Hosea 14 – The Era of Gibeah

Scripture Reading: Hosea 9:1-9

 

“Do not rejoice, O Israel, with exultation like the nations, for you have played the harlot, departing from your God. You have loved a harlot’s pay on every threshing floor. The threshing floor and the wine vat shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her. They shall not dwell in the Lord’s land, but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and in Assyria they shall eat unclean food. They shall not pour out drink offerings of wine to the Lord; they shall not be pleasing to him. Their sacrifices shall be like the bread of mourners; all who eat of it shall be defiled, for their bread is only for their appetite; it shall not come into the house of the Lord.

 

What will you do on the day of an appointed feast, and on the day of the feast of the Lord? Behold, they flee from destruction; Egypt shall gather them; Memphis shall bury them. Nettles shall possess their precious things of silver; thorns shall be in their tents. The days of punishment have come; the days of recompense have come; Israel shall know it. The prophet is a fool; the man of the spirit is mad, because of the greatness of your iniquity and great hostility. Ephraim watches against my God, but the prophet is a fowler’s snare in all his ways, and hostility in the house of his God. They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah; he will remember their iniquity; he will punish their sins.” Amen.

 

Formalism in Faith: The Image of Israel

When I turn on the radio while driving, many Christmas songs are playing now. One day, driving alone, I turned on the radio, and the song ‘Joy to the World’ came on. It wasn't even a Korean broadcast, but I found myself singing along and thinking, ‘It truly is Christmas already.’ But everyone, this song is not known only by Christians. Non-believers know it too, and they sing it well.

 

Non-believers may sing along to that song, and some may sing it with a happy heart. But that doesn't mean they accept or believe in Jesus. If that were the case, they would probably give up Christmas, yet they never give up Christmas. Not believing in Jesus but still refusing to give up Christmas—this was exactly the image of Israel at that time.

 

Israel Claimed to Know God, Yet Did Not Trust Him

At that time, Israel also claimed to truly call upon God. They said that they “knew God.” But Hosea continually said, “No, you do not know God.” They claimed to know God, but in reality, they did not believe him. They offered sacrifices and maintained all the rituals, and they absolutely refused to give up the sacrifices. However, they were not truly believing in God.

 

Friends, today's scripture passage is about this Israel. Therefore, I think it will be a great help as you and I reflect on ourselves, look at our community, and consider our own condition this last December.

 

Historical Background Shifts in Hosea and the Feast of Tabernacles

When you read the Book of Hosea, you may notice that the tone of Hosea shifts at a certain point. A slightly different atmosphere emerges from the content discussed earlier. The reason is that Hosea contains historical backgrounds spanning a long period. The prophet Hosea was active throughout the long era, from the time of King Jeroboam until Israel was finally destroyed by Assyria. So, it's easy to think that Hosea wrote the book all at once, from beginning to end, but it is actually a compilation of messages from various periods. And from Chapter 9, the setting changes slightly.

 

Chapter 9 Setting: The End of Abundance, The Feast of Tabernacles

The period before was one of affluence and abundance due to King Jeroboam, but from Chapter 9, the tone changes, and unfamiliar expressions begin to appear. The phrase ‘they sacrificed on the threshing floor’ is mentioned. This implies that the setting of Chapter 9 is during a specific festival or feast.

 

That feast is the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). This is because Sukkot is observed after the entire autumn harvest is complete, especially after the grape harvest is brought in. Since expressions concerning grapes appear in today's main text, it shows that the setting is the Feast of Tabernacles. The Feast of Tabernacles is the last festival of the year, observed after the final harvest is over.

 

Hosea’s Stern Warning

While the text provides more detailed explanations, the important point is that Hosea suddenly appears before the Israelites celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles and cries out:

 

“Do not rejoice and exult, you people. Do not make noise and celebrate like the Gentiles.”

