Hosea 2.17 (Who You Gonna Call?)

O Israel, I will wipe the many names of Baal from your lips, and you will never mention them again. [Hosea 2.17]

I think sometimes we should really pay attention to these little verses in the Bible that make huge statements!

Baal was a false god. Baal worship was a real problem in Hosea's day. It involved all kinds of perverted ways (as did most of the false religions).

I find it not only interesting, but instructive, that the LORD would speak through Hosea to say that His people should not even speak the names of Baal from their lips.

What then were the many names of Baal? I don't know, but I would think it didn't matter because anything that wasn't the name of the LORD that was called upon for any reason would have constituted idol worship. It didn't matter whether they called on Baal for health, or provision, or deliverance from their enemies - whatever name they attached to Baal, not looking to God Almighty for that particular need, was a name God forbid them from speaking. 

Israel seemed to have a penchant for calling on Egypt and Assyria for military deliverance instead of God. It would make perfect sense that God did not even want Israel to speak the names of Egypt or Assyria.

What names do we call on instead of the LORD? Medicine? Politics? Science?

We must not forget that God is a jealous God. He does not take lightly to our dependence upon other "names" for what He Himself instructed us to seek only from Him!

Think about this: every name by which God ever referred to Himself indicates every circumstance in which He intends for us to seek Him!

Here are a few of the names God called Himself by: Righteousness, Sanctifier, Peace, Present, Healer, Provider, Shepherd, Banner (flag), Forgiver, Advocate, Refuge, Strength, Defender, Protector, Fortress, and Shield.

I don't know about you, but pretty much all my needs are met in all the names listed above.

However, what other names do I call upon instead of the LORD (Yahweh) for these needs? Wall Street? Dr. <any name here>? Tylenol? Weight Watchers? Dr. Phil? The USA? The NRA? This list could go on and on...

God wants us to seek Him and depend only upon Him. It was true when the Bible was written, and it is true today. The only problem today is that we so inundated with "many other names" to call upon that it seems hopeless that we will ever return to call upon the LORD and only the LORD. In other words, we just don't see our need for God... Hosea spoke to that as well...

My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me. [Hosea 4.6a]

Father, forgive us for knowing the names to call for every need we have - except Your name.