Their lust is so bad that they are a smoldering fire that burns nonstop and does not need to be stoked.

“They are all adulterers, burning like an oven whose fire the baker need not stir” (v. 4).

They chase after their lovers, any lovers, for the pleasure of a moment. Caring not that God sees their wickedness.

Israel does not see. They are like “a flat cake not turned over” (v. 8). They are looking old and gray and don’t even realize it. Their lovers laugh and mock them and they don’t get it. They are that arrogant. They think they are sexy and they know it.

But in realty Israel is a stupid dove and senseless. When they get in trouble they run to the superpowers for protection – Assyria and Egypt. They don’t realize that these nations will destroy them (Assyria), and abandon them (Egypt).

No matter how bad it gets, Israel still refuses to call on the LORD. They have hardened their hearts. So they wail upon their beds with no help. They will be ridiculed in the nations.

How bad can sin get for us? It can harden our hearts and minds to the point that we no longer call out to God. We no longer reach for him for help. We reach to others that are stronger, we reach to money, we reach towards ideologies, but we can be so hardened we don’t truly reach for God.

I’ve seen it happen. I’ve seen someone knowingly and willingly go down the path of sin. I was even told, “I know what I am doing is wrong but I just need to get it out of my system.”. Years later, it’s not out of the system but has come to the place that there doesn’t even need repentance.

We can do that as well. We can become so steeped in our sin we don’t see it. God’s judgment is his kindness, to save us from ourselves.