In my early twenties, I was prescribed an intense form of medication to try and manage skin issues. It was something of a last ditch effort. No matter how many topical products I tried, or how many times I went off dairy, my skin would just not clear up. I was over it. Super over it. I was self-conscious and weary of searching for just the right foundation color to help disguise this rebellious skin that was stealing my peace at night.
After discovering this new medicine, I was ecstatic at the prospect of change. Finally! I thought. The solution I’ve been waiting for. Well, the short version of a long story is it didn’t help. My spirit was crushed because I’d put my hope in something that didn’t deliver, despite its professional claims.
Israel also had some false hopes. Looking at Hosea 8, we see the Israelites’ desire for God to accept their religious practices and cries for help, even though they didn’t come from the heart. They offer sacrifices in hopes that God would accept them (v.13). They appoint leaders and build palaces in the hope of protection and victory (vv.4,14). They hope to please God even though they have rebelled against Him (v.1). But, instead, all of these outward acts lead to judgment and destruction because they are just that—acts.
God is after something entirely different. He’s after our hearts.
“My God, we know you!” they claim (v.2). But did they? What the people of Israel think is a mutually pleasing relationship appears to be only empty knowledge on their part. Without truly knowing God, they are left with empty actions and rituals instead of a genuine relationship.
The second to last line in today’s reading is a devastating one. We are told that “Israel has forgotten his Maker” (v.14). It’s easy to read stories about people who go through the motions, forget about God, and become frustrated. I want to shake my fist at these stanzas of poetry and say, “What were you thinking? How can you not see this coming?” But then I remember my own forgetfulness, rebellion, and propensity to place my hope in other things. Empty, outward things that will not deliver.
It is impossible to flourish if we have forgotten our Maker. When we read the book of Hosea, let’s see their tragedy as an invitation. We aren’t left without guidance. As believers, we aren’t ignorant of where our hope lies, just as the Israelites weren’t if they would have only remembered. Scripture helps us understand the nature of our hope, which is always planted in the soil of God’s faithfulness and love. This is a true, assured kind of hope, one that we can count on.
Leave a Reply
50 thoughts on "Israel’s False Hopes"
What a good reminder that our actions are like dirty rags to God when we don’t do them with the right heart behind them. Our sacrifices and praise are meaningless if we are truly following and loving God. This was a good reminder of what happens when we forget our Maker.
Lord, search my heart and know me. Make me aware of what my heart is truly seeking, if it is not You, and put me back on a path towards Your Kingdom!
This reading today truly got at my heart. So many times I feel I can make something happen and then wonder why I didn’t place it in the hands of God. Such an awesome reminder this morning that I don’t want to forget the Maker.
Lord help us to keep you at the center each and every day
Definitely realizing my relationship with God is not what it should be. It’s not a performance or doing good works from myself. It’s about staying rooted in Him and His word and having that relationship with Him.
“It is impossible to flourish if we have forgotten our Maker.”
♥️
God always calls our heart home <3
.
I know this doesn’t have anything to do with today’s readings, but does anyone know what exactly comes in our advent subscription box? Also will it come with activities to do with our children, or do I need to order those separately? I’m just asking because I received an email about the kids advent.
It’s so frustrating that God offers us something so simple and we make it complicated by trying to do it our own way. I’m thankful for these stories that remind me that my striving is pointless, all I need to is cling to the Lord.
This is a heavy read. So often, I forget that God has made me for a purpose, a good one. I forget he is real, and prepared for me to come to him, even in anger, spilling out my rage and anxiety and sadness with him. I am sobered by it. The heaviest poetic line for me was, “they returned, but not upward.”
The word of the Lord is alive and powerful, sharper than a two edged sword cutting between soul and spirit, exposing our innermost thoughts and desires. Boy do I feel convicted today! Firstly, I am weary and today reminded me to keep going tonserve the Lord. Secondly, I am a wailer. Legit lies on bed wailing and today has really made me realise that I am not crying from my heart to God but just wailing. Thirdly, how many “little kings” have I installed in place of my one true King?! Lord, be the only King of my heart because you have all I ever needed or will ever need ❤
I do t want to forget my maker, the way the Israelites did. The sad truth is, I so often forget my maker and all that he has done for me. I know the important thing is, coming back to him when we forget him and fail.
