A City that Works Iniquity - Hosea 6:8

In the book of Hosea, Hosea shared how Jehovah God said, “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me”, and in chapter six and verse eight of Hosea, Hosea said, “Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity” where we read,

Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood.

The verse begins, “Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, ...” Hosea began with the words, “Gilead is a city” or “Gilead, whose name means rocky region and was a mountainous region bounded on the west by the Jordan, on the north by Bashan, on the east by the Arabian plateau, and on the south by Moab and Ammon; sometimes called 'Mount Gilead' or the 'land of Gilead' or just 'Gilead', exists as a town, location or dwelling place” “of them that work iniquity” which means “belonging to the people who commit, practice and ordain trouble, wickedness, sorrow and idolatry”. Hosea referred to the rocky town of “Gilead” as a place where the people committed idolatry and wickedness. 

The verse goes on to say, “... and is polluted with blood.” Hosea continued with the words, “and is polluted” or “and exists as insidious, slippery and crooked” “with blood” which means “with bloodshed which causes death”. Hosea shared how “Gilead” is also insidious with homicides and murders.

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn how Hosea described this rocky region known as “Gilead” or “Mount Gilead” as an insidiously sinful place where the people practiced wickedness including murder. We can only imagine how much this hurt the heart of God as He loves people and desires to have a personal relationship with all of us. When evil is within a city like this, we can be certain that the people who commit these evil deeds are in need of a Savior. God's Son Jesus was sent into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and anyone, including insidiously evil doers, are invited to receive Him as their “Savior and Lord” to be forgiven of their sins and inherit everlasting life with God. God knows, “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (See Romans 3:23), and “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (See Romans 6:23) Regardless of how wicked we or our cities may be, Jesus Christ came to seek and to save us so we may live with Him forever. (See Luke 19:10)

Next time Hosea shares about priests who, “as troops of robbers wait for a man”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".