Animals play an important part in the bible. Animals were saved in the ark from the worldwide flood. They were a measure of wealth in Old Testament times and the objects of sacrifice to the Lord. God even used a talking donkey to accomplish His will. One animal however, the hog, is not highly regarded in the sacred text. Swine were not to be used as a food source for Israel (Lev. 11:7), Jesus cast the demons into a herd of pigs who drown themselves in the sea (Matt. 8:30-32), and the pig is used as a metaphor for the person who returns to the mud wallow of sin (2 Peter 2:22).
We have a real problem in our country, a hog problem. It is estimated that there are between 2.5-2.6 million feral (wild) hogs in Texas which cause $50 million dollars in property damage annually. If you think about it, hogs are a lot like sin:
* Feral hogs are a man-made problem.
* Hogs are not native to America, but were brought here on the second voyage of Columbus in 1493.
* Sin is a man-made problem started with Adam and Eve. (Romans 5:12)
* Hogs will destroy a beautiful green pasture or a residential yard.
* Sin can destroy a beautiful life or relationship with hatred, lies, unfaithfulness
* A boar hog’s tusks can rip a hunting dog to pieces (dogs are man’s best friends after all)
* Sin can destroy friendships through jealousy, envy, unresolved disagreements
* Hogs will destroy a garden.
* Sin will destroy the fruits of the Spirit described in Galatians 5:22-23.
* Hogs can mess up a good trail or hunting lane in the woods.
* Sin will lead us down the wrong path. The broad way of Matthew 7:13.
* Hogs are bad, but sin is worse.
Though there are many plans to solve the hog problem, it’s yet to be cured. But here is where hogs and sin are different. There is a cure for sin. God sent His only Son to be sacrificed for us and cure our sin problem!
“For He (God) made Him (Christ) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
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