 

Israel was offering sacrifices, dancing, and celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles. The Feast of Tabernacles was commanded by God himself to be a joyous occasion. Today, it's like Thanksgiving. It was a festival given with the meaning, “Be joyful and celebrate the blessings God has given you.” Yet, Hosea sternly says, “Do not rejoice and exult, you people.”

 

Caught Between Superpowers and False Peace

Let me explain what this situation was like. One reason Israel was able to prosper and become somewhat wealthy was that the superpowers of Assyria and Babylon were greatly weakened due to internal issues at the time. Because there were internal conflicts and struggles in those countries, not only Israel but also surrounding nations like Aram, Tyre, and Sidon (the region we now know as Phoenicia. Phoenicia is famous for inventing the alphabet. The region we call the ‘Phoenician alphabet’ is Tyre and Sidon) all became stronger and enjoyed a stable period, or peace, without external interference. The superpowers were quiet.

 

Assyria's Reemergence and the Fear of Neighboring Nations

However, while these neighboring countries enjoyed prosperity, problems began to arise. Assyria started to regain its strength, and a powerful king named Tiglath-Pileser emerged. As this king reorganized the country and recovered military strength, the surrounding nations had no choice but to fear greatly. Why? When a great power reorganizes its system, what does it do? It wages wars of conquest. At that time, empires had limitations on how wealthy they could become just through self-production, so the usual method was to expand the country by invading, looting, or receiving tribute from other nations. Therefore, the surrounding small nations were always potential targets for conquest.

 

Israel’s Proposal for Alliance and Judah’s Refusal

Everyone began to worry. So, Aram and Israel formed an alliance around King Pekah to resist Assyria. In the process, King Pekah of Israel requested that Judah, in the south, also participate. Since Judah was not initially in a position to directly clash with Assyria, the alliance thought it would be good if Judah joined. They proposed to King Ahaz of Judah to join the alliance, but Ahaz refused. And this refusal was not solely Ahaz's decision; it came with the advice of the prophet Isaiah at the time. Isaiah advised, “Do not oppose Assyria, and also do not ally with them.”

 

Judah’s Misstep and Assyria’s Intervention

When Ahaz refused to participate, as the saying goes, ‘The meddling sister-in-law is the most hateful,’ the alliance saw Judah, who wouldn't cooperate, as more hateful than their biggest enemy, Assyria. Consequently, the alliance turned their arrows and attacked Judah. Could Judah withstand it? Ahaz quickly suffered heavy damage.

 

If you were the king leading the nation right now, put yourself in Judah's shoes. You decided, ‘I won’t fight Assyria, I’ll stay put,’ but the alliance attacked. Where would you request help? It’s too obvious a story. Ultimately, Ahaz requested aid from Assyria. Assyria was already looking for an opportunity and only needed a pretext for war, which they had now found. Assyria immediately moved its army and began the attack, resulting in the complete destruction of nations like Israel, Damascus (Aram), Tyre, and Sidon. They were defenseless against the superpower's military might, and Israel also fell into deep chaos.

 

Historical Fact of the Bible and Archaeological Evidence

The events that occurred during this time, which I have just described, are recorded in the Bible, but in the early 19th century, many people strongly doubted the historical accuracy of the Bible. As the age of scientific advancement began, people demanded evidence for everything. The attitude of not believing unless it could be seen was the general scientific mindset of the time. Although some scientists became faithful by deeply sensing human limitations through scientific research, generally, many people thought, “We cannot believe what we cannot see.”

 

Absence of Ancient Documents and the Claim that 'The Bible is Myth'

Consequently, some people, upon reading the Bible, would say, “The story of David is hard to believe. Did King David really exist?” This was because David was not mentioned in other ancient documents. Friends, the Bible is a very unique document. Many documents that existed at the time could not withstand the test of time and disappeared. There were even times when the actual existence of a nation like Assyria was doubted. So, it was common in that era for people to argue that “the stories of David and the Kingdom of Judah are myths created by Israel for its own identity.” Many people thought the historical records of Israel were fabricated, like a novel such as Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

 

The Discovery of Assyrian Inscriptions and Historical Proof

However, in the 19th century, specifically around 1870, the situation completely changed as archaeology began to develop in earnest. Extensive excavations began in the Assyrian region, and the city of Nineveh emerged. And there, Assyrian inscriptions were discovered. Let me read the content.

