Pilgrim Traveller

Time is running out! In chapters 12 and 13, Hosea gives Israel a history lesson which underlines his despair that they will not come back to God in the present and so avoid a disastrous future.

Read Hosea 12: 2-14

The poet Steve Turner wrote this brief poem, that neatly sums up Hosea’s prophecy in chapters 12 and 13.

History repeats itself.
Has to.
No-one listens.

Hosea reminds Israel of three ways that they constantly reject God and go their own way, using three characters from their history:

• Jacob, the deceiving cheat, who got himself and his family into all sorts of trouble by not doing things God’s way. (Genesis 27 and 28)
• They REBEL against God, illustrated by the story of Moses, who enacted God’s recue of Israel from slavery in Egypt, only to have them rebel against God in the desert and in their new land. (Numbers 12 to 20)
• They REPLACE God, illustrated by the story of Saul, who became king after the people demanded that God gave them a king so they could be like the other nations. That didn’t turn out well either. (1 Samuel 12 and 15)

Thomas Merton says: “The only mistake that remains a mistake is one from which you do not learn.”

Unfortunately Israel have a history of failing to learn, going their own, God-ignoring,  way, which leads to disaster. Then God raises up a rescuer, who delivers Israel, who then begin the cycle over again. They do not learn…and for them, time has run out.

Hosea is writing these words less than 5 years before Israel is totally destroyed in 722 BC, when the tiny group of survivors is either taken off into exile in Assyria or flee as fugitives to Egypt. Assyria settles non-Jews in the land and the Northern Kingdom essentially disappears from history.

Jesus told a story in Luke 13:6-9 NLT

“A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. [7] Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’ [8] “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. [9] If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’”

Jesus was speaking here of Israel and its system of sacrifice and Temple worship. Sadly, Israel once again failed to listen, to learn from its past, despite God’s constant intervention, and in 70 AD all that was swept away by the Romans.

Look back over your life. How many times has Jesus prayed to the Father on your behalf? How many times has he asked for more grace for you, so that your life can be fruitful? Maybe he’s having to ask right now.

Thank him for his constant grace, for a multitude of second chances and ask him to enable you to live the new life that Jesus has given you in a more fruitful way.