Hosea 14:1, 4

January 1, 2026 by Leave a Comment

“Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity” (Hosea 14:1).

“I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them” (Hosea 14:4‬).

Just when one thinks unbelieving Israel is a lost cause, God shows His heart. Just when one thinks God has rebuked Israel to the point of exhaustion, God shows His heart. Just when it seems that Israel has finally gone too far into idolatry, God shows His heart. 

In my mind, this book has offered sharper rebukes of Israel than other books. So sharp, in fact, at times it felt like God had tossed Israel aside. Yet, the opening section where God told Hosea to take a wife of whoredom, and to take her back each time she left with another man, should have been a clue that God was not through with Israel. If that wasn’t enough to help me believe that God is not done with Israel, this last chapter should do the trick. 

First, God shows His heart when He calls Israel to repent. “Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity” (1). God desires to forgive and restore Israel. 

Second, God says what will happen if Israel repents. “I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them” (4‬).

This consistency gives me hope that God will forgive and restore me when I sin. 

Father, thank you for your kindness and mercy. Thank you for your faithfulness. Amen.

Filed Under: devotional thoughts, forgiveness, Hosea, idolatry, Old Testament, Restoring Israel

Hosea 13:4

December 31, 2025 by Leave a Comment

“But I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt; you know no God but me, and besides me there is no savior.” (Hosea 13:4)

On the heels of saying, “And now they sin more and more, and make for themselves metal images, idols skillfully made of their silver” (13‬:‭2‬), “Besides me, there is no savior!” is an important and exclusive statement. God is attacking their idolatry by pointing out that he is the only savior. No matter how much silver or how finely crafted, idols cannot save. God alone can save!

Isaiah echoes this same exclusive claim: “I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior.” (Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭11‬)

“… And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me.” (Isaiah‬ ‭45‬:‭21‬)

Jesus claimed to be the exclusive way to the Father: “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭6‬)

Peter made the connection between Jesus and Isaiah 43:11, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬)

Paul made the connection even clearer in his letter to Titus, … “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” (Titus‬ ‭2‬:‭13‬)

There is one true and living God and salvation is found only in Him. If we look anywhere else, we will come up empty-handed. If we look to anyone else, we will come up empty-handed. 

Father, please help me recognize your glory in your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Filed Under: Acts, Hosea, idolatry, Isaiah, John, Old Testament, Titus

Hosea 12:8-9

December 30, 2025 by Leave a Comment

“Ephraim has said, ‘Ah, but I am rich; I have found wealth for myself; in all my labors they cannot find in me iniquity or sin.’ I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt; I will again make you dwell in tents, as in the days of the appointed feast.” (Hosea 12:8-9)

Two things stand out to me: First, Ephraim’s pride. Ephraim is rich and believes he built it himself. Additionally, he claims sinlessness. 

How easy it is for a business owner (I’m thinking of me, specifically) to think he built it himself. After all, I got up early every day. I made the contacts. I did the teaching. I, I, I. Where is God in that calculation?

Second, God essentially said, “We’ll see about that.” God has a unique capacity to bring down the proud. In this case, will go back to tents in exile. And no doubt, some went kicking and screaming, “Why me? I didn’t do anything!” Why is my pride do heard to wrestle? This reminds me of substituting in a junior high In School Suspension recently. Out of the 12 or so kids who came through, not one of them did anything to be there. The system was simply against them. No amount of reasoning could bring them to admit any wrongdoing. 

Father, help me to crucify my flesh and my pride that I may serve you in righteousness. Amen. 

Filed Under: devotional thoughts, Hosea, humility, Old Testament, pride

Hosea 9:15

December 27, 2025 by Leave a Comment

“Every evil of theirs is in Gilgal; there I began to hate them. Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of my house. I will love them no more; all their princes are rebels.” (Hosea 9:15)
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Admittedly, some of the statements in this chapter stretch me. “I will love them no more” is the most challenging, to be sure. However, I must remember that the lens through which I must look at all of Hosea is God’s command to love his wife Gomer, who continually went to other men, much as Israel is doing with the pagan deities. 

The rings of context are: What do we see in 1) the verse, 2) the chapter, 3) the book, 4) the Old Testament, 5) specific New Testament reference(s) to this verse, and 5) the New Testament as a whole.

The reference to Gilgal is important. I’m focusing on the name because there are a few Gilgals in the Bible. The name Gilgal should have reminded Israel of their covenant with God. Gilgal was the first campground Israel used after crossing the Jordan River into the Promised Land. There, the men were circumcised, the priests set up the stones of remembrance, and the nation observed Passover. Gilgal was the place of consecration for this adventure of living in the land. 

Now the name Gilgal is associated with Israel’s wickedness. I’m amazed at how sin can turn beautiful things ugly. Not just for Israel. But also for me. 

Lord, please help me to walk faithfully before you so that the beautiful things you have given me remain beautiful. Amen.

Filed Under: Hosea, idolatry, Old Testament

Hosea 8:4

December 26, 2025 by Leave a Comment

“They made kings, but not through me. They set up princes, but I knew it not. With their silver and gold, they made idols for their own destruction.” (Hosea 8:4)

God’s commentary is rich. First, in an apparent effort to organize themselves, they made kings and set up princes. However, God said it wasn’t through him or His knowledge. In other words, they did this without consulting God or receiving his input or direction. Yikes! That sounds like me. 

Second, they used resources (gold and silver) provided by God to do evil. I assume that, similar to setting up kings, Israel thought setting up the idols was a good thing. Although, given how much God forbid it, I’m not sure how they could have thought it was a good thing. But I’m also not sure why I do some of the things I do.

Third, they surely didn’t realize (or perhaps, care?) that the idolatry would lead to their destruction. 

Again, it is easy to sit so far removed by time and distance and criticize Israel’s actions (which are evil!), But … How often do I do things – without consulting the Lord – that I think will be helpful, but in reality I am inviting the Lord’s judgement. 

Father, please forgive my pride, which has allowed me to think I can handle everything without consulting you. In short, thinking I am enough. Please forgive me for the times those thoughts have led to harming your name or people or my relationship with you. Please help me to be more spiritually minded than I am. Amen.

Filed Under: devotional thoughts, Hosea, idolatry, Old Testament
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