It’s time for me to continue my journey through the book of Hosea. I’ve been reading in it for some time, pondering the words, but have just had some difficulty getting my thoughts to “paper.” I know there’s a lesson here.
Chapters 9 and 10 of Hosea is talking about the punishment that’s in store for Israel … they’ve turned their backs on God, going through the motions and have been unrepentant for their actions. Now, God has had enough.
“Their treasures of silver will be taken over by briers, and thorns will overrun their tents.” (Hosea 9:6b)
Brier patches and thorns hurt. If you drop something in a thicket of thorns, you need to decide how bad you want it back … how much you value the dropped item … because it’s gonna hurt trying to get it back. A thick patch of thorns will snag your shirt sleeve and prick the skin … you will shed some blood. And, I’ve tended enough roses to know that the last thing I want in my house, where I sit and sleep, is a bunch of thorns.
What the Israelites treasured — their silver (money) — the comfort it could provide, along with the comfort and security of their dwellings (their tents), wouldn’t offer comfort any more.
Of course, the question is now turned to me … what do I treasure? … where am I placing my trust and security? … to whom or what am I looking to for comfort?
If it’s anything or anyone but Christ … well, it’s only an illusion.
“The prophet, along with my God, is the watchman over Ephraim, yet snares await him on all his paths, and hostility in the house of his God.” (Hosea 9:8)
These words seem to scream for my attention. Of course, I’m reminded of the “watchman” from Ezekiel 3:17 where the Lord has appointed Ezekiel to a “watchman” over Israel. As a watchman, Ezekiel was charged to warn the people of their deaths due to their sins, and, hopefully, to get them to stop and repent. As a watchman, it wasn’t Ezekiel’s role to actually stop / prevent the people from sinning — that was their own choice and responsibility. However, as watchman, Ezekiel was responsible to give the warning.
Yet, Ezekiel isn’t around anymore … so who is the “watchman?” … whose job is it to sound the warning?
The scripture says the “prophet, along with my God, is the watchman” …who’s the prophet?
According to the Dictionary the first three definitions for a prophet are (1) one who utters divinely inspired revelations; (2) one gifted with more than ordinary spiritual and moral insight; (3) one who foretells the future.
And then I think of who is a follower of Christ. The follower should be relying on the Holy Spirit to speak through him / her. The follower knows the future: “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.”
Could this possibly mean that the follower of Christ, along with God, is a watchman?
Then my mind wanders to the word / concept of the whistle-blower — the person who informs others (usually the press) of someone else’s wrong-doings, i.e., falsifying records, scams, lying, selling secrets, insider trading, embezzling, etc. Of course, the whistle-blower does so after the fact. The watchman is to be proactive — before it happens.
Which am I — whistle-blower or watchman?
It’s so much easier to the be wistle-blower. I can just passively sit back and let others “do their own thing.” I don’t have to worry about being “politically incorrect,” offending someone, disagreeing with someone, sharing what I think, or do anything. I can just blend into the background, watch, and wait. Then when everyone is done — when things start to fall apart … well, I can step in and “blow the whistle.” I can say, “well, I knew it was the wrong decision, but I didn’t want you mad at me … I didn’t want you to think I was telling you what to do. But I knew what you were doing wasn’t the best thing for you.”
However, to be the watchman takes courage … to be proactive, to share — in love — when someone is going down the wrong path, making the wrong decision, to share a warning (maybe when no one else can see the danger) … yes, that takes courage. A courage I don’t have … well, not on my own anyway.
It requires the courage, gentleness and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Lord, I ask for Your forgiveness when I’ve taken the easy way out … when I’ve been content to be the “whistle-blower.” I don’t want to be passive for You … I want to be fully engaged in the service You’ve called me to do. I don’t want to pressure people — to guilt them — to criticize them. I want to love them … as You do. And, in that love, I want to make sure that I share that there’s a better way — Your Way. A way that leads to peace, to comfort, to forgiveness, to mercy, to love, to life-everlasting.
Lord, help me to be the watchman … to not allow Satan to silence the warning. Help me to be the woman — the follower — You’ve called me to be. Help me to love enough to sound the warning … love enough to help – to encourage those who are lost and hurting to run to You. Amen! Amen!
May everything we say and do be pleasing and acceptable in His sight.
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