[2:87] And We gave Moses the Scripture, and after him We sent successive messengers, and We gave Jesus son of Mary the clear proofs, and We confirmed him with the Holy Spirit, and whenever there came to you a messenger, with what your souls did not desire, you became arrogant; and some, you called liars, and some you slay?
The allusion is 'We delivered the address to them and made one messenger to follow after another, all calling to the same thing. But they listened to the call of the callers with the ear of caprice (hawā), accepting what the lower selves found pleasurable and rejecting what their whims (ahwāÌ) found troublesome. They were characterized by this self-serving desire and moreover became servants (ʿabadū) to it. The [human] attributes of the worshiper (ʿābid) became the object of worship (maʿbūd)'. What a terrible affliction upon them!