Hosea 8:3-12
3 Israel has spurned the good; the enemy shall pursue him. 4 They made kings, but not through me. They set up princes, but I knew it not. With their silver and gold they made idols for their own destruction. 5 I have spurned your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence? 6 For it is from Israel; a craftsman made it; it is not God. The calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces. 7 For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; it shall yield no flour; if it were to yield, strangers would devour it. 8 Israel is swallowed up; already they are among the nations as a useless vessel. 9 For they have gone up to Assyria, a wild donkey wandering alone; Ephraim has hired lovers. 10 Though they hire allies among the nations, I will soon gather them up. And the king and princes shall soon writhe because of the tribute. 11 Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they have become to him altars for sinning. 12 Were I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands, they would be regarded as a strange thing.
There are consequences to our sin. "They sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind" (verse 7). We reap what we sow, and when we sow immorality, we end up suffering the consequences of that immorality (think about the consequences you have experienced; a few possible consequences are disease, divorce, and depression). Another effect is that the more we partake of sin, the less understanding we have of God's truth. "Were I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands, they would be regarded as a strange thing (verse 12). God's call to purity and holiness can seem like "a strange thing", a crazy, unrealistic idea. But the problem lies not in the truth of God, but in our spiritual blindness. Thus the prophet cries out: "How long will they be incapable of innocence?" (verse 5).
Lord, help me to be capable of innocence, that I may know You.
3 Israel has spurned the good; the enemy shall pursue him. 4 They made kings, but not through me. They set up princes, but I knew it not. With their silver and gold they made idols for their own destruction. 5 I have spurned your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence? 6 For it is from Israel; a craftsman made it; it is not God. The calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces. 7 For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; it shall yield no flour; if it were to yield, strangers would devour it. 8 Israel is swallowed up; already they are among the nations as a useless vessel. 9 For they have gone up to Assyria, a wild donkey wandering alone; Ephraim has hired lovers. 10 Though they hire allies among the nations, I will soon gather them up. And the king and princes shall soon writhe because of the tribute. 11 Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they have become to him altars for sinning. 12 Were I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands, they would be regarded as a strange thing.
There are consequences to our sin. "They sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind" (verse 7). We reap what we sow, and when we sow immorality, we end up suffering the consequences of that immorality (think about the consequences you have experienced; a few possible consequences are disease, divorce, and depression). Another effect is that the more we partake of sin, the less understanding we have of God's truth. "Were I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands, they would be regarded as a strange thing (verse 12). God's call to purity and holiness can seem like "a strange thing", a crazy, unrealistic idea. But the problem lies not in the truth of God, but in our spiritual blindness. Thus the prophet cries out: "How long will they be incapable of innocence?" (verse 5).
Lord, help me to be capable of innocence, that I may know You.