Sowing & Reaping

Hosea 10:1 - 15 Sowing & Reaping

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. GOD'S CHARGE - 1 Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images

(a) Spiritual Poverty - 1 Israel is an empty vine,

(b) Selfish Prosperity - he bringeth forth fruit unto himself:

(c) Shameless Idolatry - according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images.

(d) Spiritual Depravity - "an empty vine" -

Hosea 4:1 "Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land." Theirs was a lack of:-

(1) Truth i.e. because there is no truth - (2) Love - nor mercy - fellow man

(3) Knowledge - i.e. heart knowledge of God

2. GOD'S CHASTENING - 2 Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.

Hosea 5:14 For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him.

(a) The Rigour of his Chastening - "I, even I, will tear and go away"

(b) The Resolve of his Chastening - 15 "I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face:

(c) The Result of his Chastening - 15 in their affliction they will seek me early

(d) The Reason for his Chastening - ch 6:1 Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up

3. GOD'S CHALLENGE - 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." Note:-

(a) The Possibility of Salvation - Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy

Serve the Lord, Secure the Light, Save the Life.

(b) The Preparation for Salvation - "break up your fallow ground"

(1) A Sorrow for Sin (2) A Softened Heart (3) A Seeking for Help

(4) A Separating to God

(c) The Priority in Salvation "For it is time to seek the Lord" - IT IS TIME:-

(1) To Wake Up - Rom 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

(2) To Face Up - 1 Pet 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?"

(3) To Sober Up - 1Pet 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

(4) To Look Up Hosea 10:12 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." Because of:-

(a) Life's Brevity - James 4:14 "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."

(b) Death's Certainity - Heb 9:27 "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:"

(c) The World's Apostacy - 2 Tim 4:3&4 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."

(d) The Soul's Eternity - Luke 16:23 "And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom."

(e) Christ's Expectancy - Rev 22:20 "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus."

4. GOD'S CHANGE 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." He brings:-