(REFLECTIONS ON Hosea 8:1-14)

The enemy was coming against the house of the Lord because of Israel’s rebellion against God. Although they cried out, “My God, we of Israel know You!” they didn’t actually know God in an intimate covenant relationship.

Israel rejected God, set up kings, appointed princes, and made idols, not by God, but by their own hearts and desires. Yes, they knew about God, but they didn’t know that they had already fallen away from the heart of God, so they didn’t really know Him.

That is why the Lord said, “My anger burns against them!” Hosea then asks, “How long will they be incapable of innocence?” How long would Israel be incapable of being innocent? How long would they continue to be guilty of being against God’s will and incapable of doing anything according to His heart?

7 For they sow the wind
And they reap the whirlwind.

Israel plants seeds into the wind, into the air, into the emptiness of the world, and the chaos of the world is what they will reap. Brothers and sisters what have we planted? Where have we planted our seeds?

Are we so disappointed with what we are reaping, that we have forgotten what and where we have sown? Are we simply reaping what we have ourselves sown? Why then are we disappointed by what we reap then?

Are we incapable of innocence? Are all our thoughts, all our actions, and all our words against the heart of God? No, this isn’t just talking about bad thoughts, wicked actions, and cursing words, but is our heart incapable of innocence because all we think and do is for our own glory rather than the glory of the Lord?

Do we cry out to the Lord, “My God, we know you!”? But do we really know Him? If we truly knew Him, we would know that we are indeed incapable of innocence. And that is the very reason we are all in need of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Good News, is that Jesus Christ, while we were still sinners, died for us on the cross (Ref. Romans 5:8).

Are we incapable of innocence? Yes! There is none righteous, not even one (Ref. Romans 3:10), but that is where the grace and mercy of our Lord cuts into our lives. All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Ref. Romans 3:23), but the righteousness of God has been manifested in believers by the faith of Jesus Christ (Ref. Romans 3:22).

We are incapable of innocence, but we are made righteous with the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus because of His faithfulness to the Father. Let us then run to the cross, to Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit, and experience His saving grace through His Son, who was, is, and will ever be our innocence!

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: Hosea 8