Break Up Your Fallow Ground – Hosea 10:11-15

With every judgment that God sends He also sends an invitation to repent and find His blessing.  When we let land lie fallow, we refuse to use it to grow anything, usually in order to give it a rest and become even more productive.  But sometimes we let our spiritual lives go fallow out of neglect or disappointment.  Our spiritual fallow ground can, however, become even more productive than it was before.

Ephraim was a trained calf that loved to thresh, and I spared her fair neck; but I will put Ephraim to the yoke; Judah must plow; Jacob must harrow for himself.  Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.

You have plowed iniquity; you have reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies.  Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your warriors, therefore the tumult of war shall arise among your people, and all your fortresses shall be destroyed, as Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle; mothers were dashed in pieces with their children.  Thus it shall be done to you, O Bethel, because of your great evil.  At dawn the king of Israel shall be utterly cut off.  (Hosea 10:11-15 ESV)

God cultivated a special relationship with Israel, like training a special calf to plow without a yoke because she loves to do the work.  But now in her rebellion she must provide for herself without Yahweh’s help.  Her best work will be to plow up her hardened heart and seek Yahweh and find His blessing raining down.  Instead she has plowed iniquity.  She has put her trust in her armies.  But as the king of Assyria destroyed Beth-arbel so he will ruthlessly destroy Israel, and particularly Bethel, the site of her idolatrous worship.

God longs for relationship with us.  We are special to Him.  When we find our hearts hardening to Him we must beware.  He is always seekable, always ready to get back the relationship we had at the beginning.  He wants to rain down righteousness upon us.  Break up the hardened soil of your heart.