The Faithful Holy One

I just read Hosea 11 and it made me sit there and go "wow". I mean really really wow. I don't even know where to start.

In verse 2, it says,

The more [the prophets] called to them, the more they went from them; they kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning incense to the graven images.

No one could get through to these people. No holy person, no righteous follower of the Law, no lover or servant of God, no awesome preacher or teacher or anyone else was going to get through here. It only made them more inclined to Baal worship. 

Then in verse 3 it says, 

Yet I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by their arms ortaking them up in My arms, but they did not know that I healed them.

God shows us how to do everything. He carries us through our darkest nights, and we don't even show one ounce of appreciation, or heck, even recognition! 

Verse 4 describes just how He loved us, 

I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love, and I was to them as one who lifts up and eases the yoke over their cheeks, and I bent down to them and gently laid food before them.

Every good gift. The Lord gave more of Himself. He gave perfect love. He took our yokes and carried our burdens. He lifted us up. He kneeled before us, and satisfied us with food. 

And we didn't care. 

Verse 6 says, 

 And the sword shall rage against and fall upon their cities and shall consume the bars of their gates and shall make an end [of their defenses], because of their own counsels and devices. 

We are so stupid. It's the desire to follow our own wills and whims and desires that kills us. It's the fact that we think we know it all, when in reality we know NOTHING! We are like the high school punk who takes a psychology class and thinks he's qualified to psychoanalyze everyone. We get a taste, and think that's all we need. 

Verse 7 hit me even harder, 

My people are bent on backsliding from Me; though [the prophets] call them to Him Who is on high, none at all will exalt Him or lift himself up [to come to Him]. 

My people are bent on backsliding from Me. Not just My people are backsliding from Me, or My people are inclined to backslide from Me, but My people are bent on backsliding for Me. We are INCAPABLE of loving and choosing God because we are just THAT opposed to Him. Nothing in us wants Him. 

And as verse 7 speaks to our unbelievable rebellion, so verse 9 speaks to the unbelievable grace offered to us through Christ's death on the cross, 

I will not execute the fierceness of My anger; I will not bring back Ephraim to nothing or again destroy him. For I am God and not man, the Holy One in the midst of you, and I will not come in wrath or enter into the city.

Verse 12 sums up who God is so concisely and marvelously, 

Ephraim surrounds Me with lies and the house of Israel with deceit, and Judah is not yet steadfast with God, with the faithful Holy One

We have nothing to offer God. We are disgusting, deceitful, stained and poor. But He is perfect, just and righteous. Holy and faithful, He is the One who is and was and always will be.