In Greek mythology, there appears a character named king Tantalus. The king had
drawn the wrath of the Greek gods. He was punished in the afterlife by being
chained in a lake. The lake waters reached to his chin but receded whenever he
tried to bend down to satisfy his thirst. If that wasn't bad enough, over his
head were branches filled with fruit, but they immediately moved up beyond his
reach whenever he tried to get to it. King Tantalus has been immortalized in
the English word "tantalize." Sin tantalizes. It promises to satisfy,
but never does. Satisfaction remains just out of reach.
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Illustration by J. Michael Shannon, Professor of Preaching, Cincinnati Bible
College & Seminary, Cincinnati, OH.