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Day 8 Hosea 8 Hosea 8:1 Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law. 2 Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee. 3 Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him. 4 They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off. 5 Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency? 6 For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces. 7 For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up. 8 Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure. 9 For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers. 10 Yea, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes. 11 Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin. 12 I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing. 13 They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the LORD accepts them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt. 14 For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and builds temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof. How much do you love your children? Do you give them whatever they desire, or do you give them what is best for them? Do you coddle them, or do you teach them and give them rules to live by? God loves his children. He knows what is best for them. However, his children believe they know what’s best, and instead of obeying their Father, they sought other pleasures and other gods, who couldn’t help them. Because God loved his children, Israel, he told them he would punish them, send them into captivity. They had done whatever their heart desired so much that God said they had sown the wind, and reaped the whirlwind. They had reaped the fury of God’s wrath by their constant disobedience to the laws he gave them on Mount Sinai. Hosea refers to Ephraim, a tribe of Israel, and Samaria, where God would direct his wrath. Samaria was located in Ephraim, and the capital of Israel, as Jerusalem was the capital of Judah, and located in the tribe of Benjamin. God wasn’t bringing his wrath against just one tribe, but the whole of Israel, against the ten tribes. As he would lead Judah into captivity for its sins and disobedience, so he would send Israel into captivity to Assyria. First, though, Israel would turn to Egypt. Because Israel turned to Egypt to save them from God’s wrath, God told Hosea, he would devour Israel. As Christians, when trouble comes your way, you turn to others for help. You seek advice, you bring your problems to the church, seeking guidance and prayer support. You turn in every direction except the one that will help you out of every trouble – God. God loves you. He wants to help you. He wants to free you from Satan’s hold on you. However, he can’t help you, if you don’t ask him for help in time of trouble. Psalm 91:14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. 15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. 16 With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation. Psalm 50:15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. (KJV) Jeremiah 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou know not. God wants to be the first place you seek for answers and help for your problems, not the last. Israel sought help from Egypt, when they should have looked to God. They worshiped the gods of the nations around them, when they should have worshiped God. Idols are the work of men’s hands, as such, they cannot be God. They cannot act or think. They are immoveable. God is the only one who will help you out of all your trouble. Stop looking for other means of help, look to God and he will deliver you out of all your trouble. Let’s pray: Father, you alone are my God, my help in every trouble Satan brings my way. Help me seek you first when Satan comes against me, instead of going to others, and trying to take care of it on my own. You promised to help me in the day of my trouble. In my own strength I cannot hope to solve my problems, but you can. Deliver me and I will glorify you. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 22 February 2018 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay