to remember Lot's wife. Rather, what He tells us in 2 Peter 2 is why we should remember Lot. Lot is one believer who really and royally messed up his life. I have often said that if the Bible did not specifically say that Lot was a righteous man, I would have said that he was either a lost man or a hypocrite.
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Because obviously, he did so many things that were wicked and wrong. He may have been a righteous man, and yet the scripture tells us he lived a very tormented life. The question is, why? Have you ever asked the question, what kept Lot in Sodom? And why did he stay? And why did he put up with such wickedness and filth? The Lord's destruction upon Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities of the plain is an example of His justice and wrath. In fact, those cities and their destruction happens to be an example to anyone and everyone, as well as societies and states and nations that turn their back upon God and His Word. If you look in verse 6 again, the Bible says, "And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly." So God said, "I've given you an example of My wrath. I've given you an example of My judgment against all ungodliness." Well, obviously, when you get to Genesis chapter 19, Lot knew all about the wickedness and perversion and the lawlessness of the Sodomites.
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In fact, he had to protect the angels in Genesis 19, or at least he attempted to protect them until the Sodomites turned on him and then the angels had to protect him. So you have to ask yourself these questions. Why was he there? Why did he stay and how could he stay? Do you understand that God often sends warnings to His people? In fact, one of the most frequently quoted verses in the Bible is a verse concerning a warning. After the Bible says in Hebrews 11:6, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." The very next verse says this: "By faith Noah,
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being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith." So the Bible says Noah being warned of God. So Noah was warned of God and Noah paid attention to that warning. Lot was warned and did not pay attention. He refused to listen. He refused to entertain even the thought that God may have been warning him. You say, "Well, where in the world did God warn Lot?" Well, let me show you.
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Hold 2 Peter chapter 2, but turn in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 14. In fact, you can hold the book of Genesis. We'll come back there several times. But look in Genesis chapter 14, and let's begin reading there with verse 8. Genesis 14 and verse 8. And I think you can see this is a definite warning. Genesis 14 verse 8: "And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar); and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim; with Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king
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of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five. And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain. And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way. And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed." Note, if you would please, they took Lot. Lot is specifically named, and then the Bible says, "and they also took his goods." Everything that he had, they took. Now you know the story how one man escaped and went and told Abram about Lot's capture.
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And Abram then armed the 318 trained servants or slaves that he had in his own house. He also had some confederates, Aner and Eshcol, and they got together and they went and rescued Lot and all the other people and brought them back. By the way, have you ever stopped to think how great a person Abram really was if that man had 318 trained fighting men in his own house? They probably had wives and they probably had children and probably there were other servants as well. So probably Abram's household was somewhere between a thousand to two thousand people. He was extremely wealthy, had a lot. Now, so Lot and all of his goods are captured. And Abram comes and rescues him.
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Let me ask you a question. Just stop and think about this. If there was a war and you were captured and everything that you had and then somehow, miraculously, you were saved. You were spared. Would you not tend to think, "You know, I might have been in the wrong place? I might consider moving, I might consider leaving this area." You know, here was a definite warning to Lot.
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And those thoughts may have entered into his mind, but he certainly never, ever did anything about it. Now, it is true that God delivered Lot from Sodom. Yet, how did he live while he was in Sodom? It was certainly not easy in one sense of the word. Moreover, it certainly did not strengthen him in his faith. It did not encourage him in righteousness, and it did not create a family bond of resistance to wickedness surrounded them.
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The truth of the matter is, it literally destroyed him. Let me show you. I want you to hold Genesis, but go back in your Bibles to 2 Peter chapter 2. I want you to look at this passage very carefully with me, because there are some very interesting words that are used here in reference to Lot. If you'll notice verse 7, the Bible says, "And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked." So Lot here is identified as a just man and he's vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked. I want you to consider the word "vexed." It is a word that indicates oppression and vexation. It literally means to tire down, to exhaust, to afflict, to oppress, to wear out, to make trouble for, and to treat roughly. Do you remember in Genesis chapter 27 and verse 46, it was Rebekah who said this to her husband Isaac about Jacob.
