The Coming Harvest
Text: Hosea 8:7-14 Date: 8-30-26
If the nation chose to sow idols, vanities, vain and empty worship, and hypocrisy, they would reap God’s judgment. God would not tolerate the trampling of His law, the rejection of His commands, or the betrayal of His covenant. The nation cannot hope to get away with their sin, for they cannot undo the law of multiplication.
2. The consequences of the coming harvest (Hosea 8:8-10)
**Destruction of the land (Hosea 8:8)
At one time Israel had a rightful place given by God, a bountiful harvest bestowed on them by the Lord, and an honorable standing in the world. But now they were rejected, despised, and ingested into a foreign land.
One of the great consequences of idolatry is that a person or nation loses their usability for the Lord.
**Independence from God’s plan (Hosea 8:9)
Application: God has designed humans to desire relationships, primarily a relationship with God. When we reject that relationship and seek companionship in lesser things like idols and foreign nations, we incur a curse and punishment from God. Idolaters have attachments without the best attachment – that of being attached to God Himself.
Truth: We as believers will not survive independently from God. “Nothing so demoralizes us and renders us useless as continuance in opposition to the revealed will of God for us and our lives” (Feinberg). Running here and there and away from God yet searching for help from unbelieving nations is a sad picture but a true reality. What a travesty when a person chooses to replace God, looking for help everywhere but God, and then living a life of isolation and loneliness.
**Regression and repercussion (Hosea 8:10)
Even though God had withdrawn Himself from His people, He knew exactly how they were living toward Him. God will gather them up, and the nation will be brought in judgment as they are taken captive by Assyria.
3. The reasons for the coming harvest (Hosea 8:11-14)
**Multiplied altars (Hosea 8:11)
In direct disobedience to Deut. 12:5ff, the nation had multiplied altars to golden calves, Baal, and other gods. God had commanded that the nation have one place where they would write God’s name. Israel could have used the multiplied altars for sin offerings and sacrifices to God, but instead these altars became homes for more sin.
**Perversion of God’s law by treating it as foreign (Hosea 8:12)
The people considered the law as something foreign or totally unknown to them. In reality, they chose to ignore it, but they acted as though they had never heard of it. Israel refused to allow God’s law to apply to them. Application/v. 12: Do we treat God’s Word like this? Do we treat following Jesus in such a manner? Are God’s Word and the Lord Jesus Christ foreign to us?
**Unacceptable sacrifices (Hosea 8:13)
Instead of obedience to the law, Israel offered up sacrifices for the purpose of indulging themselves in the profit of eating the sacrificed flesh.
What was God’s response? He would remember their wickedness and punish them for their sins.
What was once God’s deliverance from Egypt at Passover had become a great punishment for God’s people. Israel had been let out of Egypt by the I AM, but they rejected God as the I AM. Failing to trust Jehovah led them to a place of subjugation.
**Forgot their Maker (Hosea 8:14)
Israel did much more than just forget someone. The people dismissed God from their mind. When they chose to love idols, they also chose to forget God. Is this even possible? Yes, and it is a fearful thing to do so.
“How unspeakably sad to build temples to idols and fortified cities for the dependence upon the flesh and neglect the only source of help and hope in God. In this both Israel and Judah were implicated. Fire upon their cities and palaces was fulfilled by Sennacherib invading the land; Jerusalem alone was exempt. (See 2 Ki 18:13 and following verses.)” (Feinberg 44).
Conclusion