 

The inscription stated:

 

“They (the Israelites) overthrew their king Pekah (Pekah was indeed purged and killed), and I placed Hoshea as king over them. I received from them gold ten talents, silver one thousand talents, and grain as tribute.”

 

Friends, how amazing is this? The Kingdom of Judah, the names of the kings, even the name Ahaz, appeared for the first time historically in documents outside the Bible. And the content perfectly matched the records of the Bible. It was decisive evidence showing that the Bible is not just a myth or folk tradition, but a record of actual historical events. The Assyrian inscription is even more detailed because it records the wars they won. The inscription states, “We brought back about 13,520 people as captives, and we destroyed about 600 cities around Damascus.” The Bible also records the destruction of countless cities during that time.

 

Confirmation of Faith in the Bible

This excavation area is in the Mosul region of modern-day Iraq. Iraq is closely related to Assyria and Babylon, isn't it? But as you know, many ruins in that area have been destroyed by extremist militant groups. Even now, proper excavation is difficult. If more excavations were carried out, we would see further confirmation of how accurately numerous biblical records align with historical facts.

 

Of course, we do not believe the Bible because of historical alignment. The Bible is the Word of God, and we believe the Bible because we believe in God. However, the fact that archaeological evidence confirms that the biblical record is not a myth but actual history wrought by God is a great joy and grace for believers.

 

Reliance on Assyria and the Reason for Joy

In this terrible period, Assyria came, destroyed all of Israel, and took the people captive. Then they established Hoshea as king. Whom would Hoshea serve? (1. Egypt, 2. Assyria, 3. Neither, I go my own way.) The answer is 2, Assyria. It sounds strange, but he chose Assyria.

 

Disaster Forgotten in False Peace

What happened after choosing Assyria was a sudden change in Israel's attitude, as if we forgot the Korean War or the Japanese colonial period. Since they chose Assyria, and Assyria was the strongest power, their worries vanished. They didn't have to worry about war. Why would Assyria invade when Israel was serving them and paying tribute?

 

Consequently, the people were able to accumulate wealth again. Rich people emerged, Israel became prosperous again, and with no enemy invasion, their minds were at ease, and they began to enjoy false peace. So, what do you think happened? They are holding feasts now. They are enjoying the festival. They are rejoicing over the abundant harvest and the wealth they have gained. The terrible events have already been forgotten.

 

Rejoicing in the Threshing Floor, Not in Yahweh

They were dancing and offering sacrifices, and then Hosea appeared and said, “You are offering sacrifices in the wrong place.”

 

Where should they offer sacrifices, if not on the threshing floor? They should be done in the Temple. Regarding the observance of the Feast of Tabernacles, the Bible clearly states: God distinctly said, “You shall keep the Feast of Tabernacles in the place which I choose for you.” That means the Temple.

 

But they ignored that. Jeroboam even changed the timing of the feast at his will. He set the date arbitrarily. We don't know the exact time, but it was sometime in the autumn. Israel, out of a desire to compete with Judah, likely wanted to avoid having the same date.

 

In any case, the exact date at this time is unknown, but they seem to have set both the place and the time according to their own will. They rejoiced in the threshing floor. Their hearts were there, not in the Temple. They were happy, but they were not happy because of Yahweh. Why were they happy? They liked the threshing floor.

 

They were thrilled by the huge pile of grain stalks. They loved the abundant grape harvest they had worked hard to gather. They loved the fig fruits. Pomegranates were also harvested a lot then, and they loved those too. They were rejoicing and celebrating over these things.

 

Because they were only interested in their own prosperity and pleasure, their possessions were now drawing God’s rebuke.

 

Where is Our Joy?