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And let me read that for you. Listen to what she said in Genesis chapter 27 and verse 46: "And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?" Notice what she said, "I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth." What does she say? They've worn me out. They've tired me down. I'm oppressed. I'm vexed. I don't want any more daughters-in-law like these. And if Jacob marries a woman like this, what good is my life going to do me? So basically, one of the words that is used there, she was vexed. And so the Bible is talking about Lot being vexed. That is, he was consistently and constantly being beaten down, worn out, and oppressed mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
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And I can assure you that none of this is conducive even to physical health. So the Bible said he was vexed. Notice secondly, the Bible says in verse 7, "And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked." The word "filthy" there literally refers to unbridled lust, to excess, to licentiousness, to lasciviousness, to wantonness, to outrageousness, to shamelessness, and insolence. Here's what God is telling us.
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The Sodomites were not only perverted, they were arrogant and they were insolent. They were absolutely, totally unabashed and unashamed of their wickedness.
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Now, let me show you something. I want you to hold 2 Peter chapter 2, but turn in your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 3 and look at verse 9, because here is a condemnation, not only of the Sodomites, but also a condemnation of the Israelites who, of course, followed in that shamelessness. Notice, if you would, in Isaiah chapter 3, notice, if you would please, verse 9. And by the way, if you look at verse 1, before we read verse 9.
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God says, "For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water." So we're talking about Judah and Jerusalem. Then look in verse 8: "For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory." Now watch verse 9. He's talking about Judah and Jerusalem now.
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"The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not." In other words, they were absolutely ecstatic over their sin. They were unashamed. It didn't bother them. Not only the Sodomites, but the Israelites as well. So he is saying that the open shamelessness and the declaration of their perversion, the only thing they were concerned with was their own gratification.
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They simply live for themselves. And by the way, that's exactly the way it is today with most people. They just simply live for themselves. They could care less what is right. And they don't care who reproaches them or who rebukes them. They just simply seek their own gratification.
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Now, if you look back in 2 Peter, chapter 2 and verse 7, the Bible says, "And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked." The word "conversation" there just simply means a manner of life, their conduct, their deportment, their behavior. In other words, this is how they live wickedly perverted. And it's what they live for. Now, I want you to consider the word "wicked" here. The word "wicked" literally means one who breaks through the restraints of law
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and gratifies his own lust. Now, let me just put all these thoughts together. If you look at verse 7, the Bible says, "And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked." What does that mean? It means that Lot was vexed with the wicked. He was surrounded by the wicked, whose lives were thoroughly filled with unbridled, lustful wickedness, and whose attitude was the epitome of arrogance and haughtiness and insolence.
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This is how they lived. It was the same every day. They did not change, they did not want to change, they did not desire to change, and they flaunted their wickedness in the face of Lot. Such had to be a constant oppression upon Lot.
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Now look in verse 8, because God goes further. He says, "For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds." Wow. So he was a righteous man dwelling among the wicked. He dwelt among them. He dwelt with them. He was in their circle and in their sphere of influence. So what was the result? The result was in seeing and hearing, he vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds. Now, let me point out the word "seeing." Seeing includes looking. It also includes glancing. In other words, you do not necessarily have to look at something purposely and deliberately, you can inadvertently see something.
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And you wish you'd never seen it. I can assure you, everyone in this room has seen things in the past that they wish that they had never seen, not the fact that you purposely did it, but you glanced, it was inadvertent, but you saw. And it's bothered you. Well, here he is seeing and hearing. He saw what was going on. He knew what was happening. And yet he stayed.
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And then the Bible says that he heard. Now, he did not eavesdrop necessarily. But he could not escape the sights or the sounds. So in hearing and in seeing, the Bible said he vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds. The word "vexed" in verse 8 is a different word from the word "vexed" in verse 7. Now, please understand something. Lot did not participate in their activities. But yet he vexed his righteous soul, he simply saw and heard, and the word "vexed" here literally means to question by applying torture. To be harassed, to be distressed, to be vexed with grievous pains of body and mind.
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Let me put it to you like this. It was making him sick, literally, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
