Bad Medicine
More than 25 years ago (1982), seven residents of the Greater Chicago area made an assumption that proved fatal. They all took a dose of Extra Strength Tylenol® that had been laced with potassium cyanide. What they thought was medicine proved to be poison. This crime, still being investigated as of this very week (February 4, 2009), is still unsolved, in spite of the fact that one man went to prison for sending an extortion letter to Johnson & Johnson and is presumed to be the guilty party by many.
Imagine the horror of taking what you thought was beneficial and discovering, too late, that it was killing you! That, in a very real sense, is what Hosea shares with Israel in the latter part of Hosea 6 (verse 7) and heading into the first two verses of Hosea 7. But before we start talking about “bad medicine,” let’s turn to the Great Physician to guide our understanding of the text.
Great God of Healing, God Who uses even illness to make us stronger, give us immunity, and teach us life lessons, we turn to you in need of holy treatment today—a diagnosis of this disease of sin so that we may have it surgically removed by Your salvation and forgiveness, so that we may experience the transfusion of Your Holy Presence in our lives because of the blood of Jesus the Christ. We confess, Lord, that we have betrayed You and, like the House of Israel, created an awful thing. We thank You, Lord, that we can claim forgiveness and cleansing because of what You have done for us. Help us to follow Your Holy Spirit’s prescription for rehabilitation, even when it seems tough to do so. In the name of Jesus, the Great Physician, we pray and say, AMEN, we can build upon it.
We closed our message last week with the awareness that God wants us to be involved in a lifestyle of faith, not a ritualized, obligatory grocery list of what we think God wants (the text merely says “sacrifice,” but that’s the idea behind that powerful word). There, we saw that God’s purpose in judgment, in punishment, was to bring us back to that fabulous fellowship where we don’t have to feel obligated, but we want to be with Him.
Sadly, today’s text goes back to the sad reality of Israel. Let’s read, beginning with verse 7 (and once again, I’ll type my translation here for your comparison with the translation where you are most aware of God’s authority and where the Holy Spirit communicates to you the best) and continuing through verse 9.
v. 7 They, like Adam, broke the covenant. There, they betrayed me.
v. 8 Gilead is a city of evildoers with footprints of blood
v. 9 And those who lie in wait, men ganged together, bonded priests commit murder on the way to Shechem because they acted in wickedness.
That first verse sounds simple, but it may have different levels of meaning. The great Semitic scholar, Mitchell Dahood, has shown that “adam” (as printed here) can be short for “adamah” that means “ground.” That makes sense, doesn’t it. After all, Adam as the first human gets his name (as does all humankind) from the fact that he came from the “adamah,” the ground. The nice thing about this suggestion is that Dahood can now translate the verse and say something like “They broke the covenant and treated it like dirt.” Now, that’s a bit far-fetched, even if it’s clever.
Other scholars note that there was a city named Adam in the territory known as Gilead (only mentioned in Joshua 3:16). David Noel Freedman suggests that Hosea is drawing upon an incident that we don’t know about which literally occurred at the city of Adam, in the territory of Gilead, which would be on the way to Shechem. We’ll deal with this very likely incident when we get to verse 9. I just wanted you to know that there was a city called Adam and that it’s entirely possible that the verse reads: “They broke the covenant as at Adam.”
Of course, I personally see nothing wrong with understanding the verse to refer to Adam as the first sinner and humankind as sinners. We have all broken the covenant and we have all betrayed God. The language used here is the language of international treaties and big business deals. We’re talking “breach of contract” and “violation of treaty” here. We’re talking about actions that turn our good words and best intentions into foul lies and despicable attitudes instead of a positive and loving relationship with God, our Creator and Redeemer. And I would just interpret the verse in this way if it weren’t for verses 8 and 9. I still think Hosea wanted to show everyone’s guilt and betrayal in this verse, but I think he was building on a historical event of which his audience was aware and that he wants us to see something even worse than we’re expecting.
Verse 8 refers to the “city” of Gilead. In reality, Gilead is a territory and there were several cities with Gilead in their names—most famous being Jabesh-Gilead and Ramoth-Gilead. The territory’s name means “rugged” and the topography of the area was indeed “rugged.” Ramoth-Gilead (“Heights of Rugged(ness)”) was where evil King Ahab met his end after the ministry of Elijah and Jabesh-Gilead (“Dry (Place) of Rugged(ness)” was where the Israelite monarchy truly became legitimate after King Saul’s victory. So, it is a place where one reign began and another ended.
