devotional post # 2135

Hosea 12:7-9

Hos 12:7 A merchant, in whose hands are dishonest scales, he loves to cheat.
Hos 12:8 Ephraim has said, “Not me, I am rich; I have found wealth for myself; in all my labors they cannot find in me a sign of iniquity or sin.”
Hos 12:9 I am Yahveh your God from the land of Egypt; I will make you dwell in shacks again, like you did in the days you celebrate with the traditional feast.

back to shacks

The Israelites still celebrated the feast of booths, where they constructed temporary shacks to live in, symbolizing their dependence upon God for protection and provision. But now Israel is so fat and rich and self-reliant that the LORD threatens to strip them of all that they rely on, and return them to shacks. The LORD reminds them that they were slaves in Egypt, and that their freedom was given by him.

Ephraim thinks he is sinless because he is wealthy. God knows differently.

LORD, rescue us from our own sinful self-reliance.