Let us turn to the Gospel of Luke, chapter 17. Luke 17:32: “Remember Lot’s wife.”
Now let us turn back to verse 26.
And as it came to pass in the days of Noah,
even so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.Likewise even as it came to pass in the days of Lot;
they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
but in the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.After the same manner shall it be in the day that the Son of man is revealed.
In that day, he that shall be on the housetop, and his goods in the house, let him not go down to take them away: and let him that is in the field likewise not return back.
Remember Lot’s wife.
Whosoever shall seek to gain his life shall lose it: but whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
I say unto you, In that night there shall be two men on one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
There shall be two women grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
There shall be two men in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
Let us have a word of prayer.
Dear Lord, once again, we commit this portion of Your Word into Your hands. We ask You to open heaven to us and open this Word to us, that we may understand, that we may hear, and that we may rise and follow You.
So, Lord, we commit this time into Your hand. We ask You to speak to our hearts, that we may run after You. Thank You, Lord, for giving us such an opportunity to sit before You like Mary.
So, dear Lord, we ask You to really use this time and give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation, that we may know You in a special and living way. Thank You, Lord. In the name of our Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen.
This afternoon, we would like to share on family life in view of the Lord’s coming. We especially want to meditate on that phrase with which our Lord reminds us: “Remember Lot’s wife.”
Here we find a family in the days of Lot, and we can learn much from this family. But, as you know, this is a tragedy in a family. Let us learn some important lessons from this well-known story.
Our Lord here tries to describe the days of the Son of Man. He said that the days of the Son of Man are just like the days of Noah, and also just as in the days of Lot.
Then our Lord described what happened in those days. They were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, and building.
It is very interesting if you compare this with the description of the days of Noah. Concerning Noah’s day, our Lord said that they were eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage. But concerning the days of Lot, He said that they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, and building.
What does this mean? Definitely, this applies to the present day. We actually live in such a day: we are eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, and building.
What is the characteristic of the days of Lot? I think it is very simple from the Word of our Lord. It simply means this: they lived as though the world would last forever. That is why they were building and planting. They lived a very prosperous life.
They were buying and selling, eating and drinking, because they thought that the world would last forever. That is why they were doing all these things. I think this is very true today.
When we live in these very end days, we discover that this is exactly our attitude. How are we going to have family life in such a day? This is a very important point.
Actually, you know that the world is not going to last forever. Suppose we make some observations concerning God’s creation. According to recent discoveries concerning black holes and neutron stars in outer space, scientists have come to certain conclusions.
These conclusions are very similar to the description found in Revelation 16:8-9:
And the fourth poured out his bowl upon the sun;
and it was given unto it to scorch men with fire.
And men were scorched with great heat:
and they blasphemed the name of God.
Scientists generally agree that, if one wishes to describe the situation at the end of the age, the description in Revelation 16:8-9 is striking. Today, many scientists believe that the universe has a beginning and also an ending.
Of course, there is a difference. Scientists may believe that the universe will simply come to its conclusion. But we Christians believe that Christ will intervene at His second coming. When our Lord returns, when His feet stand upon Mount Zion, He will truly intervene.
Because of His intervention, the time will be shortened and the period will be shortened. But in any case, the description of the end day is similar whether one observes the vast creation or studies the Word of God.
The more we know God’s creation, the more we agree that indeed we are living in the days of the Son of Man.
There was a very interesting calculation by the well-known science writer Isaac Asimov. He made estimates concerning the population of this globe. According to the data available in 1979, the world had approximately four billion people.
He attempted to calculate what would happen if population growth continued. His point was that the earth’s resources could not sustain unlimited population growth. There must come a limit. Even if scientific development and technology increased food production, there would still be a point at which the earth could no longer support the population.
Then he gave another calculation. Suppose the average person weighs about forty-five kilograms—I think that is an underestimate, especially for Americans. If the population continued to multiply, eventually the total weight of humanity would equal the weight of the earth itself. Surely that would be the end of the whole thing.
But, of course, brothers and sisters, we do not need to go to science to obtain such information. If we read the Word of God, we come to the same conclusion.
Newton’s life story can almost be written only up to the age of forty-five, because his great scientific contributions were made before that age. Yet after forty-five, he spent much of his time studying the Word of God, especially two books: Revelation and Daniel.
