devotional post # 2104

Hosea 4:12-14

Hos 4:12 My people look for answers from of their wood, and their walking staff to tell them things. Because a spirit of prostitution has led them astray, and they have left their God to commit prostitution.
Hos 4:13 They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shades are nice. For this reason your daughters commit prostitution, and your brides commit adultery.
Hos 4:14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit prostitution, nor your brides when they commit adultery; because the men themselves go aside with prostitutes and sacrifice with cult prostitutes, and a people who do not understand will be ruined.

nice shades

After spending a lot of time hiking in the great outdoors, I have a special appreciation for a passage like this. Sturdy walking poles, glorious mountain tops, cool shaded areas — these are words which remind me of the experience. The Israelites spent a lot of time walking outdoors, and they picked up the habits of the pagans who did the same. They forgot the God in the sky above them, and started worshiping the blessings all around them. Hosea reveals that this defection was due to a lack of understanding, and leads to ruin.

LORD, you are the one who blesses us. Our hearts yearn for you, not just the blessings you have given us.