Don’t Look Back

Genesis 19:15–17 NKJV

15 When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, “Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.” 16 And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. 17 So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.”

Genesis

Lot and his family were warned to leave Sodom and Gomorrah and to NOT LOOK BACK.

So does this verse mean that we can never look back in Life? Certainly Not.

The bible is very clear that we are supposed to reflect back on certain things from our past.

God often reminded the people that He is the Lord our God who delivered us from the land of Egypt.

Joshua stacked stones to be a perpetual reminder of how God delivered His people into the promise land.

the great patriarchs of the bible often renamed locations so that they would remember what God had done for them their.

Jesus even instituted Holy Communion and said to do it as often as we think of Him.

Communion is all about Remembering what God has done.

So what does this verse mean?

First off Sodom and Gomorrah were wicked lands. that God wanted to destroy.

God didn’t want to destroy His children but He knew he had to get ride of such evil and corruption.

Secondly God gave Lot and his family a chance to cut ties with the wickedness they had grown so comfortable with.

He warned them don’t look back or you will be destroyed.

Lot’s Wife couldn’t resist:

Lot’s wife

Lot’s Wife couldn’t resist:

Genesis 19:23–26 NKJV

23 The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar. 24 Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens. 25 So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. 26 But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

There are some things we don’t need to look back from:

Luke 9:62 NKJV

62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Elisha Looked back but had pure motives

1 Kings 19:21

1 Kings 19:19–21 NKJV

19 So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him. 20 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” 21 So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen’s equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant.

Philippians

Philippians 3:12–14 NKJV

12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

God want’s to do a new things.

Isaiah 43:18–19 NKJV

18 “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.

Is

order of service

We need to Press Forward

Philippians 3:12–14 NKJV

12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.