Daily Devotions

Hosea

Hosea 
Day 
Day 113

"Swearing falsely in making a covenant"

Text: Hosea 10:4

A GLORIOUS COVENANT GIVEN

God graciously gave to Israel a wonderful covenant. This may be read in Exodus 20-24.

“So Moses came and told the people
all the words of the LORD and all the judgments.
And all the people answered with one voice and said,
‘All the words which the LORD has said we will do.'”
Exodus 24:3

1. Moses’ part

a) He spoke to the people.
b) He told them all the words of the LORD and His judgments.

2. The people’s part

a) They answered with one voice.
b) They promised to do all that the Lord had said to them.

SWEARING FALSELY

Hosea reflected on this matter and he had to write these words down solemnly.

“They have spoken words,
Swearing falsely in making a covenant.
Thus judgment springs up like hemlock in the furrows of the field.”
Hosea 10:4

1. “They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant”

a) A covenant has two parts:
i) God in giving the Covenant.
ii) Israel in promising to obey the Lord and keep His covenant.
b) Israel had sworn falsely:
i) The nation did not keep their covenant with God.
ii) The sworn words were all false.
iii) They had literally broken all the Ten Commandments wantonly.

2. “Thus judgment springs up like hemlock in the furrows of the field”

a) Hemlock was poisonous.
b) If consumed it would bring death.
c) Israel was sowing poison in their fields.
d) The nation would reap a bitter harvest in time to come.
e) This judgment would come from the Lord.

But it was brought upon the nation because it had chosen to play false by the Lord!