This study is teaching me so much about the Father’s heart. God doesn’t want empty sacrifice or offerings just for the sake of going through the motions. He wants our hearts, fully surrendered and on fire for Him. Hosea 7:13-14 really stuck out to me – God desperately wants to redeem us and have a genuine relationship with each of us, but we have to fully want one as well. He’s not going to force us to choose Him, we have to make that choice. But oh how desperately He loves us…reading His laments breaks my heart and allows me to see even more clearly how much He loves us and desires fellowship with His children. I pray that I remember every day to seek Him, choose Him, and cry out to Him from the depths of my heart. Amen! xx
Fabulous posts the last few days!
Oh MARI ❤️ V… Praying!!! I’m holding your hand.
VICTORIA E… Thinking about your peanut today. Even now, I pray he will be a man of faith, who never forget his Maker! :D
Praying for all our kids and youth especially today!!
I’m at the doctors. Splint removed. Waiting for x-ray. I started crying. Lots of staples. Praying that it’s healing properly. I miss work.
I agree with hope, reading all of Romans 9 (it is not too long!) really helped with understanding the larger message than just the two verses presented here. Thank you all for all your amazing comments and insight as usual!
God’s hope and love have gotten me through many things in my over 60 years of life. This hope and love have lead me to a faith that is strong and beliefs that don’t waiver. My God, my Christ, my Holy Spirit have and always will be with me through the good and the bad.
My siblings and I were brought up Christians, one has totally strayed away from God and Christ, one has had wavering faith and the believes but I’m not certain where he is due to issues at his church. I have my faith and my hope and my love for the Lord and as my father told my oldest brother when my older son died, “her faith runs deep”.
REJOICE that the Lord has given us the HOPE for ETERNAL LIFE because He sent His One and Only Son to die for our sins!!
To any of my sisters who do volunteer work bless you, because on volunteers at the church where Finley’s (the little girl I care for) family go to I get a night off. They are having a special night out for parents of special needs children.
Have a blessed and wonderful weekend sisters of Christ.
Thank you for that highlight ALESHIA CROOM! I do “grow weary of doing good” and often feel I have the rest of my long life to perfect my path (knowing FULL WELL tomorrow is not guaranteed).
One verse that REALLY struck me was Hosea 7:9…the only way not to notice “streaks of grey” is to not look in the mirror, not examine myself, not seek wise counsel to (essentially) help me with the things I cannot see (essentially the back of my head)…{stick with me here, Sisters}…What if I am just spending my life pulling whatever “hair I can reach” over my shoulder to my eyes, check it, deal with the little I CAN see and satisfied?!
ANGIE,BECKY KORTMAN, SARAHJOY / CEEGEE (Am I fooled that I am following the “correct” north? Wow!), MELISSA, ERB (I
thought a LOT yesterday about the unflipped pancake) thanks for your INVALUABLE to me posts.
Lord, give me a heart to want to know You intimately, and seek to please You in the way the YOU “approve”/ordain (Hosea 8:4)…help me avoid any type of FOMO, knowing You are All in all! Let this prayer of mine penetrate my own being and not be surface. Indeed as my sister MARI V wrote, may I NEVER forget You, my Maker!! May I never forget that all my oil, jewels, grain, (skills, opportunities, resources, insights, breath, assurance…) is from YOU, and not my “lovers”!!!
Thank You for Your precious hand upon me. I know I can be annoying but, please NEVER stop pursuing me!!
(Blessed day Sisters ❤️)
*hope.

May I never forget my Maker! He is EVERYTHING to me! I have walked a hard road but has never been alone. My Jesus has walked every step with me. My prayer is that my life experiences would be helpful to another woman Who may need some he
Whew thank you all for your reflections! They truly help me better grasp the readings. God is just so good!❤️
CeeGee, I loved the True North vs Magnetic North explanation. So much of this applies with our walk with God. Thank you for this!
