Hosea 10 Commentary
Hosea references Israel’s extreme wickedness at Gibeah. Judges 19. It is never a story you want to read again! Civil war ensued. One tribe was nearly wiped out! Is the LORD spelling out a similar sentence for Ephraim, Israel?
The so-called people of God are nothing but a group of idolaters at the house of evil. Bethel should be the “House of God” but not anymore. The golden calf has taken over. Israel has abandoned the worship of the Creator God and instead has installed a golden calf as her god.
They feel prosperous. They feel secure. Their money will win the day for them! They bask in wickedness. It has brought them success. Baal has it all under control. He is a great god!
There is never a moment of true desperation than a moment of wealth and perceived security. It is often a moment of nearly zero trust in the God of Abraham. You want to stick to what you feel has worked miracles for you. But at the same time, you know it is all false. Inner fear eats your core. It is actually a moment of greatest fear, anxiety, and insecurity.
And you have good reasons to fear. The LORD moves in to punish wickedness! Assyria would be a good tool that the LORD uses to punish Israel.
Verse 8b is repeated in the New Testament by our LORD Jesus Christ in both the Books of Luke and Revelation: “Mountains, cover us! Hills, fall on us”. Luke 23 and Revelation 6. It is a reference to the day of punishment that comes as the LORD swings the whip.
But it wasn’t always this way. Israel was designed to plow new ground and plant righteousness. It is the hope that the LORD fully grants humanity at Calvary. Here and there, that time and now, and you and I can once again plant righteousness and enjoy the fruit of our devotion to the Creator God.
For now, let no one pretend to be secure. Listen to your inner fears. There are founded. There is a good reason to ponder the words of warning that the LORD repeats in the New Testament. Then listen to the words of hope. Calvary makes it possible for you and me to plant righteousness and enjoy restoration.
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