What consequences do "slippery paths" symbolize in Jeremiah 23:12 for believers? The text under consideration “Therefore their path will become slippery; they will be driven away into darkness, and there they will fall. For I will bring disaster upon them in the year of their punishment,” declares the LORD. — Jeremiah 23:12 Why the LORD chose the picture of slippery paths • Slippery ground looks safe until the very moment one steps on it. • Once the slide begins, self-rescue is nearly impossible. • The image is vivid: moral and spiritual compromise may feel minor, but it quickly turns treacherous. Four consequences symbolized by slippery paths 1. Instability and loss of footing • A believer who tolerates deception or sin forfeits the firm ground of truth (Psalm 73:18). • Previous confidence in God’s direction becomes shaky; decisions wobble. 2. Uncontrolled descent • On a slick slope gravity dictates the pace. Likewise, sin gathers momentum (Proverbs 5:22). • Habits once thought “manageable” accelerate into bondage. 3. Darkness and confusion • “Driven away into darkness” portrays separation from divine light (1 John 1:6). • Discernment dulls; right and wrong blur; guidance feels absent (Isaiah 59:9–10). 4. Inevitable fall and judgment • The end of a slippery path is a crash: “there they will fall.” • The LORD Himself “brings disaster” at the appointed time (Hebrews 10:30–31). • For believers this can mean severe discipline, loss of testimony, and forfeited fruitfulness (1 Corinthians 11:30–32). Practical takeaways • Keep to solid ground by daily exposure to Scripture’s plain meaning (Psalm 119:105). • Test every teaching and impulse against the whole counsel of God (Acts 17:11). • Repent quickly when conviction comes—before the slide gains speed (1 John 1:9). • Walk in the Spirit, whose steadying power gives traction (Galatians 5:16). Summary Slippery paths in Jeremiah 23:12 warn that compromise produces instability, uncontrolled descent, darkness, and eventual fall under God’s discipline. Staying anchored to truth and immediate obedience keeps believers on firm, well-lit ground. |
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