The Daughters of Lot – what can I say? It is one of those biblical stories from which you just come away wondering and scratching your head. If you have read Genesis 19, which describes how Lot’s daughters did the unthinkable, you must have asked yourself why they acted that way and, more importantly, what the consequences were. – After all, Every action has a reaction that leads to a consequence.
Take my hand, dear reader, and let me show you. God is Their judge, and I assure you, he will judge justly. Let me guide you from both the immediate biblical context and the broader theological, moral, and spiritual perspective, and then we will look at the consequences of their sin. This explanation will give you a detailed look at all these aspects as I give my thoughts and analyses, as we commune together on this tragic misfortune. I am hoping that this thorny topic might be discussed in such a way as to shed some light, through reflection on our choices and their consequences, in our own stories.
Setting the scene: The Sin of Lot’s Daughters
Genesis 19:30-38 KJV “30 Then Lot went up out of Zoar and dwelt in the mountains, and his two daughters were with him; for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar. And he and his two daughters dwelt in a cave. 31 Now the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man on the earth to come into us as is the custom of all the earth. 32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve the [a]lineage of our father.” 33 So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose.34 It happened on the next day that the firstborn said to the younger, “Indeed I lay with my father last night; let us make him drink wine tonight also, and you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve the lineage of our father.” 35 Then they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. 36 Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father. 37 The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day. 38 And the younger, she also bore a son and called his name Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the people of Ammon to this day.
The daughters of Lots thought that the whole world had come to an end and there were no men left anywhere who could help them preserve their family line. And so they did what desperate panicked people do, which is devise some sort of plan: get their dad drunk and sleep with him so that children could be born to them and keep the lineage alive. Which is exactly what they proceeded to do. On two successive nights, the daughters had relations with their father, as a consequence of which both became pregnant. The sons born to them became ancestors of two nations: Moab, the older daughter’s child, and Ammon the younger one.
It is a shocking story, no doubt; yet more to the point is grasping the ripple effects of what happened. The consequences of their sin were not confined to an isolated family issue but had broad implications touching generations to come, spiritual ecology, and even biblical prophecy itself.
Immediate Biblical Consequences
The immediate consequences of Lot’s daughters are self-evident: incestuous relationships, from which two sons were born, Moab and Ben-Ammi. This, from the standpoint of moral and cultural perceptions, was a serious sin. Their daughters acted in desperation, but such an act cannot be trivialized by its intensity.
Incest is utterly prohibited under biblical laws, and although it was later explained in more detail in Leviticus, this incident still points to a serious violation of morality. Adding to that fact is that it was a way to disgrace their father, which is the opposite of the principle of honor toward one’s parents. By the scripture account, Lot was a righteous man; he perhaps was not the most assertive character, but his daughters’ actions certainly violated his dignity.
But the immediate consequence wasn’t just moral; it was practical. The consequences of their actions were to create two new nations: the Moabites and the Ammonites. At first glance, this may seem like a way to continue the lineage of Lot, but the story doesn’t stop there.
The Birth of Two Nations: Moab and Ammon
The sons born from Lot’s daughters went on to father two important groups in the history of the Bible: the Moabites and the Ammonites. Both of these countries would have a long, contentious relationship with the Israelites, who were Lot’s extended family through his nephew Abraham. Now, the story of Lot’s daughters becomes the origin story for these nations, and their relationship with Israel was anything but peaceful.
The people of Moab and Ammon would become common adversaries to Israel within both the Old and New Testaments. Because they were given over to their pagan rituals, their hatred towards God’s people, and their gross immoralities, they were even allowed to be a bother for generations to Israel. God even set some boundaries regarding the inclusion of the Moabites and the Ammonites within the assembly of Israel. Deuteronomy 23:3 describes the same thing by saying that no Ammonite or Moabite should be admitted to the assembly of the Lord, even to the tenth generation. It underlines and confirms the fact that their sinfulness brought spiritual and national consequences upon their shoulders for a very long time.
Deuteronomy 23:3-4 NKJV “ 3An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the assembly of the Lord; even to the tenth generation none of his descendants shall enter the assembly of the Lord forever, 4 because they did not meet you with bread and water on the road when you came out of Egypt and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you.”
Interesting to consider, one desperate act in a cave produced whole nations that would oppose God’s chosen people for centuries. The ripple effect is staggering and puts on notice that choices have a dynamic impact sometimes way beyond what we can see in the immediate time frame.
Spiritual and Moral Implications
Now, on a deeper level of what transpires in the spiritual and moral realms consequent to this action of Lot’s daughters, theologically, this constitutes the failure of faith in God’s plan. This act of taking matters into their hands shows a lack of trust that God can provide for them and righteously perpetuate their family line. It is here that it repeats the pattern shown throughout the Bible where a fear-driven desperate pre-act would be driven, rather than by faith instead.
There’s also a bigger moral that comes into play here: the sowing and reaping of sin. Lot’s daughters had to commit incest, an action that reaped immediate and long-lasting consequences in the Bible. Often, sin was shown to separate man from God, and the daughters of Lot caused separation, some within their own family, and into the descendants’ relationship with Israel. The turning away from God by the Moabites and Ammonites included false idol worship and detestable practices before God. These spiritual downfalls go back as far as the sinful beginnings of their nations.
The sin of Lot’s daughters teaches us also the warning to men who work independently from God. Because they felt there were no more men, their plan was the only way to save their family. Indeed, had they trusted in God’s provision, it might have turned out very differently. Instead, their lack of faith led to actions that would haunt their descendants for generations.