According to statistics, if you compare the volume of Newton’s scientific writings with his writings related to the Bible, you discover that he wrote much more concerning the Bible than concerning his scientific contributions.
I think Newton was wise. He discovered that there are two galleries of God: one is His creation, and the other is His Word. When he came to the Word of God, especially to Daniel, he came to the conclusion that there would be an end time and that this world would not last forever.
Brothers and sisters, this is very important, because we are living in such a day. We are living in the days of the Son of Man. It is just like the days of Lot: they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, and building.
Remember Lot’s wife.
I can never figure out what kind of kitchen Lot’s wife had. But it is very true: if you visit her kitchen, you should know what kind of life she was going to live and what kind of family life she was going to run.
I believe that in the kitchen of Lot’s wife, she lacked something. She needed a countdown calendar.
When I visited Hong Kong, everyone knew that in 1997 Hong Kong would be turned over to mainland China. People were still doing business in Hong Kong. They were busy, trying to make money. They were buying and selling.
But in many offices they had a special kind of calendar, called a countdown calendar. On the one hand, it might say that it was July 1989. But it would also tell them that perhaps there were only ten years left, or nine years left, or only three thousand days left.
These people were clever. They did not intend to withdraw their properties immediately before 1997. Some brothers told me that they were still doing business, still buying and selling; but in their minds, they knew that they would probably withdraw five years before the transfer took place.
Brothers and sisters, they had their countdown calendars. I believe that Lot’s wife did not have such a calendar. That is why our Lord said, “Remember Lot’s wife.”
Here we find a family, and there is a tragedy in that family. This tragedy is well known to every one of us. But since we live in the days of the Son of Man, can we guarantee that our family will not become like the family of Lot?
There are several determining factors concerning whether we will have a godly family or a tragic family like Lot’s. You remember how Lot’s wife looked back and became a pillar of salt. Brothers and sisters, this is indeed a tragedy in a family.
Let us review the story. We all know it, but let us gather some important lessons from this very well-known account.
This tragedy began with the choice of Lot. Can you believe that, brothers? When Lot made a certain choice, the future of that family was already set. You could almost know where that family would go, especially in the end days.
This is a great warning to every one of us, since each of us is a member of a family. Our choice before the Lord will have a great influence.
When we study the Word of God, we discover that it all began with Lot’s choice. You remember how he came back from Egypt with his uncle Abraham.
At the beginning they suffered together. They had journeyed together toward the land of Canaan. But after they returned from Egypt, they became very rich. They were so rich that the land was too small for them, and eventually they had to separate.
Abraham allowed Lot to make the first choice. We all know how Lot made that choice. For the young people, let us read Genesis 13:10.
And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the Plain of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou goest unto Zoar.
The Bible says that Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the plain of the Jordan. It was well watered everywhere. It was like the garden of the Lord and also like the land of Egypt.
Lot saw the Jordan Valley. At that time, there were five cities there. Let me give you some idea concerning the Jordan Valley, especially in the time of Abraham.
There is a very famous place in Palestine: the Dead Sea. It is said to be the lowest place on earth, more than twelve hundred feet below sea level.
Because there is no outlet, evaporation leaves the water extremely salty. Today, people can float on its water and read the New York Times.
The Dead Sea is approximately forty miles long and ten miles wide. It can be divided into a northern and southern section. The southern portion is comparatively shallow, while the northern section is very deep.
According to archaeological discoveries, in Abraham’s time there may not have been a southern portion of the sea as there is today. It may have been a valley, called the Valley of Siddim, or the Jordan Valley. There were five cities there.
Some believe that Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and other cities—except Zoar—were later covered by the waters in the southern section of the Dead Sea. But in Abraham’s time, the place was a beautiful and well-watered valley.
The Bible says that it was like the garden of Eden, like the garden of the Lord, and also like the land of Egypt. The soil was fertile. It was a prosperous place.
God intended to destroy five cities, not only Sodom and Gomorrah. If you read Deuteronomy, you will see this clearly. Zoar was spared because of Lot’s request; otherwise, five cities would have been destroyed in that area.
There is another archaeological suggestion. On the eastern side of the southern portion of the Dead Sea, five major cities have been discovered. If this identification is correct, Sodom may have been the southernmost city, followed by Gomorrah, Zoar, Admah, and Zeboiim.