Friends, what about your worship? Do you see your joy first, or God’s joy first? Shall we take it a bit further? Did you come here to enjoy God, or did you come here because you wanted to please God? The latter might sound better, but if you look closely, it could mean this: Did you come to soothe God’s feelings so He wouldn't feel neglected? Did you come to offer worship, sing hymns before God, and perform little tricks before the Father to make His heart happy? Or did you come because you love God? They seem similar, but aren't they different?

 

What Can I Do? Jesus is Good

There is a Gospel hymn I used to love; it's originally in a Gukak (traditional Korean music) style. It didn't make it into the hymnal, but the lyrics were always so good every time I sang it. You might know it:

 

“What can I do? Jesus is just good.”

 

How about you? Is that why you came here too?

 

We have many difficulties and hardships. Sometimes we are upset. Sometimes we think, “God, I really want to rest at home today. It's hard to even come before you,” and sometimes our prayers don't flow well. Sometimes we read the Word, but it doesn't sink into our hearts. Sometimes, even while listening to a sermon, our minds are elsewhere. As the older generation puts it, they might be ‘in the bean field’ (distracted).

 

But friends, those of you sitting here, would you agree on this one thing?

 

“Even though I am so tired and difficult, and my mind is scattered, and I have many upsetting issues and am in the midst of suffering and tribulation… What can I do? Jesus is still good. What can I do? God is still my hope. What can I do? I can only live in God, not anywhere else. That is why I have come before the Lord in this place.”

 

Friends, if this is lacking, what could be more regrettable, even if we offer worship, pray, or hold onto the Word?

 

Is Our Interest Only in God?

Even if there are moments when you miss parts of the sermon, even if it is difficult to follow the hymn because it is an unfamiliar song like today, even if your communal prayer inadvertently turns into your personal prayer, do you have this conviction within you?

 

“Despite my weakness, despite my shortcomings, I still like God. Even if God were to say He does not know me, I still like God.”

 

Of course, God would never do that, but do you have such sincerity in your heart?

 

Israel did not have that heart. They offered sacrifices using everything they had, brought the best and the most, and piled up abundant possessions, but their interest was not God.

 

Where is your interest?

 

Where is your heart?

 

Israel Forgets Past Grace

In verse 3, God tells Ephraim, “You shall return to Egypt.” This word is truly shocking. You will feel, ‘Ah, how shocking,’ when you hear the context. This is because mentioning the Feast of Tabernacles is almost an insult to Israel.

 

The True Meaning of the Feast of Tabernacles and the Curse

Listen. This is the word about the Feast of Tabernacles. It is recorded in Leviticus 23:

 

“You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt.”

 

What does dwelling in booths mean? It means remembering and being grateful for the fact that we came out of Egypt.

 

But what did God say?

 

“You shall return to Egypt. You shall go to Egypt.”

 

This is an astonishing word, amounting to almost the most terrible curse.

 

Let me give you an example. Imagine a Japanese ambassador attending a Liberation Day event and saying from the podium, “Everyone, let's return to the Japanese rule.” It is unimaginable. What God said to Israel now carried that exact meaning. “You will go back to Egypt. You will become slaves again. You will be a slave.”

 

Why is this? Because you are currently disregarding the entire story of how God rescued you from Egypt, cared for you and guided you through the wilderness, and brought you to the Promised Land of Canaan.

 

The History of God We are Forgetting

Are there not such moments in your own life's journey? Times when God answered your prayers, times when you rejoiced thinking about the Lord, moments when God secretly worked even when you lived unaware… those memories you looked back on and were thankful for… do you really have none?

 

If not, then we are forgetting too much right now.

 

How long did God wait to save you? What did God accomplish to revive you? Is he still accomplishing it? Forgetting that is the same as returning to Egypt.

 

If we only look at the pain before our eyes, follow only the desires in our hearts, and only look at what has improved a little or become a little easier, we are forgetting the God who has led us until now, and that is no different from returning to Egypt.

 

Do you truly remember those precious stories with God? As we prayed together today, do you remember the history of the Lord who saved you when you were dead in trespasses and sins? Are you thinking about that grace again and engraving it on your heart?

