11 So Ephraim has become like a silly, senseless dove—
calling out to Egypt, then turning to Assyria.
12 As they go, I will spread My net over them;
I will bring them down like birds of the air.
I will chastise them
when I hear them flocking together.

13 Woe to them, for they have strayed from Me!
Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against Me!
Though I would redeem them,
they speak lies against Me.
14 They do not cry out to Me from their hearts
when they wail upon their beds.
They slash themselves for grain and new wine,
but turn away from Me.
15 Although I trained and strengthened their arms,
they plot evil against Me.
16 They turn, but not to the Most High;
they are like a faulty bow.
Their leaders will fall by the sword
for the cursing of their tongue;
for this they will be ridiculed
in the land of Egypt.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Alex Chen

In the face of hardship or suffering, we tend to naturally turn to and trust in what we think is powerful. When there’s a car accident, an emergency room visit, conflict with a close friend, it’s so easy to freak out. In those moments, it feels so safe to turn to something like money to fix my problem. Paying for my problem to go away is almost a reflex reaction.

In our passage God’s people have looked for help anywhere but God. They turn here and there like a dove, looking for powerful allies in pagan superpowers – Egypt and Assyria. They fail to cry out to God and trust Him, and judgement will come with great certainty for them. They turn to other gods, but do not turn to the one true God – just like a faulty bow will turn to the side and fail to hit the right mark.

But the truth is: God is the only one who brings victory for His people. This was true for Israel, and is true for us now, as He has brought victory over sin through Jesus at the cross. Jesus defeated death for all those who believe in Him. While there will still be hardship and sin now until Jesus returns, God is the powerful one who we can and should turn to. For now, that means faithfully waiting in our uncertainty, anxiety, and suffering. It means praying, meeting with other Christians, reading and hearing God’s Word. Our great comfort is knowing that Jesus’ ultimate victory at the cross means we can look in certain hope beyond our situation now to eternal life with God, when suffering will truly pass away.

We are good at seeking refuge in the wrong things because of what the world tells us is strong, but Hosea reminds us of people who have missed the mark. It’s a pointer back to the God who is truly powerful and sufficient. Perhaps Peter’s words about Jesus in John 6 are clearer in light of this: “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alex is one of our Student Ministers.