A Runaway Train

“When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling. He exalted himself in Israel, but through Baal he did wrong and died. And now they sin more and more, and make for themselves molten images, idols skillfully made from their silver, all of them the work of craftsmen. They say of them, “Let the men who sacrifice kiss the calves!””(Hosea 13:1–2).

“And now they sin more and more…” Sin, unchecked, inevitably leads to more sin.  In its arrogance, Israel had shamelessly adopted the religious practices of its pagan neighbors. One thing led to another and, before they knew it, they were standing under the judgment of God and facing destruction.  How did this happen?

I doubt there was a single Israelite in Hosea’s day who had made it his life’s goal to rebel against God.  I’m guessing it was on no one’s bucket list.  But here they were.  It happened bit by bit, one seemingly insignificant sin leading to another seemingly insignificant sin until the sins were no longer insignificant.  It’s like a heavy train on a long, downhill track.  If the brakes aren’t applied early and consistently, soon it becomes impossible to stop.  It becomes a runaway situation that only ends in disaster.

The Scriptures consistently describe the process. Note the following examples: “Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the LORD, “Who execute a plan, but not Mine, and make an alliance, but not of My Spirit, in order to add sin to sin…” (Isaiah 30:1). “They bend their tongue like their bow; lies and not truth prevail in the land; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know Me,” declares the LORD” (Jeremiah 9:3). “But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:13).

            Stop the sin train before it gets a head of steam!  Unchecked, it always leads to judgment and death. “Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death” (James 1:15).

 

God loves you!

Mike