Throughout the Old Testament, Israel is portrayed as God’s choice vineyard or vine. Sadly, this vine was always running wild, and the vineyard produced only sour grapes. The theme re-appears in Hosea 10, where the prophet allows us to sample the unpleasant fruit of idolatrous religion. God’s people claimed to love Him, but He knew their hearts were “false.” Like an unfaithful spouse, their talk was smooth and their actions were deceptive. Israel had gone off with other lovers. Though she pretended to worship Him also, God demands an exclusive allegiance. Israel had betrayed His love by allowing idols of the land to intrude on the relationship. Their hearts were divided (v 1-2). Lawsuits were springing up like “poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field,” because people were trying to cheat one another with “mere words” and “empty oaths.” Promises should be trustworthy when made by those who follow the God of truth, but deception had become commonplace in Israel. Taking their standard from the world instead of God’s Word, people pursued their own selfish gain. But soon they will lose it all anyway to Assyria (v 3-8). Israel’s hypocrisy was also evident by her profession of righteousness, while actually practicing evil. “From the days of Gibeah,” they had continued in sin. The reference to Gibeah surely got their attention (see also 5:8; 9:9), for this calls to mind the terrible wickedness of Judges 19-21. When a traveling Levite and his concubine spent the night in Gibeah, she was gang-raped and left to die. He responded by sending her body parts throughout Israel. This great atrocity triggered a civil war which almost wiped out the tribe of Benjamin. Hosea’s point is that his own audience has likewise sinned so grievously that they should expect war and devastation as a just consequence (v 9-10). God’s people must live differently, turning away from all wickedness. Those who have plowed iniquity will reap injustice and eat the bitter fruit of their own lies. Again, Hosea reminds us of God’s unchanging law of the harvest (see 8:7). Simply put, we always reap exactly what we sow—though the two activities are done in different seasons. If you wish to reap “steadfast love,” then you must sow “righteousness.” If your heart has become hard, then you need to “break up your fallow ground.” With humble and contrite spirits, let’s confess our sins and respond to His Word. It may be easier to keep hiding, but aren’t you tired of the double life? If you long to have God rain His blessing of righteousness upon you, what are you waiting for? Don’t you know what time it is? “It is the time to seek the LORD” (v 11-15). For further meditation: