Lot and Lot's Wife

Harold Camping follower, Darrell Lockridge, just keeps rolling along and coming up with one outlandish idea after another. From Latter Rain message 55145:

LOCKRIDGE:  "It's interesting that Lot attempted to save his family by devising a plan to leave Sodom (the church) and then dwell in Zoar (i.e., things associated with the church) instead of obeying God's command to flee to the mountains (i.e., leave the church). This is precisely why God warns us that those seeking to save their lives will loose it. Sadly, Lot's mistake led to the death of his wife, who is a picture of those who left the church but later fell away from the true gospel of salvation. Hence, God warns us to "remember" Lot's wife in the context of staying on the housetop--where we must proclaim the true gospel."

Darrell, of all people, should never, ever talk about anyone "devising a plan". Do you see how Harold Camping's false teaching about "the church" is so deeply ingrained in so many confused minds? There is no one single "church". There are hundreds of denominations that all consider themselves to the the one "church" of God. If Harold Camping, Darrell Lockridge, Chris McCann, and other newcomers like JR Carman (b.t.w., I wonder where JR is blogging these days. It would seem that he has abandoned his blog and is blogging more privately, just for his loyal, true believers), but anyway, if Harold Camping, Darrell Lockridge, Chris McCann, and other newcomers like JR Carman referred to "the church-es" instead of "the church", it would have a completely different ring to it. Their respective audiences might possibly sense that there was never a "church-es age" and become disillusioned about that hoax like I did. But this "church" nonsense is just one barrier out of a dozen or so that is impossible to get beyond in the Camping Bible Calendar groups. They need their "us" and "them" scenario to get through the day.

It seems to me that if "Sodom" and the other five cities of the plain typify "the churches" when they became overrun with false gospels (they always were), they would also have to typify completely destroyed churches that no longer exist. That is why I consider these "types" Darrell and his Camping friends come up with completely ludicrous. They are so inconsistent and lame, I wonder how these self-appointed teachers are able to keep track of what they come up with. We plainly see packed churches in every town and city. New churches are being planted all the time. Where is the destruction that happened to Sodom? There is none. The churches are positively thriving. There was no "churches age" and regardless of whatever false gospels they preach, they cannot be typified by cities that were destroyed.

Darrell claims that Lot "attempted to save his family" (let's leave "the churches" out of it for now) and that he disobeyed God's command to flee to the mountain. Let's see if Lot really "disobeyed" God. Here is the command from God, as soon as Lot and his family were brought out of Sodom:

Ge 19:17  And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

As I read passages like the account of Lot escaping Sodom and then Zoar, I see that each piece of information prefaced by a repetitous "And..." is not always presented in precise chronological order. One verse may summarize either prior or following information. For this reason, I have to zoom out a little in order to glean the main teaching, rather than every chronological detail.

However, it is easy to conclude that the command from God in Genesis 19:17 was given to Lot as soon as he was brought out of Sodom. At that point, he seems to be at a crossroads where he has to decide whether he will obey the Lord's commandment or be consumed. He had a choice to make, but he did not choose to disobey. No, he did not choose to do what he was commanded, but he also did not choose the second option of being consumed. There was a third option that the Lord did not offer, but it was, nevertheless, a valid alternative. It was prayer.

Ge 19:18  And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:
19  Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:

Lot prayed for mercy. He brought his case before the Lord, citing the fact that the Lord had been merciful toward Lot in the past. Lot was beseeching the Lord for more mercy. He was naturally afraid of heading straight to the mountain. God is not merciful toward His people according to our righteousness He is merciful in regard to our un-righteousness.

Heb 8:12  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

I think that Lot was "looking back" in his own way, but, unlike his wife, he humbly brought his fears to the Lord along with a possible solution. That is a big difference.

Ge 19:20  Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.

Eventually, all five cities of the plain were destroyed due to "time and judgment for every purpose under heaven", so it was just a temporary place of refuge on the way to the mountain. Just like his wife, Lot was also very afraid, but he said these three little words: "O let me...". Three little words that the Lord heard and accepted.

I may have more to say about Darrell's quote above, but for now I just want to look closely at this conclusion:

LOCKRIDGE: Lot's mistake led to the death of his wife, who is a picture of those who left the church but later fell away from the true gospel of salvation.

My immediate question is this: If Lot's wife does, in fact, picture those who left the church-es, but later fell away from the truth, and Lot's "mistake" led to her (their) death, then who would Lot typify in this case? Darrell cannot possibly remove Lot from whatever his wife represents. Lot must also represent something in relation to his wife, who Darrell claims is, spiritually speaking, picturing those who "fell away from the true gospel of salvation" after departing out of the church-es. Does Darrell think that Lot pictured satan when he made his "mistake" that led to the death of his wife and the falling away of people who departed out of churches in our day? Or, just a husband who was expected to force his wife to obey?

There is so much wrong with this kind of teaching, it's no wonder no one else bothers to address it. Darrell is critical of those who formed fellowships that mimick the churches, but his own group and his status in that group as the "teacher" is no different from any church or departed-out fellowship. Does anyone really think that Darrell would not have formed an organized fellowship group just like Chris McCann's fellowship group if he lived Stateside instead of being stationed in Germany? McCann must have lost a lot of fellowship attendees and may have cut down in-person fellowship meetings. The new sports arena is now Youtube. Messrs. McCann and Lockridge are currently busy producing their warring videos with fake-announcer voices and theme music. Harold Camping had his "A Mighty Fortress" theme song and Darrell now has his "O For the Wings of a Dove." They aren't able to write or speak plainly, without making a major production of theme music and tag lines like "May God's Perfect Will Be Done", "May the Lord Richly Bless You" and scriptural tag lines, like "Fear God and give glory to Him". (Big cues to run for the hills, like Lot.) Who wants to be reminded of Darrell Lockridge when reading Revelation 14:7? Well, Darrell wouldn't mind if we are! I say, quit using the Bible to promote yourself. It is God's words and they have a meaning that is separate from YOUR name and signature. Go and write your own book on which to attach your signature.

Lot did not make a "mistake" and his prayer for mercy that was accepted by the Lord certainly did not lead to the death of his wife. Not in any way, whatsoever. Lot was responsible for himself, and his wife was responsible for herself.

Ro 9:15  For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

The basic message Darrell wants to convey in every group post and video he publishes boils down to this: "We, the believers (especially the men) are needed by God, our families and the whole world. We give God all the glory, because He made us so important! We live and breathe to spread the true gospel and save the world! And, by the way, 2017 is the new year Christ is guaranteed to return. So, once again, stay tuned for the month and the date."

Mr 13:37  And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.