Wed.’s Devo - The Path of the Lord

Read: Hosea 10:1-14:9; Jude 1:1-25; Psalm 127:1-5; Proverbs 29:15-17 Prosperity was Israel’s downfall. Money without God leads to all sorts of wrong spending. They spent their money on idols and their temples. God was about to do away with their idols and their luxuriant temples. Samaria was the capital of Israel and had a golden calf that they worshipped. It was going to be carted away to Assyria. The people of Ephraim and Samaria had trusted in this idol. Bethel, which means “house of God” was renamed by God to be Beth-Aven which means “house of vanity or nothingness”. This was the home of one of the golden calves that Jeroboam had set up. God said that there had only been sin and more sin since Gibeah. Gibeah was where the man and his concubine stopped for the night. They were accosted by the men in the city and to save his life, the man gave his concubine for them to abuse all night. She died that night so he cut her body into12 pieces and sent them to all the tribes calling them to war against the men who had done this (Judges 19). God said that when it fit his plan, he would attack them too. Israel had built up strong armies thinking that their military would keep them safe but all their fortifications would fall and they would be crushed. Since the people refused to return to the Lord, they would return to Egypt instead and be forced to serve Assyria. Ephraim was one of Joseph’s sons and it meant “double fruit”. It was the tribe blessed above the other tribe but instead of being a leader in righteousness, they had turned to the worship of Baal. God reminded them that it was Him who brought them out of Egypt and they must acknowledge no other God but him. That was the first commandment he gave them. God had taken care of them and provided for them abundantly but they had exchanged his kindness for cruel gods who couldn’t do anything for them. God would destroy them even though He was their only helper. He was the only God who was on their side and wanted good for them. The other gods wanted death and destruction fo them. So now, they would get death and destruction. After God had destroyed them, he would heal them of their unfaithfulness. They would once again prosper under God’s loving hand. Hosea gives one more call for the people to repent and turn to God. He reminds them that the path of the Lord is true and right and the righteous people live by walking in them but the sinners stumble and fall. Jude talks about this very thing. He reminds the people that Jesus first rescued the nation of Israel from Egypt but later he destroyed those who did not remain faithful. He chained the angels in prisons of darkness that came down to earth and had sex with human women. He judged the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for their sin with fire as a picture of what will happen in the end. In the same way, he would judge the people who were deceiving the people with their dreams while living immoral lives and blaspheming supernatural beings. Michael wouldn’t even rebuke Satan but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” These people were murderers, deceivers and extortionists. These deceivers were eating with them and participating in spiritual meetings which would end up shipwrecking them. Their purpose was to only satisfy their ungodly desires and they would create division among you. Instead, they were to build up each other in their faith praying in the power of the Holy Spirit. We are cautioned about showing mercy to everyone. We are to hate the sin which contaminates their lives. Lord, help us to walk on your path of righteousness and truth.