“For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof” (Hosea 8:14).
TEXT — Hosea 8:1-14
Message
A recurrent cycle in Israel’s relationship with God is the tendency to seek Him when they face difficulties, only to forget Him after He delivered them. In today’s text, Prophet Hosea denounced Israel’s idolatry and predicted the imminence of divine judgment. They had sown the wind of iniquity and would reap the whirlwind of destruction in the hands of the Assyrians.
The story of the Israelites is often repeated in the lives of many Christians. We tend to forget God after receiving our needed help from Him. Though we may continue the outward rituals of attending church activities, observing appropriate Christian dressing, prayer, and giving offerings, engaging in singing, and holding vigils, our hearts may be set on the idols of materialism and pleasure-seeking.
Like Israel of old, many people today consider the demands of God’s law as strange and do not bother to seek His counsel. The standard of God’s word on marriage, absolute surrender, separation from the world, holiness and preparation for heaven is outdated and unacceptable in this age. They would instead follow the standards set by their society and follow their own will.
Nonetheless, rejecting God has grave consequences both now and in eternity. Those who do so risk forfeiting divine protection and presence, and becoming vulnerable to the enemy. Also, God is displeased with them and unless they repent, they will face eternal damnation.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
Dear LORD, please be our Helper.