(REFLECTIONS ON Hosea 10:1-15)

1 Israel is a luxuriant vine;
He produces fruit for himself.
The more his fruit,
The more altars he made;
The richer his land,
The better he made the sacred pillars.

Are we like Israel, producing fruit for ourselves? Are we self-sufficient, which seems like a good goal to have, but in the process of becoming self-sufficient lose our connection to Jesus Christ?

If we can produce fruit on our own and the more we produce the richer and better our lives, but have a heart that is faithless, then is this true success?

Israel is a luxuriant vine, but,

2 Their heart is faithless;
Now they must bear their guilt.
The Lord will break down their altars
And destroy their sacred pillars.

Again, are we self-sufficient? Perhaps in life, but how about in faith, and at the end, in death? How far will our self-sufficiency get us? If in the end our self-sufficiency leads simply to a faithless heart, then may we live life in dependency.

May we be dependent on the Lord, even if the world tells us that we need to learn to stand on our own two feet. May we be dependent on the Lord, on Christ Jesus, on the power of the Holy Spirit, so that our heart remains faithful.

Yes, we can be completely self-sufficient in life, but in the end where will that lead us?

4 They speak mere words,
With worthless oaths they make covenants;
And judgment sprouts like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field.

Let us not let self-sufficiency lead us to lack of commitment to the Lord who committed His Son for our lives. Yes, our lives are not our own, so we should learn to be Christ-sufficient, because on in Christ will we both in life and death be living.

12 Sow with a view to righteousness,
Reap in accordance with kindness;
Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the Lord
Until He comes to rain righteousness on you.

Brothers and sisters, let us be Christ-sufficient, for it is time to seek the Lord, and He will come and rain righteousness on us through Jesus Christ, and by the work of the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: Hosea 10