Long-Term Effects:
Conflict with Israel:
The long-term consequences of the actions of Lot’s Daughters can be found in the continuing conflict between the Israelites and the nations of the Moabites and Ammonites. We time and again read of these nations opposing the nation of Israel and leading them into sin.
A classic example can be taken from the Book of Numbers when Moabite women lured the Israelite men into idolatry and immorality. God was angry over that incident, and plague swept through the ranks of the people of Israel. The influence of the Moabites enticed Israel away from their covenant with God, causing great spiritual harm.
Numbers 25:1-3 NKJV Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove,[a] and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. 2 They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel.
So, the Ammonites almost constantly made war with Israel, even today. They acted against Israel in their conquest of the Promised Land and participated in many different wars over the course of the judges and kings. The hatred between those countries and Israel finds its origin in the cave where it originated through the daughters of Lot.
The Birth of Ruth:
Though born out of an incestuous relationship, the line of Moab did produce Ruth—a woman of incredible faith and devotion. The story of Ruth serves in radical contrast to the beginnings of the nation of Moab and is a powerful declaration of the redemptive power of God’s grace.
Ruth 1:4 NKJV 4 Now they took wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they dwelt there for about ten years.
Ruth 1:16-17 NKJV 16 But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;
Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.17 Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me.”
In a Summary..
The daughters of Lot give birth to a story where our decision is weighty. A decision to act out in fear and desperation would have far-reaching consequences for generations to come. It brought about nations that opposed God’s people and caused a spiritual separation to affect their descendants for centuries.
Yet at the same time, it is a reminder of the power of God’s grace, even in the valley of sin and its consequences, God’s redemptive plan is being worked out. That Ruth the Moabite should form part of Jesus’ family line at all brings up just this important point: there isn’t any situation so broken that God is not able to redeem.
Personal Memoir: Lessons to be learned from Lot’s Daughters’ sin?
Every time I read the story of Lot’s daughters, I am reminded of how many times I have taken matters into my own hands out of fear or desperation instead of waiting on God’s plan. It’s so easy to point one’s finger at the girls’ actions, but once one peels the onion, Lot’s daughters were humans-weak and with a weakness common to all of us.
We all have moments in our lives where we are unsure and will most likely take things into our own hands. But, as this story reminds us, those choices can have consequences going far beyond anything we can see. The good news is that even when we blow it, God’s grace is always available to redeem our mistakes and bring about something good.
Putting Faith in God’s Plan
Perhaps one of the most important things to be learned from Lot’s daughters is to put faith in God’s plan. They had come into a seclusive, isolated cave in the middle of all the devastating ruins and scares, and out of this desperation came to a decision that would later prove to be one they would forever live with. In many ways, this mirrors what can happen when we begin to lose faith in God’s provision and timing. Instead of trusting God could and would provide for them in His way, they decided to take matters into their own hands.
How often, like Lot’s daughters, are you rushed into decisions because you’re afraid things might not work out? Whether it’s in our relationships, the career choices we make, or whatever area it may be in our lives, acting out of fear often leads us down paths we never intended to go. But the story of Lot’s daughters teaches us that even in these moments, God is still at work. The consequences of their actions were serious, but that doesn’t mean God’s grace wasn’t there.
This is important in our own lives: stopping, praying, and seeking God’s guidance regarding big decisions. He sees the big picture, one we cannot always see, and trusting in His guidance could save us from making those choices that seem good to us but may bring unintended harm.
The Ripple Effect of Our Actions
No doubt, Lot’s daughters thought their decision was somewhat insulated, only affecting their own little family. However, as we’ve taken a look at, their actions had much farther-reaching consequences than that, touching nations and generations beyond. This ripple effect of sin is something we can see in our own lives, too. Good or bad, the choices we make can have an effect on relationships, community, and even future generations.
I am reminded of how our actions have caused ripples, so to speak, on those around us, rather unconsciously at times. It starts with a minor compromising of integrity, one selfless act, or the very lack of faith that ripples and touches others. On the other hand, one act of kindness, faithfulness, and trust in God can indeed cause ripples in positively touching others for many years to come.
The daughters of Lot help us to remember to look outside of the moment. Not to react impulsively or in fear, but to consider the broader implications of what we decide to do. What seems like a simple harmless decision today may have implications for others that will be much longer-reaching than we can yet see.
Salvation by Grace
One of the most hopeful features of the story of Lot’s daughters is the realization that even within sin and consequences, redemption is always at hand. This reminds me that no matter how far we fall, whatever our situation may be, God can redeem it. God has a way of bringing beauty from ashes, taking even the greatest of our mistakes and turning them into opportunities for growth and healing. The inclusion of Ruth in the lineage of Jesus is one of hope to us all, to show that no one is beyond the reach of God. I always tell people I coach or counsel: “When you have fallen to rock bottom, never forget who is the rock at the bottom. Make Him your cornerstone.”
Beloved friends, I can assure you there have been instances in my life too, when I had to feel later on, that I must not have made those impulsive decisions. Decisions that take you off the course of reaching your destiny. Decisions that impact your generations to come. But again and again, God proved to me that even mistakes can be gathered and worked for good by Him. His grace covers our failures; even in the most difficult situations, He can work into His purposes.
Jaype Bester is a respected Pastor, author, and counselor based in Kriel, South Africa. Holding a diploma in Psychology and a Master of Divinity (Mh.D Divinity), he currently serves as the Presidential Pastor at Shakeid Ministries. Jaype has authored four books, including The Heart of a Psalmist: David and 365 Prophetic Guns For Men. He is passionate about empowering others through personal coaching and spiritual guidance.
