Hosea prophesied God’s charges against Israel. They did not follow God’s command to teach their children what the Lord had done for them to bring them out of slavery and guide them into the promised land (Deut 6:1-3). Down through the generations, there was no acknowledgment of God, love, or faithfulness. Instead, they were filled with all the symptoms of sin that made them miserable (2).

The first ones to stand before God’s judgment are the priests. They were outwardly glorious. But they did not teach the people the truth of God. Instead, they led the people to sin against God (7). Instead of seeking God’s will, they consulted idols made of wooden pieces (12). Young women, married and unmarried, gave themselves into adultery in the altars in high places (14). In the absence of the knowledge of God, they were filling themselves with self-destructive pleasure and anxiety caused by not knowing God. Like Gomer refusing the devoted husband Hosea and seeking comfort from lovers who did not care for her, Israel became too stubborn to hear God’s voice (16).
Application: Father, knowing who you are and understanding your will is the base of all knowledge. Help me to come to know you and teach the joy of coming to know you to those whom you put under my care.
One Word: The knowledge of God frees me from all worries.