First of all, concerning the story, I found it interesting how Abraham pleaded with God for Sodom. He kept asking the Lord to spare the city if there were 100, 50, 20, or even 10 righteous men that lived inside its walls. "And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once" said Abraham, "Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake." (Genesis 18:32). I think it is interesting how Abraham was praying for a corrupted city and God listened; He even promised to answer Abraham's prayers and save the entire city if only 10 righteous lived inside its walls. I don't remember knowing about this conversation between Abraham and God. I think it shows that God was willing to spare Sodom. For the innocent. For the righteous. And it shows God's willingness and faithfulness in answering prayers.
Thus, God sent angels to Sodom before destroying it. At the time, Lot lived there and took the angels in when they arrived. He pushed them to stay with him, possibly because he understood the violent nature of his town. Because with the angels inside his house, the men of the town pressed Lot to send them out, so that the men could rape them. Lot even prayed for these men. "And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him and said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly." Genesis 19:6-7. But the men continued and the angels had to curse them with blindness to get them to leave. This shows the wickedness of Sodom. The power the men of the street thought they had to hurt others and take anything they wanted. An online Bible Study site, "The Restored Church of God," states, "Sodom was a city of great riches, as were the other cities and towns of the plain. Its people possessed the finest foods, clothing and various other goods. With their lives surrounded by countless items of luxury, the citizens were self-satisfied and smug about their existence. They saw no need to seek after God."
Consequently, Lot and his family, the righteous that live in Sodom, were told to leave. God remained true to his promise. He had the angels ask the righteous to leave Sodom before he destroyed it, therefore no righteous resided inside its walls.
But God asked them not to look back. "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." (Genesis 19: 17). "Looking back" seems symbolic of nostalgia. My Bible had a note that explained that Lot and his family were asked to not look back figuratively in a way, to not look back longing for Sodom, wishing to return to the town and possibly to the sinful nature there. I guess its like helping a prostitute leave the life of prostitution, but asking her not to long for that life anymore. It would be an insult to her rescuer to long for the life he helped her leave.
"The Restored Church" Bible study on Lot says, "It was not until angels, disguised as men, came to warn him that Lot departed Sodom. Despite the worsening levels of wickedness that thrived in the city, which vexed him day and night, “he lingered” (vs. 16)—procrastinated. The angels literally had to take Lot by the hand to get him to leave." And Lot's wife didn't listen to the command to not look back, she looked back and she was turned into a pillar of salt.
Maybe this is representative of our human tendency to hold on to sin or to hold on to something we know is not good for us. Even when God is taking our hand and leading us from it, we look back. We long for the sin we once indulged in. It is a prideful thing, I think. It is almost idolatry - in the way that you would be putting something else above God in being better for you, in bringing you greater happiness.
I am blessed to be forgiven for my sins. To not be a pillar of salt. To have Jesus die for me and my salvation. I know I am flawed, and I know I have thought of 'things' of this world more able to bring me happiness than the things of God. And I know I am always wrong in thinking so.
Recently, I think I have realized that walking with God, on the path towards righteousness can cut you off from things and even people of your past. I took a step back into a part of my old life that I have tried to change and as I drove away I felt wrong. I felt like I had actually taken a step backward, like I turned my face away from the Lord and looked back. Coming home, I thought of the image of the narrow path to God vs. the wide one away from him. I think I can see how it can feel narrow, but I hope to stay on it anyways.
Online Bible Study on Lot and Sodom
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