important to the nation arose, upon which a decision could not be made, the high priest would stand before Jehovah and receive Jehovah’s decision by means of these sacred lots.

In time of the apostles

Lots were used by the disciples of Jesus, along with their prayer, to determine who would fill the place of Judas Iscariot as one of the twelve who had been witnesses to Jesus’ activities and his resurrection, and Matthias was chosen. (Acts 1:21-26) The Greek word here is kleʹros and is related to the word kle·ro·no·miʹa, inheritance. Kleʹros is used at Colossians 1:12 and 1 Peter 5:3 in regard to the allotment or inheritance that God has given to Christians.

But we do not read of lots being used after Pentecost 33 C.E. for selecting overseers and their assistants or to decide matters of importance. Selection of overseers and their assistants was to be based on the evidence of the fruitage of the holy spirit in their lives (1 Tim. chap. 3; Titus 1), while other decisions were based on the fulfillment of prophecy, angelic guidance, the principles of God’s Word and Jesus’ teachings, and the direction of holy spirit. (Acts 5:19-21; 13:2, 3; 14:23; 15:15-19, 28) The apostle Paul states: “All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial . . . for setting things straight.”—2 Tim. 3:16.

LOT, II

[covering].

A grandson of Terah and son of Abraham’s (Abram’s) brother Haran; hence, Abraham’s nephew.—Gen. 11:27.

Lot’s father Haran died in Ur of the Chaldees and Lot therefore went with Terah, Abram and Sarai from Ur to Haran, where his grandfather Terah died. (Gen. 11:28, 31, 32) Lot then journeyed to Canaan with Abram and Sarai, and later accompanied them to and from Egypt. (Gen. 12:4, 5; 13:1) Because the accumulated possessions of Lot and Abram had become many, when they returned to Canaan the land was unable to sustain them together. Also, quarreling arose between their herdsmen. (Gen. 13:5-7) Abram, not wishing to see this continue, suggested that they separate, giving his nephew his choice of land. Lot selected a well-watered area, the whole district of Lower Jordan. He moved his camp to the E and eventually pitched tent near Sodom. (Gen. 13:8-12) But Lot did not become like the Sodomites. He proved himself to be a “righteous man” who “by what he saw and heard while dwelling among them from day to day was tormenting his righteous soul by reason of their lawless deeds.”—2 Pet. 2:8.

At the time four invading confederate kings defeated five local kings, including the king of Sodom, the victors looted the city and took Lot captive. Learning of Lot’s plight, Abram mustered 318 slaves, defeated the captors, recovered all the property and rescued Lot.—Gen. 14:1-16.

VISITED BY ANGELS

Later, when visited by two angels at the time of Sodom’s impending destruction, Lot extended hospitality to them, But the men of the city surrounded the house and demanded that the visitors be brought out to them for immoral purposes. Lot sought to protect his guests even to the point of offering his two virgin daughters to the mob. Angered, the mob pressed heavily in on Lot whereupon his angelic visitors brought him indoors and struck the wicked Sodomites with blindness.—Gen. 19:1-11.

Delivered from Sodom

The angels then informed Lot that the outcry against the inhabitants of Sodom had grown loud before Jehovah and that they had been sent to destroy the city. As instructed, Lot warned his prospective sons-in-law, who evidently were intending to take his daughters as wives but had not yet done so. (Compare Genesis 19:8, 14.) However, his sons-in-law did not heed his words. (Gen. 19:12-14) At dawn the two angels urged prompt departure, hastening it by seizing the hands of Lot, his wife and his two daughters. In keeping with Lot’s request, the angels permitted him to flee to the nearby city of Zoar. After Lot arrived there, Jehovah brought fiery destruction upon Sodom and Gomorrah. However, Lot’s wife (who is unnamed in the Scriptures) disobediently “began to look around from behind him,” perhaps with longing for the things left behind. For doing so, “she became a pillar of salt.”—Gen. 19:15-26.

Lot later moved from Zoar and began dwelling in a cave in a mountainous region. The prospective sons-in-law of Lot evidently having died in Sodom, Lot’s two daughters were without mates and caused their father unwittingly to have sexual relations with them while he was under the influence of wine. This they did to preserve offspring from their father. As a result, each daughter had a son, from whom the Moabites and the Ammonites descended.—Gen. 19:30-38; Deut. 2:9, 19.

A WARNING

The authenticity of the Scriptural account regarding Lot is attested to by Jesus Christ. He showed that “in the days of the Son of man,” or during his second presence, circumstances would parallel those of the days of Lot when persons were unconcernedly eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting and building until fire and sulphur rained down from heaven to destroy them all. Christ showed that at that future time persons should not return to the things behind, and he gave a striking example to show the dire consequences of doing so, by saying: “Remember the wife of Lot.”—Luke 17:26-32.

LOTAN

(Loʹtan) [coverer, or, a wrapping up].

A son of Seir the Horite and one of the sheiks of Edom. (Gen. 36:20, 29) His sons were Hori and Hemam (Homam) and his sister was named Timna.—Gen. 36:22; 1 Chron. 1:38, 39.

LOTS, FESTIVAL OF

See PURIM.

LOTUS TREE

[Heb., tse·ʼelimʹ].

The thorny lotus (Zizyphus lotus) is a thickly branched shrub or low tree, often growing to a height of only five feet (1.5 meters). The leaves are small, oval and leathery, and at the base of each leaf is a pair of thorns. The only reference to it is at Job 40:21, 22, which speaks of Behemoth (the hippopotamus) as lying in the shade cast by the tree. While this tree is found in dry places in Palestine and Anti-Lebanon, Corswant’s Dictionary of Life in Bible Times (p. 177) speaks of it as “flourishing in the hot and humid marshland” of N Africa.

LOUNGE

See BED.

LOVE

A dictionary definition of love is: A feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a friend, for a parent or child, and so forth; warm fondness or liking for another; also, the benevolent affection of God for his creatures or the reverent affection due from them to God; also, the kindly affection properly expressed by God’s creatures toward one another; that strong or passionate affection for a person of the opposite sex that constitutes the emotional incentive to conjugal union. One of the synonyms for love is “devotion.”

The Scriptures use “love” in all the foregoing meanings, and also add to the meaning of the word. Aside from those meanings, the Scriptures speak also of love guided by principle, as love of righteousness or even love for one’s enemies, for whom a person may not have affection. This facet or expression of love is an unselfish devotion to righteousness and a sincere concern for the lasting welfare of others, along with an active expression of this for their good.

The words ʼa·havʹ and ʼa·hevʹ (“to love”) and ʼa·havahʹ (“love”) are the words primarily used in Hebrew to denote love in the foregoing senses, the context determining the sense and degree meant.