By Robert Olsen, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Christian Studies, University of Mobile
The Sin Harvested
Hosea 10:5–15
False religion (5–8)
The prophet Hosea continues in his condemnation of Israel, the northern kingdom. Israel had erected two golden calves as gods when Jeroboam became the first king of the northern tribes. Prophesying about the future destruction of Samaria, Hosea points out how the calf itself will be given to the king of Assyria as tribute, while the king of Israel will be like sea-foam, useless and unable to do anything to stop the oncoming attack. Because of the future destruction, the people were obviously concerned the idols would be taken. The Israelites had an incorrect understanding of God.
One problem with making idols, or physical representations of God, is the representation cannot capture God in all His glory and thereby demeans Him. If you ask people how God is usually pictured, they may say like an old man or perhaps a lion. Age is meant to represent wisdom, and the lion is meant to depict strength. However, neither of these captures every aspect of who God is.
The Bible uses illustrations to convey aspects of God’s character but never reduces God to a single picture. Making a physical idol also tends to associate God with a single spot or location. If the idol can be taken, it is as if God Himself has been removed. The God of the Bible is not limited to a singular location but instead rules over the entire universe at all times.
Misplaced trust (9–10)
Through Hosea, God reminds the people of Israel they have sinned since the days of Gibeah (Judges 19), when Israel had a civil war between the tribe of Benjamin and the rest of Israel. The northern tribe thought it could appeal to their idol and have reprieve, but their trust is in the idol and useless religious activities.
This has relevance for us today. It is easy for people to look for God’s blessing in things other than in God. For example, one might think that because they have been reading their Bible daily and going to church regularly, God will answer their prayers in the way they want. Christians need to trust in God because He is our loving Father and wants what is best for us, even when we can’t understand it.
What could have been (11–12)
God tells Israel that instead of seeking idols and festivals, they should sow righteousness. The metaphor Hosea uses here of Israel as a calf being yoked illustrates how Israel should act: as a calf being trained to do work. In this case, the work they are to train for is God’s work: sowing righteousness.
As is typical in prophetic books, God desires the people to return to Him. When they do, God takes them back. This is a major theme in the book of Hosea, beginning with Hosea taking a wayward wife to show God’s compassion in accepting His people back when they turn to Him. This is encouraging for believers because it shows that none of us is ever too far from God. If God can take back even these Israelites, surely He can take us back when we repent of sin and turn to Him. However, this also indicates we need to be willing to forgive our enemies, just as God forgives us.
Sowing unrighteousness (13–15)
Instead of turning back to God, the northern kingdom persisted in its wickedness, and Hosea explains God is going to destroy it.
God must punish sin since He is holy. Each person is guilty of sinning against a holy God, and they can choose to pay for this sin on their own, which means they face eternal separation from God in hell, or they can trust in Christ’s perfect sacrifice for their payment.
God has paid the price for our sin in Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. All we have to do is accept this payment by believing in Christ, and we can spend eternity in the presence of God.
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