01/19/2024
“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.” Hosea 10:12
It was Israel to whom the prophet Hosea was writing these solemn words, for individually, and as a nation, they had rebelled against the Lord. They had followed after other gods, committed spiritual adultery, strayed far from the God of their fathers, and become estranged from the One Who chose them to be His own special inheritance. And Hosea was calling the errant nation of Israel to repent of their sins, return to their first love, and seek the Lord with all their heart. If they were to escape the rapidly approaching judgement that had been prophesied by so many holy men of God. Sow to yourselves in righteousness and reap according to mercy, Hosea warned. Break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord. The people of God were to rend their hearts in sincerity and truth and not to simply tear their clothes in an outward show of mock remorse and other hypocritical actions. If the coming judgement of God was to be escaped, the people of God had to rend their hearts and not their garments. They were to sow with a view to righteousness and reap in accordance to mercy and loving kindness. They were to live in a way that honoured the Lord. They were to have a change of heart and not simply give an outward show of remorse. They were to break up the uncultivated ground in their hardened and rebellious hearts. Break up your fallow ground, they were told. For too long Israel had gone her own way. The time had come for them to seek the Lord, with their whole heart. They were to seek after Him, and to keep on seeking His favour, They were to search for Him until He heard, and answered them - until He came to teach them righteousness and pour His righteous gift of salvation upon them. This is also true for those today that have become lukewarm in their walk with the Lord. This verse is saying repent. Sow to yourself in righteousness. Reap the mercy and the forgiveness of the LORD. Break up, remove complacency and half heartedness and seek the LORD. Do this without ceasing. Continue until He fills your life again with a song. With the peace and joy of the LORD. Israel did this over and over again and it is easy for us also to grow stale in our relationship with God. But thanks be to God who forgiveth all our iniquities. He redeems us with loving kindness. He restores our soul. Blessings and Leep Looking Up!
