It’s a mystery:
Why would she,
after being explicitly forbidden to look back–
do precisely that?
The traditional–and simplest–interpretation
is her disobedience of the angels:
She simply refused
to follow their directive,
and for that,
she was justly punished.
A related interpretation is that
she was reluctant to leave Sodom:
She had grown attached to her lifestyle there,
and no doubt, that lifestyle–
like that of every other inhabitants of the city–
was most probably wicked as well!
Her fate, therefore,
like all the others who perished
in that shower of fire and brimstone,
was well-deserved.
Intrigued by this nameless woman,
mystics and artists since then have engaged
in every sort of speculation.
Using their imagination,
they’ve tried to read between the lines,
unwrapping the silence of Scripture,
and wondering :
Might there have been something else
that caused her to turn back?
What do you think?
Would you have done the same
if you had been in her place?
Why or why not?
Feel free to share your answers below.
32 replies on “Why Did She Look Back?”
I think attachment to her past life and curiosity caused Lot’s wife to neglect the angels’ words and disobey them.
What was hard to let go? What is difficult to be apart from? It must have been an inner turmoil for her. Aren’t we allowed to feel this way?
How difficult it is to leave our sinfulness behind, even as it needs to be destroyed for our salvation!
Obedience is not always easy specially if it means leaving something or someone. It is not because you don’t trust, but is because it is difficult to let go, it is hard to leave a place that one is familiar and comfortable with
While grateful that her family was going to be saved, I think she was concerned about the good people she knew who did not deserve to be killed and was looking back to see if any of them managed to leave.
While grateful that her family was going to be saved, I think she was concerned about the good people she knew who did not deserve to be killed. And was looking back to see if any of them managed to leave.
This is a lesson from me on what happened to the wife of Lot. Whenever I will hear the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ, I must say YES and give 101% trust…Amen.
Siguro hindi siya nakuntento. Like, God already saved her husband and her children, pero hindi pa siya grateful. Instead, she might have mourned over what was lost than felt thankful na niligtas siya ng Diyos, kasama ng pamilya niya.
It is indeed our weaknesses that incline us to look back and be hesitant to welcome the newness that is ahead. I think it is our attachment to fear that makes us disobedient to God.
The temptation to doubt is strong especially when there is no clarity in the present moment. That is why faith involves a lot of trusting and surrendering — as these are the actions that lead us to obey God and allow Him to work in us.
Trust. To be able to trust someone wholeheartedly and follow their advice is sometimes difficult and that’s what happened to her. Unfortunately, it was fatal.
Leaving something behind is difficult for each of us, sometimes we can’t cut ourselves off totally and have this tendency to “ fall back”. So, we must learn to trust God that what He has in store for us is better.
I wouldn’t look back because God’s messenger told me not to. Haven’t we learned anything from Adam and Eve? Disobedience begets consequences.
I will cross my mind to look back but i think i would not. I knew how things were in my old life and my hometown. I think ill be curious about what will happen next after leaving town and escaping the city. What would be in store for me? Are these angels really credible?
Change can be scary but can also be exciting.
*it
The old life is gone. God has given you a new one. Look back and be frozen in grief or look forward and *live.* This reminds me so much of what has happened this 2020. We are being given a new life. The old life, the old “normal” is gone forever. This dovetails with the mantra I have chosen for 2021: “Be here now.” It is the only way to live.
thank you, how true. easily we forget that God is Infinite, and to walk with Him means not to look back. Let the dead bury the dead.
Knowing me, I will follow every instruction of the angel to the last detail. So I will not look back. But somehow I understand why she did and I will not judge her for that. She had her own reasons and I will respect that.
She wanted a last glimpse of the place she called home.
Typical of people, who would take a last look before saying goodbye to a person or leaving a place.
Perhaps, too, she does not want to leave her comfort zone.
I think it’s human nature to “doubt”, to get curious and to experience missed chances. I would probably do the same as her, probably look back, probably think “who are these men? what are they saying? What do they mean?”
agree to this. Human nature sometimes gets the best of us.
Madaling makaugnay sa asawa ni Lot. Mahirap lumikas kapag may paparating na baha. May bahaging pagbabaka-sakaling mas marami pang mailigtas na gamit, may bahaging tiwala na wala namang mangyayaring masama. Awa ng Diyos at magaling siyang manghila sa tamang landas, gaano man ito kasakit tahakin, o gaano man ako kahindi-tiyak na tama nga ito.
She was probably a typical mom who would always do the last check before leaving. After all, it was an abrupt move. She was probably confused and did not really know what to do, or how to respond to the instructions that were probably strange to her.
Was the door locked? Were all the clothes brought in from the clothesline? Was she thinking of going back to retrieve some stuff, even pack provisions for their journey into the unknown?
For whatever reason, she stopped and looked back, not minding or maybe confused or forgetful about the instructions because of the destruction that is unfolding around her.
I pity Lot’s wife, but I also see in her story a lesson on having a calm and peaceful heart and mind in times of chaos or confusion. Another lesson learned is that obedience should not come with any delay, doubt, or question.
If someone came and were to save me — then I would follow all their instructions.
There might be a happy memories too on that place a little percentage of hope..
As they say, “Curiosity killed the cat.” Maybe Lot’s wife wanted to know what was happening in their town or whether they are better off leaving the place.
I would like to agree to this as I would be curious as well what was going on. However, being the rule-conscious that I am, I would still obey the instructions to me.
I also think it was out of curiosity that Lot’s wife looked back. And that she diidnt imagine that the consequence of her action is that severe.
I also think it was out of curiosity that Lot’s wife looked back to the city. And that she didnt expect the conquence of her action is that severe. Poor woman.
I guess Lot’s wife didn’t take the Angels’ instructions seriously. She didn’t expect that would happen to her. What made her looked back could be her attachments. Still attached to the old normal. Not ready for the new normal ?
It may be a wicked city, but if I’ve lived there all my life, despite its wickedness, I would probably have significant relationships that I may hesitate to leave behind. What about them? Are we really the only one to be saved? We can’t possibly be the only one blessed, right? Can I, should I, really leave behind my friends, or even family?
I agree.. A little percentage of hope
I fully agree with you on this one. I was thinking that maybe she was mourning that her loved ones were being left behind. And in her grief, she took one last look back. And that did her in. To be honest, i felt that she was punished quite disproportionately severely, if this was her reason for looking back.
No turning back as this maybe the chance to change an “old self , an old life “ and move on to a better one definitely as i am escorted by Angels …