“But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”
— Genesis 19:26
Here’s a choice that had dire consequences – only one look back. Lot’s wife was named Ado, or Edith, according to the Jewish Rabbis who wrote about her in the Book of Jasher (a Hebrew Madras, which is a theological story used to help illuminate Biblical passages). During the rush to evacuate Sodom, Edith, like any mother might, may have looked back to see what became of her married daughters (who refused to leave) and to see what was happening to the city. Even though they were warned not to look back, Edith disobeyed to her own demise. Didn’t she believe?
Skeptics often mock stories in the Bible that seem far-fetched to us today. And a story where a woman literally turns into a pillar of salt is no exception to that mockery. Yet, Edith could have been preserved for many generations to come as an ominous reminder.
Geologists believe Sodom and Gomorrah were located near the Dead Sea, an area where objects can be quickly covered with a crust of salt. This region has saline fumes and vapors emitting from the ground due to seismic activity. Perhaps Edith was killed by a fiery and sulfurous vapor that burst forth from the ground, and in her stead, remained a salt formation that might have been thrown up by surging ground activity. This pillar became a notable monument of God’s vengeance against criminal curiosity, unbelief, and disobedience to all who passed by that way.
Josephus, a first-century historian, claims the pillar of Edith was still standing in his time and that he himself had seen it. St. Clement, in his first letter to the Corinthians, also said Lot’s wife was remaining. Jesus urges us to “remember Lot’s wife” (Luke 17:32). Why? Edith’s loyalty lay with Sodom—the things of this world—and she didn’t believe God’s word.
When the day comes, we must keep our eyes focused on Jesus, and not look longingly back to what is of this world.
Think Divinely: Don’t get caught up in the things of this world. Instead, keep your eyes focused on God and His eternal plans. Trust His Word.
Thank you. First thing I read today. Reminds me not only that God has a plan but that most of our regrets are due to our human willfulness.
Amen. Keeping my eyes focused on Him.
Contrary to the book of Jasher, Genesis 19:16 – 17 tells us that two angels removed Lot, his wife, and his two daughters. I found this a lot when doing OT research that involved looking at some of those old Jewish documents.
Lot’s wife did indeed love Sodom, for she looked back after being told by the angels not to. The above description of the pillar of salt possibilities is excellent, really intriguing. It makes perfect sense out of that conundrum.
How often do we do this—look back when we shouldn’t? Frequently. My husband and I just had an argument after I looked back to a long ago event that I should have left well enough alone.
The daughters later, Genesis 19:30-38, got their father drunk and had sex with him (obviously all of them were corrupted by the goings on in Sodom). Not having husbands, they wanted children. He was the only man they now knew. One of the children was Moab, a long time enemy of all of Abraham’s offspring, and one was Ammon, the same result. So, none of that went well all round.
Lot should never have chosen Sodom for a home.
Such good advice…. Keep an eye on the windshield, not the rear view mirror. Looking back can cause us shame or, worse, to long for the “good ol days.” Sometimes, its easy to forget the pain of the past and focus on the good feelings, but God wants us to focus on the present and future plans he has for us. I thank God for redeeming my past!
I just did some research on this topic for an article — why it’s important to not conform to the world. As you said, “Edith’s loyalty lay with Sodom—the things of this world—and she didn’t believe God’s word.” So true! I am trying to keep my focus on the things of God, not the world.
I’m in a season of life where I find myself looking back more and more often, sometimes with longing and other times with regret. Yet God calls me to leave both the past and the future in His hands and make Him my focus for the present.
Thank you for this reminder!
Yes, looking back (longing for what we used to enjoy) opposes God’s way for us. I believe the day has already come. God desires us to look forward and follow Him – to walk away from that which tugs at our hearts. It’s for our good and the good of His kingdom. Thank you for this reminder.
I have no doubt God turned Edith into a bit salt structure. And I’m sure it served it’s purpose in that day. Yes, it’s so dangerous to take our eyes from the Lord and what He’s doing in our lives. I need to remind myself every day.
You have a strong faith in God and the Bible! That’s awesome. I know a lot of skeptics who would find this particular story hard to believe literally, and so I think it’s a good idea to defend why it’s very plausible that Edith’s body was consumed and left in her place was a pillar of salt as a reminder for generations to come.