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Day 13 Hosea 13 Hosea 13:1 When Ephraim spoke trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died. 2 And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves. 3 Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passes away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney. 4 Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no Saviour beside me. 5 I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought. 6 According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me. 7 Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe them: 8 I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them. 9 O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help. 10 I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? And thy judges of whom thou said, Give me a king and princes? 11 I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath. 12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is hid. 13 The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children. 14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes. 15 Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the wind of the LORD shall come up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels. 16 Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up. Have you offended someone so much, they completely blotted you from their lives, or have you blotted someone from your life, who offended you more than you could tolerate? Israel had offended God from the moment they left Egypt. They were rebellious, seeking a visible god they could worship and bow down to. They became immune to God’s threats about what would happen to them if they continued to disobey him. When the time came for God to do more than threaten them with the consequences of their disobedience, he gave them one last opportunity before he sent them into captivity. He told them he was their LORD, their God, their Savior. Yet, his offer fell on deaf ears, and Israel destroyed herself. God’s final offer was to ransom them from the power of the grave, and redeem them from death. He alone would plague death, and be destruction to the grave. Sadly, Israel did not listen. As Christians, you know God as your LORD, your God, and your Savior through Jesus Christ your Lord. You also know Paul taunted death and the grave, just as God told Hosea he would do. 1 Corinthians 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. People are less forgiving than God is. When people offend God, he does everything he can to win them back, show them his way is the only way, and he will fight for them. God did not stop fighting for the devotion of his chosen people, even when he sent them into captivity. When they acknowledged him, he brought them home, and told them he had not forgotten his promise of a Savior. He sent his Son, Jesus, to make a new way of salvation, through the blood offered on Calvary. When you accept Jesus as Savior and Lord, you are washed clean in the blood of Jesus, and death is defeated once again. Death is swallowed up in victory. Let’s pray: Father, thank you for fighting for me, and never giving up on me. Thank you for making the way of salvation through your Son, Jesus, and washing me clean with his blood. Help me remain faithful to you. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 27 February 2018 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay