The life of Abram’s nephew, Lot, is a story of human tragedy. How sad to be so close to the blessings of God and still miss the great things God has to offer. The Bible never mentions Lot building one altar to worship God in his whole lifetime. Lot came to Canaan following his uncle Abram but soon their great wealth forced them to go their separate ways. Abram acted in faith and offered his younger nephew the choice of the land. With every choice comes consequences, as Lot soon will learn, because his life will end in bitter disappointment. Genesis 13: 10-13 

LOT’S LOOK 

Without any thanks to his Uncle Abram for giving him the right to choose, Lot made his decision to move toward Sodom by looking at the land and choosing the best for himself. When he saw the well-watered plain of the Jordan River it looked to him like the land Zoar in Egypt. How did Lot know what Egypt looked like? Because Abram had taken him there. Abram got Lot out of Egypt but he never could get Egypt out of Lot! Lot was looking for riches and will soon owe his life to the very man of whom he is now trying to take advantage. Genesis 13:5 

GOD’S LOOK 

God saw “the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked” sinners. He had come to see if Sodom was as wicked as the cry coming from it. Genesis 18:20, 21 God wanted to save the city and came to see if it had to be destroyed. The question wasn’t if it could be saved, but rather, is it worthy to be saved? God was looking for righteousness that was worthy of saving Sodom. Genesis 18:23-32 

LOT’S WIFE’S LOOK 

When the angels brought Lot and his family out of Sodom, they warned them to escape without looking back. But Lot’s wife turned back for just one more look. She still had Sodom in her heart. She identified with Sodom and received Sodom’s reward. Jesus used her as a warning of not turning back to the world, “Remember Lot’s wife.” Luke 17:32 She was looking for a place to return to Sodom. 

ABRAM’S LOOK 

Abram could never forget his nephew Lot and it was Abram’s prayer for him and his family that spared them from God’s fiery judgment that destroyed the city. Could it be that one motivation of Abram’s intercession for Lot and his family was that he felt responsible for taking him to Egypt in the first place? Abram was looking for a way he could redeem all of his family. Genesis 19:27-29 

HOW LOT LOST HIS FAMILY 

The New Testament states that Lot was a righteous man; however, it is obvious that he made some serious spiritual mistakes, and his family paid very dearly because of them. II Peter 2:6-9 Remember, with every choice comes consequences. 

1. He never built any altars but followed Abram’s faith. Genesis 12:4 “And Lot went with him.” 

2. He made riches his God. Genesis 13:10 “It was well watered everywhere.” 

3. He made selfish choices. Genesis 13: 11 “Then Lot chose for himself.” 

4. He disregarded warnings of danger. Genesis 14:12 “And they took Lot who dwelt at Sodom and his goods and departed.” 

5. He mixed well with the world. Genesis 19: 1 “And Lot sat in the gate of Sodom.” 

6. He compromised his convictions calling a Sodomite his brother. Genesis 19:7 “And he said, ‘I pray you brethren.'” 

7. He was willing to sacrifice his family for so-called friends. Genesis 19:8 “Behold now, I have two daughters.” 

8. He delayed obeying God. Genesis 19:16 “And while he lingered.” 

10. He refused to submit to spiritual authorities. Genesis 19: 18 “And Lot said unto them, ‘Oh, not so, my Lord.'” 
11. He was insensitive to his family’s spiritual needs. Genesis 19:26,33 and 35 “And he knew not when she lay down, nor when she arose.” 

It is not surprising that when God looked for ten righteous people in Sodom, He was not able to find them. Lot had lost all of his spiritual influence on his family and friends. Though he is called a righteous man, he seemed like a joke to those around him and no one believed his testimony. Genesis 19: 14 Even though Abram’s intercession brought Lot and his daughters out of Sodom, the girls never got Sodom out of their hearts. Their children were conceived in the terrible sin of drunken incest and became some of the worst enemies of Israel’s history. 

If Lot Had Built an Altar and Experienced the Fire of Sanctification, He Would Never Have Experienced the Fire of Judgment and Lost Everything but His Own Soul.