Don't Inquire a Piece of Wood

"My people inquire a piece of wood, and their walking staff gives them oracles." - Hosea 4:12

Does this statement sound silly to you? It should, because it is a silly statement. It comes straight out my devotions this morning in Hosea 4 where the LORD is giving a charge against Israel through Hosea for their foolishness and the sin they've committed.

The Israelites didn't acknowledge God (v.1), they broke all bounds, from their speech (swearing and lying), to their thought (lust and adultery), and their deeds (murder and bloodshed) (v.2), they exchanged their glory for something disgraceful (v.7), they gave themselves over to prostitution and wine (v.10-11), and much more which all led them astray.

I remember thinking after reading this passage, "well, they were quite bad" and "I definitely haven't gone that far", but the reality is, is that this charge against Israel's sin is also against you and I. At the end of the day, we have all broken God's law, we've disobeyed, we've rebelled and we've turned away and there is a charge against us for our sin.

I could really feel the weight of my sin after this morning, recognizing just how weak and disobedient I have been and how desperate we are, in need of His grace and forgiveness. I'd like to share some takeaways from the passage;

"my people are destroyed from a lack of knowledge" (v.6) - sin and rebellion come from not knowing God and what He tells us in scripture. It is so incredibly important to be regularly in God's Word each and every day - it is only by reading His Living Word that we may know His will and avoid the dangers of life. His Word is our sword and shield! Do not be one who is destroyed because of a lack of knowledge.

Not only was there a lack of knowledge among Israel, but a rejection of knowledge (v.6). And once again I thought "i've never rejected or refused God's Word, im reading it, i don't cast it aside"; but every time we choose disobedience, we are rejecting God's Word and are saying that whatever else we've rejected it for is better, when it isn't. We say that God's Word isn't good enough when we choose disobedience. Verse 7 goes on to tell us that "because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children." Don't put yourself in a place where God would reject you.

"my people inquire of a piece of wood, and their walking staff gives them oracles" (v. 12) - the NIV says "they consult a wooden idol and are answered by a stick of wood". It sounds so blunt and stupid, but this is what idolatry boils down to. And idolatry isn't just referring to worshipping statues or anything, but it is also when we turn to worldly things for counsel and pleasure, putting things above the LORD, when He and His Word is right in front of us.

The chapter goes on, listing off how Israel has been unfaithful to a Holy God. In the same way, we have fallen short of His glory which deserves punishment and penalty - and God being a just God, will do exactly that (Hosea 4:9)! He will not tolerate sin - BUT for those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ, their sin is pardoned, not because God just brushed it aside, but because Christ paid the penalty we deserve and bore the wrath of God that was meant for us. This is a costly grace, and our sin is never to be taken lightly.

God is a God of justice and a God of love. He loves you so dearly He wants to restore you and to pull you out of the pit that only leads to destruction because of sin. He doesn't want to see anyone perish and always works for good with redemptive purposes. Repent from your sinful ways, from "wooden idols and sticks of wood", and return to the Almighty Father who created you in His image and desires a relationship with you.