Even before Jesus left, people wanted to know when He would return. That included the Pharisees, but they phrased their question, ”The Coming of the Kingdom.” In Luke 17, Jesus gave two defining characteristics of what it would be like when He returns. Verse 26, “As it was in the days of Noah.” Verse 28, “As it was in the days of Lot.” When he mentioned Lot, Jesus added three of the most memorable words He ever uttered as a warning of what it would be like in the last days: “Remember Lot’s wife!”

Noah’s day was marked by people who continually had evil thoughts. There was nothing holy about their lifestyle; they never even gave God a thought. It was somewhat like the attitude, “Eat, drink, and be merry.” With no thought of the consequences, they indulged themselves any way they chose.

With Lot, the sexual issue cannot be overlooked. When Lot chose to live near Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 13, God plainly stated that it was an exceedingly wicked and sinful place. The type of sin is revealed in Genesis 19. Because of Abraham, Lot was given the chance to escape the city before God rained down judgment upon them. Lot and his wife appeared to have four daughters, although some translations imply that the two daughters they had were betrothed but had not yet consummated the marriage.

While we are left to speculate, Jesus knew exactly what happened. Lot’s wife was leaving behind a lifestyle that provided conveniences that living in the wilderness could not provide. She was leaving behind the sinful environment she had come to enjoy. She, along with her husband and two daughters, was told to head for the hills and not look back. But tragically, Lot’s wife could not resist looking back. She sneaks a peek and is turned into a pillar of salt. She is frozen in time at the moment of her disobedience, a monument to the dangers of spiritual compromise.

Through the story of Lot’s wife, the Lord calls us to remember the high cost of sin. That’s why He says, “Remember Lot’s wife.” She held on too tightly to the things of this world.