The Ways of the Lord Are Right

Note from today’s Bible reading: Hosea 9-14; Isaiah 28-30

Much of the book of Hosea is spent addressing the sins of God’s people and warning of God’s judgment that was coming as a result. Yet at the end of the book, there is a hopeful expectation of forgiveness as they turned back from their apostasy (Hosea 14:1-4).

Despite the stern rebuke and painful punishment for sin, God always loved His people and wanted to receive them into fellowship with Him. Yet they needed to be faithful to enjoy that fellowship.

However, some people then – just as they do today – only focus on judgments and punishments of God and allege that God’s ways cannot be good if He would punish His people for their sins. Yet notice the last verse in the book of Hosea: “Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right, and the righteous will walk in them, but transgressors will stumble in them” (Hosea 14:9).

God has not given us His word simply to restrict us from doing what we want to do. He has given us His word to show us what is good and best for us. Those who recognize this will walk in His ways and be righteous. Those who refuse to see this will continue in their sin and stumble over His word.

So remember that the ways of the Lord are right. Let us recognize that He has given us His word for our good. If we walk in righteousness, we can avoid the pitfalls of sin and receive the reward He has promised those who follow Him.