 

Perhaps we have forgotten that grace? Are we living as if we have returned to Egypt? Have we forgotten the hand that humbled us in the wilderness and taught us to rely only on God?

 

The Folly of Ignoring the Prophet’s Warning

They ignored Hosea's warning. “God wouldn't do that again. God is good. We've seen countless people like you. They all come here and talk about warnings and discipline, but nothing ever happened in the end. God has kept us alive until now. Israel is still okay.” There were genuinely many people who thought this way.

 

Why was that? Because they had food before their eyes, Assyria was not invading, and everything seemed peaceful. We are truly foolish. This foolishness was not just ours; it was Israel's too. They were reassured by only looking at the prosperity and security before them. “I'm alive now, I can eat, and I'm working, so I must be fine.”

 

Relying on Assyria, Not God

“I don't deny God. But do I rely on and believe in God?” Their hearts wavered before this question. Because Assyria was the strong power, they thought Assyria would protect them. So, they came to rely on Assyria, not God. How is that any different from relying on your possessions and wealth?

 

Because they harvested grapes and olives abundantly and had more than enough to eat, the reason to go before God gradually disappeared. Rather, they might have said, “Well, if God hadn't blessed us, could we enjoy this prosperity? God is on our side. He's blessing us.” But they did not reflect on how they were living, what their true hearts were like, or what they were pursuing. Since there was no visible punishment, no special judgment, and no difficulty in living, they reassured themselves, “It must be okay. God must still be on my side.” But the truly important thing was the state of their heart now.

 

The People’s Attitude of Mocking the Prophet

How lightly they regarded the prophet is even clearer in the Book of Isaiah. The Book of Isaiah contains many deeply moving scenes. Despite the limitations of translation, it is recorded like this.

 

The Israelites said to Isaiah:

 

“Hey, Isaiah. To whom are you teaching knowledge? To whom are you delivering instruction to make them understand? To those just weaned from the milk, just taken from the breast? Don't tell us those obvious things fit for children. We know all that.”

 

Don't you feel something similar sometimes when listening to a sermon? “He’s going to say good things again today.” So, some people fall asleep. “The pastor wouldn't say anything wrong, would he? I believe it. So, I’ll just sleep comfortably.” This was the attitude the Israelites had toward Isaiah.

 

“Why are you nagging so much? Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line… a little here, a little there. You are just talking about things we already know.”

 

This was the mockery hurled at Isaiah.

 

The Folly of Closing the Heart to God’s Word

However, whether a sermon is short or long, deep or simple, if the Word of God is in it, that Word is a great sermon. In some cases, the Scripture passage read before the sermon itself is the greatest sermon, more so than all the explanations given by the preacher.

 

When that Word is heard, we should look back at our lives and think about who we are and what path we have taken to get here. However, we often react to eloquent language or brilliant sermons while closing our hearts to the plain and ‘blunt’ Word of God. In our hearts, we are thinking, “Try to move me.” How much does this compel us to look back at our hearts before God?

 

Israel thought they were fine. They felt prosperous, felt God was blessing them, and felt, “Why are you telling us what to do?”

 

So, Hosea said, “The reason you do not listen to the prophet is that your iniquity is great, and your hostility is great.” Here, ‘hostility’ means animosity. Animosity toward God, animosity toward Hosea, and Israel also had animosity toward Judah. They complained that Judah wasn't taking their side.

 

Their problem was too clear. Their lives were sinning against God, they were not thankful for God’s grace, and they were not rejoicing in God. Yet, they loved the brief prosperity they enjoyed, and the false peace given by Assyria was so sweet.

 

Therefore, they took this moment when nothing was happening for granted. They forgot how God had cared for them and how He had guided them—all that grace.

 

A Faith That Has Lost its Center: The Values of the World

How about you? You observed Thanksgiving Sunday and Thanksgiving Day. It is a truly good thing that you could rest comfortably and be thankful that day, but did you truly remember God in the midst of it? We remember people who help us and don't forget to take care of things we should be concerned about. But what about God?

