Scripture
Therefore, they will be like the morning mist, like the early dew that vanishes, like chaff blown from a threshing floor, or like smoke from a window.
~Hosea 13:3, CSB
Quote
One act of kindness in Jesus name is worth more than all the money in the world.
~Ya’akov
Hosea is prophesying the judgment of Ephraim who had given herself to the worship of idols. When the kingdom was split into North {Israel} and South {Judah}. Solomon’s son Rehoboam remained king of Judah and Benjamin with the majority of Levites staying close to Jerusalem and Jeroboam was named king of Israel, the Northern Tribes. Ephraim was the leading Tribe in the North. Jeroboam at one time had been a faithful member of Solomon’s staff but due to a disagreement, he fled to Egypt. Initially, Solomon was wrong and Jeroboam was right but when Jeroboam became the king of the North, his insecurities kicked in and to offset Jerusalem as the worship center, he had two golden bull calf idols constructed and put one at Dan [North] and one at Beersheba [South]. He did this to make worship convenient for the Northern Tribes. Since the Levites stayed in and around Jerusalem; Jeroboam ordained his own priest and gave them license to have worship centers on all the high places. This created a huge problem. The high places had been used by the worshipers of Baal and the golden calf idols resembled the idol baal which was a bull calf. You can imagine what happened almost immediately: Yahweh worship was corrupted and by Hosea’s day, the Israelites not only worshiped the calf idols, they revered them and feared them. They even kissed and adored them.
Hosea’s position on idol worship is the same as all the prophets; he abhorred it. He told them point blank, if you keep this up, you are going to become like what you worship; like mist, chaff and smoke. What do these three have in common? They are without substance. Aren’t you glad that we are too sophisticated to worship idols, well at least not in the sense of a golden calf. But are we guilty of building our lives on things that do not have substance. Even Solomon understood the temporal nature of wealth: he said in Proverbs 27:24...“For wealth is not forever; not even a crown lasts for all time.” How many folks in this 21 century have made wealth their god? Isn’t it the same sin as that of Ephraim?
I visited the Childer’s farm in East Morgan County the other day. I was watching them cut corn for silage. The machine that chops the corn cuts the stalk and then grinds both ear, stalk and fodder and then blows it into trucks. Between the blower and the truck, the chaff blows away. The slightest breeze will separate it from the substance which is to become silage {feed}. When you look at the field of corn uncut, you can’t see the chaff but when it goes through the grinder, it separates from the substance.
God’s judgment will be the grinder and the breeze and one day all the chaff [things without substance] will be separated from the things that have substance. Paul told the Corinthians that things of substance would be determined by a judgment of fire; those who have built a life on none substantive things will see their life work go up in smoke. Paul is talking to Christians: He said, If anyone’s work is burned up, he will experience loss, but he himself will be saved — but only as through fire. This world is bombarding us with chaff, smoke and mists. Be careful that you are not sucked into the illusion.
- If I were to complain about anything, it would be unjustified. Due to God’s grace and mercy, we had a wonderful day: first I got to carry donuts and biscuits to our friends at DBC, then we got to celebrate Baptist at GP. I baptized a sweet, sweet lady about my age and a little nine year old boy. Something happened in that service that has never happened to me before, the little boy {Cale} looked directly into my face the entire time. I saw joy, love and gratitude in the little fellows face. I also saw the innocence of childhood. I almost didn’t make it through without crying. It is one of the highlights of my life.
- Last night could have been our last small group meeting, at least for a while but I want to say that I have enjoyed my small group. We simply had a hard time keeping up with where we were in the book. Other than that, there were no problems. I don’t think a final decision has been made but I went a head and prepared my group for what may happen. Michael and Wendy are great host: they get an A+; all my group gets an A+.