Contemplative Bible Reading

Hosea 10:1-4 (New International Version)

¹ Israel was a spreading vine;
he brought forth fruit for himself.
As his fruit increased,
he built more altars;
as his land prospered,
he adorned his sacred stones.

² Their heart is deceitful,
and now they must bear their guilt.
The LORD will demolish their altars
and destroy their sacred stones.

³ Then they will say, “We have no king
because we did not revere the LORD.
But even if we had a king,
what could he do for us?”

⁴ They make many promises,
take false oaths
and make agreements;
therefore lawsuits spring up
like poisonous weeds in a plowed field.

Israel is disintegrating. Years of worshiping stone and wood instead of worshiping the LORD have taken their toll on the people. In verse 3, they lament as they have no King to lead them. What, however, good would a King do them (verse 4)? Kings lie, and, as a result:

lawsuits spring up like poisonous weeds in a plowed field

Filing a suit in a court of law carries with it the belief that the court will act justly. At least there is still some belief in the justice of a court.

Filing suit also shows the collapse of the family. Remember, Israel is one great big family. The “nation” are all descendants of Jacob who was renamed Israel. Members of a family should talk with one another face to face, not through advocates in a court.

God, help Christians today to always talk to one another as the brothers and sisters in Christ that we are. Let us not collapse into speaking through advocates via lawsuits that are merely poisonous weeds.