Again— such beautiful insights. Thanks ladies for sharing. Faith is a gift from God, having that faith includes trust— and trusting God takes faith!
SARAHJOY, you prompted me to do a little read about How to Use a Compass on WikiHow. Like your husband said, 1 degree off has disastrous results! “Understand the difference between “true” North and “magnetic” North. While it might seem confusing that there are two kinds of “North,” it’s a basic distinction that you can learn quickly, and it’s an essential piece of information to learn to use a compass properly.[3]
True North or Map North refers to the point at which all longitudinal lines meet on the map, at the North Pole. All maps are laid out the same, with True North at the top of the map. Unfortunately, because of slight variations in the magnetic field, your compass won’t point to True North, it’ll point to Magnetic North.
Magnetic North refers to the tilt of the magnetic field, about eleven degrees from the tilt of the Earth’s axis, making the difference between True North and Magnetic North different by as many as 20 degrees in some places. Depending where you are on the surface of the Earth, you’ll have to account for the Magnetic shift to get an accurate reading.
While the difference may seem incidental, traveling just one degree off for the distance of a mile will have you about 100 feet (30.5 m) off track. Think of how off you’ll be after ten or twenty miles. It’s important to compensate by taking the declination into account.” There is so much there to apply to our walk with God! Happy weekend ladies!
Thanks for sharing that really helped out that into perspective
ANGIE, ERB, and SARAHJOY, Thanks for your incredible contributions to today’s message!
I am thankful for the commentary you posted yesterday, ERB, because it helped me to read/understand these verses so much more!
My heart is sad, too, because of the direction our country is headed. SARAHJOY, I never knew that about the3 norths!!! That is a sermon right there!!! Please thank your husband for his service and willingly explaining that so you could share it here. That is going to stick with me for a long time!
I am so thankful to have all of you to share and encourage through these hard reads! Through it all, God loves, changes hearts, invites, and redeems praise His Name!
SARAHJOY, so glad you received some insight from my research yesterday!! To God be ALL the Glory!!! …I also really appreciate you sharing the different types of North!!! What an AWESOME analogy!!!! Thank you dear sister!! Many Blessings be upon you!! ❤️
Reading all of Romans 9 will greatly improve the understanding of the given verses today. I was struggling to understand romans 9:22-24 out of context. It helps to read the entire chapter.
ERB – thank you for sharing all the insight you found on chapter 7 yesterday! I’d encourage everyone to go back and find it. So many ways Hosea compares Israel and its devastating choices to different things: the oven, the dove, the bow. They were missing the mark with God, going their own way and THEY DIDN’T KNOW IT.
Ugh. So easy to continue down a road that seems easy when nothing redirects you. And it doesn’t take much to get off track, and without returning to the correct path we stray further and further. In land navigation (according to what my husband learned during his time in the Army) there are important things to remember: where you are headed, which north you are following and checking the compass often. There are three north’s: magnetic north, grid north (map north) and true north (off the North Star). These are not all the same. If you don’t know how to navigate between them or don’t check that you’re on track, you can get off course. The longer you go, the further off you will end up. But the thing he reminded me (when I asked him to tell me all this again) that was most important is KNOW WHERE YOU’RE HEADED.
God, show me the direction to go, teach me the way and correct me when I head off the path. You are such a gracious God.
Thanks for explaining that analogy, Elizabeth.
Wow I never looked deeper into the oven…so good
ANGIE, I absolutely LOVED your king story and the analogy that went with it, so much so that I copied it down in my journal!! Thank you so much for sharing it and for sharing your heart. You my sister are very sweet and dear. ❤️
I also LOVED what Bailey said in today’s devotional “Israel had some false hopes. Looking at Hosea 8, we see the Israelites’ desire for God to accept their religious practices and cries for help, even though they didn’t come from the heart. They offer sacrifices in hopes that God would accept them. They appoint leaders and build palaces in the hope of protection and victory. They hope to please God even though they have rebelled against Him. But, instead, all of these outward acts lead to judgment and destruction because they are just that—acts.
