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Hosea 14:8 - God's probing question - Day 312

Good morning sisters and brothers,

We say goodbye to Hosea for another year.  While he is a "minor" prophet, there is nothing "minor" in what he says.  The last prophet to the northern kingdom before dispersion.  Yet God is still calling them to return to Him.  May we hear this call as well.

Blessings,

Jeff

Here is another example of God asking a rhetorical question.  This time it is to Ephraim, the tribe that represents the northern kingdom.  Remember that Joseph was Jacob's favorite son and Joseph is replaced by his sons Ephraim and Manasseh who were born to him while he was in Egypt.  So Joseph has a double portion with the nation of Israel.  By the way, Ephraim means "doubly fruitful." 

I don't recall ever commenting on the "federal" or representative theme in God's relationship with man.  Adam represents all mankind in the garden.  What Adam does, all subsequent man have also done.  This is Paul's argument in Romans.  We are all "in Adam" until God regenerates us.  Then we are "in Christ".  We were dead in Adam, we are alive in Christ.  The guilt of Adam is imputed to us until God saves us.  Then, the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us.

In this passage one tribe represents the whole northern kingdom that rebelled against house of David.

The thread of the second commandment (no carved image or any likeness) reappears.  In essence, God is asking Israel to remember this commandment.  What does God have to do with idols? Absolutely nothing.  Israel cannot use images in worshipping God.  To do so makes us think that God is like a creature. To do so denies that God is the Creator.

I look after you and answer you. I am the living source of your fruit.  Notice the play on words.  Ephraim is "double fruit" but God is the source of his fruit.  The idols you worship cannot and do not look after you or answer you.  They are not alive and not the source of fruit.

When I read God's questions, I am convicted by His Spirit.  He makes me look at my life and see if there is a similar unconfessed sin in me.  

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