THE PURPOSE OF AFFLICTION
Hosea 5:13, 15
"When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria and sent to King Jareb; yet he cannot cure you, nor heal you of your wound. ... I [God] will return again to My place till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me."
Chapter 5 is a litany of the offenses of a people who rejected the way of the Lord. They did not turn to the Lord in repentance because they had the spirit of harlotry (vs. 4). And even if they would have sought the Lord, they would not have found Him because He had withdrawn Himself from them because of their treachery (vss. 6-7). Instead of walking in God's way, they "willingly walked by human precept" (vs. 11). The result of their sin was trouble. When they recognized that they were a sick nation, they tried to find cures for their illness in the wrong places. Instead of turning to God for healing, they sought answers from other nations. But they could find no cure because their problem was spiritual, and only God can heal spiritual disease. The purpose of affliction is to cause us to earnestly seek God. God will remain distant until we seek His face in sincerity.
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God allows trouble so that we will seek Him with an earnest heart.
[end]
Have a "seeking God" day. Love you.
Hosea 5:13, 15
"When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria and sent to King Jareb; yet he cannot cure you, nor heal you of your wound. ... I [God] will return again to My place till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me."
Chapter 5 is a litany of the offenses of a people who rejected the way of the Lord. They did not turn to the Lord in repentance because they had the spirit of harlotry (vs. 4). And even if they would have sought the Lord, they would not have found Him because He had withdrawn Himself from them because of their treachery (vss. 6-7). Instead of walking in God's way, they "willingly walked by human precept" (vs. 11). The result of their sin was trouble. When they recognized that they were a sick nation, they tried to find cures for their illness in the wrong places. Instead of turning to God for healing, they sought answers from other nations. But they could find no cure because their problem was spiritual, and only God can heal spiritual disease. The purpose of affliction is to cause us to earnestly seek God. God will remain distant until we seek His face in sincerity.
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: God allows trouble so that we will seek Him with an earnest heart.
[end]
Have a "seeking God" day. Love you.
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