#DailyDevotions Have You Forgotten Who Has Blessed You With All Good Things?
Hos. 13 When Ephraim spoke, people used to tremble. He was important in Israel. Then He did wrong with Baal and died. 2And now they sin more and more, using their silver to make metal images for themselves and skillfully made idols, all of them the work of craftsmen. People say of them, “They kiss calf idols and commit human sacrifice.” 3That is why they will be like the morning mist, like dew passing away early, like chaff driven by a storm from a threshing floor, and like smoke coming out of a chimney.
Ephraim was the largest tribe. They carried a lot of weight. When they decided to not follow Solomon’s son and do their own thing, nine other tribes went with them. They set up the golden calves at Dan and Bethel to represent the LORD. They led the people to worship Baal and not God alone. They died spiritually and they were facing death at the hands of the Assyrians. They set up idols throughout Israel. The people worshiped them and even sacrificed their children to these false gods, i.e. demons. Because they did this, the LORD is now going to make them, and the rest of Israel like the morning mist and chaff being blown by the wind. He would have the Assyrians exile them from the land never to be seen or heard of again.
4“But I am the LORD your God ever since Egypt, and you are to believe in no God except Me. Only I can save. 5I took care of you in the desert in a very dry land. 6When they had their pasture, they were satisfied, and when they were satisfied, they became proud; so they forgot Me.
It was the LORD, i.e. YHWH, who was the God that took them from Egypt and made them His people. He spoke to them from the mountain and they heard Him say the Ten Commandments, namely, I am the LORD your God who took you out of bondage in Egypt. You shall have no other gods but me. He provided for them in the wilderness with manna, quail, and water. He brought them into the Promised Land and blessed the work of their hands. They however forgot the LORD and thought their own hands brought them the prosperity they enjoyed. When they were satisfied, they forgot the LORD and started worshiping other gods. All I can think is that the worship of other gods seemed more fun to them. Perhaps the worship of other gods seemed more relevant to them because there was a different god for each aspect of their lives. Apparently, they did listen to Agur who wrote, “Don’t give me poverty or riches. Feed me with the food I need. 9Or I may feel satisfied and deny You, saying, “Who is the LORD?” Or I may get poor and steal, and profane the name of my God.” (Prov. 30:8, 9)
Have we forgotten the LORD Jesus Christ has rescued us from sin, death and the power of the devil? Have we turned from His grace and mercy thinking we are good enough? With the wealth He has blessed us with, have we forgotten Him and looked to more relevant worship and teachings not taught in His Word?
Let us remember the teaching of our LORD Jesus Christ and be content to pray for and receive daily bread. May our worship of Him be the reception of His Word and Sacraments in the liturgy and our thanksgiving to Him be the most relevant thing to us. Let the Sermon on the Mount be the guide to our being Jesus’ disciples and let us pray for His Holy Spirit to live that out in our daily lives.
Heavenly Father, You punished the Israelites because they forgot You in their blessings. Give us Your Holy Spirit so we may ever remember all Your goodness to us in Christ Jesus and so covert our hearts to live according to Your will. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.