Hosea 4: 10-11 For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD. Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
The world today is a consumer world; we are like huge monsters, devouring whatever people/media are offering. They tickle our senses, and we fall in their trap. Our desires become our needs, and then we cannot do without them.
Today’s scripture tells us the cause of our behaviour is whoredom and wine. To understand this, we need to understand why bread and wine are used at the Lord’s Table.
The Hebrew word for ‘bread’ comes from the root word ‘conflict’, and ‘wine’ comes from the root word to possess/inherit. He also said the bread is His flesh, and the word for ‘flesh’ comes from the root word ‘message’.
Until we let His message ignite the conflict within us and we overcome our worldly selves, we will not be considered as inheritors of the Kingdom of God. Jesus said that unless we die, we cannot have life. We are called to put our worldly selves/nature to death to be assured of eternal life.
Today’s scripture speaks of whoredom and wine. The word whoredom/fornication roots from the word to play the harlot. We know a harlot is someone who sells one’s body for monetary reasons. One is mostly pulled into the business for survival, but later it becomes simply business.
When we live materialistic/carnal lives, we sell a part of ourselves for what we desire to obtain. Like a harlot, over time the gilt dies, and it is just business, not for survival.
When we are at the Lord’s Table, it is a spiritual arena, but today’s scripture talks of a worldly arena; thus, the ‘wine’ we seek is not to inherit the Kingdom of God but to inherit this world that perishes. Thus we too will perish with it.
[Prayer Starter]
Lord, You are Almighty God. You, Lord, are Spirit, and Your Kingdom is Spirit world. Lord, we pray that although we live in this world, we seek not this world but seek Your Kingdom and things of Your Kingdom. We pray we live sober lives, knowing our needs and not letting our desires replace our needs…
We make this prayer in Jesus’ name. Amen.
[Reference Scriptures]
Matthew 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
John 12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
John 6:53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Luke 22:20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup [is] the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
Luke 14:15 And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed [is] he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.