Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/89

 became. Their sins  darkened  their  heart  and  mind,  and  thus  they lost the  true  knowledge  of  God,  and  fell  into  idolatry. They began to  adore  a multitude  of  false  gods. Some worshipped  the sun, moon  and  stars,  others  worshipped  men  and  beasts,  and  even the works  of  their  own  hands. To these  false  divinities  even human victims  were  offered,  and  sometimes  innocent  children, who were  made  to  endure  the  most  cruel  torments. God left them to  go  their  own  way.

Idolatry is  a grievous  sin  against  the  first  Commandment  It  is, moreover, unreasonable  and  foolish,  and  is  a sad  proof  of  the  evil  effects on man  of  original  sin.

Necessity of  grace.  God  gave  the  idolaters  over  to  their  own  evil desires and  inclinations. As evil  inclinations  are  rife  in  man,  in  consequence of  original  sin,  it  is  only  by  God’s  grace  that  he  is  able  to  keep the commandments. As God  withdrew  His  grace  from  these  men  who had rejected  Him,  they  gave  themselves  over  to  the  desires  of  their  hearts, and were  led  by  their  unbridled  passions  into  the  most  horrible  sins.

Pride. This story  shows  us  how  man’s  apostasy  from  God  began by pride. At the  time  that  Noe’s  descendants  built  the  Tower  of  Babel, they had  increased  to  some  millions  in  number. They began  to  build  in defiance  of  God,  relying  on  their  own  strength  and  numbers. They did not give  glory  to  God,  by  acknowledging  that  they  had  received  all things from  Him,  and  could  do  nothing  without  Him. On the  contrary, they  intended  to  build  a tower  which  would  reach  to  heaven  and make their  name  famous  in  all  ages. Thus it  was  pride  that  prompted this sinful  undertaking.