It is one of the shortest verse in the Bible, with a message for all generations.

Several times people have asked me, why did Jesus utter these words, “Remember Lot’s wife?” Luke 17:32. When there are so many characters in the Bible who are worthy of admiration, great men of faith, Jesus asked us to remember Lot’s wife—why ? Look at some individuals of great faith in the Bible, people like Noah; he preached for 120 years. The Bible says of him, “By faith Noah, 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.” Hebrews 11:7. For 120 years, with fear and trembling about the event which he had not seen nor experienced, yet he preached about the flood and he was called the hero of faith.

Look at the patriarch Enoch, the Bible says of him, “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” Hebrews 11:5. He walked with God all of his life and every breath of his was a prayer unto God, and at last God saw that he was not worthy to die and decompose in the grave. Rather He took him to heaven without seeing death. “Hundreds of years he walked with God. He lived in a corrupt age, when moral pollution was teeming all around him; yet he trained his mind to devotion, to love purity. His conversation was upon heavenly things. He educated his mind to run in this channel, and he bore the impress of the divine. . . . He was a representative of the saints who live amid the perils and corruptions of the last days. For his faithful obedience to God he was translated.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, p. 121

Let us talk about Abraham who is said to be the father of faith. The Bible says of him, “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.” Hebrews 11:8. He was a man who lived by all the instructions from God. Because of his faith he left his country, not knowing where he was going. Because of his faith he didn’t fear to sacrifice his son. What about Elijah? The Bible says, “Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.” James 5:17

But Jesus never said remember Abraham, Noah or Enoch, Elijah etc. So what is the important lesson that we can learn about Lot’s wife? Lot’s wife was living in Sodom, one of the most wicked cities, the same as our cities today. All around her was evil such that God saw that it was better to destroy this city. But before it was destroyed great privileges and opportunities were given to Lot’s wife. As Lot saw two strangers passing by he took them to his house; Lot’s wife cooked for them and they saved Lot from the angry mob. After supper they had time to chat with these strangers as ordinary men. It was at midnight that these two strangers revealed their real characters to Lot’s family. They told them about their mission; all were convinced that these were messengers from above because of the miracle they performed that night. All these things happened in the hearing and in the eyes of Lot’s wife.

The following morning, “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.” Genesis 19:14. After a long time of lingering and wasting time these strangers pulled Lot and his wife and daughters out of the city and instructions were given them to flee to the mountains for the sake of their lives. Lot’s wife was privileged to be pulled out of the doomed city, “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.” Genesis 19:16. Still Lot’s wife was not saved. Hence the words of Jesus, “Remember Lot’s wife.”
All that heaven could do to save Lot’s wife was done; angels were sent to her house in human form, she

was privileged to cook and provide hospitality to angels in human form in her house . Also, these angels had shown their power by saving Lot and his family from the wicked men outside their door in the night. Lot’s wife was a witness to all these things. Finally, when they were told to leave the city they kept on lingering and Lot’s wife was also pulled out of the city by angels. In the end we have the sad history that she was not saved.

We need also to remember Lot’s wife—that after heaven had done all it could, still she was not saved—and our end should not be like hers. We are more privileged than Lot’s wife. We have the history of Lot’s wife before us. We have received the most precious message ever given to any generation. As a people, we know and understand prophecy so well. We know what is coming upon the earth; we know what Jesus is doing right now in the sanctuary above. We know what will happen to the saints and the wicked when Christ will appear.

We have the most powerful positive evidence to prove that these are the last days and Christ is coming again. We understand the importance of paying tithes and offerings; we are health reformers. Every Sabbath we go to church; we understand the importance of the Sabbath meeting. Still Christ’s message to you and me is “Remember Lot’s wife.” She was exposed to all the truth; she knew the will of God—she was next to salvation, but totally lost. With all the truth we have and heard we are close to salvation. But we need to remember Lot’s wife’s case that she was almost saved but totally lost. I say to all: Be on your guard; for as an angel of light Satan is walking in every assembly of Christian workers, and in every church, trying to win the members to his side. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked.” Galatians 6:7.  All the truth Lot’s wife had was a mere assent to the truth, without the Spirit’s power which brings sanctification  and transformation of character. Hence the warning given to all: “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” 2 Corinthians 13:5

“Do you believe that the end of all things is at hand, that the scenes of this earth’s history are fast closing? If so, show your faith by your works. A man will show all the faith he has. Some think they have a good degree of faith, when, if they have any, it is dead, for it is not sustained by works. ‘Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.’ James 2:17. Few have that genuine faith which works by love and purifies the soul. But all who are accounted worthy of everlasting life must obtain a moral fitness for the same. ‘Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.’ 1 John 3:2–3. This is the work before you. . . You must experience a death to self, and must live unto God. ‘If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.’ Colossians 3:1. Self is not to be consulted.

“Pride, self-love, selfishness, avarice, covetousness, love of the world, hatred, suspicion, jealousy, evil surmisings, must all be subdued and sacrificed forever. When Christ shall appear, it will not be to correct these evils and then give a moral fitness for His coming. This preparation must all be made before He comes. It should be a subject of thought, of study, and earnest inquiry, What shall we do to be saved? What shall be our conduct that we may show ourselves approved of God?

“When tempted to murmur, censure, and indulge in fretfulness, wounding those around you, and in so

doing wounding your own soul, oh! let the deep, earnest, anxious inquiry come from your soul, Shall I stand without fault before the throne of God? Only the faultless will be there. None will be translated to heaven while their hearts are filled with the rubbish of earth. Every defect in the moral character must first be remedied, every stain removed by the cleansing blood of Christ, and all the unlovely, unlovable traits of character overcome.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 705

“REMEMBER LOT’S WIFE.”  May the Lord bless you as you meditate upon these words.

David Gwina