(Hosea 4:1-19)
Listen to the word of the Lord, you sons of Israel,
Because the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land,For there is no faithfulness, nor loyalty,
Nor knowledge of God in the land.
2 There is oath-taking, denial, murder, stealing, and adultery.
They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed.
3 Therefore the land mourns,
And everyone who lives in it languishes
Along with the animals of the field and the birds of the sky,
And even the fish of the sea disappear.
4 Yet let no one find fault, and let no one rebuke;
For your people are like those who contend with a priest.
5 So you will stumble by day,
And the prophet also will stumble with you by night;
And I will destroy your mother.
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Since you have rejected knowledge,
I also will reject you from being My priest.
Since you have forgotten the Law of your God,
I also will forget your children.
7 The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me;
I will change their glory into shame.
8 They feed on the sin of My people,
And long for their wrongdoing.
9 And it will be, like people, like priest;
So I will punish them for their ways
And repay them for their deeds.
10 They will eat, but not have enough;
They will play the prostitute, but not increase,
Because they gave up devoting themselves to the Lord.
11 Infidelity, wine, and new wine take away the understanding.
12 My people consult their wooden idol, and their diviner’s wand informs them;
For a spirit of infidelity has led them astray,
And they have been unfaithful, departing from their God.
13 They offer sacrifices on the tops of the mountains
And burn incense on the hills,
Under oak, poplar, and terebinth,
Because their shade is pleasant.
Therefore your daughters play the prostitute,
And your brides commit adultery.
14 I will not punish your daughters when they play the prostitute,
Or your brides when they commit adultery,
Because the men themselves slip away with the prostitutes
And offer sacrifices with temple prostitutes;
So the people without understanding are ruined.
15 Though you, Israel, play the prostitute,
Judah must not become guilty;
Also you are not to go to Gilgal,
Nor go up to Beth-aven
And take the oath:
“As the Lord lives!”
16 Since Israel is stubborn
Like a stubborn cow,
Will the Lord now pasture them
Like a lamb in a large field?
17 Ephraim is allied with idols;
Leave him alone.
18 Their liquor is gone,
They prostitute themselves continually;
Their rulers dearly love shame.
19 The wind wraps them in its wings,
And they will be put to shame because of their sacrifices.
TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
Sin is sin. We can see here how the Lord is just, even in how He lays it out regarding prostitution and adultery. We cannot just blame the women, it takes two! So, there are the fleshly, physical sins that people commit, but the "worst" sin - the unpardonable sin - is the sin of blasphemy against the Spirit (Matthew 12:31-32). This simply means: rejecting the Lord and the salvation that He offers.
It is all about having a relationship. So, who are we really talking to and from where are we getting our guidance? As verse 12 shows us, some people consult their wooden idols... which sounds ridiculous, yet in our society today, how many people confide in their pets, or in their deceased loved ones, or are going to their devices and AI bots and/or applications? Just how healthy is are these "relationships"? And while some of these seem to reciprocate, it's shallow and it can be very misleading. Relationships with people aren't much better. These are all merely relationships in the physical realm.
What about considering a spiritual relationship with the One who is infallible and sovereign (omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent)! The One who loves us so much, He came in flesh to suffer and die in our place to pay for all sin! Because He is holy and cannot have a relationship with sin, yet - we are all born into sin!
The Lord "has a case against" everyone who sins. He is the Judge, and if someone is not found righteous, then they are guilty and sentenced to eternal death and punishment. But for anyone who chooses to have Jesus as their Advocate and Defender, we are covered in His righteousness. As believers, we are found right with God, and therefore we will enjoy eternal life in heaven, and freedom from sin and punishment!
So meanwhile, even from this passage in verse 16, we can be encouraged in knowing that the Lord is our Shepherd. Faith and trust in Him is demonstrated in our desire to remain close to Him, in a personal relationship. And as we strive to walk in His will, He will guide and strengthen us along the way - not in our way - but in His way, which is so, so much better! He knows exactly what we need and when we need it. Afterall, He created us, and knows us better than we know ourselves. AND He desires to "do life" WITH us! He is our greatest Confidant, Counselor, Friend, Parent, Protector, Provider, Advocate... Only He can fulfill and complete us!
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