During the 2008 housing crisis, I developed a theory. People wearing suits informed those in blue jeans that they could purchase a house with subprime mortgage rates.
When the bottom fell out, individuals in blue jeans lost their homes, while those in suits received a government bailout.
Hosea depicted Israel as a person wearing a suit, employing deceptive means, and engaging in oppression. Who did they oppress? Naturally, it was the poor.
A trader in whose hands are false balances,
he loves to oppress. (Hosea 12.7)
The people who consistently oppressed the poor justified their behavior by claiming they had earned their wealth honestly, despite holding false balances in their hands.
Ephraim has said, “Ah, I am rich;
I have gained wealth for myself;
in all of my gain
no offense has been found in me
that would be sin.” (Hosea 12.8)
In the face of human arrogance and self-satisfied self-sufficiency, God must remind His people that everything we have has been His gift.
I am the Lord your God
from the land of Egypt;
I will make you live in tents again,
as in the days of the appointed festival. (Hosea 12.9)
In today’s YouTube video, Rudy Ross explains that living in tents symbolizes the Feast of Tabernacles. This involves people leaving their homes to stay in tent-like structures under the open sky, where they commune with the Lord and connect with Him.
Regularly practicing this, by stepping away from our usual comforts to commune with the Lord, could help adjust our attitudes towards wealth, the poor, and other aspects of our lives.
A Dynamic Meeting with God
If Israel had regularly met with God and allowed Him to adjust their attitudes and actions, they may not have incurred God’s judgment. Here are some ways we can meet with God and allow Him to adjust our lives to His core principles.
(1) Listening Prayer – Our prayer time needs to involve listening, providing space for God’s wisdom to permeate our being.
(2) Meditative Scripture Reading – Try reading the Bible slowly, meditatively, and allowing the Holy Spirit to highlight words or phrases that speak to your current situation.
Through this method, Scripture becomes a living conversation between God and you, guiding your actions and transforming your perspectives, especially regarding wealth, compassion, and humility.
When we read the Gospels, we have the opportunity to let Jesus be our teacher. Let’s sit with His words, speak to Him, and ask Him to guide us through His teachings in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
(3) Solitude – Pastor Jay Taylor often talks about the practice of solitude, which involves spending time alone with God, free from distractions.
In this practice, we leave our cell phones behind and may even go to a location away from our homes, like a natural setting. Solitude aims to seek God’s voice.
By taking the time to understand God’s thoughts and choosing to follow Him, we give ourselves the gift of
communion with the Greatest Being of All.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross and I discuss this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 