Israel has forgotten their Maker and built palaces; Judah has fortified many towns. But I will send fire on their cities that will consume their fortresses.” – Hosea 8:14

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 11, 2016): Hosea 8

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men." The words belong to John Dalberg-Acton, the First Baron of Acton. The occasion of Lord Acton’s words was a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton written in 1887. The idea, accurate or not, has stuck. Power, and often the wealth that accompanies power, is seen as a corrupting influence in our cultural. We thrive on the idea of the need of checks and balances. We want to assure that no one holds absolute power. The idea that power corrupts, however, did not originate with Lord Acton. William Pitt, the Elder, also broached the subject of power when he was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. In a speech to the House of Lords in 1770, Pitt said this - "Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it." But the problem is never really the power or the wealth; it is the things which we create by using that power.

Hosea looks at the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah and sees the corruption of their minds. Great Houses had been built in Israel, either for the affluent of the nation or as places for the worship of other gods. They did with their power and wealth what they saw fit. Hosea looked out over Israel and asked the question, do you not understand who it is that is the source of your money and power? God hands you the power of self-determination, and you use that power to build temples (or palaces or great houses) to the gods of your neighbors. Do you think that God doesn’t notice – or that he will keep providing for you even though you waste what he has given to you?

Some scholars want to remove this verse because it mentions Judah. But the prophet likely looked to the South and saw that Judah was not all that far behind the lunacy of Israel. They used their power and wealth to create great walled cities (instead of great houses) in which they would put their trust.

Hosea looks at the two nations and simply says to Israel, your great houses built to false gods will fall, and to Judah, your walled cities will burn – all because you forgot the source of your power and wealth. You forgot your God.     

Tommorrow’s Scripture Reading: Hosea 9