I always clap my hands in delight when I realize that Scripture is a lot more clever than I foolishly think it is.
Somewhere in Scripture there is a verse that has already DESCRIBED what you are doing, thinking, or saying and offers suggestions on how to do it BETTER.
After Hosea has condemned the Israelites for their numerous sins against God and their covenant with Him and God has described what He is going to do with all of their reckless abandon and Baal worship (yesterday’s verses on God tearing them apart like a lion), the Israelites, and to some extent, the Judaites, decide, at Hosea’s urging, to repent.
Hosea 6:1-2 “Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us;
He has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. 2 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence.
This sounds wonderful!
I wonder to myself though, how many times have I repented for something I’ve said or done with a quick apology or promise not to do it again?
Yeah, yeah, I know Hosea, that is hurtful and I shouldn’t think that way. I’m sorry, I will glorify God better than that.
It’s as if I never had a single thought of repentance or sorrow for what I’ve done because I’m right back doing or saying the same thing.
That little bit of shame or guilt? I can live through that. I felt torn to pieces–but just for a little while. God will revive and forgive me. After all, I’m made in HIs image.
And this is what I find is so admirable and rich about Scripture. Every human weakness and frailty has already been addressed.
God is not fooled by the Israelites pseudo-piety and false repentance in verses 1-2. He knows they are not being genuine.
That they are only paying what they think is a one-time toll for their awful misdeeds–warring with Judea, partnering with Assyria, worshiping Baal, and ritual prostitution–a toll that they feel is affordable.
Plus, who's to say the Israelites weren’t genuine–as far as they could understand as mired in sin and idolatry as they were?
Robin Routledge offers a small defense of the Israelites character in verses 1-2 in Hosea:
“There is nothing in 6:1-2 to suggest that [their repentance] is not genuine, and it may be better to see it instead as a call by Hosea, setting out what the people need to do…The rest of the section makes it clear, though, that this is not forthcoming. In either case, the people’s response to God falls short of what it needs to be.”
Just like the Israelites of verses 1-2, my apologies are (usually) genuine. But there is an element of lip service to any apology if the thoughts, words, and deeds remain the same.
But God is not fooled by insincere words and gestures and He was sure not fooled by the Israelites words either.
God says:
Hosea 6:4 “What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah?
Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears.
This is the very point that I had to ask myself–what do I hope to gain from believing in God?
Is He just another hurdle to jump to getting to where in the world I want to go; another obstacle to climb?
For some reason, I cannot see His eternal gifts, like I should, through the mire and muck of my worldly desires.
And that is frustrating to me.
Probably as frustrating as the Israelites were to Hosea.
Routledge describes the Israelites fleeting feelings of love toward one another, toward God:
“Love is the proper response of the people to God, and to one another, on the basis of their covenant relationship. This, though, is as transient as morning mist or a dew that evaporates quickly in the heat of the day. This suggests that the people may have made some effort, but it was fleeting and has come to nothing.”
And Hosea also seems to be caught in the Prophet’s Paradox–he has warned and cajoled and badgered the Israelites for YEARS to behave and so the Israelites, for a brief respite, offer up sacrifices and make promises to God that they will do BETTER.
And you know what? God doesn’t smite them. The Israelites look around and after a few religious rites and some sacrificed animals at the altar, see that they are still standing and instead of returning to the covenantal fold–RETURN to war, to Baal, to ritual prostitution and murcer.
And Hose has become a victim of his own successful prophecy.
Alex Tabarrok writes in The Prophet’s Paradox:
“The prophet’s paradox can undermine public support for proactive measures. The very effectiveness of these interventions creates a perception that they were unnecessary, as the dire outcomes they prevented are never realized. Consequently, policymakers face a challenging dilemma: the better they manage a potential crisis, the more likely it is that the public will perceive their actions as overreactions. Success can paradoxically erode trust and make it more difficult to implement necessary measures in future emergencies. Hence, politicians are paid to deal with emergencies not to avoid them.”
Hosea has been preaching to the Israelites about HOW to avoid God’s judgment, and so the Israelites, briefly, return for a few days of pious religious rites and burnt offerings and seem to have avoided the worst.
So, why listen to Hosea at all?
But God does not prefer burnt offerings to steadfast and sincere love.
He knows an empty apology when He hears one.
He knows me.
He knows our devotion to Him is sometimes like the morning mist.
And that’s what I find fascinating about Scripture–how verses written over 2,000 years ago are so incredibly relevant to me TODAY.
Lord, grant us a heart that earnestly pursues You. Forgive us, Lord, for our fleeting devotion, when our love for each other, for You, fades like the morning mist.
Lord, search our hearts and lead us to genuine repentance. May our lives reflect Your glory, not our empty words.
Amen.