 

Friends, if we do not desire God and do not seek God, we are not simply ‘people living in the middle,’ but we end up seeking and pursuing something else. When man lacks God, he does not live quietly; he relies on and pursues other things. Some pursue wealth, and some try to improve their health, self-development, or education. Sometimes, because these things provide physical and social benefits, we might think there’s no great difficulty in living without being conscious of God. Even though we are living by the power of the Lord, we do not feel it and become focused on the values of the world.

 

We Must Cultivate Eyes to Apply the Word to Life

To be more specific, if we do not stay close to the Word of God, we are inevitably forced to drift away from the Word of God. There is no middle ground.

 

Do not misunderstand this. I do not mean, “Read only the Bible from morning till night, and don't watch movies, dramas, or read books.” Many people tried to protect their children this way in the past. In Christian schools in America, they tried to protect children in a greenhouse, preventing them from seeing bad things. Teachers guided the children with Bible memorization and praise.

 

But what happens when these children go to college and enter secular schools? The rate of leaving the church is higher. Statistically, the shock of encountering movies or dramas they had never been exposed to before was very great.

 

The truly important work the church must do is to cultivate the eyes to see the world through the Word of God.

 

“How should I view myself? How should I recognize myself in sin and greed? How should I understand my family and those around me? How should I view the world and act in society and school under the Word of God?” This is the crucial question.

 

Children raised in a greenhouse know and memorize the Word of God, but it does not explode in their lives. It lacks power. Therefore, the reason why the world’s values drift away from the Word of God is not simply because they do not read the Bible, but because they do not apply the Word in their lives.

 

Daily Life for God’s Glory

The Kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking. Only righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit are its center.

 

What is the reason you eat breakfast? It is to live in the Kingdom of God. The reason you open your eyes, and the reason you can say, “Thank you, Lord,” in bed, are the same. It is not because of your greed, your strength, or your ability, but because the Kingdom of God and your life are deeply connected.

 

Therefore, even the act of eating and drinking can be done for the glory of God. It is not just glory when eating while looking at the Bible, nor is it just glory when eating in church; it becomes glory when you reveal joy and God’s righteousness through all the work you do in daily life.

 

Forgetting this fact is perhaps the worst state of faith. It is a most important core truth. Israel should have known this truth.

 

The Worst Corruption, Like the Days of Gibeah

Friends, today we are celebrating the Lord’s Supper, so I want to share the story of Gibeah. Today's sermon title is ‘The Story of Gibeah,’ and we have finally arrived at the Gibeah part of the story. I will tell it briefly.

 

Gibeah is a story most of you know well. It is the famous ‘Twelve-Piece Corpse Incident’ that appears at the end of the Book of Judges. Now Hosea is saying that their situation is like that era.

 

The Levite’s Corruption and the Injustice of the Tribe of Benjamin

How are they similar? The main character then was a Levite. He belonged to the holy priestly lineage. However, he traveled with his concubine—not his wife—and arrived at Gibeah, where the tribe of Benjamin lived, and stayed overnight at a house. The story is very strange from the start. But what happened at that house? At night, the town thugs gathered and demanded the Levite be brought out. They demanded the Levite himself, not his concubine. But what did he do? He gave his concubine to them. Consequently, the concubine was raped all night and died.

 

At this point, the Levite should have realized his mistake, or the thugs of the tribe of Benjamin should have repented, or the tribe of Benjamin should have acknowledged responsibility. But none of those things happened.

 

Instead, the Levite cut the corpse into twelve pieces and sent it to each tribe. It was a shocking incident. Each tribe was horrified, saying, “Such a thing has never happened in the history of Israel.” That much is fine.

 

Problem Solving Without God

Then what should have followed? Shouldn't it have been, “How terrifying this is before God. Let the tribe of Benjamin repent”? But they immediately gathered an army to attack Benjamin. They began with threats. “Bring out all those thugs. We will deal with them.” Up to this point, the name ‘God’ has not appeared once. It is exactly as Hosea says: corrupt, and corrupt again, and utterly corrupt.

