“She shall pursue her lovers but not overtake them, and she shall seek them but shall not find them. Then she shall say, ‘I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better for me then than now.’ And she did not know that it was I Who gave her the grain, the wine, and the oil, and Who lavished on her silver and gold, which they used for Baal. Therefore I will take back My grain in its time, and My wine in its season, and I will take away My wool and My flax, which were to cover her nakedness. Now I will uncover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and no one shall rescue her out of My hand.” Hosea 2:7-10
Devotional Thought For The Day
Throughout the book of Hosea, as in many other places in Holy Scripture, God’s relationship with His people is described in the language of marriage. God is the first husband, the provider and benefactor; His people are faithless, adulterous in their disloyalty to Him, flitting about in various idolatries, pursuing such “lovers.” God’s provision for His people, both in the physical blessings He pours out upon us and especially in the spiritual blessings of forgiveness, cleansing, salvation, and eternal life, “covers our nakedness.” We are weak, vulnerable, requiring God’s blessings, help, and protection, and we are sinful, in desperate need of His gracious and merciful forgiveness. He has provided all of these things for us in His great gift of a Savior, His own beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. His goal is always our greatest good and welfare, and even when He convicts of sin and displays it, even when He takes away wealth, power, and ascendency, He only seeks to call us back to repentance and into the safety of His household, back into a bound relationship of love and respect.
This analogy enables us to properly understand God’s relationship with and actions toward people today. There is no question that God has richly blessed America with wealth, power, and ascendency. We were not always a “world power,” and certainly not the greatest national power on earth. Especially after World War II, however, America has been abundantly blessed financially and granted preeminent military power in the world. God has been a good husband to us, a great provider and benefactor, and prior generations had greater understanding and appreciation of these things. But a wicked generation arose who attributed these blessings to themselves, to their own determination, intelligence, ingenuity, and hard work. They “did not know that it was I Who gave her the grain, the wine, and the oil, and Who lavished on her silver and gold.” And in this intentional ignorance and rebellion, this generation declared its independence from God, and committed itself to using God’s gifts “for Baal,” to taking on other “lovers” and serving and pleasing them. What are these idols and lovers? All of the things we value more highly than God, all of the things we respect more than Him, all of the things that lure us away from worshiping Him and serving Him with our behavior, all of the things that are contrary to His Word.
That we might come to our senses and conclude that it would be better for us to return to God, He takes away the blessings we use to be unfaithful to God. He removes our blessings, our resources, our wealth and power. He reveals our vulnerabilities. He makes it impossible for us to even find our “lovers,” though we may continue to pursue them. He rips away our hypocritical masks, revealing our real shame, no longer covering those who refuse His Christ, His forgiveness and salvation. And when such devastation comes there will be no one to rescue the unfaithful, the rebels – only jackals to devour what is left, and vultures to pick the bones clean. Already we have insufficient resources to heal the natural disasters that are impacting our nation with what seems to be greater frequency, or to continue keeping our enemies at a distance and at bay. Our national debt, which we seem unable to control or reduce, makes us vulnerable to many things. Laziness, wastefulness, and belief in entitlement have destroyed the personal strength and character of many.
As of yet there appears to be little good sense to return to God. The movement still seems to be toward greater spiritual “lewdness” and depravity, more lovers and more despicable lovers. So, let us pray God to grant us the good sense to live in greater repentance and faithfulness to Him. And let us pray God to provide this good sense to our fellow citizens, and do what we can to encourage them back to God, before it is too late. Within the church we too have allowed many things to become more important than God, and have made our personal earthly desires and pleasures into “lovers.” There is much unfaithfulness to God – lack of real zeal and fervor for the Word of God, for His gracious will of bringing people to repentance and faith, and for the work, welfare, and health of the church. So the church is in decline, and many congregations have already come to demise. God invites us back to Him, to His forgiveness and clothing, to His provision and blessing. Let us take care to continue in His household, with Him as our faithful husband and loving Lord, thankful to Him, grateful, and eager to love and please Him. This is His will for all of us, and He will always be faithful to us!
Prayer For The Day
Dear Lord Jesus, help us to see Your faithfulness and love toward us. Help us also to recognize our unfaithfulness and our other “lovers” for what they are. Grant us whatever discipline we require so that we return to You, to our first love, and grow in faithfulness to You. Keep us in repentance and strengthen our desire to love and serve You through Your gracious love for us. Preserve us in faith and love until You bring us into Your heavenly kingdom. Amen.