Hosea 10:12-13 – Sow to Reap – Bible study

Hosea 10:12-13 Sow to Reap In this text, several farming phases are mentioned (not in order but they are mentioned). 1. Plowing is mentioned in \#11, 13\. a. The purpose of plowing is mentioned in \#12\ (i.e. to break up the fallow ground). b. Fallow means untilled ground; it would be hard ground. 2. Planting or sowing is mentioned \#12\. 3. Watering is alluded to in \#12\. 4. Reaping \#11, 12\. 5. And the reward of all this work is mentioned, eating \#13\. Unfortunately the process in evil for Israel, "ye have reaped iniquity" \#13\. Israel was pictured as working hard in the fields of sin all summer long and then reaping a harvest of evil in the fall. The Bible teaches that if we sow an evil seed, we will reap an evil harvest. Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Life is about working and being rewarded. There are exceptions. Bad things do happen to good people and good things do happen to bad people, but the clear teaching of the Bible is that overall, God will make sure that the righteous are blessed and the evil are destroyed. \#12\ Ephraim was being challenged to sow good seed so that they could reap a good harvest. We would do well to do likewise. Lets consider three thoughts from the text. I. \#12\ "break up your fallow ground." A. Fallow ground is the untilled, hard ground that could be used but is not. B. Fallow ground when associated with the heart speaks of several problems. 1. Fallow ground has potential not being used for the Lord. a. Fallow ground is ground that could be bringing forth a harvest, but it is not. It has potential but is not being used. b. So in our lives, fallow ground means more could be done with what God has given us, but we are not living to our full potential. c. The Bible commands us to give our best to the Lord! 1Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; d. We understand that no human is a machine. (1) We do not operate at 100% efficiency in any endeavor. (2) People make mistakes, get tired, take time off, need fun and laughter, and more. e. However, Gods people ought to be more motivated to live for God than the lost are to live for the world. (1) Why? Because what we have received of the Lord is so much better than what we have received of the world. (2) On a scale from 0 to 100 percent, how much of what God has given you are using for the Lord? (a) Money? (b) Time? (c) Creativity? (d) Energy? 2. Fallow ground is hard ground. a. Groundat least in Alabamathat is not broken up becomes hard. b. Every Christian fights the constant battle of hardening of the heart. Zechariah 7:12 Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law. c. Hardening of the heart means we are no longer tender to Gods leadership. d. It is usually a sign that we have gotten occupied with worldly things and have lost sight of spiritual things. C. So God gave the command that Israel was to break up the hard, unused ground. 1. As the plowman breaks the hard ground, so we must churn up our hardened hearts. 2. The Word of God is pictured in many ways in the Bible but one is the tool to break the hard heart. Jeremiah 23:29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? 3. The key then is to get into the Word of God and to let the Word of God get into you. a. Sadly even most Christians do no spend much time in the Bible and so the Bible does not have much effect in them. b. Could I give you five things to do with the Bible? (1) Read the Bible. (2) Listen to it being preached. (3) Study it. (4) Meditate on it. (5) Memorize it, especially when it speaks to you. C. By the way, you will have to detach from the world when you want the Word of God to affect you. (1) Some do not even listen to the preaching. (2) You are writing notes, talking, texting, surfing the internet. (3) If you cant or wont get out of the world when the Bible is being preached, you likely never will. II. \#12\ Sow some seed. Hosea 10:12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness. A. From the parable of the sower, we learn that not only do we need to prepare the heart to receive the seed, but we need to plant some seed into the ground. Luke 8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. B. In farming, you cant get anything (worthwhile) until you plant a seed. 1. I have been out in the woods several times and I never saw stalks of corn, strings of beans, or stems of potatoes growing wild. (Maybe they do some place but I have never seen it.) 2. To get good fruit, you must plant good seed. C. So in Gods work, everything is based on the seed of Gods Word being planted first in your heart and then in your life. 1. You can build your life, your business, or your church on anything you want, but if it is not Scriptural, what you get is not going to be any good. 2. We need to build our lives on some specific promises and commands of Gods Word. 3. Let me share some seed with you. a. In raising our children, a particular Bible verse has always guided us. Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. b. In living my life, several Bible verses have guided me. Proverbs 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Zech 4:6 Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. 1Sam 2:30 for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. c. In our finances, several Bible verses have guided us. 2Thess 3:10 this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. d. In looking ahead to my aging years, several Bible verses are my guide: Psalms 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. Isaiah 46:4 And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you. D. What am I saying? I am saying, do not build your future on the promises of an employer, the hopes of an economy, a 401K, or a how-to course, but on the Word of God. 1. Sow the Word. 2. There are promises throughout from a God who loves you and wants the best for you. III. \#12\ "reap in mercy" A. This whole message (both mine and Hoseas) is built upon the premise that if we will plant a spiritual seed, God will bring a spiritual harvest. 1. God has told us to fallow our ground (make our hearts tender) by disengaging the carnal and engaging the spiritual. 2. God has told us to plant spiritual seeds by building our lives on the promises and commands of the Word of God. 3. And God is telling us that if we will do these things, we can expect to reap a spiritual harvest. B. Either God is truthful or He is a liar. I think it makes sense to find out before we are dead, dont you? 1. If I cannot trust God to help in my family, my finances, my old age, then why would I trust Him in my eternity? 2. By the same token, if God is faithful in my family, my finances, and my old age, then why wouldnt I trust Him for my eternity? a. I am not saying there wont be problems. b. Neither am I saying that we can claim everything we want. c. However, I am saying that if we obey God, we can expect God to send His blessings! (1) That is what faith is all about. (2) Faith is trusting God to do what He has promised He will do. 3. When you have done what God commands, expect God to send the harvest. a. Expect God to show Himself in your heart. (You dont have to live a dried up, cold life!) b. Expect God to save those you invest in. c. Expect God to help those you direct to Him. d. Expect God to keep your children on the straight and narrow. e. Expect God to meet your financial needs. f. Expect God to bless your health and mind.