In the book of Hosea, Hosea said, “Israel is an empty vine, he brings forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he has increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images”, and in chapter ten and verse two of Hosea, Hosea said, “their heart is divided” where we read,
Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty:
he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.
The verse begins, “Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty:” Hosea began with the words, “their heart” or “their, the nation of Israel's, soul, mind, will, living being, conscience and seat of emotions and passions” “is divided” which means “exists as plundered, apportioned, allotted, fickle and assigned”; “now shall they be found guilty” or “at this time will they, the people of the nation of Israel, will be noticed and discovered as offenders, trespassers and ones that do injury and wrong”. Hosea said the soul and mind of the people of “Israel” were fickle and plundered, and at this time they were to be known as offenders and ones who do wrong.
The verse continues, “he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.” Hosea added the words, “he shall break down their altars” or “he, Jehovah God, will cut off and destroy their, the people of Israel's, sacrificial places”, “he shall spoil” which means “he, Jehovah God, will violently deal with, despoil, devastate, ruin and destroy” “their images”or “their, the people of Israel's, pillars, stumps and monuments made from trees”. Hosea shared how Jehovah God would violently destroy the sacrificial places and pillars made from trees that were formed and fashioned by the people of “Israel”.
When we think through the words in this verse, we learn how Hosea knew Jehovah God would respond to the apostasy of the people of “Israel”. God bless “Israel” and caused them to flourish, and yet, they abandoned Him and His ways and began to worship false gods and idols by the use of His blessings. God through Hosea promised to destroy the sacrificial places and pillars for worship which were made by the people of “Israel”, and because He loves everyone, His desire is to show the futility and ruin that comes by worshiping anyone or anything other than Him. Only Jehovah God sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and when we yield our lives to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put within us a passion and desire to worship Him and Him alone while accompanied with all the blessings He provides.
Next time Hosea shares how, “they shall say, We have no king”, 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".
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