There is No Pit So Deep
Tuesday, March 11
There is No Pit So Deep
Judges 10:6-7
The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. And they forsook the LORD and did not serve him. So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and … the Ammonites.
Rebellion is a ladder with many rungs, descending deeper and deeper into the heart of darkness, and you can go down that ladder slowly or all at once.
Consider a parable for an example. Imagine two teenage brothers receiving a stern warning from their parents not to mess around with drugs, and the first boy intends to comply till he sees his skateboard buddies smoking weed on a Saturday afternoon. So, not wanting to be the odd boy out, he foregoes his conscience and takes a puff—a trend he’ll continue for the remainder of the summer. But the second brother loathes his parents and doesn’t need coaxing from skateboard buddies. He immediately seeks out whatever drugs he can get his hands on—hard ones, dangerous ones, chemical concoctions and the kind with needles—because he translated that parental ‘Beware’ as an open invitation. To him, rebellion isn’t a ladder, but a waterslide.
Infuriatingly, the people of Israel in Judges 10:7 are like that second brother, aren’t they? Look how many false gods and goddesses they’ve welcomed into their homes! Look at all the demonic festivals they’ve added to their calendars. Look at their abysmal lack of discretion. They don’t even have the temerity to say, “LORD, I love you—I really do—and I’m really sorry—it’s just so hard, because these Syrian parties are so much fun and, well, everyone’s doing it, and I don’t want to be the odd one out.” No! Their mantra is effectively, “Any god but Jehovah!” Day by day, one neighbor says to another, “I found more gods down the street!”, and the other replies, “Perfect—add them to the stash!”
Nevertheless, even these rebels at the base of vice’s ladder, curled up outside hell’s door, need only weep over their calamity and look up once again toward Heaven to find that merciful Hand reaching down to lift them up again.