Lot's Decision: Genesis 19:30-38
The plans we make apart from God’s will might seem successful, but even so they always remain at odds with God’s design. In human terms, success is often proof of the quality of the idea. God’s eyes do not evaluate the same way. Worldly success does not equate to alignment with God’s purposes.
It turns out Lot fears life in Zoar. We don’t know the root of Lot’s fear. It could be Lot saw similar patterns of behavior in Zoar as Sodom and Gomorrah and thus feared God’s destruction would follow him. If this is true, then Lot shows the ability to learn. It could be Lot lost everything in his life and was afraid to start over at the bottom rung of the social ladder. If this is true, Lot isn’t very resilient. It could also be that without resources, Lot was unable to protect himself from the townsfolk of Zoar and he feared for his life and that of his daughters. If this is true, Lot is short-sighted.
Because of his fear, Lot goes to live in a cave. When Lot leaves Zoar, he doesn’t go to a different city. That part is good with respect to God’s advice when Lot left Sodom. Unfortunately, Lot goes to a cave with his daughters and stays put. Caves may provide protection from the elements and a hiding place from other humans, but they don’t contain many resources necessary for life. Caves don’t provide much opportunity for development.
Lot could have followed Abraham’s example. When Abraham went to Egypt and discovered his transgression, he returned to the Lord and where he last followed the Lord. Abraham began worshipping again and worked to restore the relationship. Lot could have done the same. There can be little doubt that had Lot gone back to Abraham we would have a story akin to Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son. Abraham certainly would have allowed Lot to join him and start the rebuilding process. Abraham certainly would have helped him find his way back to the Lord’s ways.
Instead, Lot goes to the caves and dooms his daughters to a bleak outlook. They have no outlook for a husband, a family, or a future. Because of this, they decide to create a family using the only resource they have available to them: their father. Certainly, this incestual decision is not favorable in God’s eyes. However, their plan is successful on a worldly scale. Out of this decision come the Moabites and the Ammonites.
This story could have ended differently had Lot humbled himself and returned to Abraham. It could have ended differently had Lot humbled himself and sought God’s direction. Instead, Lot follows his own wisdom. While that decision effectively produces two nations, it produces nations frequently at odds with God’s people. The plans we make apart from God’s will might seem successful, but even so they always remain at odds with God’s design.
