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Ring of Truth provides 366 daily ‘proofs’ that the Bible is consistent throughout from Genesis to Revelation, and relevant for our lives today!
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Hosea 1:2
“When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, ‘Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the Lord.’”
Aren’t you glad you are not Hosea?
I am. I would hate to be called by God to do what he had to. It would be hard enough having to lie on your side like Ezekiel, or be thrown into a lion’s den like Daniel. But Hosea had to marry an adulterous woman, have three sons, allow her to return to her adultery and then take her back again. Why? Because of Hosea’s sins? No. Not even because of his wife, Gomer’s sins. But because of the sins of the children of Israel – both Judah and the rest of Israel.
God longs for a relationship with His people. He longs to have that intimacy with each one of us that a husband should enjoy with his wife. A life without formality or pretence, a relationship which is respectful yet extremely intimate, loving and special and above all never-ending.
Because we seem to be incapable of listening to God, at times He has to take ‘desperate’ measures to get our attention. Also, knowing how we are made, He uses visual parables to make His message plain.
As I have said before, God equates idolatry with adultery – the spiritual with the physical. That is why adultery is more than a ‘flesh on flesh’ sexual experience – it is a spiritual breaking of the marriage covenant. It violates the spiritual integrity of both parties and the guilt becomes so much more acute. Unfortunately, that doesn’t necessarily stop it taking place again. But the reality remains and that is why adultery is a choice – it is not ‘just a mistake’; it is not a thing that ‘just happens’; it is not natural and it is definitely deliberate. There is no excuse.
Neither is there any excuse for idolatry in God’s eyes. When Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, it was Paradise. They had all that they could ever possibly want or need. As we saw in January, however, they made a choice and that choice was to find out about evil. In doing so, they revealed the heart of mankind.
That is why when you talk to people about Jesus and Christianity, they often say – “you could be right, but I’m not ready to accept it yet, I want to look into all the other religions first.” Why do they say and act like that? Because they want to choose evil. They know Christianity is good – but they also know that it demands obedience. So they prefer to be ‘free’ to be a slave to sin, Satan and evil.
Hosea and Gomer’s three children were called – “Jezreel” = destruction; “Lo-Ruhamah” = not loved; “Lo-Ammi” = “not my people”. It was a warning to all that God would destroy Israel. He would not put up with their blatant disregard of His love and mercy and although they thought they were the people of God, they could not abuse that relationship indefinitely without experiencing the consequences.
You see Christianity is NOT a religion, a formula or a set of rules. It is a relationship with God. Just as with all other relationships, it needs to be maintained, developed and nurtured if it is to be successful and reach its full potential.
The message for us is clear. We must not take our walk with God lightly. We must not abuse His love and grace but constantly make Him Lord of our lives. We must remain totally “Sold out for Him”.
Is there any idolatry in your Christian life?
If so, acknowledge it, repent and return to Him in faithfulness and receive His forgiveness.
Keep in close intimate relationship with Him. (See also Matthew 6:33; Romans 12:1-2.)
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