It is interesting that each city appears to have had a freshwater stream passing through it toward the sea. This made the valley rich, fertile, and prosperous. It could support a large population.
These cities were like metropolitan cities. No wonder they were buying, selling, planting, and building. They lived a prosperous life.
They also developed agricultural systems. Because of reliable irrigation, fertile soil, heat, and other advantages, the land was tremendously productive. These five cities were also five city-states, forming a confederation.
Genesis 14 describes the war between four kings and five kings. The five kings were the rulers of these five cities. Each city was like a city-nation, perhaps comparable in some way to Singapore today.
No wonder Lot lifted up his eyes, saw the valley of the Jordan, and decided that he wanted that part of the world. He chose to move toward the Jordan Valley.
Outwardly, Lot gave an official reason for his choice: it was like the garden of Eden.
Brothers and sisters, I feel that this is often true with us. Sometimes we make a choice and give people an official reason. We say that we love the Lord and want our steps to be regulated by God’s will. We explain why we have made such a choice.
Why? Because it is like the garden of Eden. Because it is like the garden of the Lord. That sounds very spiritual.
But deep in Lot’s heart, the Holy Spirit gives us another reason: it was also like the land of Egypt. I believe that was the principal reason why Lot made that choice.
Why, brothers? Because he had just come back from Egypt. If he had never gone to Egypt, if he had never tasted the world of Egypt, perhaps he would not have chosen that land.
But once he had tasted Egypt—the world of Egypt—he made this decision. He may have had many complaints concerning his uncle because Lot always walked in the light of Abraham, while Abraham walked in the light of the Lord.
The God of glory appeared to Abraham. Abraham had firsthand revelation. He knew why he came out of Ur of the Chaldeans to Canaan: the God of glory had called him.
But Lot did not receive the same calling. He respected Abraham and wanted to follow him.
We must remember that the journey from Ur of the Chaldeans to Canaan was not like traveling from New Jersey to New York City. It was just the other way around.
According to archaeology, Ur was already a metropolitan city. Abraham’s education, including his knowledge of mathematics, was probably very advanced. Canaan, by comparison, was not yet cultivated in the same way.
Abraham was willing to leave a developed metropolitan city for the countryside because he had received revelation from God. Lot, however, had not received such a direct vision.
Still, Lot had some courage. He followed his uncle, who was a spiritual man. Somehow, Abraham’s testimony touched him, and Lot wanted to travel the same road.
I remember something interesting in Brazil. Many people in the northern regions, especially near the Amazon, dream of going to São Paulo because it is a major city, something like New York.
The fathers would speak to their children and repeatedly say, “Go to São Paulo, go to São Paulo.” Since they came from a place of desolation, they wanted to go to one of the greatest cities in South America.
But the journey from Ur of the Chaldeans to Canaan was the opposite. Abraham had a reason to take that route, but Lot did not have the same reason. Lot went because his uncle influenced him.
Brothers and sisters, this is wonderful in one sense. Sometimes we do not receive light firsthand, but we are influenced by brothers and sisters who live a heavenly life. Their testimony and their life capture our hearts, and we want to follow them.
But Abraham was not actually supposed to take Lot with him. According to God’s calling, Abraham was to leave everything behind.
Yet Abraham was already seventy-five years old when he left Ur. Perhaps he thought, “If one day I have a stroke, who will help me?” Lot would be convenient to have with him.
Later, Abraham discovered that Lot had to be separated from him. But from Lot’s side, he needed to learn something directly from the Lord. He could begin under the influence of his uncle, but he should not remain that way. He needed his own vision.
Lot needed to know why he lived in the land of Canaan. Later, when his uncle went to Egypt, he also went to Egypt. He did not know why he went; he simply followed his uncle because there was famine.
Then Abraham was forced back to Canaan, and Lot returned with him. But the journey to Egypt touched something in Lot’s heart.
Now he was back in Canaan, but he had to find a place to live. He looked for a place that at least resembled the land of Egypt.
Some hidden desire, some secret desire, governed the choice of Lot. So he chose the Jordan Valley.
But Abraham’s choice was entirely different. Lot moved his tent as far as Sodom, while Abraham moved his tent and came to Hebron.
