i. 31. _And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it
as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none
shall quench them._
For the phrases "and the maker of it," the margin reads, "and his
work." So Alexander and Henderson. This reading renders the passage
intelligible in meaning and terrible in import. It then in simple,
vivid manner sets forth the reciprocal influence of the sinner and
his sin. The man in committing sin degrades and enfeebles himself,
and then the sin he has committed reacts upon his degraded and
enfeebled nature to kindle in it the fire of its corruption. It is
worth observing that these terrible words of warning are not levelled
1. against _low and vile people._ The term "strong" precludes that
opinion. They are spoken against those who have been, or are still,
esteemed, exalted, and powerful,--presumably against the princes, the
judges, the counsellors of the nation (vers. 23-26). Nor are they
spoken 2. against _the avowedly irreligious._ The people addressed
performed a multitude of sacrifices (ver. 11), were punctilious in
their attendance on the house of God, &c. (vers. 12-14), were full of
apparent devotion (ver. 15). Nor 3. do they refer to _the grosser
forms of sin._ These would of course come under the same
condemnation. But spiritual sins, though more refined to our
perception, are more fatal even than sensual sins. It is
pre-eminently a spiritual sin in root, however sensual in fruit, that
is here arrived at. It is all summed up in the one evil, "forsaking
the Lord" (ver. 28). It is important to bear these considerations in
mind if we would obtain personal and profitable application of these
words. Consider--
+I. The radical change sin works in the constitution of the sinner.+
Sin is lawlessness, an outbreak of self-will (1 John iii. 4). It is
conscious wrongdoing (James iv. 17). And sin, the prophet says in
effect, has a disintegrating, deteriorating, degrading influence upon
the man's nature who yields to it. "The strong shall be as _tow."
Tow_ is the coarse, broken part of flax or hemp--waste, refuse. Used
here in contrast to that which is strong. Used also as pattern of
that which is inflammable. 1. _Sin lowers the tone and tenor of our
nature._ Man's nature is originally a very high nature. "A little
lower than the angels" (Ps. viii. 5); a little lower than _Divinity_
(see Alexander and Thrupp _in loc._). Originally a king with all
highest forms of existence grouped around his throne (Ps. viii. 6-8).
He falls by sin. How low? To the level of beasts that perish? (Ps.
xlix. 20). Lower than that (Isa. i. 3). To level of trees and shrubs?
Lower than that. See, that heap of coarse and tangled refuse was a
plant once, a living thing. Now it is cut down, dried, dead; choicest
parts gone, wasted! _"Tow"_--that is the symbol of the sinful man.
The height from which he has fallen measures the degradation
incurred. To that which is by nature "tow," it is no degradation to
be "tow." But for that which is "strong" to become "tow"--for the
highest of God's creations to become as the lowest--this is
disgraceful, dreadful. 2. _Sin, depraving and degrading the type and
tenor of our nature, enfeebles our powers of resistance to the
assaults of external evil._ Sin is weakness as well as wickedness;
weakness as the result of wickedness. The "strong" becomes as "tow,"
becomes _weak._ Hard to tell which is the worse to bear, the
paroxysms of remorse, or the paralysis of power which the habit of
sin engenders.[1] To feel that when some "temptation comes and calmly
states itself before us" we are helplessly a prey to it, is terrible
indeed. The first sin of any kind greatly facilitates a second
commission of the same;[2] and every repetition increases that
facility till the ease of doing it almost amounts to a practical
inability to abstain from doing it.[3] Sin gets _dominion_ over us.
Men are "sold under sin." 3. _Sin imparts to us an increased
susceptibility to evil_--makes us more inflammable. And Satan's
"fiery darts" striking, inflame us.[4] Some counsellors advise young
people to indulge in a certain measure of sin as a remedy for its
enkindling impulses; they call it "sowing their wild oats." A figure
is sometimes the best vail for a fact. One would think that "sowing"
would of itself suggest reproduction and multiplied reproduction
(Gal. vi. 7, 8) If you wish your nature to become hopelessly
inflammable, utterly uncontrollable, give way to the indulgence of
its hot impulses while you are young.
+II. The way in which the sinner and his sin co-operate for their
common destruction.+ We all know the influence of coming into contact
with the instruments, the companions, the locality even, of a former
sin. They stir up in us the memories, the emotions, the impulse to
the same transgression. So the sinner goes about the world setting
new snares for his feet at every turn as he sins. The relation of sin
to the sinner and to his sinful deed is like that of a lamp placed
between two mirrors, which reflect and reflect the light, till both
the mirrors seem full of lamps. Sin is ever more multiplying itself
between the sinner and his sinful deed. And the issue is irremediable
ruin. "They shall both burn together, and none shall quench them."
And the moral is, that if we would keep out of hell, we must keep out
of sin.--_W. Roberts, B.A._