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Now, here's what we say in South Georgia. Let me explain it like this. His life was a living hell. Every day. Every day. Nothing changed. There was no peace, there was no respite. There was no ease, there was no neutrality, nothing changed. The only thing he went through was constant and continual torment. So here's the question. Why would any believer stay in such a putrid hell and such a filthy surrounding?
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Who would even want to be there? Who would even desire to be there? I will tell you this. If the Lord sent me to Las Vegas, Nevada, I would go if I knew He sent me. But if He doesn't send me, I'm not going there. I don't even want to be in Atlanta, Georgia. I don't want to be anywhere near where there's a bunch of filthiness and wickedness. On top of that, Adam Clarke, in his commentary, says this.
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That Lot lived in Sodom a minimum of 20 years. Wow. In fact, before I get through, I'm going to show you it was probably even more than 20 years. So I hope you're thinking. What would make anyone in his right mind, especially a righteous man, want to stay in a place like that? I want to give you two answers from Scripture. And I want you to see what kept Lot in Sodom happens to be exactly the same things that keep most Christians today in the same thinking environment. First of all, why did he stay? Financial considerations. Financial considerations. How many times?
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I could ask our brother this. How many times do you know of people who left a good gospel preaching church? A good church that taught Bible doctrine, Bible truth, and they moved away just to get a better income where there was no gospel preaching church. And their family just deteriorated. You know what the Bible says in 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 10. Now listen carefully. "For the love of money is the root of all evil." Not money itself, but the love of money is the root of all evil, "which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."
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Now, obviously, Lot was still a righteous man. He did not necessarily err from the faith in that sense of the word, but I can assure you he pierced himself through with a multitude of sorrows. I want you to go back in your Bibles, hold 2 Peter, but go to Genesis chapter 13. Let me show you what I'm going to talk about. Financial considerations. I want you to look at this. This is absolutely astounding.
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In fact, it boggles our minds. But Genesis chapter 13, beginning there with verse 1. And you'll see the greatness of Abram and the greatness of Lot as well, financially, anyhow. Genesis 13, verse 1: "And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai; Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD. And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.
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And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.
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Now, I want to point something out. Actually, verses 5 and 6 are pivotal. When you read, "And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together." And so the herdmen of Lot and the herdmen of Abram were arguing and fighting probably over the best water, the best grazing. And Abram said, "Look, we ought not to be fussing like this." And it was not necessarily Abram and Lot, but it was their cattlemen, their herdmen. Abram said, "I'll tell you what you do. Let's just separate. There's too much. Each of us have too much. The land's not able to bear us. If you go to the right, I'll go to the left. If you go to the left, I'll go to the right." So notice, if you would, the graciousness and kindness of Abram because Abram said, "I'm willing to give you first choice. You may go wherever you want to go."
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And the Bible says, if you look down particularly in verse 10, "And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan."
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Now, let me ask you this question. Why did Lot choose the plain of Jordan? And the answer is, because it was good for raising cattle. You could raise cattle there. Plenty of water, plenty of grass. And the Bible says he pitched his tent toward Sodom. I want you to understand something, and I'll point this out before I leave. But what is good for raising cattle is not necessarily good for raising children. What is good for making money is not necessarily good for the family. Lot had a financial consideration. He was so wealthy and so great, either his tents pointed towards Sodom or at least reached to Sodom. And Lot may not have entertained or realized at first how wicked the Sodomites were. He may have known.
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They certainly knew that they were sinners. But the Bible says they were sinners exceedingly before the Lord. Understand this, all men are sinners. But there are some that are worse sinners than others. There are sinners of the first magnitude. There are sinners that are so far in rebellion that they flaunt their rebellion in the face of God. That's the way these Sodomites were. Let me point out the fact it is impossible to avoid sinners. And yet there are certain sinners that God tells us that we are to avoid.
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You remember, it was the Apostle Paul who said, "Beware of Alexander the coppersmith, he did me much evil." Then another time he said, "Watch out for Philetus and Hymenaeus." But let me show you something. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians, chapter 5, 1 Corinthians, chapter 5. It's amazing, the Apostle Paul tells us if we are going to avoid sinners, there are some specifically that we must avoid.
