Genesis 19:14 – And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law which married his daughters and said, Up, get you out of this place, for the Lord will destroy this city. But the seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

One morning a certain man called Ngaunje went hunting in the forests northeast of Thyolo in Malawi. He was so lucky because it did not take long for him to kill an antelope. Upon being satisfied with his hunt, he started off home. On his way back he used a short-cut route which passed by old settlements of the Maravi Kingdom. Accidentally he fell into an old well together with the carcass of the animal he had killed. He cried for help but nobody could hear him since the pit where he had fallen in was so deep.

Some hunters heard the crying voice of Ngaunje as they were passing near the accident area. They had a palm leaf rope. They threw a rope in the old well where the victim was and issued instructions to him. They told him to cling to the rope himself if he wanted to be saved. Ngaunje did not want to leave his hunt behind. He clung to the saving palm leaf rope together with the antelope. His weight plus that of his meat made the rope to break as men were trying to pull him out. The saving hunters were tired of the victim’s behaviour. They eventually left him dying in the pit for he did not want to be saved by neglecting the saviours’ instructions.

When the two angels came to the city of Sodom prior to its destruction, Lot welcomed them in his house and broke a feast in their honour. The city inhabitants came to Lot’s house demanding the release of the people so that they could sodomise them. Lot offered his two daughters to the rebellious and sinful city men but that did not work. This really showed that SODOM was full of iniquities. The angels cursed the people who sat at Lot’s main house door with blindness.

Later on Salvation was announced in the family of Lot when the two messengers of God told Lot that God would destroy the city therefore him and his family members should go out of the city. The nephew of Abraham obeyed God’s message of salvation by spreading it to his sons in law, daughters and the wife.

The two sons in law of Lot ignored the salvation message. When God destroyed SODOM will fire those sons were not spared despite being among the saved family member.

As Lot, his wife and two daughters were escaping destruction the wife ignored the advice from the angels not look back and she became the pillar of salt. This was done in the course of her salvation.

Jesus Christ indeed saved us. We need to accept his as Lord and Saviour. Our acceptance will make us love him most. That shall result in our following all what he instructed us to do in order to inherit his Kingdom.

Mpeusa Mphonda – Nchalo Malawi. mmphonda@illovo.co.za