Hosea 10
The Lord has always looked for fruitful obedience from
those who have been known to be part of His family. Israel was “a
luxuriant vine,” but it produced idolatry and rebellion. As the
nation increased in prosperity, the leaders and their subjects in the
northern part of the Promised Land built “more altars” for
prohibited worship and more ornate “pillars” for strange
devotions to foreign gods and goddesses. Jehovah was not impressed. A
golden calf that Israel loved would be sent off to Assyria and the
places of forbidden religion would be decimated.
“Samaria's king shall perish like a twig on the face
of the waters.” The citizens were no longer sure that they even
needed a ruler. They wanted their own way in everything. “Their
heart is false, now they must bear their own guilt.”
One day there would be such devastation in Israel that
men and women who had once appeared brave would say to the mountains,
“Cover us!” They would cry to the hills, “Fall on us!” Many
would seek a speedy death by natural disaster rather than face the
brutality of a foreign army.
The Lord had a good purpose for this severe national
discipline. His chosen ones needed to bear this “yoke” of
suffering in the hope that they would truly return to Him. “Sow for
yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow
ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, that He may come and rain
righteousness upon you.”
Despite the failure of multitudes who had rejected the
commandments of the Lord of Hosts, God had not forgotten His promise
to bring forth an eternal King of Glory. Jesus is that long-expected
Savior. In Him we have a Man who will never die, be defeated in
battle, or fall to the corruption of this sinful world. He is our
holy Lord, and because of Him we can have great confidence that we
belong to “a kingdom that cannot be shaken.” (Hebrews 12:28)
Prayer
from A
Book of Prayers
God of Grace, You
have brought us through many challenging times. We have faced trials
from enemies, and great troubles from our own false words and
actions. We repent, O Lord God. We do not want to go back to the
place of our ugly sin, but desire to move forward toward the new
world You have for us. Your Son has taken upon Himself the trouble
that we deserved. He was cut off from the land of the living for us
and by His life and death we are fully restored. We thank You for
Your abundant mercy.
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