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Now, look what he says. 1 Corinthians chapter 5, beginning there with verse 9. 1 Corinthians 5, verse 9: "I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world." Let me just stop right there. If you try to avoid sinners totally, he says, you've got to leave the world. You cannot avoid sinners. It's impossible. I know so many Christians that say, "Well, we're going to boycott this company because they support abortion or they support sodomy," and I'm not necessarily against boycotting, I'm not against that at all.
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But then you turn around and you do business with another company that you haven't even checked into. In all probability, they support the same thing. So it's almost impossible just to avoid sinners. But look what the apostle said. Let's go back. Verse 9, he said, "I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat." What is he saying? Well, here's what he's saying. If a man says he's a Christian and lives like that, God says you better avoid him like the plague. Don't even go around him. He calls himself a Christian and he's a fornicator. He's a thief, he's a drunkard, he's an adulterer.
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No. You cannot escape sinners. But there are some that God forbids us to be around. The question that you must ask is this. How much can someone endure just for profit? How much can someone endure just to make money? You must also ask this, why in the world do we place material things over and above peace and health and life and happiness? You know, when our Lord said in Matthew 6 and verse 25, He asked this question, "Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?"
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You don't have to have a five hundred dollar suit. You don't have to have a hundred dollar pair of tennis shoes. And then He goes on to say this in Luke, not in verse 25, "What is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?" One of my favorite stories is about the extremely wealthy man who died. And the pallbearers were carrying the casket to the grave. And one of the pallbearers leaned over and
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asked another pallbearer who was a Christian, and he said, "How much did he leave?" The Christian responded, "He left it all." And he did.
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Now, let me just point this out, I don't know if you have thought about this or not, but I want you to consider that the only thing that Lot is known for in the Bible, I mean, really known for, is his residence in Sodom and his incest with his two daughters, which produced a people that were alien toward and antagonistic toward the people of God. That's the only thing he's known for.
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So you'd have to ask yourself this question, was it worth it? So why did he stay in Sodom? I'm going to answer, first of all, out of financial considerations. Now, listen carefully. The second reason he stayed in Sodom is because of family connections. What? Family connections. Have you ever considered, as you read your Bible, that there is absolutely nothing said about Lot's wife or Lot's family until you get to Genesis chapter 19? Is it possible, and I'm going to ask this again, is it possible that Lot married a woman of Sodom? Let me show you. I want you to look in your Bibles, beginning with Genesis chapter 12. Genesis chapter 12. And the interesting thing is, as you read through the book of Genesis, you find him mentioned with his connection with Abram, but you never find anything about a wife or a family until you get to Genesis 19. So in Genesis chapter 12, beginning there in verse 4: "So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him:
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and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came." Notice if you would, nothing is said here about Lot's wife or Lot's family. No, he just took Lot. Abram took his wife and all the souls they got. But nothing is said about a wife. Look in Genesis chapter 13, beginning there with verse 5, we read it earlier, "And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together." Notice, if you would, it's just Lot at this particular time. If you look in Genesis chapter 14 and verse 12. Here is where Lot is captured.
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I want you to note specifically what he said. Genesis chapter 14, notice verse 12, "And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed." Now, when Abram rescued Lot, notice if you would please in verse 16: "And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people." So Lot is the one who has been brought back. You do not get a mention of Lot's wife until you get to Genesis chapter 19. So I want you to turn there to verses 1 and 2. And here's my question. Is it possible that Lot married a woman of Sodom?
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And I believe the answer is yes. But notice, if you would please, verses 1 and 2. Interesting. "And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night."
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Now, you know the story, but I want you to note, if you would, two points right here. First of all, the Bible tells us in verse 1, "And Lot sat in the gate of Sodom." You say, what's unusual about that? Well, when you read through the Bible, it's always civil rulers and judges that sit in the gate. Sitting in the gate is a position of authority and power. So here's my question. Is it possible that Lot happened to be a civil ruler in Sodom? It is possible. Whether he was a civil ruler or not, he at least exerted a great deal of influence and power because of his extreme wealth. So he was either a civil ruler or he was there because he was exceedingly rich. Now, you remember, in Genesis chapter 13, the Bible said he pitched his tent toward Sodom. Look, if you would, in Genesis 19 in verse 2.
