Entangle.
By G.W.S. Ware
July 8, 1938
Entangle means to involve, tangle, ensnare, perplex, bewilder. The meaning of this word
is bad, all the way through. As far back as I can trace it, it was first used by a King of
Egypt to prophyesy evil against the people of God (Ex. 14:3), and got himself entangled
with the bottom of the Red Sea, and when they came up they were dead men (verse 30); and
the word is no more used in the Old Testament; but can be used correctly, how one look (2
Sam. II:2) entangled another King with adultery and murder, and the effect of his sin
hounded him to his grave.(2 Sam.12:10). No marvel, he prayed God (Ps. 119:37) after this
about his eyes. No one can tell a lie and not be a liar, and none but God can save from
its entanglements.
Sin, in its multiplied forms, is like a great spider web. Runs through the nature or is
the nature of every human being; and the first voluntary act done in life entangles him in
its web; and the more he tries to free himself by his own efforts, the deeper in he sinks.
Satan, like the spider is invisible when a human being is first caught; then in a way not
seen, he entangles his victim in other sins, till the spirit is dead, then Satan weaves a
web made of sins of ease, pleasure and profit of certain sins of this nature till in
course of time they rot through physical life; then hell closes over the entangled victim,
as the grave is covered with flowers, and plaudits flash through the public press; but the
entanglement of Satan in hell is never broken (Mark 9:48). Satan used all his power in the
wilderness (Matt. 4:I) to entangle Jesus Christ with sin, like he had the nature of man,
but failed; hence Jesus Christ will save every one entangled in sin, who will come to him
in faith. After Satan failed with Christ, he sent the Pharisees to entangle him in his
talk (Matt. 22:15), but failed on until he decided to quit (v. 46). When a christian
forsakes Christ by any cause, Satan entangles him (2 Pe. 2:2).
