Lot
Lot, the nephew of Abraham, was rescued from Sodom before its destruction (Gen.11-14; 19; 2Pe.2.7).
Biography
Lot was the son of Haran and nephew of Abraham, who accompanied his uncle on the journey from Ur to Canaan (Genesis 11:31; 12:4-5). When their combined wealth made cohabitation impractical, Lot chose the well-watered Jordan plain near Sodom, a decision that would define his legacy (Genesis 13:10-12). Despite living among the notoriously wicked Sodomites, Lot maintained a measure of personal righteousness, as Peter later attested that he was "tormented in his righteous soul" by the lawlessness around him (2 Peter 2:7-8). When God determined to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, angels rescued Lot and his daughters, though his wife perished by looking back (Genesis 19:1-26). Lot's subsequent history in the cave, where his daughters bore Moab and Ben-ammi, produced the Moabite and Ammonite nations (Genesis 19:30-38).
Significance
Lot serves as a complex moral case study in Scripture, illustrating both the dangers of worldly compromise and the reach of God's delivering grace. His choice to settle near Sodom, driven by material considerations rather than spiritual discernment, led to progressive spiritual deterioration and the loss of nearly everything he possessed. Yet God remembered Abraham and rescued Lot from destruction (Genesis 19:29), demonstrating that divine mercy can intervene even amid the consequences of poor choices. Jesus referenced Lot's rescue as a type of the sudden judgment that will accompany His return (Luke 17:28-32). Remarkably, Ruth the Moabitess, Lot's distant descendant, would enter the messianic lineage, showing God's ability to weave redemption from failure.
Verse Appearances (15)
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]