The People: “Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces, but he will heal us; he has injured us, but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.” (Hosea 6:1-3, NIV 1984).
The Lord: “What can I do with you, [Israel]? What can I do with you, Judah? Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears. Therefore, I cut you in pieces with my prophets, I killed you with the words of my mouth; my judgments flashed like lightning upon you. For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:4-6, NIV 1984).
My Musings – America’s transcontinental railroad was a race between the Central Pacific Railroad in Sacramento California and the Union Pacific Railroad in Council Bluffs, Iowa to join somewhere in Utah. Each railroad planned different routes with no agreed upon meeting point. Initially they did not connect, until they agreed upon Promontory Summit, with each railroad having to lay additional track in order to connect.
In the above passages, the people are running on a different track hoping to connect with (“return to”) the Lord on a route of their choosing. Their destination is clear to them. A place where they can “live in His presence.” A place of revival, healing and bound up wounds. But they are looking for a “quick fix.” One where “He will come to us,” rather than “we will go to Him.”
Their acknowledgement of the Lord consists of the sacrifice of burnt offerings. An outward display of conformity that takes His mercy for granted. “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.” (Isaiah 29:13, NIV 1984).
Lip service is not acknowledgement. Outward conformity is not internal transformation. “Like the morning mist, like the early dew,” these will disappear. Man cannot choose the route to the destination that God wants for us. He has already chosen it, and it is the only way.
My Advice – At Promontory Summit, a golden spike was driven to connect the Central Pacific with the Union Pacific. On the summit of Golgotha, crude spikes were driven to connect B.C. with A.D. To join fallen mankind to their Creator. It is the only point where this can happen. There are no quick fixes. No other routes. No other point of connection. No other means of acknowledgement. Only by His stripes are we healed. The only way we will ever be able to “live in his presence.”
Don’t merely “honor [Him] with [your] lips.” “Come near to [Him]” by the way of the cross.
The Brew Is A Musing 