Plundered Treasures

The tables turned on Egypt when God freed the Israelites from bondage. When God sent Moses to confront Pharaoh, not even a world superpower could prevent Israel's liberation. From the burning bush, the Lord told Moses that Egypt would be so humbled that the former slaves would take as plunder the treasures of their former masters (Ex. 3:21-22). And that is exactly what happened (Ex. 12:31-36)!

In today's reading, we see a different picture. This time it was Israel who opposed the Lord, and Israel's treasures were to be plundered. The passage reminds the nation of how God liberated them from Egypt and cared for them in the wilderness (Hos. 13:4-5). Shockingly, they then "forgot" Him, and ceased to worship and obey Him (v. 6). This is heartbreaking irony. The "treasured possession" rebelled against the very One who treasured them and began clamoring for an earthly king like the other nations had (vv. 10-11). The bottom line was this: Israel was unfaithful to their covenant identity.

As a result, the nation of Israel would come under God's judgment, compared here to violent animal attacks (vv. 7-9). It is indeed "a dreadful [fearful, terrifying] thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Heb. 10:31). Though God relented in the past, this time He would not (Hos. 13:12-15). God had power over death (see 1 Cor. 15:55, in which Paul quotes v. 14); He could save as He had done in the past. But this time, He would not.

The image of a storehouse plundered of its treasures by the "east wind" (Assyria) is powerful (Hos. 13:15). After all, who can stop the wind? And the northern kingdom of Israel would in fact be conquered by the Assyrians in 722 b.c.

Pray with Us

Our students are on summer break right now, but even in their absence they are in the hearts and prayers of everyone at Moody. Pray that God would grant them fruitful time in His Word, refreshing service, relaxing leisure, and safety during travels.

BY Brad Baurain

Dr. Bradley Baurain is Associate Professor and Program Head of TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) at Moody Bible Institute. Bradley has the unique privilege of holding a degree from four different universities (including Moody). He has just published his first book, On Waiting Well. Bradley taught in China, Vietnam, the United States, and Canada. Bradley and his wife, Julia, have four children and reside in Northwest Indiana.