Hosea 13:4 “But I have been the Lord your God ever since you came out of Egypt. You shall acknowledge no God but me, no Savior except me.
These are the kinds of passages I have always struggled with. It seems like God is throwing a fit, having a tantrum. I’m always tempted to read it as though Israel is God’s toy that’s been taken away. But God flailing and yelling “Mine! Mine! Mine!” Doesn’t fit with what I know of the character of God, so what’s really going on here?
Hosea 13:6 When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me.
God loves His creation fiercely. He showers us with mercies and blessings. I’m sure He wants acknowledgment of those gifts but not so that He can preen about feeling good about Himself. God wants us to praise Him so we don’t forget the source of every good thing in our lives—Him. Because when we forget, or when we give ourselves credit, we become proud and take our eyes off of Him, which leads to very bad things. And God loves us so much that He always wants us to be able to luxuriate in His love.
Hosea 13:14a “I will deliver this people from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. Where, O death, are your plagues? Where, O grave, is your destruction?
Lord, Thank You for Your fierce love of us, Your creation. Thank You for wanting us to always walk in Your light so that You can shower us with blessings. Forgive me when I get proud and self-reliant in a boastful way. Redirect me when I stray. Draw me closer. Amen.
Hosea 13:14b-15 “I will have no compassion, even though he thrives among his brothers. An east wind from the Lord will come, blowing in from the desert; his spring will fail and his well dry up. His storehouse will be plundered of all its treasures.
Have a blessed day.