Dwell in the Word: Hosea 9:1-10:15

Think on these questions as you dwell in Hosea 9:1-10:15:

1. The passage describes a nation that initially received blessings from God but turned away to idolatry. In what ways can this ancient narrative serve as a cautionary tale for modern societies or individuals who experience abundance but might be inclined to rely on their own strength rather than seeking God?

2. The text emphasizes the importance of sowing righteousness and reaping steadfast love as a means to return to God. How can individuals today practically cultivate righteousness and seek God in their lives amidst the distractions and demands of contemporary society?

3. The passage highlights Israel's shift from relying on God's blessings to trusting in their own abilities. In what ways does this reflect a universal human tendency to credit personal accomplishments to self rather than recognizing God's providence and grace? How can individuals guard against this tendency and maintain a posture of dependence on God?

Transcript:

 As I said, that's a lot of text there, but you can see why it's really one thought. It's a flowing judgment that is coming from God. And we see it starts out, hey, people, don’t rejoice.  Don't be like people who are allowed to have joy. You have forsaken your God. And so, the prophet goes on here to speak of what is going to happen.

They're not going to remain in the land. They're going to be sent. into exile. Uh, they'll be sent to Egypt. They shall eat unclean food in Assyria. In other words, they're not going to be able to keep all the religious rituals that they see as valuable. Uh, they have been doing these things, even though their hearts were not towards God, but now they're not going to be able to do them at all.

Notice verse 4. They shall not pour drink offerings of wine to the Lord. Their sacrifices shall not please Him. Um, shall be like mortar's bread to them, all who eat of it shall be defiled. And here's the key, for their bread shall be for their hunger only. You're only going to eat what you need to survive.

You're not going to be able to offer anything to the Lord because you're going to be going into exile and that means that you are going to be in slavery and in poverty. And notice verse 10 of chapter 9, like grapes in the wilderness I found Israel, like the first fruit on the fig tree, in its first season I saw your fathers.

God called each, uh, Israel out as his own people. He went and found them. They did not seek him. He went and found them. And yet, they turned away from him. As it says, they consecrated themselves to the thing of shame. They became detestable. Like the thing that they loved. They went after... The idols they went after the things of the flesh and so we see that Israel was different.

We see this in verse 10 that Israel is a luxurious vine that yields its fruit. Israel is to be better. Israel is to be blessed by God But what happened with that blessing the more the fruit increased the more altars Israel built as the country improved, he improved the pillars. Now, this is not like pillars holding up buildings.

These are sites of idolatry. And so, what does God say? Their heart is false. So, now they must bear the guilt. And the Lord is going to destroy all this stuff. It was because of the blessings that he brought to them that they were able to do this. And now he's going to take it away in judgment.  And so, we see that God disciplines Israel, he disciplines his people. In verse 10 of chapter 10 when I please I will discipline them, and nations shall be gathered against them with their bound up for their double iniquity. They have once again done what they did before they have done what their fathers did in Gibeah but now God is going to discipline them.

And how does he do that? We've seen this before God disciplines Israel Not by lightning bolts from the sky, but by sending in the unclean people, the people that were not chosen by God to take them into exile and overthrow them. God had built them up. God had made them the powerful nation around them.

Nope, because of their idolatry, he has caused them to fall. So, what does God say to do? We see it in verse 12, and it's clear. They're to sow for themselves righteousness, and they're to reap steadfast love. They're to break up the fallow ground, for it's time to seek the Lord. That he may come and rain righteousness on them. 

He's telling them return to the Lord your God.  Do what he has commanded.  What did they do instead of doing what God told them to do to seek him? To sow righteousness and reap steadfast love while they plowed iniquity. They reaped injustice. They've eaten the fruit of lies.  And why was that? Because they've trusted in their own way. They trusted in their military power.

They trusted in themselves. God has shown that he is the one who saves them. He is the one who gives them what they need.  In their abundance thought it was them, but God is showing them that it is him. So, the application for you and I here is pretty straightforward. We see the judgment of God.  And we understand that we are sinners and that we should be seeking God.

And so, may we in our lives do what verse 12 says. Sow for ourselves righteousness and reap steadfast love, break up our fallow ground, and seek the Lord, that He may come and rain righteousness upon us.  May we do this. May we be seeking God. May we be seeking Him in His word. May we trust that the Holy Spirit will be at work in our hearts.

And that righteousness will come out of our lives and we will love others with a godly love because God works in his people and we through the Word and Spirit have the opportunity to show his love to the world.