In Luke 17, Christ is teaching his disciples about the days of the coming of the Son of man. He tells them there will be eating, drinking, buying, selling, marrying, giving in marriage, building – all those things that are common in this life. Get that? Common in this life – in this day and age – could be right around the corner. It could be any day now. That’s how close we are to the days Christ is talking about in this passage.
Christ compared the day of his coming to the days of Noah and of Lot. And what happened to those civilizations? They were destroyed by God’s wrath. Noah’s world was destroyed by a worldwide flood, Lot’s by fire and brimstone. 1 Thessalonians 1:9 warns us of God’s wrath outpoured, “Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” The antediluvian world met with God’s wrath (2 Pe 2:5) – Sodom and Gomorrah met with God’s wrath (2 Pe 2:6) – even the angels that sinned met with God’s wrath (2 Pe 2:4). But this short verse, verse 32 – three short words are here given as an example to those who would reject God’s gracious provision and have to face His terrible wrath.
Remember Lot’s wife – Even though she was married to a righteous man, she was responsible for her own soul and was responsible for her own salvation. And Lot was a righteous man – the apostle Peter tells us in 2 Peter 2:7 & 8, “And delivered just Lot, …(For that righteous man …vexed his righteous soul from day to day…)” But his righteousness was not enough to pull her in on his shirttails – she was responsible for her own actions.
Remember Lot’s wife – Even though she was warned of the wrath that was to come, and even though she was warned not to look back, her actions spoke louder than words. The sinful condition of her soul was such that would not allow her to accept God’s gracious gift of salvation. How many leather-lunged preachers have proclaimed the message of God’s provision from the pulpits, from the street corners, from the radios and televisions across this land warning men, women, boys, and girls of the terrible wrath that is to come if they reject God’s precious Son. Yet teeming masses still tread “the broad road that leadeth to destruction.”
Remember Lot’s wife – Even though she made an effort to be saved, she stopped short of salvation. Such is the damnable position of those deceived by religion. Religion teaches man that they can do it their own way – “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death (Pr 14:12).” Religion teaches salvation by works – religion teaches salvation by will – religion teaches salvation by wealth. But every other way but God’s way leads only to His wrath. Lot’s wife made an effort, but she didn’t come God’s way.
Remember Lot’s wife – Even though she committed only one sin, the sin of disbelief, she was lost without God and suffered His wrath. Though every person is born in sin and commits sins throughout his life, the only sin that condemns a man is the sin of disbelief. Lot’s wife was on her way to deliverance, but that sinful condition ruled her life and she found that she could not give up the life that she enjoyed in Sodom. She looked back lusting after Sodom, and that unbelief condemned her. But everyone that turns from their sin and accepts God’s precious gift of salvation can be spared the outpoured wrath of God and be blessed with eternal life in Him.
Quote – “To an impure heart, God cannot be seen anywhere; but to a pure heart God is to be seen everywhere, in the deepest caverns of the sea, in the lonely desert, in every star that gems the brow of midnight.” – Charles H. Spurgeon
