Wife of Whoredom Part Six "The Pretenders" Ep. # 108

Wife of Whoredom Part Six

The Great Pretenders

Ep. #108

In our last episode we saw how God placed the blame for Israel’s spiritual adultery squarely on the men’s shoulders. We ended Chapter Five in Hosea with God walking away and waiting for His people to recognize how far away from God they had walked in their sinful ways. Here’s verse 15: “I will depart and return to My place until they recognize their guilt and seek My face; they will search for Me in their distress.” HCSB 15:5 Hosea

Let’s pause here for a minute. All of us are in different stages in our relationship with God. We might be inching forward in our intimacy with Him. We could be as far from God as far as far can be. We might be wallowing in tears - sitting in a valley surrounded by thorns of guilt and shame. Just as the mercury rises on a thermometer, our walk with God or our return to God increases by degrees.

Chapter six starts out with the people of Israel urging one another to repentance and turning back to God. It’s a real nice sentiment here, but God’s reply starting in verse four seems to cast doubt on their sincerity. As the old saying says: “Talk is cheap.” It looks like God is up to their game of playing the Great Pretenders.

“COME AND let us return to the Lord, for He has torn so that He may heal us; He has stricken so that He may bind us up. After two days He will revive us (quicken us, give us life); on the third day He will raise us up that we may live before Him. Yes, let us know (recognize, be acquainted with, and understand) Him; let us be zealous to know the Lord [to appreciate, give heed to, and cherish Him]. His going forth is prepared and certain as the dawn, and He will come to us as the [heavy] rain, as the latter rain that waters the earth.” AMPC 3-1:6 Hosea

God calls out the lack of loyalty in verse six. “What am I going to do with you, Ephraim? What am I going to do with you, Judah? Your loyalty is like the morning mist and like the early dew that vanishes.” HCSB 4:6 Hosea “A harvest is also appointed for you, Judah. When I return My people from captivity,” HCSB 11:6 Hosea

You sow what you reap. God is including the Southern Kingdom with the Northern Kingdom in a a harvest of accountability. It appears the people are masters of fake regret and superficial loyalty. There’s a few absolute things I know about God and one of them is He can see right through our hypocrisy and disguises. Fig leaves didn’t do much to hide Adam and Eve.

God knows our motives. Going through the motions of religious rituals while living lifestyles that lack mercy and compassion is like breeding mosquitoes as pets. Verse seven begins a litany of wrongdoings “But they, like [less-privileged] men and like Adam, have transgressed the covenant; there have they dealt faithlessly and treacherously with Me. Gilead is a city of evildoers; it is tracked with bloody [footprints]. And as troops of robbers lie in wait for a man, so the company of priests murder on the road toward Shechem; yes, they commit villainy and outrages. I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel! There harlotry and idolatry are found in Ephraim; Israel is defiled. Also, O Judah, there is a harvest [of divine judgment] appointed for you; when I would return My people from their captivity [in which they are slaves to the misery brought on by their own sins],” AMPC 11-7:6 Hosea

So there ya have it folks. It’s best to be real with God as He is real with us.

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