God’s Word Is Alive

Outward Appearances Can Be Deceptive

Abraham and his nephew Lot had a problem. Both men had accumulated such large flocks and herds that quarrels erupted between their herdsmen. To keep peace, Abraham suggested that he and Lot separate. He gave Lot the first choice. ‘If you go to the left,’ Abraham said, ‘I will go to the right. But if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.’

Lot looked out from their vantage point, and, pointing to the beautiful well-watered region near the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, he chose it. The area appeared good. But was it really? The inhabitants of the area were morally degraded, and this led to trouble.​—Gen. 13:5-13.

In time, Lot and his family moved right into Sodom. This put them in a dangerous situation. King Chedorlaomer and his allies defeated the king of Sodom, and, as you can see, took away captive Lot and his family. Soon afterward, however, Abraham and his forces rescued them all, recovering all losses. Lot and his family returned to Sodom to live.​—Gen. 14:4-16.

Lot’s wife may have found certain things about Sodom very attractive. But the appearance was truly deceptive. Actually, sexual perversion and a total disregard for moral decency were characteristic of both Sodom and Gomorrah. Finally, Jehovah God decided to destroy the cities because of their wickedness. But in his mercy God sent two angels who took Lot, his wife and his two daughters by the hand and led them out of the city. Then one of the angels said: ‘Run for your lives. And don’t look back.’

Lot and his daughters obeyed. They ran away from Sodom without looking back. But Lot’s wife disregarded the angelic direction, looked back, perhaps longingly for the material things she had left behind in Sodom, and became a pillar of salt.​—Gen. 19:1-26; 2 Pet. 2:7, 8.

There is a lesson here for us. Like Sodom, the old system of things on earth today may appear attractive. But that appearance is deceptive. Actually, that system is morally corrupt, and its destruction is just as certain to come as God’s fiery judgment came on ancient Sodom.​—Luke 17:28-30.