For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof. — Hosea 8:14

In times of plenty, God’s people stopped following the LORD and started worshipping their own gods and living by their own rules. Neither was “their own,” though. The northern tribes of Israel just started living like the other pagan people around them. They forgot about the poor and the stranger and took advantage of widows and the weak. God wanted them to know that he was watching everything they did. God wanted them to know that he would act and do what was right. The Sovereign LORD wanted the northern tribes of Israel to understand that they had brought their own destruction on themselves. Even though they couldn’t even imagine it, God made sure it would happen because of their hard hearts and refusal to live with integrity. Their destruction is a great reminder to us that it doesn’t matter if we call ourselves Christians or say we are God’s chosen people and his holy priesthood (1 Peter 2) if our lives don’t show his character, our hearts don’t show his compassion, and our hands don’t do what he wants.

 

Thought

In times of plenty, God’s people stopped following the LORD and started worshipping their own gods and living by their own rules. Neither was “their own,” though. The northern tribes of Israel just started living like the other pagan people around them. They forgot about the poor and the stranger and took advantage of widows and the weak. God wanted them to know that he was watching everything they did. God wanted them to know that he would act and do what was right. The Sovereign LORD wanted the northern tribes of Israel to understand that they had brought their own destruction on themselves. Even though they couldn’t even imagine it, God made sure it would happen because of their hard hearts and refusal to live with integrity. Their destruction is a great reminder to us that it doesn’t matter if we call ourselves Christians or say we are God’s chosen people and his holy priesthood (1 Peter 2) if our lives don’t show his character, our hearts don’t show his compassion, and our hands don’t do what he wants.

 

Prayer

Father, please forgive us because we sin. Father, forgive me, for sinning and looking the other way at social, judicial, and racial injustice. Empower me, dear LORD, and empower us to really be your Holy Nation, bound together by our faith in Jesus and not by our race, age, nationality, political preferences, or social economic status, connected by our praise of your glory, and showing the hateful world the grace that comes from knowing you as our Father. In Jesus’ precious name I pray. Amen.