Contemplative Bible Reading

Luke 23:31 (New International Version 2011)

For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

Refers back to Hosea 10, which begins with

Israel was a spreading vine;
he brought forth fruit for himself.

and continues in Hosea with

As his fruit increased,
he built more altars;
as his land prospered,
he adorned his sacred stones.

Ooops, good times brought idolatry. Which of course eventually leads to its own bad end (Hosea 10).

Their heart is deceitful,
and now they must bear their guilt.
The LORD will demolish their altars
and destroy their sacred stones.

Finally, in Hosea 10 we have the verse repeated by Jesus in Luke 23:

Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!”
and to the hills, “Fall on us!”

Times are good, yet people are doing awful things to one another. What terrible things will people do to one another when times are bad? This is a case of

success breeds failure

Today? Well, the U.S. economy is in a douple-dip recession or something. Still, we enjoy the highest standard of living of anyone at any time in the history of the world. And look at the awful things people do to one another. How low will we sink if something really bad happens?