Hosea 10: Sow Righteousness

 Israel is a luxuriant vine
    that yields its fruit.
The more his fruit increased,
    the more altars he built;
as his country improved,
    he improved his pillars.
2 Their heart is false;
    now they must bear their guilt.
The Lord will break down their altars
    and destroy their pillars.
 
3 For now they will say:
    “We have no king,
for we do not fear the Lord;
    and a king—what could he do for us?”
4 They utter mere words;
    with empty oaths they make covenants;
so judgment springs up like poisonous weeds
    in the furrows of the field.
5 The inhabitants of Samaria tremble
    for the calf of Beth-aven.
Its people mourn for it, and so do its idolatrous priests--
    those who rejoiced over it and over its glory--
    for it has departed from them.
6 The thing itself shall be carried to Assyria
    as tribute to the great king.
Ephraim shall be put to shame,
    and Israel shall be ashamed of his idol.
 
7 Samaria's king shall perish
    like a twig on the face of the waters.
8 The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel,
    shall be destroyed.
Thorn and thistle shall grow up
    on their altars,
and they shall say to the mountains, “Cover us,”
    and to the hills, “Fall on us.”

9 From the days of Gibeah, you have sinned, O Israel;
    there they have continued.
    Shall not the war against the unjust overtake them in Gibeah?
10 When I please, I will discipline them,
    and nations shall be gathered against them
    when they are bound up for their double iniquity.
11 Ephraim was a trained calf
    that loved to thresh,
    and I spared her fair neck;
but I will put Ephraim to the yoke;
    Judah must plow;
    Jacob must harrow for himself.

12 Sow for yourselves righteousness;
    reap steadfast love;
    break up your fallow ground,
for it is the time to seek the Lord,
    that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.
13 You have plowed iniquity;
    you have reaped injustice;
    you have eaten the fruit of lies.
Because you have trusted in your own way
    and in the multitude of your warriors,
14 therefore the tumult of war shall arise among your people,
    and all your fortresses shall be destroyed,
as Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle;
    mothers were dashed in pieces with their children.
15 Thus it shall be done to you, O Bethel,
    because of your great evil.
At dawn the king of Israel
    shall be utterly cut off.
 
Meditation
What is planted in our souls reveals where our faith is focused- and we will reap what we sow! When repentant hearts refocus our faith on our redeeming Husband and His love, believers “sow to the Spirit (and) will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Galatians 6:8). 
 
Hosea and Paul agree- We reap what we sow (12). If you want to know what you are sowing, examine the focus of your faith and discern the fruit of your life. Hosea diagnosed Israel’s misplaced faith that focused on idols in their prosperity (1) and resulted in hard hearts (2) and rejection of God as king (3). The result was planting iniquity, reaping injustice, and eating the fruit of lies (13). God’s prescription was judgment as severe as other nations, (4-11) a severe threat serving as a gracious invitation to repent and return to His love.
 
Hosea describes a penitent heart returning to God as planting righteousness and reaping steadfast love. God desires to shower His people with grace, “raining righteousness” on them (12). Grace like rain is the means by which Holy Spirit fruit is nourished in the believer’s life.
 
Jesus took the judgement we deserve so our faith can be refocused on Him- His word and His work. A new heart comes when believers return to Jesus as king, a tilled soul ready to plant righteousness by walking in God’s Word. Fruit of returning to God’s steadfast love will grow from our hearts and be seen in lips, lives, and labor. Grace like rain falls from Heaven through Jesus and His covenant love. 

Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially the invitation to examine what you are reaping and sowing? What are you planting in your life? 
 
- What seeds are you sowing in the soil of your soul by where you are focusing your faith? What fruit do you see in your life? 
 
- Where do you need to repent, removing the focus of your faith from things of this world, turning from planting seeds of the flesh? Take a minute to refocus your faith on Jesus and His work, discerning where you need  plant the word of life in the soil of your soul.
 
Key Verse
12 Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.