by Ester yusufu | 6 November 2021 08:46 pm11
Was it really just the simple act of turning around that caused Lot’s wife to lose her life? On the surface, it seems like a small mistake—but the truth is, God does not judge without cause. Her punishment reveals a deeper issue: her heart was still tied to what God was delivering her from.
Today, we’ll explore the spiritual meaning of “looking back,” what Lot’s wife did wrong, and how it serves as a powerful warning for us.
Let’s begin with Jesus’ words:
Luke 9:61–62
“And another also said, ‘Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.’
But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.'”
In this passage, Jesus rebukes half-hearted discipleship. “Looking back” doesn’t simply mean glancing over one’s shoulder—it symbolizes a heart that is divided, a life that hesitates between two loyalties. Theologically, this is known as spiritual regression, which contradicts the call to continual sanctification (Hebrews 10:38-39).
To better understand what went wrong with Lot’s wife, let’s read another warning from Jesus:
Luke 17:28–32
“Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;
but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.
Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.
Remember Lot’s wife.“
Jesus issues a powerful one-line warning: “Remember Lot’s wife.” This is the only individual in the entire Bible whom Jesus specifically tells us to remember. Why? Because her story is a sobering symbol of spiritual compromise.
Although she was physically leaving Sodom, her heart remained there. Her turning back was not just a physical act—it was an indication of her attachment to a life God had judged and condemned.
This connects to the biblical theme of idolatry of the heart (Ezekiel 14:3), where even after leaving a sinful environment, the affections of the heart remain entangled with what God detests.
3. The Cost of Looking Back
The judgment that fell on Sodom was not arbitrary. According to:
Deuteronomy 29:23
“The whole land is brimstone, salt, and burning; it is not sown, nor does it bear, nor does any grass grow there…”
Lot’s wife, overtaken by the fire and brimstone meant for Sodom, became “a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19:26). Salt in this context symbolizes preservation as a warning, much like how unfaithfulness in the wilderness left behind bones and stories to caution future generations (1 Corinthians 10:5-11).
She became a living statue of what happens when we cling to the past and ignore God’s call to move forward.
This message is also for us who have begun the journey of salvation. Scripture is clear: this world is under judgment (2 Peter 3:7). No prayer can stop the prophetic timetable. What remains is our call to separate from the world and cling fully to Christ.
Turning back today could mean:
The Apostle Paul speaks of this danger in Hebrews 10:38–39:
“Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.
But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.”
God is calling us forward. We must press on without turning back (Philippians 3:13–14). The fire is behind us—the only safe direction is forward in Christ.
If you haven’t yet surrendered your life to Jesus, do it today. Confess Him as Lord, repent of your sins, and follow Him wholeheartedly (Romans 10:9-10).
And if you’ve already begun turning back—whether in your heart, behavior, or commitment—stop now. Return to the narrow path before it’s too late. A time may come when repentance is no longer possible. Jesus is returning soon, and the Church must be ready.
“Remember Lot’s wife.” Let her story be your warning, not your legacy.
God bless you.
Source URL: https://wingulamashahidi.org/en/2021/11/06/dont-look-back/
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