Part of my one year bible reading plan, i’m supposed to read my whole bible in a year. And the time came for the book of Hosea. Well, i studied the book just recently, even lead some studies, and most probably remember it by heart already. Can i skip this part and can those studying counted as i’ve read the book?
Then i decided that i should not be lazy. The more i read the better it will be. 🙂 So i read chapter 1, 2, till i read the following verses:
And she (referring to nation Israel) 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.
And I will punish her for the feast days of the Baals
when she burned offerings to them
and adorned herself with her ring and jewelry,
and went after her lovers
and forgot me, declares the LORD.
~ Hosea 2 : 8, 13 ~
The word was addressed to the nation of Israel. God judged them because they didn’t acknowledge God for the gifts they received (grain, wine, oil, silver, gold, etc) both the crops from fertile soil and natural resources from the ground underneath. Instead they use those gifts to worship other gods (Baals in their case).
Those words of judgment to them then and warning to us now (of forgetting God) were not very relevant to me then to now. At least that time when i studied few months back…it didn’t speak much to me. All the dangers being mentioned (cars, condos, money, children, relationships……honestly i didn’t have any of those things) 🙂 And i was wondering how could those things lead to sin.
As compare to now, i know it well…good enough….that yes, i could forget God because the gift is so good. Indeed God gives good gifts. And i’m in danger to forget God and worship this new relationship 🙂
Thank you Lord for reminding me 🙂
And indeed His Word is always true.
There’s no one so expert that he/she doesn’t need to read it again and again. There’s no one who truly humble him/herself to listen and go away unchanged. For it’s living and active to test our hearts:
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ~Hebrews 4 : 12~