Read: Hosea 8-9
Hosea sounds
the alarm! The people of Israel claim to
know and love the Lord but their deeds tell another story. They have failed to follow the Lord’s
instructions and they have broken their covenant with Him (8:1). By choosing to follow a morally corrupt path
they will be invaded by an enemy army (8:2-3).
One of their sins was choosing
their own kings and royal officials instead of letting God lead and guide
(8:4a). These leaders sinned by creating
idols of silver and gold (8:4b-6). Hosea related the foolishness of the people
to a farmer who plants under wrong conditions and doesn’t reap a harvest (8:7). He then described them as a useless
cup/vessel (8:8) and finally as a wild donkey (8:9). The next charge related to their foreign policy
of hiring allies (8:10). This would cost
them dearly leading to their defeat and severe oppression at the hands of the
Assyrians. The very altars that were to
take away the sin of the people had become a place that multiplied sin (8:11).
The Lord condemned their worship practices in previous chapters and again
emphasizes the unacceptable nature of their sacrifices as being in clear
violation of the Law (8:13). The Lord
did not accept their offerings and would punish their sins (8:13). They had forgotten the One who had made them
(8:14). They had built palaces and
fortified cities and would pay for their self-reliance. In chapter nine Hosea continues His
condemnation of Israel by warning them further.
Because they had forsaken God the land would produce diminished harvests
(9:2) and they will be exiled to a foreign land (9:3). In captivity they would eat food that was
ceremonially unclean (9:3) and would no longer have the privilege of offering
sacrifices to the Lord (9:4). Even if
they could offer sacrifices while in captivity they would not be considered
acceptable by the Lord. Those who would try
to escape the invading army by fleeing to Egypt would end up dying and being
buried in Memphis (9:6). “The days of punishment have come” (9:7),
God would no longer withhold His judgment but would punish them for their sins
(9:9). Imagery is used in verses 10-17
of chapter nine for unfaithful Israel.
First, they are compared to grapes in the wilderness or the first fig on
the fig tree (9:10). A traveler would
find delight in this discovery and be refreshed by them as God initially took
delight in His people. But that was
short lived. Because of their compromise
they and their offspring would perish. The
lack of spiritual productivity will be reflected in the people’s inability to
have children. There would be
miscarrying wombs (9:14), their children would die (9:16b) and their babies
would starve (9:14b). If this nation did
not change it would head toward extinction.
In their hearts they had strayed from the Lord therefore they would
physically wander among the nations (9:17) as exiles from their land.
Prayer and Journaling
1. The people of Israel claimed to know and love
the Lord but their deeds told another story.
We know that salvation is by faith, not by works, nevertheless James is
clear that works should be evident if there is genuine faith (James
2:14-26). What type of story do your
deeds tell? Ask Jesus to give you
insight into the combination of works/faith and show you how to apply it to
your life.
2. One of the sins of Israel was choosing their own
kings and royal officials instead of letting God lead and guide. They made their own plans, showing self-reliance,
instead of following God`s plans. Christians
today do this when they make all their own decisions (often asking God to bless
those decisions) instead of spending time in listening prayer seeking out God`s
will and direction. What is one area in
your life where you need direction?
Spend some time in listening prayer asking God what His will and plans
are in that area. Commit to doing this
regularly until you receive confirmation of God`s will. Then commit to obeying what He shows
you.
3. Pray for believers to learn to intentionally
seek God`s guidance and direction in their lives. Pray for a growth in hearing God among His
people and for obedience to naturally follow.
