Hosea 13 Devotional

Remembering the Only Savior

“Yet I am the LORD your God ever since the land of Egypt; you know no God but Me, for there is no Savior besides Me.”Hosea 13:4 (BSB)

Ephraim was once honored in Israel, but he incurred guilt through Baal and died (13:1). Now they keep making silver idols and kissing calves (13:2), and they will vanish like morning mist, chaff, and smoke (13:3). Against this God sets his own record. He has been their God ever since Egypt, and no one else can save them (13:4). He knew them in the wilderness. But when they had pasture they were satisfied, when satisfied they grew proud, and then they forgot him (13:5-6).

So God describes himself coming against them like a lion, a leopard, and a bear robbed of her cubs (13:7-8). They are destroyed because they turned against their helper (13:9), and the chapter ends in the horrors of war (13:16). Yet in the middle stand words about ransom from the grave and death losing its sting (13:14), words Paul takes up to celebrate the victory God gives through Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:55-57). Plenty can make us forget. Remembering the only Savior keeps a full life humble.

To think about: In seasons when you have plenty, what helps you remember that God alone is your Savior?