But the true fame of Gilead was tied to a paste made from the resin of the balsam tree. Known as the Balm of Gilead, such a famous medicine that Jeremiah uses it as an illustration in two sermons (8:22 and 46:11) and that the scripture reference inspired an old spiritual (“There Is a Balm in Gilead”). I believe this is the connection for which Hosea is preparing us. The very place where healing is supposed to be manufactured is a place that has become known for bloodshed. Instead of healing, there is death.
Now, do you see why I reminded you of the Chicago Tylenol murders. Not only is Chicago the headquarters of the famous Abbott Labs and Baxter (medical equipment), but all of those victims were seeking help and received death from the very place they expected to find it. In this way, I think Hosea prepares us for the very shocking revelation yet to come.
In verse 9, a gang of priests band together to lie in wait on the road/way to Shechem and commit murder. The priests? These men ordained of God to shepherd Israel are now lying in wait and murdering pilgrims? By the way, the verb used here for “lying in wait” is normally used in the Bible for waiting expectantly upon God. In Psalm 106:13, God’s people are castigated for NOT waiting for God’s counsel. In Habakkuk 2:3, the prophet is commanded to “wait for it” in the sense of lying in wait for God’s vision. In Psalm 30:20, the Psalmist is lying in wait, expectantly, for God’s protection. But here, we have men ordained of God lying in wait to do harm instead of waiting for that word, vision, or protection of God. Why would that be?
I believe this is tied to Shechem as being an important center for teaching the covenant as given to Moses (Deuteronomy 27:4 mentions Mt. Ebal outside of Shechem and Joshua 8:30 again mentions Mt. Ebal as Joshua rededicates the people and builds an altar.) and the officials of the northern kingdom not wanting their people to leave their shrines, their cultic centers, in favor of the traditional shrine where God had instituted His covenant.
Now, this may just be Hosea’s way of symbolizing that Israel’s priests had put the knife in God’s promise, killing Israel’s relationship with God, but I suspect that Hosea is suggesting that some ruthless priests literally protected their interests by killing those who were seeking a more authentic relationship with God. I suspect that they really waited in ambush in the city of Adam, in the territory of Gilead, and on the way to Shechem. Since they didn’t have an authentic relationship with God to offer, they were willing to harm others to keep them from discovering that relationship.
Of course, regardless of whether you see this as Hosea’s historical illustration or a symbol of what Israel’s priesthood was doing on a larger level with their poisonous, prevaricating preaching, there are some modern warnings and parallels that I believe we need to consider. First, those ministers (and even lukewarm believers) who confuse seekers trying to find an authentic relationship with God are murdering the potential faith of those seekers. When we put our ideas of doctrine, ritual, and propriety ahead of anyone’s need for Jesus, we are just as despicable as those priests of the 8th century.
Second, those ministers (and even church leaders) who are more interested in maintaining their local congregations and church structures in order to keep their level of support and reputation than in having their church members grow through teaching and preaching may be guilty of a kind of murder, as well. They kill off inspiration, discipleship, enthusiasm, and service in the name of orthodoxy, denominationalism, or merely their own dream of some mega-church that fits their idea of what church is but doesn’t necessarily fit the Bible’s definition of church. And their selfishness, their lack of faith, and their lack of commitment can literally kill off the potential growth and development of young believers or naïve seekers who aren’t sure where to turn.
And this problem isn’t just isolated in the northern kingdom. Verse 10 takes us into the entire House of Israel, the whole country. There, God sees an abomination, a horror, or something that makes one sick (Jeremiah uses the word for an “inedible” or “horrible” thing in Jeremiah 5:30). God sees a lack of faithfulness that has contaminated both the northern kingdom in verse 10 and the southern kingdom in verse 11.
v. 10 In the house of Israel, I have seen an awful thing. There (was) harlotry for Ephraim and Israel was defiled.
v. 11 Even for you, Judah, is a harvest set when I shall turn back my people’s fortunes.
Notice that the word I translated as “turn back” in verse 11 is usually translated as “change.” It’s the same verb used by Amos in his opening sermons to say that God won’t turn back His punishment or judgment coming on Israel. Now, this verse is saying that God will turn back the good harvest, turn back Judah’s successes. In this verse, the harvest isn’t going to be a good thing—much like the marriage feast of the Lamb in Revelation isn’t a good thing for unbelievers.
