Jesus, the King of the universe, says "Remember Lot's wife". He never suggest commemorating any other figure in history. Only this nameless sinner from a half forgotten age. He skips over Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He fails to mention David, Isaiah, or Daniel. He doesn't even point out His own disciples. Yet, this obscure, seemingly unimportant woman gets singular prominence, when Jesus commands us to remember her.
What should we remember about her? She has no name. We no nothing of her birth. Her lineage is not listed. There are no extraordinary achievements recorded for us to grant commemoration to her as a result. She is referred to as 'wife' three times in a few verses and outside of that the only time she is mentioned is when Jesus Himself says to remember her.
What should we remember about her? Her history consists of these events: Genesis 19:15ff
When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city." But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the LORD was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city. When they had brought them outside, one said, "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you, and do not stay anywhere in the valley; escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away."
But his wife, from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.
She appears in history just long enough to disappear again.
A remarkably brief history, yet Jesus says "remember Lot's wife".
Specifics about what we ought to remember and why are forthcoming.
