A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns

The Scriptures record, “The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar” (v. 23).
According to Jewish legend, the early morning time of the destruction of Sodom was significant
because it fell at a time when both the sun and moon were in the sky. The presupposition is that
the citizens of Sodom prayed to the moon for preservation during the night and to the sun for
preservation during the day. The destruction of Sodom is therefore said to come at a time when
both sects would have been engaged in prayer to their false gods.
God destroyed Sodom with fire and brimstone (i.e., burning sulfur) falling on the city. So
great was the sin of Sodom, God burned the deepest hole on earth as His wrath was poured out
on Sodom. With the exception of a couple of oceanic valleys, the southeast corner of the Dead
Sea has the deepest hole in the earth. This is that area formerly known as the Valley of Sidim, or
the Valley of Sodom. So severe was the destruction of Sodom, archeologists have yet to find
ruins of the city. It is widely believed this is in part due to the flooding of the destroyed valley by
the overflow of the Dead Sea. One of the effects of this destruction is the high mineral
concentration of this region which may have been exposed and released from other elements by
the intense heat of the burning.
As the destruction of Sodom was in progress, Lot’s wife paused to look back on the city
which had for so long been her home. The Hebrew word wattabbet implies a longing associated
with her look. She paused to look at Sodom as they entered Zoar, wishing rather that she was still
in Sodom. She was rewarded for her act by becoming a pillar of salt, which probably means she
was covered with ash and molten salt that was thrown throughout the area as a result of the
explosions of fire, sulfur, and salt. She probably did not become a statue of salt as most imagine
but became entombed with a pillar (pile) of salt as the materials crystallized around her. She had
not gotten out of the danger zone. In the New Testament, the warning, “Remember Lot’s wife”
(Luke 17:32), stands as a warning to those who linger and quibble with God, thus endangering
themselves as they turn back to a life of sin.
But Lot’s wife was not the only one who witnessed the terrible destruction of the cities of
the plain. Abraham, the man of faith, could also see billowing clouds of smoke rising out of the
valley as he looked over the valley from his vantage point near the Oaks of Mamre. Standing in
the place where only the day before he had prayed for the preservation of Sodom, Abraham saw
the city’s destruction. The Hebrew verb wayyashekef, here translated “and he saw” (Gen. 19:28),
implies looking down on something with amazement and grief. The context of this word
suggests Abraham may have thought he had insured the preservation of Sodom through his
intercession of the previous day. Seeing the cloud of smoke rising from the valley, Abraham was
probably grief stricken, assuming Lot also had perished in the city’s destruction. It is interesting
to note Abraham was apparently never informed of Lot’s rescue. As he stood in the place where
he had prayed for the city, now he watched its destruction. Perhaps he concluded God had
destroyed his righteous nephew with that wicked city. His false conclusion about the character of
God, based on his own ignorance, was no doubt a factor in his subsequent lapse of faith at Gerar.
When confronted with similar confusing problems of faith in our Christian life today, it would be
good to learn from the example of Abraham. We should realize the key which might resolve our
crisis of faith may he outside our understanding of the facts.
THE CONTINUED BACKSLIDING OF LOT
(Gen. 19:30-38)
Though Lot escaped the destruction of Sodom, the damage had been done to his family.
His fear became so overpowering he eventually moved what remained of his family out of Zoar