Monday, March 19 2012
Hosea 10
Verse of the Day: V2 “Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.”
1. The Divide (V1-7)
V2 "Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images."
The hearts of the people of Israel were divided; they wanted to have the best of both worlds; they wanted to serve two masters: God and money. The people of Israel worshipped God, and expected God’s spiritual blessings upon them, yet at the same time, they also worshipped idols or money, and spent all their time and energy in pursuit of material possessions. They failed to realise that only God deserved their worship, and only the spiritual blessings were eternal while their material possessions were temporal.
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24)
2. The Destruction (V8-9)
V8 “The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.”
God shall judge and destroy the divided hearts of the people of Israel because the Lord is a jealous God and He desires all to worship Him. Only the true and living God deserves man’s worship as He is the Creator and Maker of all living creatures include man.
“For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:” (Exodus 34:14)
3. The Desire (V10-15)
V10 “It is in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows.”
God chastised and disciplined the people of Israel because their hearts were divided. God’s desire was for the people of Israel to have their hearts fixed and focused on Him and Him alone. Indeed, when we fix and focus our hearts only on God and God alone, we shall never be disappointed or discouraged, and we shall sing and give praise to Him.
“My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise.” (Psalms 57:7)
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please grant me a heart that is fixed on You and You alone.