You remember Caleb’s famous request to Joshua when he was eighty-five years old: “Give me this mountain.” He was referring to Hebron.
Hebron speaks of difficulty, trials, suffering, and sometimes even pain. But the Jordan Valley speaks of ease, pleasure, prosperity, and success.
For a person who does not have a direct vision or revelation from the Lord, this world has tremendous attraction. Therefore, Lot decided to take the Jordan Valley.
First, he pitched his tent toward Sodom. Then, in Genesis 14, we discover that he dwelt in Sodom. Finally, in Genesis 19, he sat in the gate of Sodom.
If you read the parallel life of Abraham, you discover that Abraham moved his tent, came to Hebron, and sat at the tent door.
For Abraham, toward the world he lived a life of tent; toward the Lord he lived a life of altar. That was the characteristic of Abraham’s life.
But it was not so with Lot. He developed roots in that city. First, he pitched his tent toward Sodom. Then he lived in Sodom. Finally, he sat in the gate of Sodom.
What does that mean? He had truly taken root in that city. He had gained some position there. This was Lot’s condition when the angels came to destroy Sodom.
Before the angels came, the outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah had reached the ears of the Lord. God decided to destroy the five cities.
Abraham came before the Lord in intercession because he knew that Lot was in that city. Although he had lost contact with Lot for some time, he could make some estimate concerning Lot’s family.
According to Genesis 19, Lot had sons, married daughters, sons-in-law, unmarried daughters, a wife, and himself. Abraham may have calculated that there were at least ten people in Lot’s family.
Perhaps Abraham reasoned that there would be at least ten righteous people in the city, because Lot’s household was there. Then he began to pray.
He asked, “Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Wilt Thou indeed sweep away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it?” Then the number came down from fifty to forty-five, forty, thirty, twenty, and finally ten.
This must have been a shock to Abraham. According to his own estimate, there should have been at least ten righteous people in Lot’s household alone. Yet he could not go beyond ten.
If there were so many people in these cities, and yet fewer than ten righteous people, Abraham could pray no further. The Lord said that He would not destroy the city for the sake of ten, and then the Lord departed.
Abraham knew that he could do nothing more. It was a surprise to him that even ten righteous people could not be found in such a city.
Then we come to Genesis 19. You know the story: two angels came to visit Sodom.
Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When he saw them, he urged them to stay in his house, because it was dangerous to remain outside. The angels said, “No; but we will abide in the street all night.” It was like staying in Times Square in New York, except far more dangerous.
Lot urged them strongly, and they entered his house. He prepared a feast for them and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.
Now, if you visit Lot’s house, you begin to see things coming to the surface. If you want to know Lot’s spiritual condition, visit his family. See what happened to his wife, his sons-in-law, and his daughters. Then you know what kind of family this was.
It is a sad story. From the very beginning, something strange appears. The Bible says that Lot baked unleavened bread and the angels ate. Where was Lot’s wife?
Remember Abraham. When he entertained the three visitors, including our Lord, he hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quickly prepare three measures of fine flour, knead it, and make cakes.” Sarah immediately did that.
But here we do not see Lot going to his wife and asking her to prepare the meal. Where was Lot’s wife? Why did Lot prepare the feast and bake unleavened bread?
Perhaps she was watching television—perhaps a soap opera—and was too busy to entertain guests. Or perhaps she was attending some meeting. It is possible.
Here the husband was doing what normally would have been the duty of the housewife. But how can you expect otherwise in the days of Lot? These are the days of the Son of Man.
If you visit Lot’s house and his family, you already know that something is wrong. That is why the Lord said, “Remember Lot’s wife.”
Lot had some spiritual sight. He wanted to give the best hospitality to the two angels. But there was no spiritual interest on the part of Lot’s wife. She had another interest.
Brothers and sisters, here we notice that something had already happened in that household.
Then, of course, you know what happened that night. It was terrible—truly a terrible night.
The sin described there was not simply an occasional crime. It was not merely the action of one degenerate person committing a sin of which we are ashamed even to speak.
Even today, when certain sins have become widely accepted, we may think that some people only fall into such sins occasionally, or that they are overcome and become slaves to them.
But the terrible condition of Genesis 19 was not like that. The men of the city, both young and old, openly shouted their wicked desires in the streets without shame.
No wonder the outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah reached the ears of the Lord. The sin of Sodom was exceedingly grave.
Even Lot himself became the object of their wicked desire. If you read the Bible carefully, you discover total corruption and total shame. We hardly know how to describe it.
Fortunately, the angels rescued Lot. They told him that they were going to destroy the city and instructed him to warn his household and leave.
When Lot spoke to his sons-in-law, the Bible says that he appeared to them as one who mocked. Listen carefully to what he said:
Up, get you out of this place;
for the Lord will destroy the city.
But his sons-in-law must have thought, “You must be joking.” What does that mean? It means that Lot joked often. It was his habit.
This was probably not the first time that he had said, “Get out of this place, for the Lord will destroy the city.” Brothers and sisters, this phrase is very serious. Yet Lot could not convince his own sons-in-law.
That tells us where Lot was spiritually. Outwardly, he may have sat in the gate. He may have attended every meeting. He may have prayed in meetings, perhaps even prayed very long prayers.
But how do you know whether he was living in the presence of the Lord? You discover it in such a crisis. When Lot told his sons-in-law, “Get out of this place, for the Lord will destroy the city,” his words carried no weight.
For us, such a sentence should carry tremendous weight. But in the mouth of Lot, it was like a reed without strength.
Sometimes we come to an important crisis in our homes. We must speak seriously to our children or family members. We tell them of the seriousness of the matter and of God’s will.
But the problem is this: if we have lived a loose life, our family members may think that we are simply joking—just another big joke.
I always remember Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, a very famous preacher. He almost never laughed or joked on the platform. Some people asked him why he was so serious when preaching.
He answered, “Every time I preach the Word of God, I always think that I am standing between heaven and hell.” The burden was upon him to such a degree that he said, “I want to laugh, but I cannot laugh.”
Brothers and sisters, from the description of Lot’s family, we know what happened in that home. It is very sad.
Because Lot chose the Jordan Valley, the course of his life was almost determined. Now everything came to the surface.
His sons-in-law refused to go out with him. Perhaps they had fallen deeply into the corruption of the city. But listen carefully to what follows.
When the morning came, the angels urged Lot, saying:
Up, take thy wife, and thy two daughters that are here,
lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
Lot should have believed what he himself had said to his sons-in-law. When the angels spoke the same message to him, he should have said, “Amen,” and immediately acted upon it.
But the Bible says that he lingered. Brothers and sisters, that was the root of everything. He was in love with Sodom. The attraction of the world was so great.
The city which the Lord was about to burn to ashes was still a treasure in Lot’s heart. He did not want to leave. He lingered. He hesitated.
Then the Bible says that the men laid hold upon his hand, upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hands of his two daughters, because of the Lord’s compassion toward him. They brought them out and placed them outside the city.
Brothers and sisters, that is what happened to Lot. The angels had to take hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his daughters, and bring them out of the city.
You see the whole family. The married daughters and sons-in-law refused to go. Only four remained, but even these four had to be brought out by the hands of the angels. Their hearts were still in Sodom.
Then the angels said:
Escape for thy life;
look not behind thee,
neither stay thou in all the Plain.
At such a moment, if you heard such a word, surely you would welcome it. But Lot said, “Oh, not so, my Lord.” Then he asked to go to a small city, Zoar.
The angels granted his request and spared that small city. But then judgment came.
The Bible says that the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from heaven, and overthrew those cities.
Judgment came. The Holy Spirit uses the word “overthrew,” and we see fire from heaven. We know that this was God’s judgment.
The whole act was supernatural, but God may have used natural means. From the report, one might suppose that there was a great earthquake accompanied by a violent electrical storm.
Then the Bible says that Lot’s wife, from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.
Those who understand Hebrew tell us that this looking back carries the thought of looking intently. It may even carry the sense of turning back or returning back.
Lot’s wife was running for her life, but her heart was still in that city. For that reason, she looked behind, or perhaps even turned back.
At the southwestern corner of the Dead Sea, there is a great mountain of rock salt, approximately seven hundred feet high and five miles long. There are many salt deposits in that region.
Possibly, because of the explosion, earthquake, and judgment, salt deposits were thrown into the air and fell where Lot’s wife was. She may have been buried in a pile of salt, and the Bible says that she became a pillar of salt.
