LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
Remember Lot's Wife
As an antitype of the Church, Lot's wife warns us about the direction that affections take us.
Rubén Chacón
This specific and concrete instruction was given by the Lord Jesus Christ to His disciples while He spoke to them of His second coming (Lk. 17:20-37). More than a commandment it is a warning: "Take care! May what happened to Lot's wife not also happen to you." It is therefore, a very real warning. What's more, as all the women mentioned in the Bible are in some way a type of the church, we can say that what happened to the wife of Lot is a figure of what could happen to the church, if it doesn't heed Christ's warning.
In verses 26 to 29 of Luke chapter 17, the Lord Jesus Christ describes the condition of people's lives in the days leading up to his second coming. In this way it demonstrates the use of the word "days" in the plural: "Like it was in the days of Noah…exactly as it happened in the days of Lot." But the Lord Jesus Christ not only referred to the condition of the world in the days previous to his coming, but he also referred to the actual day of his coming: "it will be like this on the day when the Son of man is manifested" These were His words (v. 30). And it was at this point where He gave specific instructions to His disciples for that day; thus confirming the expression "In that day…" at the beginning of verse 31.
In that day, Jesus said, "he that shall be on the housetop, and his goods in the house, let him not go down to take them away: and let him that is in the field likewise not return back." That day will seem like an ordinary day, each one will be at work: Some, on the roof; others, in the field; two women will be milling; for some, it will be at night; and for others, by day. But, in a moment, as the lightning that flashes from one part of the sky and lights up the other side, our Lord Jesus Christ will appear crossing the heavens and bringing His own to Himself.
Then, Jesus said: "don't turn back." This expression means: "don't return to what is behind." It is a question of the heart; it is not a physical action, but a matter of love. How do we know this? Because it was here that Jesus introduced the masterful illustration of warning: "remember Lot's wife" (v. 32). What happened to this woman? Before God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorra, He sent angels to free Lot along with all His family. The instructions of the angels were clear: "flee for your life; don't look behind you, nor stop in any part of this plain; escape to the mountain, so that you don't perish." Nevertheless, the biblical story states that Lot's wife " looked behind" and became a statue of salt.
Why such a great judgment for simply looking back? It is because it was not a simple glance; it was not an innocent or simply curious glance. Her heart returned to what she left behind; she loved that which remained behind: The way of life in Sodom. Jesus Christ described it this way: "they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built" (v. 28) take care, brothers and sisters! Jesus is not saying that Lot's wife was a lesbian, or that she loved homosexuality, or that she sympathized with immorality. Do you understand?
None of the things that Jesus mentioned is sinful in itself. Where's the problem then? The problem is when these things capture the heart, and our love for Jesus Christ begins to go cold. He stops being our first love, the things of this world become our treasure and, as Jesus said: "…where your treasure is, there your heart will also be" (Matt. 6: 21).
Maybe some will think that something like that could never happen to him. Perhaps they think that in that day, when seeing the Lord Jesus Christ appear, in no way will they be as senseless as Lot's wife. Whoever thinks this way is not taking our Lord Jesus Christ's warning seriously, because the teaching that Lot's wife leaves is this: In that day will be inexorably revealed and shown what is in the heart. In that day there won't be time for repentance or for a change of heart.
For that reason, today it is necessary to remember the wife of Lot. If today was the day of His coming, what would happen to you? Toward whom would you lean your heart? There is a very easy way of knowing it: do you truly yearn for Jesus Christ to return today? If your answer is not yes, then you are not ready for that day. Something or somebody is before the Lord in your heart and that day will reveal it. Whenever we are faced with a sudden situation we cling to that which we love most. For that reason, Jesus warned: "Everybody who tries to save his life, will lose it; and everybody who loses it, will save it" (v. 33).
For that reason, Jesus Christ today is calling and warning. Because at the moment we live in days of restoration. Throughout the entire world the Holy Spirit is blowing, to ignite the flame of love again and a passion for our blessed Lord Jesus Christ so that before the proclamation of the lover: "Certainly, I am coming soon", our heart, without hesitation, will respond: "Amen; yes, come, Lord Jesus." All this, so that, in sum, what happened to Lot's wife doesn't happen to the church.