Lot's wife was saved from destruction, but she became a pillar of salt (19:15-17, 26; Luke 17:32). In the form of powder, salt is useful. But when salt becomes a block, it is useless. That Lot's wife became a pillar of salt meant that she had lost her usefulness in the hand of God and had become a sign of shame. Today Christianity helps people only to take care of the matter of salvation or perdition. But the Bible reveals that besides the matter of salvation or perdition, there is the matter of glory or shame. Lot's wife was not lost; she was saved from destruction. Eventually, however, she became a shame. Hence, the Lord said in Luke 17:32, "Remember Lot's wife," warning us that, though we are saved, at the Lord's coming back we might possibly suffer shame like Lot's wife. Although we are saved, we may become ashamed at the Lord's coming back (1 John 2:28).
In Luke 17:28-33 the Lord warns us not to look back. Why did Lot's wife look back? Because some of her children, especially her daughters, were still in Sodom and because her house and her clothing also were there. If you read Genesis 19 carefully, you will see that she was behind Lot. As a couple, they should have gone together; she should not have been behind her husband. But, being behind him, she looked back and became a pillar of salt. She looked back to the place where she loved to live and became a sign of shame for our warning. This is not merely a story or doctrine. We see from it that in addition to the matter of salvation, there is the matter of shame. When the day of judgment arrives, will you share in the glory or in the shame? We shall not suffer perdition, for our salvation is assured. However, as this warning example indicates, we may be put to shame.
Lot's life issued in bringing forth Moabites and Ammonites (children of Ben-ammi), who were rejected by God even to their tenth generation (19:36-38; Deut. 23:3). What a pitiful ending to Lot's life! He did not bring forth an Isaac but Moabites and Ammonites who were rejected by God. Here in the story of Lot we see the record of a defeated righteous man. Alongside of the white record of the victorious Abraham, we have the black record of the defeated Lot. The record of Lot's life should be a strong warning to us all.