DAILY HOPE DEVOTIONALS: OCTOBER 6 SOWING TO YOURSELF RIGHTEOUSNESS (1) SCRIPTURE: HOSEA 10: 12 – 14

Today’s heading of the devotional is likely going to be contended with as improper phrase in the modern gospel. We are in a dispensation when people think that working out righteousness is not man’s duty any more as Christ has worked out everything of righteousness to believers. What the passage of Hosea 10: 12 said sounds very clear to understand; that for anyone to reap God’s mercy such a person has to sow to self, righteousness. The devotional is not to prove points of augments but to present why we will sow righteousness so as to receive some things from God as rewards. Hosea chapter 10 is about the Lord’s judgment against Israel for turning away from God. Verse 12 of the chapter is telling the Israelites of what to do for God to show them mercy. Verses 13 through 14 reveals what will happen if the Israelites refuse to sow to themselves righteousness. 

The phrase “sow to yourselves righteousness” is agricultural term. It literally means “plant”. Africa Study Bible says “plant the good seeds of righteousness.” Good News Bible says “plough ground for yourselves, plant righteousness.” Even though an agrarian term is used, the Bible is urging people to sow into their hearts, seeds of righteousness. This therefore, tells us Christians that we should be doing something so as to grow in righteousness, uprightness of characters and pure hearts void of sins. Reason Prophet Hosea said Israelites should sow to themselves righteousness is so that they can reap God’s mercy. New International Version puts reap mercy as “harvest a crop of love.” Good News Bible puts it as “and reap the blessings that your devotion to me will produce.”

It should be understandable now what the Bible means “sow to yourselves righteousness. Taking our understanding from Good News Bible that says “reap the blessings that your devotion to me…” shows that sowing to yourselves righteousness means doing what is right in the sight of God. It can mean also ‘keep doing right thing even if the wrong thing is happening.’ We can affirm that sow to yourselves righteousness means, according to Benson Commentary “exercise yourselves in the works of righteousness and holiness, in the performance of all duties due to God and man.” If Prophet Hosea saw the need for Israelites to sow to themselves righteousness for God to bless them more, our present age ought to work out her righteousness so as to reap blessings from God.

PRAYER:

BLESSED FATHER, I am getting more understanding about sowing to myself righteousness so as to reap blessings and harvest crops of love from you. Grant to me today, the ability to plant into my heart, seeds of righteousness in Jesus name.

bishopubaudenyi@hopealivechurch

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