What those who rely on themselves have forgotten

I recently visited a historic church from the early days of New Zealand settlers. Wandering around the graves scattered in the churchyard, I came across a more recent tombstone with a person’s name and dates on it, followed by his degrees and honours and the epithet ‘The luxury man!’. One wonders what use he found for his degrees and honours before a holy God or what benefit he derived from being defined by such a descriptor as luxury. Our modern Western context admires the self-made man or woman and their achievements. It can be inspiring to read or hear about people who have beaten the odds against economic, social, or physical disadvantages and showed tenacity and perseverance. However, such stories can also foster an inward pride and a self-reliance that clashes with humble dependence on God.

Choosing one’s leaders, making one’s gods

Israel is on this track of self-reliance because it rebelled against God’s laws and so disrupted the covenant relationship (Hos 8:1). God bore His people on eagles’ wings when He saved them from Egyptian slavery (Exod 19:4), now a predatory eagle (probably Assyria) has the household of God (Israel) in its sights (Hos 8:1).[1] This summary estimate of independence from God is spelt out in the rest of the chapter. Israel’s proud assertion that they, God’s chosen people, know Him (Hos 8:2), is belied by their actions. First, they choose their own kings (often by assassination and force, 2 Kings 15) rather than let God appoint their rulers (Hos 8:4). Ironically, Israel claims to know God (v.2), but God does not ‘know’ (acknowledge) its leaders (v.4). Second, the people also make their own gods, who, by definition, are no-gods since they are human creations (Hos 8:6). In another ironic reversal, as Israel rejected the good (and God, Hos 8:3), so God rejected their calf idol (Hos 8:5). They may hope for prosperity but will be destroyed by such worship (Hos 8:4, 7).

Looking for help in human support and religious acts

Israel’s independence from God also shows itself in seeking foreign allies (‘lovers’, Hos 8:9). Ironically, Israel mixed itself up with the nations (the root of the verb is balal; Hos 7:8) and now those very nations will swallow them up (same root balal; Hos 8:8).[2] Since the ancients connected a country’s well-being with the gods’ favour, the deterioration of conditions in Israel would have led to their seeking atonement for possible sin. However, ritual without repentance would only add to Israel’s sin because they try to control God through religious practices rather than submit to Him. Thus, their altars designed for atonement for sin end up generating further sin in autonomy (Hos 8:11). Despite God’s efforts to teach them His principles, they regard these as alien from their thinking (Hos 8:12). Thus, in another reversal, the nation saved from slavery in Egypt will symbolically return there as they experience Assyrian oppression (Hos 8:13). The final image leaves us with God destroying the monuments of self-sufficiency (the building projects of luxury and protection) because the people forgot their Maker (Hos 8:14).

Counting with our Maker first and foremost

There is much in Israel’s story that resonates with our age. When we forget our Creator and that we depend on Him for our every breath, we are tempted to arrange our own lives as we please. Like Israel appointed its kings, we may choose our ‘authorities’ to lead and guide us, people whose advice we follow (whether experts or influencers) and arrange our lives by. Listening to good counsel is helpful, but all should be evaluated by God’s standards. In subtle ways, we can make our own gods, too, raising to first importance things or people that we pin our hopes on for fulfilment, happiness and well-being. Moreover, like Israel looked for help in alliances and in religion, people in our Western context often rely on ‘techniques’ to deal with internal stresses, anxieties and pain that threaten to upend our peace. Such practices may be secular or religious/spiritual and may even help somewhat, but they typically control rather than resolve the turmoil within. Let us remember that we have a God who made us and knows better than anyone how we operate. May we turn to Him in our need and know that He cares and has the power to heal our lives when we submit to Him.[3]

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[1] J. Andrew Dearman, The Book of Hosea, NICOT (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2010), 216-17. Since the prophecy is addressed primarily to Israel (the northern kingdom), understanding ‘the house of the LORD’ as the Jerusalem temple seems less likely. Dearman’s argument that house here means God’s ‘household’, i.e. Israel, makes better sense. See this usage of house for instance in Joshua’s well-known commitment, ‘as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD’ (Josh 24:15)

[2] The Hebrew of Hosea 8:10 is difficult to make sense of. Staying close to the original Hebrew (as the NASB does), the issue may be the burden placed on Israel by ‘the king of princes’ (Assyria?). Other translations emend the Hebrew to make it more intelligible and suggest that Israel will not be able to appoint its own kings. Either way, the overall meaning that such alliances weaken, rather than strengthen, God’s people is clear.

[3] I am not suggesting that all ‘techniques’ are wrong or that we should do away with all therapies or counselling. Rather, my point is that God should be the person we look to above all others for our help and that we must subordinate all other approaches to Him. Much like medication for physical illness is not wrong to take even as we ultimately trust in God, so many approaches can be useful tools in the toolbox for helping our soul. The issue is when self-help techniques control the problem but thereby mask the underlying causes that are not addressed or when they are part of a worldview that is opposed to a Christian understanding.

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