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"And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's"—what's that next word? "House." Not a tent. But a house, and the Hebrew word indicates a dwelling place, a habitation. So Lot is no longer living in a tent. He's now in a house in Sodom. Here is what one commentator said very plainly concerning Lot's wife: "It is probable he was a single man when he parted from Abram and therefore that he married a woman of Sodom.
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He has, in that case, fallen into the snare of matching, or at all events, mingling with the ungodly. This was the damning sin of the antediluvians. Their country was as the garden of the Lord, but the beauty of the landscape and the superabundance of the luxuries it afforded did not abate the sinful disposition of the inhabitants. The moral corruption only broke forth into greater vileness of lust and more daring defiance of heaven. They sinned exceedingly before the Lord. Had fallen into the very vortex and vice of blasphemy." So he says very pointedly that he married a woman of Sodom.
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Now, I want you to look in Genesis chapter 19 and let's begin reading there with verse 12. You remember, I told you that Adam Clarke said that Lot was in Sodom for 20 years. Well, it may have been more than that. So look in Genesis chapter 19, beginning there with verse 12: "And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it. And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
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And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. 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."
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Now, an interesting thing is this. There are some commentators that say that Lot only had two daughters. And what they say is that these two daughters were betrothed, and therefore, they were considered married, although they had not really come together as husband and wife. Betrothal in the Bible was kind of like our engagement, but it was far more serious because you were considered married, just like Joseph and Mary. And, you know, so that's betrothal and some said, well, he just had these two daughters.
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I don't think that is true. I think there's far more than the two daughters, and I will tell you why. Do you remember when Abram was interceding for Sodom and Gomorrah? And he asked the Lord. He said, "Lord, if there's 50 righteous there, will you destroy the righteous with the wicked?" And the Lord said, "No. I'll spare it if there's 50 righteous." Abram said, "Well, I've taken upon myself now to talk to the Lord. Suppose there are like five less than 50?" And the Lord said, "I will not destroy for the lack of five." Then Abram got him down to 40. Then he got him down to 30. Then he got him down to 20. Then he got him down to 10. Have you ever wondered why Abram stopped at 10?
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I mean, he's on a roll. He could have gotten him down to three or four, I think, but he stopped at 10. And I believe the answer is because Abram knew that Lot had a wife and eight others, which would have made 10.
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Now, let me show you what I'm talking about. Look, if you would, please, in Genesis chapter 19, verse 14: "And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters." So there were some already married, I would think.
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Now, watch carefully: "and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law." Now, "sons in law" is plural and "daughters" is plural.
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Now, just stop and think, Lot and his wife and two daughters there, that's four. So if he had three other daughters and three sons in law, that's six, six and four is ten. OK, now watch. Verse 15: "And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters." Are you watching? Look at the next phrase. "Take thy two daughters, which are here." In other words, he had some that were not there.
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But the angel said, "We don't have time to wait on those. You tried to warn them, they would not come. You take the two that are here." Wow. Now, here's the question. Don't you think about this? You know, according to the Bible, that Lot escaped Sodom and Gomorrah. You also know that his two daughters escaped as well. So here's my question: outside of Lot and his two daughters, if Lot lived in Sodom out of financial considerations, and if he lived in Sodom for family connections, when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, how much did Lot lose? Everything. Everything, he lost it all. He lost absolutely everything.
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If you look back in your Bibles to 2 Peter, chapter 2 in verse 7, look at what the Bible says: "And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked." The Bible doesn't even mention his daughters being delivered, except in Genesis 19. Isn't that amazing? Now, think about this. If Lot's wife was a woman from Sodom, that would certainly explain why she looked back. Family. Fortune. Friends.
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Everything she'd ever known was in Sodom. And she looked back and God judged her. The Bible says, "But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt."
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Now, let me try to make some applications. I want to try to put this together. So when God tells us to remember Lot, we understand why we should remember Lot. First of all, we must actually count the cost of following Jesus Christ.
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Now, it is true that if we live obedient lives, in all probability, we're going to suffer. What did the Apostle Paul say? "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." There's no two ways about that. If you live godly and if you live obediently and if you live the way you should live, undoubtedly, sooner or later, you're going to be persecuted.