She became a monument—a tragedy.
Today, if you visit that place, there are many pillars of salt. Tourist guides may say, “This one is Lot’s wife, and that one is Lot’s wife.” There are many supposed Lot’s wives.
But, brothers and sisters, this is what happened. Lot lingered; his wife looked back. Her heart was still there, and she became a pillar of salt.
We are supposed to be the salt of the earth. We should have a cleansing influence in such a polluted world. That is our mission and our responsibility.
For a long time, scientists did not fully understand the formation of rain. Water vapor must gather around a small particle, perhaps a dust particle, to form a raindrop.
But the particle must be sufficiently substantial for rain to reach the earth. If the nucleus is too small, the water may evaporate before it arrives.
Scientists later discovered that salt particles from the ocean can help form rain. When storms and violent winds send seawater into the air, salt particles are carried upward. Moisture gathers around these nuclei, and rain is formed.
Brothers and sisters, in this way God can use trials, tribulations, and many things that we cannot understand. Sometimes we feel as though we are in a storm or a violent wind.
But thank the Lord: through these storms, He sends us into heavenly places. Then rain can come down, and the earth can be washed and cleansed.
The Lord said, “Ye are the salt of the earth.” We are supposed to have such a function.
But unfortunately, Lot’s wife became a pillar of salt—only a monument. We are not supposed merely to be monuments. We are supposed to be the salt of the earth.
Especially in that region around the Dead Sea, where there is such rich salt content, there is the potential for rain to be formed when storms lift those particles upward.
This is supposed to be our mission in these very end days before the Lord’s return. But unfortunately, we have seen the sad situation of Lot’s wife.
Lot’s wife became a pillar of salt. Now we come to the end of the story.
Later, Lot and his two daughters went to the mountain and dwelt in a cave. They went through two shameful nights. You all know the story; we do not need to repeat it.
But brothers and sisters, do you know what happened? When Lot and his daughters fled from the city, they were running for their lives.
In such a situation, you would think that they could not take anything out of the city. “Escape for your life. Do not look back.” Everything should have been left behind.
Even small things would have been a burden. Yet, if you read that passage, you are amazed: these three people somehow managed to carry a stock of wine with them.
Brothers and sisters, think about it. Does that wine not tell us where they were spiritually? They were running for their lives, yet they carried wine.
They should have considered other things much more precious than a stock of wine. But somehow they took it with them, and that helps explain those two shameful nights.
That is why the Lord said, “Remember Lot’s wife.”
That is why our Lord said in Luke 17, “Remember Lot’s wife.” Then He said:
Whosoever shall seek to gain his life shall lose it:
but whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
Then the Bible says that two men will be in one bed, one will be taken and the other left. Our Lord is telling us something concerning the rapture.
The story of Lot’s wife is connected with the rapture. If we take root in this world, we will discover that we cannot be raptured, because these roots become a burden to us as we seek to go up.
Tragically, Lot’s family even carried a stock of wine with them. That tells us the condition of the heart of Lot and his family.
This is indeed a sad, sad family. Brothers and sisters, let us learn lessons from this family and from the tragedy of this family.
In view of the Lord’s return, let us live the life of Enoch. In the days of Noah, Enoch walked with God, and he was taken. He was raptured.
When Enoch was taken, his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather witnessed that he had been taken. He also influenced his son and even his grandson.
His grandson Lamech knew that Enoch had been taken, or raptured. Later, Lamech became one of the prophets mentioned in the Bible.
If we read the story of Enoch, we see how Enoch was taken. May the Lord use this to encourage us, that we may live in the light of being raptured.
I remember that Watchman Nee once said that our future is either to be a martyr for the Lord or to be raptured. That is our future.
May the Lord be merciful to us. As we conduct our family life, may we know what principle is supposed to govern our life.
May we truly learn lessons from this story. I always remember one car sticker that said, “Warning: In case of rapture, this car will be unmanned.”
So you have to be careful. Whenever we travel with our families, perhaps we should have such a sticker on the back of our car. This should govern our family life.
May the Lord use these words to remind us once again. We all know this story very well. We have simply reviewed it. May the Lord speak to our hearts through this passage.
Let us pray.