It could all have been so different. You hear the sad story of someone who took a wrong turn in life, or of someone who made bad choices, and you can't help wondering if things could have turned out better if that step hadn't been taken or that door had remained closed.

It could all have been so different for Israel too. Terrible judgement was on its way because she had refused to learn from her past. Once more (see Hosea 9:9) Hosea refers to the terrible incident at Gibeah (Hosea 10:9), recorded in Judges 19. It had involved homosexual lust, gang rape, and murder, and ended with Israel sending an army to sort it out. Thousands had died.

Now that the same things were happening again, God would have to send the army in once more. This time, however, it would come from the surrounding nations (v. 10), who would put Israel in chains.

The trouble was that Israel had simply ″remained″ in her sins (v. 9) and not turned from them.

What's more, she had wasted so many opportunities. God had spotted Ephraim (another name for Israel) like a farmer spots a young cow, and He has decided to harness it (vv. 11-12). He had given His people chance after chance to sow seeds of righteousness and reap the harvest of His covenant love, but they had thrown it all away. ″But you have planted wickedness″ (v. 13), says God.

Instead of seeking the Lord, who stood ready to bless Israel, she had depended on her ″own strength″ and on her ″many warriors″ (v. 13). Now, God would show her just how foolish she was to trust in military might and not in Him. He would destroy all her fortresses (v. 14) and it would be ″because [her] wickedness is great″ (v. 15). In God's eyes, it is always better to be right than to be strong.

It could all have been so different. Don't make the same mistakes that Israel made. Hosea cries out, ″it is time to seek the LORD″ (v. 12). Listen to that heartfelt cry and learn from it.

Heavenly Father, thank you for inviting me to seek after you. Thank you that in Jesus, I may truly know you and be blessed. Help me to depend on you today. For your name's sake, amen.