Bible Reading: 2 Kings 20; Hebrews 2; Hosea 13; Psalms137 & 138
Hosea 13:9 O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.
The prophet helps us understand that many times our decisions lead to consequences. For Israel, they were going into exile because of their idolatry and apostasy. God did not cause them to do what they did. They left off worshipping God and went after false idols.
Hosea 13:2 And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves.
Because of the sin of Israel they were experiencing the chastening of God. Yet, he was still inviting them to himself. God always does that! He is constantly inviting us to come to him and receive grace from him. Israel had changed in her disposition toward God. God however had not changed!
Hosea 13:4 Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.
In essence, God was saying to the Israelites that he was the same God they knew in the land of Egypt. God brought plagues on the Egyptians and spared the Israelites. God parted the Red Sea and destroyed Pharaoh in the waves. God gave them manna in the wilderness. God gave them water from the Rock. God gave them victory over the Amalekites. God brought them through the Jordan River by backing it up for miles. God made the walls of Jericho fall down. God gave them victory over the Canaanites. God gave them victory over the Philistines. God gave them David the good king. And on, and on, and on…
God was reminding them that there was no savior beside himself and their help was in returning to him with their whole heart. Nothing has changed! There is no Savior beside Jesus and our help is in him! The same God that did wonders in Egypt is our God and he is inviting us to return to him in humility and repentance. Many of the troubles that we have we have brought on ourselves. We need to return to the Rock that is higher than us! Our help is in Jesus.
In Christ,
Rody
