When the LORD first began speaking to Israel through Hosea, he said to him, “Go and marry a prostitute, so that some of her children will be conceived in prostitution. This will illustrate how Israel has acted like a prostitute by turning against the LORD and worshiping other gods.” [Hosea 1.2]
Hosea's story is the real deal. Israel's prostitution with idols was real. Let's look deeper, shall we?
There is a Big Lie that God's people tell themselves today that debt, insurance, medicine and technology are gifts from God. In other words, people utilize these things for blessings God promised (wealth, protection, health and convenience) and then, in utilizing them, are deceived in believing that God is the One providing those benefits. This is wrong, and the Word of God through Hosea proves it.
Their mother is a shameless prostitute and became pregnant in a shameful way. She said, ‘I’ll run after other lovers and sell myself to them for food and water, for clothing of wool and linen, and for olive oil and drinks.’ [Hosea 2.5]
Note that the things in Hosea 2.5 that the other lovers provided were necessities. And then, compare that to what God said just a verse or two later:
She doesn’t realize it was I who gave her everything she has— the grain, the new wine, the olive oil; I even gave her silver and gold. But she gave all my gifts to Baal. [Hosea 2.8]
God said "it was I who gave her everything she has" and then details everything in similar wording to the very necessities listed in Hosea 2.5 that Israel prostituted herself to other lovers (idols) for.
And, if this is not convincing enough, God, speaking through Hosea, even points out in Hosea 2.8 that the wealth He had clearly provided (silver and gold) was given over to Baal. It should be noted here that the benefits provided by debt, insurance, medicine and technology ARE NOT FREE BUT COME AT GREAT EXPENSE! In other words, wealth that God provides is not retained by its recipients, but is merely passed from the hand that receives it right over to the greedy open hands of debt, insurance, medicine and technology for their respective interest, premiums, prescriptions and procedures, and gadgetry.
For all my previous attempts to decry debt, insurance, medicine and technology as idols, nothing heretofore said more clearly uncovers the Big Lie we tell ourselves about our prostitution with modern idols than Hosea's story. It's right there in the Bible. It is the Truth. But we would rather hold on to our idols and the Big Lie that protects them!
Shouldn't it be obvious why Jesus made the following statement in a conversation about necessities?
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. [Matthew 6.31-33]
The Big Lie must necessarily ignore what Jesus said. Where then does that position the person who ignores what Jesus said?
Father, forgive me for believing the Big Lie. We have told ourselves the Big Lie for so long now that it has become intricately entwined in the very fabric of our society and, unfortunately, our churches. To expose this Big Lie reveals a deeply rooted profiteering racket that is as old as the Bible. Show true believers the Way in Jesus Christ to "seek You first" refuting the Big Lie that debt, insurance, medicine and technology would have everyone believe just to secure their profitable tax upon man's fear and subsequent faithlessness to You alone. Show us how to believe Your Truth and stop believing the Big Lie. So be it.
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