Compare Israel's forgetfulness in Hosea 13:6 with Deuteronomy 8:11-14. Setting the Scene Israel’s wilderness journey had barely ended when Moses warned the people not to forget the Lord once they entered prosperity (Deuteronomy 8). Centuries later, Hosea exposes that very forgetfulness—now full-blown and destructive. Key Passages “When they had pasture, they became satisfied; when they were satisfied, their hearts became proud; as a result they forgot Me.” “Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God by failing to keep His commandments and ordinances and statutes, which I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses in which to dwell, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud, and you will forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” Similarities Observed • Progression of blessing → satisfaction → pride → forgetfulness • Prosperity pictured in tangible terms: pasture, food, houses, herds, silver, gold • The heart is the battleground; external abundance merely exposes internal drift • Forgetting is not mental lapse but covenant unfaithfulness—neglecting God’s commands Contrast in Timing • Deuteronomy 8: prevention—Moses warns before the people settle in Canaan. • Hosea 13: diagnosis—prophet laments after the nation has indulged and strayed. The Heart Issue: Pride and Self-Sufficiency • Pride arises when provision eclipses the Provider (James 4:6). • Self-sufficiency denies dependence on the One who “gives life and breath and all things” (Acts 17:25). • Material plenty often breeds spiritual famine (Revelation 3:17). Spiritual Principles for Today 1. Blessings test faith as surely as trials. 2. Routine obedience—daily remembering—guards against subtle drift (John 14:23). 3. Gratitude redirects credit from self to God (1 Thessalonians 5:18). 4. Simplicity curbs pride: “Give me neither poverty nor riches… lest I be full and deny You” (Proverbs 30:8-9). Calls to Remember • Remember God’s past deliverances (Psalm 103:2). • Remember His Word in plenty and in want (Deuteronomy 6:6-12). • Remember that every good gift “comes down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17). Consistent remembrance roots the heart in humble dependence and keeps prosperity from turning into peril. |
    |