9 Therefore I will take back My grain in its time
and My new wine in its season;
I will take away My wool and linen,
which were given to cover her nakedness.
10 And then I will expose her lewdness
in the sight of her lovers,
and no one will deliver her
out of My hands.
11 I will put an end to all her exultation:
her feasts, New Moons, and Sabbaths—
all her appointed feasts.
12 I will destroy her vines and fig trees,
which she thinks are the wages paid by her lovers.
So I will make them into a thicket,
and the beasts of the field will devour them.
13 I will punish her for the days of the Baals
when she burned incense to them,
when she decked herself with rings and jewelry,
and went after her lovers.

But Me she forgot,”
declares the LORD.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

Two phrases stood out to me in today’s passage. The first is: “I will destroy her vines and fig trees, which she thinks are the wages paid by her lovers” (v 12). It got me thinking: Baal-worshipers and modern self-made materialists who don’t give God a second thought are more similar than you might think.

The thing they have in common is the belief that you can earn health, wealth and happiness by following the right formula. In Israel’s case, that formula was about appeasing Baal, the local god of the land. Follow the right steps, pay money to the local priest, go through whatever immoral ritual you’re told to do – and the fruit and grain will come as your “wage” from the god. There’s no relationship. It’s a transaction in which you’re in charge. Pull the right lever, out comes what you earned.

For the average modern secular person, the formula is about working hard. Get the right education, or find the right training pathway, then get a job, apply yourself, use your intelligence or skills, be diligent – and the house, car, private health insurance, investment portfolio, and leisurely retirement will come as your “wage” from the universe. There’s no relationship – and no God to have a relationship with. It’s a transaction in which you’re in charge. Pull the right lever, out comes what you earned.

The other phrase that stood out was the very end: “‘But me she forgot,’ declares the Lord.” Maybe it stood out because I’m ridiculously forgetful! But this isn’t about having a bad memory. It’s about walking away from a relationship with God. Rememberingthe Lord is about always acknowledging and thanking Him as the loving source of everything good that you receive (see Deuteronomy 6:6-12).

Are you in danger of forgetting the Lord, in the way that the average modern secular person does – thinking that you’re owed a house and a job and money because you’ve worked hard for them. Pray today that God would protect you from the dulling influence of our materialistic culture, and that he would stir into flame your sense of dependence on him and your thankfulness for every blessing that he chooses to give you, simply out of his love.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our Senior Minister.