Hosea is telling Israel that her idolatry, her infidelity to God, has serious—even fatal consequences. Further, these fatal consequences apply to any people who ignore God’s guidance and help, forgiveness and sanctification. Refusal to walk in the way of salvation means that one is forcing God to allow a walk toward damnation. And when God’s people are defiled, when God’s people aren’t walking in step with the Lord, it contaminates everyone. So, even when people come to the church—the place where the great news of salvation is preached and God’s purpose of sanctification and glorification is shared—they may end up being misled.
Don’t you think these often neglected, almost never preached upon, verses require us to examine our motives, our actions, and our attitudes toward serving God? Are we contaminating anyone? Are we “murdering” God’s purpose?
Hosea 7
v. 1 Just as I would heal Israel but Ephraim’s iniquities are revealed and Samaria’s transgressions BECAUSE they have made a deception (an idol?) and a thief has come, a band of robbers raids in the street.
v. 2 And they do not speak to their inner man (or heart, that is they don’t speak with integrity) (yet) all of their transgressions, I remember. Now, all of their deeds (implied misdeeds) surround them, they are before my face.
So, let us be clear, the reason Israel cannot be healed is because that God’s priests and people have had their sins revealed, but they refuse to submit to God and ask for forgiveness. They have substituted an idol. But idols cannot protect anyone. As Isaiah 46:6-7 mocks idol worship, you have to invest your very best silver, gold and workmanship, but then, you have to carry the idol around. How is the idol going to save you if it can’t even walk?
Idol worship, whether in the literal form with statues and castings in the ancient world or in the figurative form of big savings accounts, allegedly secure jobs, obsession with health and physique, enslavement to pleasure, or arrogant self-satisfaction with one’s own intellect, can’t protect you anymore than a scarecrow can protect your crops when the birds get used to them. At first, they seem to work, but then, they lose effectiveness when the birds realize that they cannot act on their own.
I’ve seen this in Chicago’s elevated train stations. They hung phony owls from the ceilings of some of the stations to discourage the pigeons. I can remember seeing pigeons right up next to the owls, blithely ignoring them. Now, there are wire spikes everywhere the pigeons might roost up there. The “idol,” the representative owl, only worked for a season and that’s because the birds thought the owl was real. But eventually, the fraud is noted and those disease- and vermin-bearing birds come back in force, just as the bandits and robbers of Hosea 7:1 ran riot in Israel’s streets.
Worse, Hosea chides God’s people because they aren’t honest with themselves. When an ancient person is told that they don’t speak to their heart or their inner man, it means that they aren’t dealing with their motivations, their goals, their wills. God’s message to the People of God is that when they aren’t honest about what they really want to do and what they really intend to do, their sins or misdeeds end up being thrown right into God’s face.
“In your face!” we sometimes say when we make a good shot in basketball or offer a quick and witty verbal riposte to someone with whom we’re debating.
But what happens when our actions and the desires underpinning those actions are in God’s face? Certainly, nothing good happens. In fact, one might say that instead of healing, we end up with a fatal dose of pride. This is exactly what happens when we ignore the Living God in order to accept our inadequate and even dangerous substitutes, bad medicine instead of divine healing.
So, what is God’s challenge to us in this passage? What are we supposed to do about it? First, those of us who are ministers need to recommit ourselves to the Word of God. We need to pack away our preconceptions about having to entertain people, pacify people, and protect our interests. We need to make sure we’re not indirectly “murdering” people on the way to “Shechem,” discouraging people from actively seeking God and God’s New Covenant in Christ Jesus.
Second, those of us who are church leaders and members need to recommit ourselves to study the Word of God. We cannot afford the luxury of expecting our pastors and teachers to “feed us.” That’s too second-hand. Certainly, our pastors and teachers have an obligation to serve God’s Word to us, but we have the responsibility to feed ourselves and to demand more wholesome “recipes” if they’re serving something other than the Word of God.
Third, all of us need to remember that spiritual adultery and idolatry occur whenever we substitute what we’re comfortable with for what God wants. What are you substituting for God’s purpose? Your position, whether at work or in the church? Your authority? Your investments? Your desires? Your intellect? Your pride? Your traditions? Your comfort?
This passage teaches us that God knows all about our wickedness—inside and out. The question is, will you accept bad medicine—bloodshed near the Balm of Gilead or cyanide in the Tylenol—or go after God’s good medicine, God’s purpose for your life?
