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Hosea - Realize What You Are Doing
Brian Mashburn
January 16, 2011
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Realize What You Are Doing
I got an email from a friend of mine this week letting me know that something I was doing (and not doing) was hurting him. I had no clue this was going on, but there it was, going on. It was hurting him, hurting me, and just generally not working. I needed to be told.
In the same way, God is using Hosea to tell Israel what they were doing. They had no clue it was going on (Hosea 7:9), but there it was, going on. It was hurting God (7:13), them (7:2), and just generally not working.
What was the problem? What were they doing?
They were cheating on God. Although they were Jews, perhaps even saying the words "The Lord our God, the Lord is One," three times per day, they were cheating on God with other lesser gods.
For security, they looked to other nations (7:11). For strength, they looked to themselves (10:13). For provision, they turned to false idols (4:12).
Hosea is reminding them that there is to be only One God. God alone secures, strengthens, and provides. They were mixing their worship and dependence on Yahweh with worship and dependence on lesser things.
How about you?
Today we hold up the mirror that Hosea provides.