1 When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling;
he was exalted in Israel.
But he incurred guilt through Baal,
and he died.

2 Now they sin more and more
and make for themselves cast images,
idols skillfully made from their silver,
all of them the work of craftsmen.
People say of them,
“They offer human sacrifice
and kiss the calves!”
3 Therefore they will be like the morning mist,
like the early dew that vanishes,
like chaff blown from a threshing floor,
like smoke through an open window.

4 Yet I am the LORD your God
ever since the land of Egypt;
you know no God but Me,
for there is no Savior besides Me.
5 I knew you in the wilderness,
in the land of drought.
6 When they had pasture,
they became satisfied;
when they were satisfied,
their hearts became proud,
and as a result they forgot Me.
7 So like a lion I will pounce on them;
like a leopard I will lurk by the path.
8 Like a bear robbed of her cubs I will attack them,
and I will tear open their chests.
There I will devour them like a lion,
like a wild beast would tear them apart.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Gus Cameron

Verse 6 of today’s passage reminds me of Western society over the last century. God says: “When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me.”

The Western world has, in general, been the best fed in history as God has blessed us with great riches. For most of us, our problem is too much food, not too little! But God has also blessed our society with the riches of the gospel message. We have churches in almost every suburb, and Christian principles are engrained in our laws.

Yet where are we now? Our society has become proud and forgotten the Lord God.

And what will be the future? We know that God will not allow rebellion to go on forever, Christ will return as judge.

It should grieve us that a society that has so clearly benefited from God’s plan of salvation in Christ Jesus should turn its back on him. But that is very similar to what is described in Hosea 13. God rescued the nation of Israel from slavery in Egypt, only for them to turn their backs on him.

Our prayer should be that many will hear the warning God has given us before it’s too late. But we also pray with confidence, because we know that Christ Jesus died for rebellious people, so those who do come to him will escape that judgement and have life forever with him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gus is our Senior Assistant Minister.