Take Two: Hosea 7, Proverbs 10

Chapter 7 of Hosea is a continuation of the unit we picked up yesterday. In it, we see the condition of Israel and we see that God is again holding the leaders of Israel's institutions guilty for her plight.

One of the indicators of her deep sinfulness is the violence that is rampant in society (v.1-3). Remember that God appoints civil leaders for the punishment of evildoers. God points out that the wickedness among the people makes the king's heart glad (v.3). The hearts of the leaders were hearts of self-interest. To think of it in modern terms...as more crime arose, there was more justification for government protection/intervention. The government was more interested in its own self-perpetuation than that of the constituents. (The same charge was made earlier about the religious leaders who benefitted from many sacrifices.)

v.8-12 shows that the complaint is also against the religious order. The religious leaders are personally superficial and therefore promote superficial (surface level) worship. They do not point people to trust God completely; rather, they promote alliances with Assyria and Egypt as good to protect the people. v.12 is the final statement on their actions: God will punish them according to their actions. Since they have not relied on Him, He will give them over. He will not allow their rebellion to succeed. They have forsaken Him so He will insure that their plans fail.

Let's not forget that this is not vengeful on the part of God...but is a gracious act of love. God desires their return, so He will not bless their rebellion; on the contrary, He will allow their rebellion to bring pain, so they will be motivated to return to Him. Said simply: God loves us too much for Him to allow our sin to satisfy.

v.13-16 is the lament of God toward the people due to their actions. In essence, God says it is done. Their actions have brought about what I did not wish (punishment), but I will not relent. They shall reap what they have sown.

A POINT should probably be stated here. No one has difficulty with a God who is merciful, rescues, and protects; but, some struggle with a God who judges righteously. God is merciful and He is just. This is why the sin debt of the world had to be settled in Christ's sacrifice. People cannot settle their own sin debt because the justice of God demands too high of a price for sin. People can only ask for God's mercy. When God responds mercifully He must continue to be just...so He had to provide a substitute to settle the sin debt (Jesus Christ). This is the only way God can be both infinitely merciful and infinitely just.

Proverbs 10:5 is my takeaway today. "He who gathers in harvest is a son who acts wisely, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully."

It is reasonable to say that the writer is speaking about work ethic and responsibility here, but a couple of observations might not be as obvious. Both people are sons (young men) and both were provided a harvest. Said elsewhere, "God causes the rain to fall on the righteous as well as the wicked." What determines whether we are wise (honorable) of (foolish) shameful is what we do with that which is entrusted to us.

Grace,