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.

The prophet has been using the image of an adulterous wife to illustrate the relationship between God and Israel. Now the image changes…Israel is like a rebellious child. But there is hope for this rebel…

Read Hosea 11: 1-4 and 8-11

In chapter 11 of Hosea, God doesn’t speak as the betrayed “husband” of adulterous Israel, but rather as the betrayed parent of a much-loved child. Taking the different images a stage further, it might be possible to divorce an adulterous wife, but rebellious children can’t be divorced and even if they could, God displays a great tension that he is feeling in verse 8, “How can I give you up, Israel?”. The rebellious child could be thrown out of the house and the parent have no more to do with them, or the parent could choose the path of painful discipline, followed by restoration and comfort. God chooses the latter path.

It is a great temptation for us to attempt to caste God in our own image, and believe that God should react angrily when let down. God, however, bluntly reminds us that he is the Holy One, not a mere human, and his plan is not to destroy but to save. Israel will face the consequences of their rebellion, as we have said before, in exile and the loss of land and Temple worship, but God’s desire is for a chastened Israel to return to him and , in turn, return to their land and a renewed worship. God’s tenacious love gives them hope.

How can God give them this hope when justice should surely demand that Israel is punished for their rebellion? If Israel is God’s son, then surely God also has in mind another Son, yet to be revealed. Matthew 2: 15 reminds us that Jesus was also “Called out of Egypt” right at the beginning of his life. Jesus is the Son who went on to live, die and rise again so that all could become recipients of God’s grace, those who lived before the time of Jesus being just as much beneficiaries of that grace as those who have lived since. And actually, Jesus changed something else in this prophecy… he could say I am the Holy One AND a human.

Look back over your life at the times that God has needed to discipline you out of his love for you. Thank God for restoring you and changing you.

The people of Israel are not acknowledging God, and whilst they bear some responsibility, God plants the main blame squarely at the door of the religious and political leaders.

Read Hosea 4: 4-9

Leadership has very little to do with demanding that people do what you say. Primarily, it has to do with living as an example and backing up your life with teaching that helps others do the same. Example and teaching are the twin foundations of sound leadership.

The priests of Israel were messed up on both counts. They lacked in their personal relationship with God, by ignoring what they knew to be his way of doing things. They sold-out to idols to maintain their popularity and place in society. They actually rejoiced when people sinned, because they knew it would benefit them when the people brought their sin-offerings to the temple. If our leaders are dependent on the people they work with for their income, they will often be loath to upset them with confrontation and hard words. The same is true for political leaders with limited accountability… they get their pay regardless of their morality and competence, at least until the next election.

The priests were also clearly failing to teach the Torah, the law, otherwise the people would be aware of how far they were all slipping from God’s way.

Because of the failure of the leaders to lead by example and teaching, everyone was suffering.

So leaders are always the first to be scrutinised when things are going wrong. But here’s the thing…most of us exercise leadership in one sphere of influence or another, be it small or large, family, work or church, we all have responsibility as leaders somewhere. Are our example and teaching up to the task?

Pray for the people God has given you to lead. Pray that you will lead in such a way that they see your Godly lifestyle and want to find out how they too can live that way.

Remember God’s grace. God can use flawed leaders if their hearts are for him…remember leaders like Moses, King David and the apostle Peter, who all had major flaws but were still called, equipped and used by God.