God is after something entirely different. He’s after our hearts. What the people of Israel think is a mutually pleasing relationship appears to be only empty knowledge on their part. Without truly knowing God, they are left with empty actions and rituals instead of a genuine relationship. Empty, outward things will not deliver. It is impossible to flourish if we have forgotten our Maker.”
SO many TRUTH nuggets today!!! I am so thankful for the TRUTH and for God calling us, up and out!!! Such a good, grace & love filled Father we have!! His pursuit of us, even in our unfaithfulness is a testimony in and of itself!!! So grateful!!!
Many Blessings dear sisters!!! Xoxo
Praise our Lord Jesus Amen
I looked up the meaning of the ovens in Hosea 7:4, and it sounds like in that time they used bell-shaped brick ovens with banked fires inside, and when the ovens were ready to be used, the fire was taken out and the hot interior was used for baking. The passage is saying instead that the people’s passions could burst into flame at any time and destroy the bread.
❤️
What am I doing currently that I am just going through the motions without truly worshiping God? Am I being kind to others, especially to fellow believers so that they see the glory of the Lord?
Such unfailing love from a steadfast God. So thankful He is after my heart <3
Today’s verses prove God’s love so clearly. I grew up not in a Christian home and full of shame for not living up to my parent’s impossible standards. As an adult, I’ve often felt God has impossible standards too that I’ll never live up to, but that’s not true. He doesn’t expect us to be perfect; He expects us to keep pursuing Him in the imperfection.
Let us not grow weary in the pursuit of a God who always loves and pursues us ❤️
❤️❤️
❤️
Today’s scripture left me in tears (I haven’t read the devotional yet.)
Hosea 8:4 “They have installed kings, but not through me.” Yesterday I heard the story of a king somewhere in Europe years ago who attended church services one Sunday to find only he and one of his court members present. When he asked the man where everyone was, the man replied something like: I spread the word that the king would not be in services this morning so that we could see who attends services to impress the king, and who attends to worship the Lord. The verse starting with words about a king reminded me of the story and the need to press into the direction of our true King for every decision and to worship only Him.
The tears, however, came for a totally different reason. I’ve always struggled with the evil in the world. I don’t know if it is because I am female, or that is just the way God made my spirit, or because I am a teacher, but I really hate it and it weighs heavy on my spirit at times. We were at my high school girls’ soccer game last night and the music they played before the game was absolutely horrible. We had noticed during baseball season that some of the pregame music was pretty edgy, this was much worse. My heart broke thinking how many influences of darkness are pouring against our kids. And, how desperate we humans were then, and are now, for Jesus. Then I read the Romans verses and kind of understood them maybe for the first time. Our “potter,” Creator God, has the right and wisdom to create some pieces for honor and others for dishonor. The destruction and wrath that comes when needed is to make known the riches of his glory as MERCY upon us…Jews and Gentiles alike. For, according to the Galatians passage, those of us who have been taught need to share it. The flesh will reap what we sow, either destruction or eternal life from the Spirit. That is why we cannot grow weary in doing good. We cannot give up. Let us work for the good of all…especially for those who belong to the household of faith. Our world has always needed to see the Light of our Lord lived out but, as the darknesses seems to intensify in seasons may we join together and shine even brighter. It is only possible because of Jesus and His great mercy upon us. We are blessed, be a blessing. And that my sisters weighs heavily at times, but as His children…we will shine and not give up on the purpose God has for us for He will be glorified.
Let us not grow weary of doing good today! ❤️
Hosea 7:13 stuck out to me because the Lord said He wanted to redeem them still. After how far they have turned, his unfailing love and heart still made it hard to punish his people.
9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. – Galatians 6:9-10
9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. – Galatians 6:8-10
Remember the Lord ♥️
From Barnabas Piper – [Israel] reject[s] God completely. Yet still, He wants to redeem.
God does not change. He does not waffle when we waffle. God does not become distant and unavailable when we distance ourselves. He is steady though we are not. He is faithful though we are not. Though we push God away, He does not push us away.
God stands ready to redeem, make whole, and restore. Always.”
REMEMBER and RETURN
Our God is great and worthy of all praise