Some people think of God as a kind, grandfather-like figure who would never do anyone any harm. He's there to smile on us and pat us on the back. The Bible, however, gives us a very different picture. In it we discover a God who is utterly good and who burns with love, but who is passionately committed to eradicating evil and who cares enough to act. We are frequently told to fear Him.

When the holy God shows up, it's terrifying. Rather than face Him, people cry out to the mountains, ″Cover us!″, and to the hills, ″Fall on us!″ (Hosea 10:8). I wonder if we need to learn from this. Have we so domesticated our idea of God that we can't imagine ever needing to ″fear Him″? If so, Hosea is showing us a side to God that we must never forget.

Three things led to God's judgement on His people. The first was their wealth. Like a flourishing vine, the nation had prospered (v. 1) and become fruitful, but with money came idolatry and a ″deceitful″-or, literally, ″divided″-heart (v. 2). Money can do that to you: you may think you can buy anything, even God. You can't.

The second was Israel's leadership. The people swung between two extremes. In their arrogance, they thought they could get rid of their rulers and it didn't matter what God thought (v. 3). In their apathy, they thought none of their leaders could be trusted (v. 4). Either way, the people had no respect for their God-appointed leaders.

The third was their worship. Beth Aven (″house of wickedness″, v. 5), or Bethel, was where Jeroboam I had set up the calf-idol as the centre of Israel's national religion. It had institutionalised idolatry and beguiled the people. Hosea called the religious leaders what they were-″idolatrous priests″ (v. 5). Instead of helping the nation to turn back to God, Bethel was adding to the people's guilt and plunging them more deeply into sin.

Israel would lose everything: her calf-idol (v. 5), her affluence (vv. 6, 8), and her leaders (v. 7). She would learn that it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God (v. 8).

Almighty and most merciful Father, teach me to fear you above anything and everything else, that I might gain a heart of wisdom. For Jesus' sake, amen.