9 Since the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel,
and there you have remained.
Did not the battle in Gibeah
overtake the sons of iniquity?
10 I will chasten them when I please;
nations will be gathered against them
to put them in bondage
for their double transgression.

11 Ephraim is a well-trained heifer that loves to thresh;
but I will place a yoke on her fair neck.
I will harness Ephraim, Judah will plow,
and Jacob will break the hard ground.
12 Sow for yourselves righteousness
and reap the fruit of loving devotion;
break up your unplowed ground.
For it is time to seek the LORD
until He comes and sends righteousness
upon you like rain.

13 You have plowed wickedness and reaped injustice;
you have eaten the fruit of lies.
Because you have trusted in your own way
and in the multitude of your mighty men,
14 the roar of battle will rise against your people,
so that all your fortresses will be demolished
as Shalman devastated Beth-arbel
in the day of battle,
when mothers were dashed to pieces
along with their children.
15 Thus it will be done to you, O Bethel,
because of your great wickedness.
When the day dawns,
the king of Israel will be utterly cut off.

REFLECTIONS

Written by James Davidson

Israel have sinned greatly. God warns that terrible judgement is coming. But God longs for his people to repent. He longs for them to turn back to him and walk in his ways so that he can forgive and spare them his punishment. In v12 he calls them back to the right path. ‘Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love’. As a farmer sows seeds, God’s people are to do righteous deeds, that is, live his way. Then they will reap the reward of experiencing God’s unfailing love as he blesses their lives.

But this will not be easy. It will be like a heifer breaking up unplowed ground. They need to make every effort to seek God. And it’s urgent. Now is the time to seek the Lord, says Hosea, otherwise judgement will come soon. And they need to persist in seeking the Lord until he comes and showers his righteousness on them.

Here is a wonderful statement of God’s saving grace that is as true for us today as it was then. As we turn away from our sin and seek God, he promises to shower his righteousness on us. As Romans 3 says: ‘But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe’ (Romans 3:21-22). As we put our trust in Jesus’ sacrifice for sin, God declares us to be perfectly righteous in his sight. What a gift! Hallelujah!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

James is one of our Assistant Ministers.