Saving Lot

Genesis 14:16 – “And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.”

When Abram and Lot decided to part company, Lot chose to live in the wicked area of Sodom and Gomorrah. In time, there was war between confederations of kings, and Sodom and Gomorrah were taken, including Lot and his possessions. News came to Abram that Lot had been taken captive, and Abram promptly went to rescue his nephew. Our Scripture tells us that Abram “brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.”

Lot will serve for all time as an example of the consequences of wrong priorities and unwise decisions. His desire to live near, and eventually in, Sodom and Gomorrah proved to be most devastating. He lost his wife, his sons-in-law, his testimony, and his dignity as a result of his foolish choices. Though his daughters survived the annihilation of the terrible cities, there was so much of the world in them that they plotted disgusting acts with their father to preserve the family name. Living too closely to the world will always prove to be a mistake for God’s people.

We are also reminded that our decisions affect other people. Lot’s family was affected, his sons-in-law’s families were affected, and the future of Israel was adversely affected as well. The closer one gets to the fire, the more likely he is to get burned. The captivity by Lot and his family described in our text would not have occurred if Lot had not been in the wrong place at the wrong time. One has to wonder how many casualties in our lives might have been avoided had we been where God wanted us to be, rather than where we wanted to be.

After Lot was taken captive, it was up to Abram to secure his freedom. God blessed Abram and gave a great victory. As a result, Lot was freed from his captors, and his possessions and family members were saved. Although Lot had positioned himself in harm’s way spiritually, God brought deliverance to his life. The same can be true today. Through the sin of wrong priorities and poor judgment, Satan often enslaves people. But there is deliverance through the grace and power of the Lord Jesus Christ.