Genesis 19:26: – The Pillar of Salt
Bible Reading: Psalm 144:12
“Our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace”.
Dear young brothers and sisters in Christ, Praise the Lord and greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, who keeps us under the shadow of HIS wings despite the terrible and pandemic conditions around us.
Last week we began our first meditation on how it is wonderful for young people to be like the plants and the pillars that grow in the house of God in this world and in heaven by gaining the strength needed for it through the Word of God and by rejoicing in Him.
The roof of the house of God is secure only when the young men and women who are the pillars of it are strong and sturdy. We need to be very careful to note that the first pillar which we see in which the word of God is a weak pillar.
Genesis 19:26: – The Pillar of Salt
Lot received God’s marvelous grace in his life and left his country, his pagan ancestors with his uncle Abraham. We can see that the word God’s grace is written only 2 times in Genesis. We can only look at Genesis 6: 8 with reference to Noah and in Genesis 19:19 regarding Lot and his family.
Noah took advantage of the grace he had received, and when he heard of the flood that was foretold to him, he was warned by God and became a righteous heir (Hebrews 11: 7) a pillar for the next generations. But this woman who received this grace until the last moment of her life, despite being warned by the angels, wasted the grace of God and ruined her life as useless, weak salt pillar. Today we will look at some of the reasons for that.
1) Looking by sight but not by faith
2) Love towards the World
3) Laziness
4) Looking behind
1) Walking by sight: We who are saved, redeemed from sin, washed in His blood and following the living and loving God, are to continue our journey of life by faith on the One who called us. II Corinthians 5: 6 says we walk by faith, not by sight. In Hebrews 12: 2 we must run in the race looking unto Jesus by faith,
Genesis 13: 10-12 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, he set up the Jordan, and pitched his tent near Sodom. Lot and Lot’s wife chose Sodom based on its appearance. Dear young people, this world and the attractions of the world will deceive us by making us look at the outward beauty which is deceptive and dangerous. Beware! All that we have seen is may be like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt. See how misleading it is! to say that. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, even as the garden of the LORD. But make sure it is not the garden of the Lord. It is like Jehovah’s garden on the outside but it’s really Satan’s garden inside. They have chosen by outward appearance and therefore remained a weak useless pillar.
If you look at something and it attracts you rather than according to the scripture it will make you useless. If only it would look like the garden of the Lord and attract you to its side but results death. Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to one, but it leads to death. Do not hope in your heart for its beauty … Do not let it overwhelm you Proverbs 6:25. If you choose to be driven by your sight not by the Word of God it will definitely make you weak and unprofitable.
It is also written that it is like the land of Egypt, which means that the civilization, knowledge, the medical system that was popular at that time, the technology, and the sophistication may one day attract you. Many are losing their strength of their youth and spiritual life just by choosing themselves before God shows it to them what He has kept for them from the foundations of the world, what a loss they obtain by the sight. Many young believers by looking at the superficial attractions and making decisions, justifying it with parents and fellow believers and ruining their position in the Lord.
We can see Eve, Dinah, Samson, etc. as such weak pillars. They forgot the lofty plan that God had set for them and ended their lives as weak pillars attracted by what they saw. Our Lord is very sad because so many young people go after what their eyes are attracted to and are helpless and weak.
Dear young child, would you please see what the Lord has created for you? Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good for His child; and our land shall yield her increase. Psalm 85:12 The LORD shall bless you with the best, and our land shall yield her fruit. We must keep our eyes on the Lord until He gives it to us. As if the eyes of the maid and the slave were towards the master. Our eyes should be on God until He has mercy on us.
In the same chapter Genesis 13:14 we see that Abraham did not choose anything for himself until God told him to look up. Thus we know in the rest of the verses that Abraham, who received the 3 blessings, stood always as the desirable pillar of God. Turn your gaze to Him in faith in order to receive the wonderful beautiful indescribable infinite things He has prepared for you.
Psalm 104: 21 The young lions are like little ones that take their food from the hand of God. 104: 27 Leviathans are waiting for the grace of God to receive their meat in due season. Through these we learn the lesson that we must look to the hand of God and to cling to the grace of God.
Isaac was like a pillar to the house of Israel, a man who fulfilled the will of God by being a meditator, not rushing into his life. We who are in a generation that wants everything to happen right away need to wait upon the Lord to receive and find something special from God. Psalm 33:19 He will deliver his soul from death, even as he sought grace. Keeps you alive in drought. 37:34 He will exalt you. Don’t be afraid that when you see some of your friends’ choosing and selecting before time, don’t worry that you will not have any more opportunities. Psalm 59: 9,10 You have a God who comes to you who finds you and must meet you with his grace. Young brother! Sister!! You have a God who knows your future. He is a loving God who sacrificed his Son for you. Why not bless everything with Him? Must bless. So wait with faith like Abraham until God speaks, do not be deceived by haste, and look to your Savior for your every choice and decision.
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 And he shall fill thee with renewing strength, and make thee a mighty pillar of his house out of his own will, and set thee up for his glory. May God strengthen your small steps of faith!
