So I was thinking and reading about Lot and Abraham in the Bible and I noticed something and it kinda blew my mind.
Lot for me wasn't a significant figure. He's overshadowed by what happened to his wife (turned to a pillar of salt), what happened with his daughters (got drunken and had sex with them), his relationship with Abraham (Lot is Abraham's nephew/brother's son) and the whole Sodom & Gomorrah situation. I've never related to him or thought anything deeper about his character. Until now.
Lot is a very interesting character. For once he's one of the few people that went out with Abraham when God told Abraham to leave his family and go to a new land. So it's fair to assume Lot believed in the same God as Abraham. But the events following after that is a unique pattern of character. Let's see a few defining points, specially in regards to Lot and Abraham's relationship and then with God.
1. Lot gets conquered by Kings
It starts with Lot and Abraham living peacefully together in a small land but then they each become wealthy and own so much stuff. That stuff would soon narrow the already small land they owned and entice some fights between Lot's and Abraham's men. Quickly after that Abraham and Lot decide to depart peacefully. Lot chose to go to a beautiful, garden-like place which was also near Sodom while Abraham took the land in the opposite direction.
A few moments later a coalition of kings would come and conquer, enslave and steal from other nations in their path which also includes the place Lot was living in. In fact Lot himself along with his family and servants would be conquered and be taken by these kings.
Here's the focus: Someone fleeing from this war would come to Abraham and tell him that his nephew Lot had been conquered. Then Abraham prepared his men and went out to battle these kings and would win and rescue his nephew Lot.
2. Lot gets saved from Sodom
Sodom was comitting so much destruction, pain and suffering on eachother and guests and more. So God decided to judge that nation and to demolish them completely.
Here's the focus point here: In the midst of this, God would reveal this judgement to Abraham. Abraham knowing his nephew Lot lived in Sodom, though scared to confront and question the judgement of God, would in fear and humility beg God to spare that land for the sake of the few holy and good people living there (Lot and his family)
This is seen as Abraham interceding on behalf of Lot. Later in Genesis 19:29 it would say that God remembered Abraham and spared Lot. So once again Abraham played a role in saving Lot's life.
3. Lot the hesitant, bad father and incest
Quickly after the judgement of God to destroy Sodom, angels were sent to Lot. To rescue and warn him to flee. Lot living at the entrance of Sodom had a clear view of who gets in and out of the city and seeing these angels (not knowing but thinking they were guests) Lot would accept and dine them in his home as hospitality was such a huge thing back in the day.
Soon after these men dined, the people of Sodom came knocking at his door so that they'd commit sexual acts on these guests but Lot offered his own daughters to these people instead of the guests. It's hard to imagine being in the position of his daughters and hearing this. Showing how he lacked as a good father.
Later on, these guests would reveal themselves as angels and announce the judgement of God and tell Lot to flee. And even in this last minute when the city is about to be wiped out Lot was so hesitant to leave that in Genesis 19:16 we see that God orders the angels to hold the hands of Lot and his family and physically pull them out of that city.
At the end of his story Lot would live in a cave with his two daughters who feared losing their bloodline and would get him drunk and sleep with their father. Both getting pregnant and giving rise to two nations that would later be either idol worshipers or enemies of Israel. And this was the last time we hear about Lot.
Here's what I want you to see:
Lot was like most of us. He hesitates, doubts, has flaws in his relationships, makes bad decision after bad decision... and yet time after time his relationship with Abraham has saved him. Lot is similar to the lost son, who ventured off in his own path away from God into the path and place that looked good to the eye and flesh.
While reading Abraham's and Lot's relationship it felt like Abraham played Jesus' role and Lot played our role. Lot went away from the path of God into his own liking but is deeply loved by Abraham, rescued by him, interceded for him… much like what Jesus has done for us.
In this story you can see a glimpse of Jesus' story symbolized in hidden ways between Abraham and Lot. This was what was profound for me. It's very beautiful and I'm amazed by it. And just like how Lot's relationship with Abraham has become the main reason of his survival, it's the same for us. It's our relationship with Jesus that saves us from the judgement of God.
Lot (לוֹט) in Hebrew literally means “veil” or “covering” this symbolizes how God has covered, hidden, protected and preserved Lot despite his bad decisions through what Abraham did for him. We are what God has covered, protected and preserved through what Jesus has done for us.
Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” — Hebrews 7:25
ስለዚህ ስለ እነርሱ እየማለደ ሁልጊዜ በሕይወት ስለሚኖር፣ በእርሱ በኩል ወደ እግዚአብሔር የሚመጡትን ፈጽሞ ሊያድናቸው ይችላል።" — ዕብራውያን 7:25
Have a lovely day!