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Usually by the powers that be. But if not by them, by other wicked people, that is for sure. But you have to understand this. The cost of not following Christ is immeasurably greater and disappointing. And the truth of the matter is, if we forsake Him, we lose everything. Our Lord said in Mark 8 in verse 35, "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it." So, yeah, we'll suffer if we live obediently for Christ. But those who do not live obediently are going to suffer far, far more. You know, it's bad to lose a family member to the world or to the devil. But it's even worse to lose them all. Here's a second application.
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We need to have our minds made up in advance as to who we're going to obey and who we're going to follow.
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Now, I want you to think. You remember, God sent Jonah to Nineveh. And what did Jonah do? He ran through Nineveh preaching and saying, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown." God gave them 40 days. The angels grabbed Lot by the hand and said, "Get your wife and two daughters and get out of here." They didn't have 40 days. They just had a few minutes. Do you understand that sometimes in the providence of God, we don't have days to make up our minds. We don't have hours to make up our minds. It's seconds.
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We'll either serve Christ and we'll either be obedient or we will not. I've got news for you, I preached a message years ago that I entitled, "What Do You Want Said at Your Funeral?" And I said this. When I die, I don't want people wondering whether or not I was a Christian. I don't want them wondering whether or not I believe the Bible or love the Lord Jesus Christ. I want them to know in advance. You remember what Joshua told those people in Joshua chapter 24? He said to them, he said, "Choose you this day whom ye will serve;
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whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." So you better make up your mind in advance. You better say yes. Because you may only have seconds to make a decision. Here's my next application, I want you to think about this. It does matter
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what you see and what you hear. Lot, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul. I don't care if you're on the Internet. I don't care if you're in the supermarket. I don't care if you're looking in a newspaper. Usually you see things you should never see. TV is the same way. I've known preachers, I've known Christians that would say, "Well, I'll never, ever go down to that movie theater and see those things.
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I'm not going to support Hollywood. I'm not going to do that." And yet they'll watch the same ungodly movie on TV in their own home. If it's too ungodly to watch downtown, it's too ungodly to watch in your own home. David said, "I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes." That should be our standard. I made up my mind years ago, I'm not going to watch anything that I know that is wicked or wrong or ungodly. I'm just not going to do it.
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It does matter what you see and what you hear. How about this one? It does matter where you live. It does matter. It mattered for Lot. I want to be where the Lord wants me, that is for sure. But the Lord knows my life and He knows my heart and I got news for you. If it's not His will, I don't want to be in a concrete city. I don't want to be in a jungle. And in the cities, the jungle for me, I'd rather be out watching His creation and out by myself. But it does matter where you live, and I hope you understand this, young people, it does matter who you marry.
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And you have no business as a Christian marrying an unbeliever. And you have no business trying to rush into marriage if you're really unsure whether or not the individual is a Christian. I've known so many young ladies who married men who said they were Christians only to find out after they got married, "Oh, no, they're going back to what they've always been." They just said that just to get married to that young lady.
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It does matter who you marry. And you have to understand this, mom and dad, children are not cattle. What happens to be good for raising cattle is not necessarily good for raising children. Children have to be educated. I don't know about you. But here's another application. Do not. Do not leave a testimony like Lot's. What kind of a testimony did he have? He didn't. He had nothing. Living in Sodom.
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Committing incest with his two daughters. What kind of a testimony is that? I find myself sometimes as I'm reading through the Psalms. I get to that psalm where David says, "Remember not the sins of my youth." And I have to say, as I pray that, "Lord, remember not the sins of my youth, the sins of my middle age, and the sins of my old age." You know, the Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 22, "Abstain from all appearance of evil."
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Lot certainly didn't do that. And you must understand, we must abstain from all appearance of evil. And here's my last application. Think about this. I want you to see the absolute need and necessity for a godly family, a godly fellowship, and godly friends. Lot didn't have anybody to encourage him. He didn't have anyone at all. He didn't even have a godly family. There were no godly friends in Sodom. There was no godly fellowship. If God has given you a fellowship where the word of God is preached and taught, you better thank God for it. If God's given you a godly family, you better thank God. If God's given you godly friends, you better thank God. And every time you remember Lot and his wife, you better thank God that He spared you and you don't live in Sodom. Remember Lot and his wife.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T19:51:00Z