 

So, what did Benjamin do? Naturally, they should have admitted their wrong and handed over the criminals. But Benjamin did not hand them over; instead, they hid them. In the end, a war broke out, and Benjamin was almost annihilated. I have never understood this passage whenever I read it. “They were clearly in the wrong, so why hide them? Why not hand them over?”

 

But these days, looking at the modern political history of America, Korea, and several Southeast Asian countries, I understand it perfectly. They never hand them over. They never admit it to the end. They insist, ‘We are not wrong.’ Even looking through Korean history, there is no ‘person who did wrong.’ Everyone has their own logic. Seeing that, I think, “Ah, this is what humanity is.” My heart is truly sad, but looking at the current reality, I feel that this kind of thing can be repeated enough. That is what Israel was like.

 

Now is a total crisis, a state of complete corruption. No one is righteous. Neither the twelve tribes, nor Benjamin, nor the thugs, nor the Levite—no one dealt with this issue before God or approached God. No one repented. No one sought God.

 

The Result of Everyone Doing What Was Right in Their Own Eyes

What was the solution they chose? It was a method of using the Feast of the Lord to find wives for the men of Benjamin who were left. Only 600 men remained. Everyone else died. So, they sent out women to dance, and the remaining men of Benjamin were allowed to kidnap them. Is this a biblical method? Was this even for the sake of Benjamin? Not at all. They had no real thought. They were only trying to solve the problem with their own strength.

 

Regarding this era of total crisis, Hosea now says, “You are like the days of Gibeah.” And there is a famous verse that comes at the very end:

 

“In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

 

In other words, they did whatever they wanted.

 

Who is the King of Our Lives?

Could this be us? Do we think we are different because we call upon the name of God? Did Israel not call upon the name of God? No, they probably called upon it more diligently than we do. Did they not offer sacrifices to God? No, they offered more. They fulfilled all their religious duties. But their lives had no connection with the God they confessed.

 

Is Israel the only nation that should be criticized? What about us? What should we answer?

 

We make mistakes and wrong judgments. So, we suffer difficulties. Conversely, we sometimes make good decisions and get good results. We sometimes enjoy joy and pride. What do we look at then? When things go wrong, we look at ‘the person who did wrong.’ When things go well, we look at ‘the good me,’ and don't we only look at the profit gained?

 

As believers, we can do countless things without thinking about God even once. The name of God may have been on our lips, but was God absent from our hearts and lives, and were we ‘king’ instead?

 

Where We Must Look

Whoever you are, wherever you stand, does the Word of God truly move your heart? Or are your own words and thoughts filling your heart? Are you examining your heart according to the Word of God you have heard? Or are you deceived by a false voice?

 

Do you remember and thank God for the hand that held you during difficult and hard times? Or are you forgetting God by only looking at the reality before your eyes?

 

Are you still looking toward the mountains?

 

“I lift up my eyes to the hills.”

 

When you hear this verse, do you think lifting your eyes to the mountains is faith? Those mountains signify the high places where idols were worshipped. So, what is the next verse? “From where does my help come?” If the mountains were the answer, it should say, “It comes from the mountains.” But the Bible says, “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” It’s not the mountains. It is God.

 

Where does your help come from? It comes from the God who loved you and gave his Son, our God.

 

No matter how brief or fleeting the word is, if it is the Word of God, do you examine yourself through that Word? Look to the God who keeps us forever.

 

Prayer

Lord, we confess that although we are living a life that should proceed toward you, we often place our eyes and hearts elsewhere. Nevertheless, we know that there is your hand that continually holds us. Lord, grant us the grace to examine ourselves according to your Word.

 

No matter how short, how simple, or how insignificant it may seem, if it is the Word of God, revive us. If it is the Word of God, let us turn back. Because it is the Word of God, let us find strength.

 

We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.