#DailyDevotion Does Your God Punish Evil People?

Hos. 9 ¹⁰“I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I picked your fathers like the first ripe fig when its season starts. But they went to Baal at Peor and devoted themselves to a shameful idol, becoming as detestable as the thing they loved.

The LORD recalls how He found Israel in the wilderness. They were something pleasant to Him like grapes or ripe figs in the wilderness. While chosen by the LORD, the people didn’t choose Him. Instead, though they vowed to follow Him alone, they went after the false god at Baal Peor because of their beautiful women. What the LORD found detestable, i.e. the false god, the Israelites because they loved this idol and what came with it. They made themselves unclean. Do we often hanker for what is not good for us spiritually because it pleases our senses? It seemed the Israelites continued in this path over the course of several hundred years. The Exodus occurred in the 13th c. B.C. and the destruction of Israel in 722 B. C., the LORD had been really patient with them. The Israelites worshiped other Baals in the land the LORD their God had given them along with the golden calves at Dan and Bethel. Having turned from the Living God to idols, their adherence to the rest of the commands quickly followed. We might not, as our culture turned from Jesus, the morality of the country also tanked.

¹¹Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird so that there will be no one born, carried in the womb, or conceived. ¹²Even if they raise their children, I will take them away before they grow up; yes, woe to them when I leave them. ¹³I have seen Tyre; like it, Ephraim is planted in a pleasant place. But Ephraim will bring out his children for the slayer.” ¹⁴LORD, give them — what will You give them?- give them a womb that miscarries and dry breasts.

One of the gifts of the covenant was lots of children. Children are a blessing from the LORD no matter what our culture thinks (it is a strange thing so many people do everything they can at one point in their lives to not have children and then find themselves unable to have them when “they” want them). Ephraim was the largest tribe but now they will dwindle. Their glory is flying away like a bird. The LORD is going to be closing up the womb of the women. If they should have children, the LORD is going to take them away before they grow up. This is their punishment for worshiping gods who are no gods, for giving credits to idols for all their blessings instead of the LORD who gave them to them. The children of Ephraim will bring out their children to the slayer. The slayer here is most likely the Assyrian army as it descends upon Israel to take their land and their people.

We then have this brief injection into the prophecy by the prophet Hosea. It is a curse to give the Israelites wombs that miscarry and dry breasts so the children starve. We’re not dealing with the modern Barney god and his prophets people think of today. Indeed, they reject the Living God because He pours out His wrath upon unrepentant sinners. They reject the pastors of Christ who call out their sins and tell them to repent and turn to Christ and live. If our God punishes sin, they’d rather keep their sin and reject God. It is really quite astounding. They ask for a righteous God and then when God acts righteously they call Him petulant and immature. They are like the people Jesus speaks of, Matt. 11 ¹⁷“We played a tune on the flute for you, but you didn’t dance. We sang a funeral song, but you didn’t mourn.” Who is your God? Is it Israel’s God in this text?

Almighty God and Father, grant us repentance and faith so we may look to You for every good. Let us praise You for all Your glory and give thanks for all Your benefits to us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.