Remember Lot And His Wife

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver examines the biblical command to remember Lot's wife, using Lot's life as a warning about the dangers of prioritizing financial gain and family connections over obedience to God. He highlights how Lot's choices led to a tormented existence in Sodom and ultimately the loss of everything, urging believers to count the cost of discipleship and make deliberate decisions to follow Christ.

Opening

Scripture Reading — 2 Peter 2:6-8

"And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly; and delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds)."

There is a specific command in the Bible to remember Lot's wife.

Introduction: The Command to Remember Lot's Wife

The Danger of Looking Back

Using the illustration of plowing a straight row, Weaver explains that looking back—whether out of curiosity or covetousness—makes one unfit for the kingdom of God, as Jesus taught in Luke 9:62.

Lot's Tormented Life in Sodom

And let me read that for you. Listen to what she said in Genesis chapter 27 and verse 46:

Scripture Reading — Genesis 27:46

"And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?"

Notice what she said,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 27:46

"I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth."

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 3:8-9

"For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory."

Now watch verse 9. He's talking about Judah and Jerusalem now.

Why Lot Stayed: Financial Considerations

In fact, it boggles our minds. But Genesis chapter 13, beginning there with verse 1. And you'll see the greatness of Abram and the greatness of Lot as well, financially, anyhow. Genesis 13, verse 1:

Scripture Reading — Genesis 13:1-13

"And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai; Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD. And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.

Why Lot Stayed: Family Connections

Scripture Reading — Genesis 12:4-5

and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came."

I want you to note specifically what he said. Genesis chapter 14, notice verse 12,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 14:12, 16

"And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed."

Now, when Abram rescued Lot, notice if you would please in verse 16:

Scripture Reading — Genesis 14:12, 16

"And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people."

Scripture Reading — Genesis 19:12-17

"And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it. And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.

The Cost of Lot's Choices

Applications for Believers

Scripture Reading — Mark 8:35

"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it."

Scripture Reading — 1 Thessalonians 5:22

"Abstain from all appearance of evil."

Remember Lot And His Wife

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	12121503791
Subject	Family Government
Course	The Christian Family: Marriage and Household Order: Remember Lot And His Wife
Genre	Sermon
Date	2015-12-09
Dictation Name
Book	Book 027: The Christian Family: Marriage and Household Order — Chapter 15
Source Timed Segments	81

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Command to Remember Lot's Wife: Weaver introduces the command from Luke 17:32 to remember Lot's wife, noting that remembering her also involves remembering Lot as her head. He emphasizes that while she sinned individually, Lot was responsible for her environment and direction.
The Danger of Looking Back: Using the illustration of plowing a straight row, Weaver explains that looking back—whether out of curiosity or covetousness—makes one unfit for the kingdom of God, as Jesus taught in Luke 9:62.
Lot's Tormented Life in Sodom: Weaver describes Lot as a righteous man who was constantly vexed by the wickedness around him, as detailed in 2 Peter 2:7-8. He explains the Greek words for 'vexed' and 'filthy' to show the mental, emotional, and spiritual torment Lot endured daily.
Why Lot Stayed: Financial Considerations: Weaver argues that Lot's first reason for staying in Sodom was financial. He traces Lot's wealth from Genesis 13, showing that Lot chose the well-watered plain of Jordan for his cattle, prioritizing material gain over spiritual well-being.
Why Lot Stayed: Family Connections: Weaver suggests that Lot likely married a woman of Sodom, which kept him there. He notes the absence of any mention of Lot's wife until Genesis 19 and points out that Lot's family connections led to the loss of his entire family except two daughters.
The Cost of Lot's Choices: Weaver highlights that Lot lost everything—his wealth, his wife, and most of his children—when Sodom was destroyed. He emphasizes that the cost of not following Christ is far greater than any temporary gain.
Applications for Believers: Weaver provides several applications: count the cost of following Christ, make up your mind in advance to obey God, guard what you see and hear, choose where you live and whom you marry wisely, leave a godly testimony, and value godly family, fellowship, and friends.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Lot's Righteousness Did Not Excuse His Poor Choices

Although Lot was a righteous man, his decision to live in Sodom led to a life of torment and a legacy of failure, proving that even believers can ruin their lives through disobedience.

Weaver says, 'I have often said that if the Bible did not specifically say that Lot was a righteous man, I would have said that he was either a lost man or a hypocrite.'

Financial Gain Is Not Worth Spiritual Loss

Lot's choice of the well-watered plain for his cattle prioritized material prosperity over spiritual health, resulting in the loss of everything.

Weaver states, 'What is good for raising cattle is not necessarily good for raising children. What is good for making money is not necessarily good for the family.'

Family Connections Can Lead to Spiritual Ruin

Lot's likely marriage to a Sodomite woman kept him in a wicked city and contributed to his family's destruction, warning against unequally yoked relationships.

Weaver argues, 'If Lot's wife was a woman from Sodom, that would certainly explain why she looked back. Family. Fortune. Friends.'

The Cost of Disobedience Exceeds the Cost of Obedience

While obedience to Christ may bring persecution, the consequences of disobedience—as seen in Lot's life—are far greater and more devastating.

Weaver says, 'The cost of not following Christ is immeasurably greater and disappointing. And the truth of the matter is, if we forsake Him, we lose everything.'

