"A God Who Judges" May 17 Readings: Hosea 8-14

Today's Reading - Hosea 8-14

Background

Hosea is largely written against the Israelite Tribe of Ephraim. Today's readings contains a series of oracles - prophetic words - against Israel/Ephraim, ending in a word of hope. Hosea's prophecy is the first to compare marriage to the human relationship with God.

Devotional - A God Who Judges 

"It isn't my fault."
"It was just bad luck."
"They did it first."
"I'm only human."

We are so often people of excuses, rationalizations, and justifications. We push the blame off on others and we deny our culpability for sin. Evidently, this was a problem with Israel (and Judah) as well. They had been told that God would bless them if they were obedient but that their sin would bring the judgment of devastating consequences. Yet, when Israel began to suffer for their wickedness and idolatry - in exact measure as Leviticus and Deuteronomy had predicted - they were dumbfounded that their sin could possibly be the cause of their problems. They were the chosen people, special to God. Surely he wouldn't let this happen.

But in Hosea 10:13-14, God makes his purposes plain.

You have plowed wickedness and reaped injustice;you have eaten the fruit of lies.Because you have trusted in your own wayand in your large number of soldiers,the roar of battle will rise against your people,and all your fortifications will be demolishedin a day of war.

They were reaping what they were sowing and the horror coming their way was laid at their own feet.

There are many reasons that we suffer. Sometimes we suffer for the sins of others. Sometimes it is just the fruit of life in a fallen world. Sometimes God is doing something we don't understand to accomplish his purpose and sometimes he is testing us. But if we look at the word of God and at our lives and realize that what is happening is tied to our choices and our actions, it does little good to attempt to deny responsibility. Better to repent and seek God - he is always gracious and just, a God willing to forgive and to restore.

Father, help me to better understand what you are doing in my life and what your actions mean. 

Think and Pray

Look at the suffering and hardship going on in your life.
What might God be doing in that?
What could be the possible reasons for these?