In the 5th chapter, Hosea continues his charge agaianst the people of Israel. In vv.1-4, we see that the focus appears to be toward the leadership and "backbone" of the society. The Priests (religious institution) and the king (civil leadership) are both mentioned as though Hosea is placing responsibility for the downward slide of the nation on the heads of the leadership...or lack thereof. As seen before, there is great responsibility inherent in the role of leaders...and God places a high standard of judgment on them when they lead others astray. (A New Testament parallel is seen in James 3:1).
Since the theme in this chapter is similar to things we have looked at before, I want to look at two concepts in particular that are new and interesting to me.
In v.4, "Their (Israel's) deeds will not allow them to return to their God. For a spirit of harlotry is within them." This is an example of how ones heart becomes hardened and calloused due to sin. Some think that passages like in Exodus (where God hardened Pharoah's heart) imply that God overrode what Pharoah wanted/desired and supernaturally hardened his heart so that Pharoah would reject God and thus be deserving of God's judgment. I have a great deal of difficulty with a picture of a God who "stacks the deck" in such a way that man's freewill is violated. This verse in Hosea sheds light on what I think has taken place. First, the choice of man to sin is what created the obstruction between Israel and God. They were engaged in the sin so long and so intently that they had moved far from God.
Verse 7 says that they have born "illegitimate children," a reference to the fact that their offspring were more familiar and alligned with Baal worship that God worship. As such, the distance that one must cover to come to know, believe, and place trust in Yahweh has increased...to an almost insurmountable level.
Where I served before, I met many people who were 2 or 3 generations "post-church." For them, the concept of church had lost its authoritative voice in their lives...much more so than for their parents or their grandparents.
Another example of this happens nearly every Sunday. A sermon is preached about a sin in a person's life. There is a call for them to repent. As they resist that call to repentence, they move further away from the conviction they felt. To repeatedly resist the call to repent...means that it becomes easier and easier to walk away...thus making it very difficult (if not impossible) to be restored to God.
The Point: Repent Early, Repent Often, Don't let the sun go down on your sin. When God points out some change that needs to be made in your life...don't wait until you're ready. You may not get another chance.
The second idea is in v.10. "The princes of Judah have become like those who move a boundary (stone)." Moving boundary stones was strictly forbidden. It was a cowardly, deceptive way that a man would steal another man's land (inches or feet at a time). The penalty was judgment of the most severe kind.
The Princes that moved the boundaries could be a picture of their condemnation. It could also be (and I prefer this interpretation) a reference to their slowly allowing the degradation of faithfulness to God to slip away. By accepting more and more evil as acceptable, they slowly led the people astray. As a man stole another man's land inches and feet at a time, they stole "land" in the heart of man from the one who owns the heart by embracing evil and abominable practices.
The Point: We MUST hold fast to that which was entrusted to us by God and never allow a movement of the boundaries. The standard is the standard...and to change it, is to invite judgment on us and on those who look to leaders as examples of the standard.
Proverbs 8:35 is my takeaway. "For he who finds me (wisdom) finds life and obtains favor from the Lord." This chapter affirms that wisdom is the key to success and begins with fear (reverence) for the Lord. It affirms that wisdom is timeless (it existed before the world), and being wise magnifies God. Seek to be "wise" today.
Grace,
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2 comments:
Predestination... I try not to think on it too hard since it kind of gives me a headache but that is what your thoughts on verse 4 remind me of. I am very interested on Pharoah and King Saul and the idea that God hardened their hearts. It is a crazy idea that a God who loves us would do such a thing. But on the flip side, God continues to talk until he is tired of talking. And if we love Him as much as we try to convince everyone is church that we do then there would be no need to harden our hearts. I want to ask why but I am sure that is one of the many questions I am going to ask when I have my turn in heaven.
I don't think I have a problem with repetence, I like to believe that I repent. I don't know how honest I am with myself though. So often I think I talk myself out of repenting just because I have convinced myself that I haven't sinned or my sin wasn't that bad. The bad thing is, it is that small voice I am talking to, trying to convince that the action was not that bad, well wouldn't that be the holy spirit. The holy spirit is telling me to repent and I am telling the holy spirit that it wasn't that bad. How do you get past this? Any ideas.
Anonymous,
Thanks for the reply. First, I might encourage you to go back and re-read my comments. I don't think God took a "neutral" or "willing to believe" Pharoah and "predestined" that his heart would be hardened. That is the equivalent to stacking the deck...so that Pharoah would have no opportunity to respond to God. I have explanations on the verse...but this post won't allow the time.
As for your question on ideas about the argument with the Holy Spirit...what I think you should do...well here goes.
Stop arguing. Yiled to the Holy Spirit's voice on the matter. It is not like God is trying to get you to convince Him. He is not sitting on the fence on the matter. God has spoken and the Holy Spirit brings conviction. Our possible responses are limited to only two: YIELD and trust God, or REJECT the conviction. To reject is to know that the conviction will continue until we can no longer experience the conviction, either because we are "hardened" to it...or we can no longer repent (meaning we have died).
As a guy who has rejected many times and struggles to yield in some way nearly daily...I can tell you that the best thing to do is yield.
Thanks for the reply.
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