Village Schools of the Bible

A Devotional Study of Hosea
by Max Frazier, Jr

THE CASE AGAINST ISRAEL: JUDGMENT IS COMING: Hosea 10

As we observed in our last study together, God's verdict against Israel was "rejection." They had turned their back upon Him and had scorned His call for a reconciliation and forgiveness. Therefore, now they must pay the penalty, and it was to be a very severe one at that.

Verse 2 shares a powerful statement of truth. That verse reads, Their heart is deceitful, and now they must bear their guilt. The Lord will demolish their altars and destroy their sacred stones. Our hearts are indeed deceitful. Jeremiah proclaimed, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9)

At times we are so deceived as to think that God will never punish our sins. God may delay the judgment for awhile, as He did with Israel, but the time will come when we must bear our guilt. God was very patient with those people living during the days when Noah was building the ark. In fact, for one hundred and twenty years, God was patient with them. Every day was a day of admonition for them to come to repentance, because, as Peter proclaimed, God is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

Friends, one of the great eternal truths of this tenth chapter of Hosea is that we should not let sins pile up in our lives thinking that God will somehow overlook them. Just because God delays His discipline does not mean that it will not occur. How much wiser it is for us to heed the admonition of John as he wrote, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Confessing our sins now before God will spare us from bearing their guilt later on.

Hosea also addresses two issues in this chapter that can cause a person to abandon his confidence and trust in God. The first is the abundance of wealth. Verse 1 proclaims, Israel was a spreading vine; he brought forth fruit for himself. As his fruit increased, he built more altars; as his land prospered, he adorned his sacred stones. Somehow, like Israel, we think everything is all right if we have money. Life is good when you have wealth, and often God is put "on the back burner." It is easy for a rich man to consider that he himself is responsible for what he has instead of reflecting upon the Lord's gifts. There is nothing wrong with wealth, but we need to remember from Whom it has come.

The second issue is that of strength of arms. We read in verse 13, Because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors, the roar of battle will rise against your people...We count our soldiers and our weapons. If we count more than our enemy, then we feel secure. But national strength is never to be derived from men and guns. It comes from a dependence upon God. Our encouragement must come from the Lord. Let us always remember those words from the pen of David, Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God (Psalm 20:7)

May God help each of us today to reflect upon the cleansing from our sins and the strength to overcome those temptation we encounter, and give praise to God from Whom all these blessings flow.

Further Thoughts from Hosea 10:

KEY WORDS: Seek the Lord; Love; Sin; Sinned

KEY VERSE: Verse 12 is God's gracious command to Israel.

PURPOSE STATEMENT: This chapter shows the certainty of the coming judgment upon Israel for her idolatrous practices.

OUTLINE: DESTRUCTION IS COMING

I. A deceitful heart bears guilt - verses 1-2

II. Idols will be carried away captive - verses 3-8

III. A time to seek God because destruction awaits - verses 9-15

Hosea 9 Return to the Table of Contents Hosea 11