What is the significance of Lot's wife being turned into a pillar of salt?

from the old testament

• In Genesis 18, we learn that God was preparing to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because “the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave” (Genesis 18:20). Genesis 19 highlights their sin as being predominantly one of gross immorality and, particularly, homosexuality (Genesis 19:1–9).
• However, before God went to judge, Abraham indirectly asked God to rescue his nephew Lot from the city by asking Him not to destroy it if even a few righteous men were found (Genesis 18:22–33). God understood Abraham’s concern and thus, despite not finding the bare minimum of ten righteous people in the city as Abraham had asked, He still mercifully sent His angels to rescue Lot (Genesis 19:12–13).
• Most of Lot’s family refused to come (Genesis 19:14). So, it was only Lot, his wife, and two daughters who fled (Genesis 19:15). As they were leaving, the angels said, “Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away” (Genesis 19:17).
• When Lot was safely away, “the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven” and destroyed the cities (Genesis 19:23–25). Though in safety, we then read, “But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19:26).
• The implication of “looking back” is not that Lot’s wife, out of fear as she was running, looked over her shoulder. Rather, contextually, the implication is that she was sorrowful at the destruction of the wicked cities because her heart—her affections—were with the cities. Thus, while she escaped the initial judgment, because she was in allegiance with them, God killed her by turning her into salt. Note: it’s unclear from the text whether she was transformed into salt or whether she was covered with salt. Either way, she was killed where she stood.

from the new testament

• While talking about the end time and His return, Jesus used the examples of the flood and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah to show how quickly and unexpectedly the final judgment will come for those who refuse to heed the warnings (Luke 17:26–33).
• He said, “Just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all—so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed” (Luke 17:28–30).
• However, it’s not just those who profess a hatred for God who will be judged. Scripture speaks often about unbelievers who profess salvation but are not actually saved (e.g., Matthew 7:21–23; 1 John 2:19). This is why Jesus warned: “Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it” (Luke 17:32–33). Just like Lot’s wife appeared to escape judgment only to be killed because her heart belonged with the destroyed city, even those who think they are escaping but who love the world may find themselves judged as part of the world.
• John wrote, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15–17). While one can enjoy the good things of this world that God has given, there’s a difference between appreciating what the world has to offer and loving the world system itself. One cannot love both the world and God!

implications for today

Jesus once said that those who start to follow Him but then turn back were not fit for the work of His kingdom (Luke 9:62). He was saying that following Him is a whole-hearted process. A believer is not a part-time Christian, only being a Christian at church on Sundays but then completely indistinguishable from unbelievers the rest of the week. A Christian has counted the cost (Luke 14:27–33) and determined to go “all in” with Jesus (Luke 9:23).

Lot’s wife, even though she had been saved from His judgment against those cities, looked back because she didn’t want to leave her old life. Because of that, God judged her as one of those He had just destroyed and took her life as well. That serves as a serious warning to everyone who calls himself or herself a Christian.

While a true believer can never lose his or her salvation because Jesus holds him or her (John 10:27–29), Scripture warns that not everyone who claims to be saved actually is. There are those who seem to believe until things get difficult (Matthew 13:20–21) or until the cares of the world draw them away (Matthew 13:22).

This is why John contrasted those who love the world with those who obey God (1 John 2:15–17). One cannot love both at the same time. This is because loving the world means clinging to it, unwilling to let it go, as their love for God pales in comparison to their love for the world. Conversely, a true believer counts this life as nothing in exchange for Christ (Philippians 3:7–8). We are what we love.

What about you? Where do your desires lie? What do your actions show about what you love? If Jesus were to return today, would you run to Him in joy, or look back, wishing to stay in the world?