#DailyDevotion When God’s People Rejected Him, He Sent Them Away
Hos. 9 15“All their evil was evident in Gilgal; there I hated them. For their evil deeds I will drive them out of My house and not love them anymore. All their leaders are rebellious. 16Ephraim is struck down. Their roots are dried up. They will bear no fruit. Even if they have young, I will kill the children they delight in.” 17My God will reject them because they refused to listen to Him, and they will be wandering among the nations. ‘
It was at Gilgal Israel crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land. There all the men circumcised themselves because those born in the wilderness had not done so. There, when they had healed, celebrated the Passover for the first time since leaving Egypt. It was called Gilgal because the LORD had removed the wickedness from Israel there. Samuel was anointed king but he also lost the kingdom there by offering the sacrifice instead of waiting for Samuel to offer it. The soldiers under Saul also kept the LORD’s portion of the battle they won for themselves. In similar fashion, the Israelites, contrary to the will of the LORD would continue to offer sacrifices there when the LORD put His name in the Temple at Jerusalem. No doubt they committed idolatry at that place as well. The LORD hated them for what they did there. They did not listen to Him or do what He commanded.
The whole house of Israel was supposed to be the House of the LORD. Because of their evil deeds the LORD was going to cast them out of His House. The love He wanted to show them He would not and could not because of all their rebellious acts. The leadership who was supposed to lead the people in their spirituality and execute justice in the land were totally corrupt. Ephraim (used as the whole of Israel here) was struck down and its roots dried up. It wasn’t coming back. The curses the Israelites spoke according to the LORD’s command from Moses in Deuteronomy were coming into effect.
One of the great blessings the LORD would give to Israel was many descendants. Now the wombs of their women would dry up. If they did have kids, the LORD would kill them by the hand of the Assyrians. No, these children were not innocent. They followed the ways of their parents in their evil. Of course, no children are innocent until the Word of the LORD makes them clean. The children of Christian parents are clean because Christian parents have brought their children to the LORD’s house where His word is from conception. The Holy Spirit working through that word to bring them to faith and to seal them in that faith with Himself in Holy Baptism. But I digress.
The LORD has rejected Israel. They refused to listen to Him. The Assyrians exiled them to their northeast territory and they became wanderers. They would never be seen again. The only remnant with a name took refuge in Jerusalem.
What should we learn from this? Judgment begins with the House of God. If it is difficult for those in church to be saved, what will the crass unbelievers do? Who are we looking to for every good? Do we make sacrifices of ourselves, our families, our health, our wealth to worldly systems to obtain every good instead of looking to God our Father to provide us every good? We have a promise from Jesus the Father wants to give us all good things. Let us live our lives believing this is true. In this we will love God and our neighbors as ourselves.
Gracious God and Father, You have promised to provide us with daily bread. Give us Your Holy Spirit so we may pray for it and trust You will provide it. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.