Boiled frogs

Was Lot a "boiled frog" ?

It has been said that changes in values and morals are like frogs in a pot of cold water gently simmering away. What the frogs don't realize is that the water is heating up bit-by-bit and they slowly cook to death without any attempt to jump out. In other words, by the time we see the consequences, it is too late.

In Genesis 19 we meet up with Abraham's nephew who is now married with children in Sodom which seems a long way from the days when he was part of Abraham's extended family who traveled from Haran (Genesis 12-13) with their livestock. Over time both Abraham and Lot became wealthy after settling in Canaan but strife between Lot's and Abraham's shepherds led to Abraham offering him the choice to live in any area away from Abraham's herds and flocks that he wanted. Lot immediately chose the lush green Jordan river valley instead of the barren desert hills that he and Abraham's flocks and herds presently grazed.  

As the years rolled by Lot finally stopped living in a tent and now lived in the city of Sodom (Gen 13:12). He possibly still had servants caring for his flocks but he stopped being a "hands-on" shepherd. Similarly, he seems to have lost touch with his uncle as there is little recorded contact between them after their parting except for Abraham rescuing Lot who had been kidnapped by a marauding king. As for his family we have no idea what the names of Lot's wife and their children were.

One day the frog pot reached boiling point and two angels appeared in Sodom to rescue the righteous because the sin of Sodom required divine intervention and judgement was coming. What Lot didn't know was that Abraham had interceded before God on his behalf and this angelic visitation was God's answer. The angels urged Lot to leave quickly but he lingered and in the end the angels simply grabbed the hands of Lot, his wife and his two young daughters (v8) and dragged them out of the city and told them to run to the hills and not look back. However, Lot balked at fleeing to the hills and begged to be allowed to flee to a small settlement called Zoar about 10 miles away, instead. The angels agreed but judgement couldn't start until Lot and his family reached Zoar safely. It was close thing and just as Lot arrived with his daughters fire and sulfur rained from the skies and destroyed the towns north of Zoar. However his wife had tarried and while looking back was caught up in the maelstrom and died.

What happened to Lot?
Lot had become comfortable. He had stopped living an outdoor life and had grown accustomed to a life in a city famous for its sin (Gen 13:13). It was a good life, he had status as attested by him greeting the two visitors at the city gate (v2). City gates were the civil and administrative centers of many ancient towns and cities at this time. He had a wife and children, and a safe and secure house within the city walls (v3). He knew it was a wicked place but it was where he lived and his values, possibly strongly shaped by Abraham's faith, were slowly being attacked by the city's vices. When the angels urge him to leave he is dull to the urgency of the moment and even when being dragged out of the city he was negotiating an easier solution (Zoar). What is also sad that at no stage did Lot consider fleeing to his uncle for support.

All this seems to paint Lot in a dim light BUT Lot was rescued along with his two daughters. The fact that judgment did not start until they were out of the city and safely in Zoar tells us that Lot was regarded as righteous. He still had a conscience and we see this in when he condemned the actions of the men of Sodom who they demanded that the two "men" in his house should join in group sex (Genesis 19:5). Further, the second letter of Peter (2 Peter 2:7-8) clearly describes Lot as righteous although he was tormented day and night by the behavior of the citizens of Sodom. 

Jesus and Lot
In Luke 17 Jesus used Lot to illustrate the need to be alert to what is important in life in and not be blind the power of this world to woo us to sleep so that we ignore His purposes. He specifically makes reference to Lot's wife who tarried looking back at her home and possessions and was overcome by the judgement with a succinct but clear challenge to:
32 Remember Lot's wife. 33 Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. 

Lot's life challenges me to think about my own spiritual journey. God acted in his life but Lot didn't leave a characterful legacy behind him, having constantly taken what appears to be the easy path through life. On the other hand Abraham left behind a legacy of faith, hope and blessing to all his descendants despite experiencing hard times.

Lot left little behind ... what will I leave behind?