The origin of Moab, father of the Moabites, is ugly. He is the result of incest committed by the eldest daughter with her father, Lot, Abraham's nephew (Genesis 19:30-38). She and her younger sister had a horrific idea after their mother was turned into a pillar of salt for disobeying the command of God's angel, who had been sent to their house to take the family out of Sodom (verse 26). We do not know the name of Lot's wife; only that she did not believe, looked back, and suffered eternal loss.

         Lot's two daughters got him drunk. The older one was the first to lie with him and became pregnant. The next day, the younger one did the same and also became pregnant. It is worth remembering that the covetous Lot, seeing the well-watered region of Sodom, chose to go there and, some time later, saw all his wealth disappear when the judgment that destroyed Sodom and the surrounding cities came. In addition, Lot lost his wife and became the father of his daughters' two sons. What a shame!

         God said that Moab was His washpot, but wash what? Well, perhaps wash away everything that was bad in Lot, because greed made him choose to live in that territory, when it would have been better to leave it to his uncle, who could undoubtedly have changed the lives of those men who denied their masculine nature. We are talking about something that happened four thousand years ago. Before that, others had attempted the impossible by building the Tower of Babel, and God acted immediately (Genesis 11:1-9).

         When thinking of Moab, one would always remember its terrible beginning. Lot's shame continued with him as long as he lived, for even though he lived as a righteous man in Sodom, he was unable to persuade his daughters' fiancés to leave the city with them. They even mocked him when he warned them that God's angels would destroy those cities. Thus, all the wicked were “washed” in that “pot.”

         Moreover, God avenged the Edomites' wickedness toward Israel shortly after His people left Egypt. This is because when Moses went to the king of Edom asking to pass through his territory, the answer was: Then he said, “You shall not pass through.” So Edom came out against them with many men and with a strong hand (Numbers 20.20). So Moses thought it best to choose another route, but the Lord would respond to the selfishness of the Edomites.

         About 500 years later, David reigned in Israel. All the surrounding nations trembled because of this king's fame. The day of retribution came when David subdued the Edomites: He also put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the Lord preserved David wherever he went (2 Samuel 8.14). Be a faithful servant of the Most High, and He will use you!

         Philistia gathered a people over whom God said He would triumph. The Philistines were mortal enemies of Israel. According to historians, they came from the island of Crete to occupy the south of the Promised Land and disappeared about 2,400 years ago. Today, no one knows where they went, as there is no record of their descendants on Earth. God only acts in the right way!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares