Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Hosea+008

 

Hosea 8 (ESV)

8 Israel is swallowed up;
already they are among the nations
as a useless vessel.
9 For they have gone up to Assyria,
a wild donkey wandering alone;
Ephraim has hired lovers.
10 Though they hire allies among the nations,
I will soon gather them up.
And the king and princes shall soon writhe
because of the tribute.

11 Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning,
they have become to him altars for sinning.
12 Were I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands,
they would be regarded as a strange thing.
13 As for my sacrificial offerings,
they sacrifice meat and eat it,
but the Lord does not accept them.
Now he will remember their iniquity
and punish their sins;
they shall return to Egypt.
14 For Israel has forgotten his Maker
and built palaces,
and Judah has multiplied fortified cities;
so I will send a fire upon his cities,
and it shall devour her strongholds.

 

REFLECTION:

• Ephraim’s defection to Assyria (9) was for political reason and a failure of faith. They not only committed the sin of spiritual fornication, but also shamelessly went to Assyria, using Assyria as her lover, degenerating like a prostitute.
• Although the law was made for the Israelis, the Israelites believed that it had nothing to do with them (12). The Israelites often applied the laws God gave them to others instead of themselves. This is actually distorting God’s will and avoiding the necessary changes in their lives. When we listen to the sermon or read the Bible, it’s easy for us to think that others should do what we have heard and read, but we must first put the lessons we learned into our own lives, because the shortcomings we see in others are often our own shortcomings.
• The sacrifices of the people have become mere rituals, so God refuses to accept it (13). We also have many religious rituals, such as attending church meetings, Holy Communion, commemorating Christian holidays, and praying before meals. Over time, they may become a habit and lose their original meaning. We should not abandon rituals, but we must carefully consider the reasons behind these rituals. We should perform these rituals with a respect for God.

 

PRAYER:

Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you often to love the Lord, to be loyal to Him; not to be greedy for the world, and not to pursue the path of fame and wealth. Ask the Lord to help you to think more about God’s words, instead of reading the Bible and listening to sermons for others, put God’s words into practice in your own life first.

 

HYMN: