SCRIPTURE Jeremiah 8:5 “Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit; they refuse to return.”  

COMMENTARY Although spoken against Judah and those in Jerusalem, the words of the Lord show clearly that there are those that perpetually black slide.  They refused to come to the Lord acknowledging their guilt and they are full of deceit.  They have not responded to all of God’s efforts to draw them back.  This same theme is shown throughout the Old Testament (ex. Amos 4).

God made attempts in Amos 4 to discipline them, even including the killing of their sons, but they did not return. The discipline of God can be spurned. There are other places in Scripture where the discipline of God, if always effective, could have resulted in God not taking such drastic action.