Scripture References

2 Peter 2:6-8: Weaver reads this passage as the primary text, describing God's judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah and Lot's vexation.
Luke 17:32: Weaver cites Jesus' command to remember Lot's wife as the basis for the sermon.
Luke 9:62: Weaver quotes Jesus' statement about not looking back after putting a hand to the plow, illustrating the danger of looking back.
Hebrews 11:6-7: Weaver references Noah's faith and warning from God as a contrast to Lot's failure to heed warnings.
Genesis 14:8-12: Weaver reads about Lot's capture in the battle of the kings, presenting it as a warning from God that Lot ignored.
Genesis 27:46: Weaver quotes Rebekah's words about being weary of her life because of the daughters of Heth, using the same word 'vexed' as in 2 Peter.
Isaiah 3:8-9: Weaver reads about Judah and Jerusalem declaring their sin like Sodom, showing shamelessness in wickedness.
1 Timothy 6:10: Weaver quotes this verse to show that the love of money leads to many sorrows, applying it to Lot's financial motivations.
Genesis 13:1-13: Weaver reads the account of Abram and Lot separating, with Lot choosing the plain of Jordan for its wealth, leading him toward Sodom.
1 Corinthians 5:9-11: Weaver reads Paul's instruction to avoid certain sinners, especially those who claim to be believers, applying it to Lot's situation.
Matthew 6:25: Weaver quotes Jesus' question about life being more than food and the body more than clothing, emphasizing priorities.
Genesis 12:4-5: Weaver reads about Abram and Lot leaving Haran, noting the absence of any mention of Lot's wife.
Genesis 14:12, 16: Weaver reads about Lot's capture and rescue, again noting the absence of his wife in the narrative.
Genesis 19:1-2: Weaver reads about Lot sitting in the gate of Sodom and inviting the angels to his house, indicating his settled life there.
Genesis 19:12-17: Weaver reads the angels' urgent command for Lot to flee with his family, highlighting the limited time for decision.
Genesis 19:14-15: Weaver reads about Lot's sons-in-law and the angels' instruction to take only the two daughters present, suggesting other children.
Mark 8:35: Weaver quotes Jesus' teaching that whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, applying it to the cost of discipleship.
Joshua 24:15: Weaver quotes Joshua's declaration to choose whom to serve, urging believers to decide in advance to follow the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 5:22: Weaver quotes the command to abstain from all appearance of evil, contrasting it with Lot's failure.

Historical References

Horatio G. Spafford and the hymn 'It Is Well With My Soul': Weaver tells the story of Spafford losing his daughters in a shipwreck and writing the hymn, and P.P. Bliss dying in a train wreck while singing it.
Adam Clarke's commentary on Lot's time in Sodom: Weaver cites Clarke's estimate that Lot lived in Sodom for at least 20 years, possibly more.

Important Quotes

And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds).

This is the key text describing Lot's torment, which Weaver expounds to show the consequences of living in a wicked environment.

Remember Lot's wife.

Jesus' direct command that forms the basis of the sermon, emphasizing the importance of learning from her example.

No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Weaver uses this verse to illustrate the danger of looking back, comparing it to plowing a straight row.

And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.

This verse shows Lot's choice based on material prosperity, which Weaver identifies as the start of his downfall.

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

The consequence of Lot's wife's disobedience, serving as a stark warning against longing for the world.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

What were the primary reasons Lot stayed in Sodom, and how do those reasons apply to Christians today?

[Context]

Weaver identifies financial considerations and family connections as the two main reasons Lot remained in Sodom.

[Question]

How does the concept of being 'vexed' by the world's wickedness manifest in a believer's life, and what should we do about it?

[Context]

Weaver explains the Greek words for 'vexed' in 2 Peter 2:7-8, describing Lot's constant torment.

[Question]

In what ways can financial prosperity become a snare that leads us away from God's will?

[Context]

Weaver warns that what is good for raising cattle is not necessarily good for raising children, emphasizing misplaced priorities.

[Question]

Why is it important to make up our minds in advance to obey God, and what are the dangers of delaying that decision?

[Context]

Weaver stresses that we may only have seconds to decide, using the example of Lot's urgent escape.

[Question]

How can we guard what we see and hear in a world filled with ungodly influences?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that Lot was vexed by seeing and hearing, and that believers should set no wicked thing before their eyes.

[Question]

What does Lot's life teach us about the importance of godly family, fellowship, and friends?

[Context]

Weaver notes that Lot had no one to encourage him, highlighting the need for a supportive Christian community.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T12:36:18Z