Hosea 8 – 14
Verse 8:4 outlines how many of us run our lives:
They made kings, but not through me.
They set up princes, but I knew it not.
With their silver and gold they made idols
for their own destruction.
How often do we do thing on our own without consulting God? One reason I continue to write about my readings is to emphasize the importance of learning God’s Word. Here the Israelites have ignored the Book of the Law and have gone their own way, much like many Christians today. There is a dangerous “theology” that is getting floated these days which involves feelings more than doctrinal truths. We often confuse “feel good” to God saying it is ok.
God is not going to suddenly change the “rules” for your feelings or deals. A quote I have heard often is “the new car must have been from God, the finance guy miraculously gave us the loan!” No, God did not want you to go into debt so you could suddenly have “new wheels”. I have made the same justification dating; it’s ok with God since we plan on getting married. The reward of marriage comes without the commitment and the first rocky period causes the relationship to end. God didn’t make that deal, I did!
This is the reason once we accept Christ as savior we need to follow Him!! The best way to follow is to read the Word and understand it. A side benefit is you can easily recognize false theologies.
Verse 13:3 talks about our insignificance when we rebel:
Therefore they shall be like the morning mist
or like the dew that goes early away,
like the chaff that swirls from the threshing floor
or like smoke from a window.
We are really nothing more than a blip on the radar to God or as Shakespeare says; “A poor player that struts and frets his hour on the stage and is heard no more.” In the grand scheme of things we are NOTHING! But interestingly we get into Chapter 14 and see that even though we are just a “walking shadow” (Shakespeare again) we are of value to God. Verse 14:1 shows God cares:
Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God,
for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.
God desperately wants us to live our lives to the fullest. I believe He made the Law not to convict us, but to provide guidelines on how to live. He cares about each one of us and wants a relationship, so much so we can spit in His face and He will forgive us!
Verse 14:9 ends the book of Hosea with hope:
Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;
whoever is discerning, let him know them;
for the ways of the LORD are right,
and the upright walk in them,
but transgressors stumble in them.
You get to choose two paths, one with the Lord and one without. Hosea makes it clear the wise will follow the Lord. The Law is not made to have us stumble, but rather to live life to the full. We can choose to ignore the food laws and have a greater possibility of health problems. It’s not a sin to eat pork, just not a food God intended for perfect health. It’s not a sin not to tithe or save, but it will help your financial management when times are tough. God actually does not look at YOU as a mist, but a precious life that for this brief moment He wants to enjoy with you!