Scripture Text : Hosea 12:7-14
A merchant, in whose hands are false balances, he loves to oppress.
Hosea 12:7
Every October, shortly after the announcement of the Nobel Prize winners, a group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology hands out the Ig Nobel Prize, a “tongue-in-cheek” (meant to be understood as a joke, although it might appear to be serious) recognition of notorious achievements. In 2002, they awarded the Ig Nobel Prize in economy to “the executives, corporate directors, and auditors” of 28 different companies for “adapting the mathematical concept of imaginary numbers for use in the business world.”
Israel’s accounting was similarly suspect. They claimed to be independently wealthy and sinless, but an audit of their history as a nation revealed a different story. Using dishonest scales, Israel’s claim in verse 8 insinuated that they came into wealth on their own merits. But God was the One who brought them out of Egypt where they were slaves with no home, no king, and no freedom. They were wanderers, not wealthy. Their claim that no sin would be found in them was obviously false. The prophets had long spoken out against Israel’s wickedness.
Was Gilead wicked? Yes! Despite Israel’s claims to the contrary, their sacrifices were not enough to make them holy. Their altars may have had value if their worship was genuine, taking place in God’s holy temple. But because of their rebellion, the stones of their altars were as worthless as stones in a field that got in the way of the plow (v. 11).
God looked back to Jacob to expose the real story. Jacob was a servant, a shepherd, when he was beginning his family—hardly the mark of self-made wealth. And afterward, as his descendants became a nation, they had to be cared for like sheep by the prophets of God. The verb in verse 12 describing Jacob’s care for the sheep is repeated in verse 13 in reference to the prophets’ guidance. Hosea made a clear parallel between Jacob’s humble beginnings and Israel’s propensity to wander.
Israel had the value of things completely out of balance, and they were about to experience the punishment from God in order to even the scales.
Reflect
1. How’s your self-evaluation? Do you ever make one?
2. How completely honest are you to yourselves and to God when youbdo it?
3. Do you completely allow the Holy Spirit to evaluate you, not blind to see what He is showing you and allow Him to change you what He is telling you what to change?
Remember
We all perform some type of self-evaluation, a sort of mental report card that gauges how well we think we are living our lives. Some people are unfairly harsh on themselves, and others persist in denial about their glaring shortcomings.
Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart according to His standards, not your own. Be open to His conviction for an honest look at the condition of your life. Allow Him to make the changes that truly need to be made, to free you from the burden of presenting a false exterior.
Read
Leviticus 19:35-36;Psalm 139:23;Proverbs 11:1;1 Timothy 6:9-10
Pray
Holy Spirit, search my heart according to Your standards, not my own. Tell me, show me my real condition; of my heart and mind. You alone has the power to change me according to the kind of person that You desire for me to be and give me the joy as You continue to do so. This I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen.
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