Hosea 10 Break Up Your Fallow Ground 1. Their Rebellion (v.1-5) (a) They were Selfish Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: (b) They were Slack 2 Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: 1Kings 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. (c) They were Stubborn - 3 For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the LORD; what then should a king do to us? in rejecting the Lord, so they reject all authority (d) They were Spurious 4 They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: (e) They were Spurned The glory of the Lord is departed (v.5) for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it. 2. Their Retribution - Their coming judgment (v.6-11) Ephraim shall receive shame The Shame Of :- (a) Captivity 6 (b) Confusion 7 (c) Consternation 8 (d) Carelessness 9 (e) Chastisement 10 (f) Conquest 11 3. Their Restoration -Their only hope (v.12) Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.
1. REMEMBER OUR HERITAGE – the fallow ground used to be a fruitful field
(a) Remember What We Had - Learn From the Former Days (Job 8:8-10) For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers: 9 (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:) 10 Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?
(b) Remember What We Have Lost (Revelation 2:5) Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
(c) Restore What We Have Taken - Preserve the Ancient Landmark (Proverbs 22:28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
Revelation 3:2 – “strengthen the things that remain”)
2. RECOGNIZE OUR RESPONSIBILITY – “your fallow ground” unworked ground
(a) For the Condition of the Ground (Nehemiah 1:1-4) The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, 2 That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. 3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire. 4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
(b) For the Correction of the Situation (Acts 9:6) And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
if not you, who?
3. READY THE GROUND (last part of verse 11) Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods.
(a) Plow the Field – Prayer (Colossians 4:2-4) Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; 3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: 4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
(b) Break the Clods – Brokenness – “his clods” Psalm 34:18; The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
4. RELEASE THE SEED Sow to yourselves in righteousness,
(a) What to Sow – the Word (Luke 8:11) the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
(b) Where to Sow – to yourselves (2Timothy 2:15) Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Where to Sow – in the field; that is, the world (Matthew 13:38) The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
(c) How to Sow – in righteousness (1Timothy 6:4-5; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. 2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. 3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. 4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. 5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. 6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
5. RECEIVE THE LORD – only God can bring the rain (a) Seek Him Earnestly – 12 for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.
Seek the Lord (1Chron 16:11) Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.
(b) Seek Him Urgently – “for it is time
(c) Seek Him Continually – “till he come”
(d) Seek Him Expectantly – “and rain righteousness”
(e) Seek Him Personally – “upon you”
