Some studies are harder to teach than others, but I believe those are the ones that need to be reinforced the most. Such is this.
Hosea 8:13-14
Hosea 8:13-14
Tho they offer sacrifices given to Me, and eat the meat, the LORD does not accept them. Now, He will remember their iniquity and punish their sins: they will return to Egypt.
Israel has forgotten his Maker, and built palaces;
Judah has multiplied its fortified cities.
But I will send fire upon their cities,
and consume their citadels.
Hosea is the story of God wooing Israel back to Him, but they refused time and again to return and be faithful. And the consequences of not choosing God over their idols and idol worship. Though the telling of this seems to be in the past, the Word of God is alive and speaks to us even now, if we will only listen.
We must turn from the wickedness of following after things that are not of God and turn back to God and follow Him. He leads us through His precious Holy Word when we faithfully seek Him out and ask Him to reveal Himself in His Word: Daily.
Choosing to follow God the Way He wants us to follow Him is an act of Love for Him and Service to Him. It is a choice each of us must make on an individual basis, though the promise is for all who turn away from idolatry and wickedness, it is also for the individual who makes a life-changing choice to be obedient to God, regardless of the cost to himself or herself.
Verse 13 reinforces this when God says, I will not accept your worship. You only think you are worshiping Me, but I see your heart, I know the intent thereof, and you worship what you see and hear, but you do not worship Me. Therefore, the worship you think you are giving Me is unacceptable to Me.
Verse 14 reminds us that when we build to strengthen ourselves militarily, we are not putting our trust in God to defend us. Everything we do to protect, defend, resist our enemies will come to nothing. It is God who is Defender. It is God who is Protector. It is God who will fight our battles when we place our trust in Him.
But when our trust is in our own strength, we will fail. When we refuse to place our trust in Him time after time, it is God who will judge us with fire and nothing shall remain.
Now is not the time to be self-centered and pigheaded. Now is the time to surrender our hearts to God and submit to His will on our lives. Now is the time to repent of our sins, and seek His face and His forgiveness for the things we have done against His Word.
Now is the time. Not later. Later is not promised. To morrow is not promised. Now is not promised.
NOTHING ELSE (song)
