Our words are extremely powerful! They are so powerful in fact, that Proverbs 18:21 states: “the tongue has the power of life and death.” To be honest, the thought that my tongue, my words, and my message have the power to build or destroy lives scares me. What a responsibility we have been given by God to use our mouths for good. The Psalmist understood this when he wrote:
“The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just. The law of His God is in His heart; His feet do not slip.” (Psalm 37:30-31)
We’ll see today from the book of Hosea, that the utterance of wisdom and the knowledge of God’s Word not only keeps our feet from slipping, but can help hold others firm to the path as well.
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Remember from earlier chapters, that God is using Hosea to speak truth and to prophesy to the nation of Israel. They have strayed from God’s Word and His truth, and have fallen prey to the hollow pursuit of self, other “gods,” and worldly ambitions. Despite all of these things however, God promises to bring restoration and redemption to a fallen people. We serve such an amazing God that loves us! Despite our shortcomings, He is greater; He is faithful!
So where did the people go wrong? It’s easy to look at God’s charge against Israel, identify with the people, and be thankful for God’s forgiveness and love. I’m going to suggest to you that we look at it from a different angle however; that maybe there’s an even bigger responsiblity hidden in chapter 4. In the following passage, God is speaking directly to the priests, who were the spiritual leaders of the people. Read it, and think about the questions that follow:
“But let no man bring a charge, let no man accuse another, for your people are like those who bring charges against a priest. You stumble day and night, and the prophets stumble with you. So I will destroy your mother- my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:4-6)
- What three groups of people are stumbling? (hint: He’s speaking to priests)
- Why were God’s people ultimately destroyed?
- How does that reflect back on the priests?
“My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.” Wow! That verse keeps resonating with me; I cannot get it off of my mind and my heart. The Israelites chose to sin, and we cannot forget about their responsibility in all of this, but God’s leaders had failed. They were called to teach and protect the law. They were called to hold Israel to a higher standard. They were called to impart life, truth, and wisdom through God’s Word in order to further the kingdom of God. Instead, they had turned away from God.
Just like the spiritual leaders in Hosea’s time, we have been given the responsibility as followers of Christ to go and make disciples. Don’t look over or glance too quickly at that call. It is in fact a very heavy call. We hold the truth and the saving knowledge of God, which the world desperately needs to hear. Our mouths have the ability to impart life or death with every word that we speak. Yes this may sound intense, but the truth is that we are in a battle. The good news? We’ve already won!
My prayer is that we become a people with the law of God so ingrained in our hearts, that our feet can’t slip from the path. When others see us firmly planted in the will of God despite all that goes on around us, my prayer is that they too will find and stay on the path. Just like in the book of Hosea, the people that God created around us are still destroyed from a lack a knowledge. You have that truth! May you be faithful to share it.