Lot’s wife is a sobering example of divided loyalty. Her story is recorded in Genesis 19:26:
“But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.”
When God sent angels to deliver Lot and his family from gomorrah/”>Sodom before its destruction, they were given a clear command in Genesis 19:17:
“Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.”
Despite this warning, Lot’s wife looked back. This was not a casual glance but an expression of longing for what she was leaving behind, a heart still attached to the sinful city. Her action revealed divided devotion: outwardly fleeing judgment, yet inwardly clinging to the world.
Jesus later referred to her in Luke 17:32 with a solemn warning:
“Remember Lot’s wife.”
This command reminds believers that following God requires full surrender. Looking back signifies reluctance to let go of sin and a desire for the old life, which can lead to destruction. Her transformation into a pillar of salt stands as a vivid symbol of judgment for those who refuse to break from the world completely.
Lot’s wife teaches us that obedience to God must be wholehearted. Partial obedience is disobedience, and longing for the world endangers the soul. Her fate warns us to set our hearts fully on God and His deliverance.
