An Unhappy Harvest
2/17/26 Bible Thought (Hosea 10)
Main Idea: We must be diligent in our pursuit of God, especially during the good times.
A Look at the Text:
In today’s chapter, Hosea continues the cry of judgment against a sinful people. Yet, judgment need not be the end of the story, for the people could amend their ways.
The Israelites had fallen prey to one of the greatest traps in life, where the good times led to godless living. When everything is going well, God is quickly forgotten. Though once being a fruitful vine (Hos. 10:1), now Israel was producing poisonous weeds (Hos. 10:4b).
The reason? Their prosperity actually led them away from God. Though God was the source of all blessedness in their lives, as we saw yesterday, they abandoned Him when things were good.
In fact, as their riches multiplied, they responded by multiplying their pagan altars (Hos. 10:1b). With this, there was the pronouncement that their golden calf would be toted away alongside their king (Hos. 10:6-7). In essence, total destruction was on the horizon.
Yet, in the midst of the hard times coming, there was an invitation:
“Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you” (Hos. 10:12).
They had sown disobedience (Hos. 10:13), now they were reaping divine discipline. If they wanted a different harvest, they would have to change what they were sowing.
Bringing it Home:
Just as it was in the days of ancient Israel, so it is today: Prosperity is a great threat to spirituality. It seems that at times when life’s blessings are multiplied, people multiply their devotion to other things.
We can quickly lose sight of the fact that, once again, God is the source of every good gift in our lives (see James 1:17). Just as it was then, so it is now, when people forget God, sometimes He will send problems to awaken them:
For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives (Heb. 12:6).
If we find ourselves reaping that which we would rather not reap, we must change what we are sowing. We must break up the hardened ground of the heart and seek the Lord—not for what He can do for us, but for Him.
Challenge:
What am I currently sowing in my life? Is it a diligent pursuit of God or prosperity?
If we’re in the good times—let us remember God.
If God brings hard times—let us seek Him.
If we aren’t happy with our harvest, let us sow different seed.