– To Be His Royal Priesthood
BRD REFLECTIONS:
Hosea 4 and Psalm 119:33-64 (NIV)
(Leong Zhou Hao, Zone 4A Core Team Member)
READ:
Hosea 4:4-6 (ESV) stands out to me. After a description of the dire state Israel is in, the prophet hits us with these words:
‘…for with you in my contention, O priest. You shall stumble by day, the prophet shall also stumble with you by night; and I will destroy your mother. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because you have rejected knowledge. I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.’
In stark contrast, Psalm 119:33-64 reads:
v33-36: ‘Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end. Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart. Direct me in the paths of your commands…Turn my heart towards your statutes…’
v46-48: ‘I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame for I delight in your commands because I love them. I reach out for your commands, which I love, that I may meditate on your decrees.’
OBSERVE:
When I first read the opening verses of Hosea 4, I immediately thought of the world we live in today. Truly, there is ‘swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery’ (v2) everywhere we look. There is ‘bloodshed following bloodshed’ with multiple ongoing wars in Europe and Africa, and also a cultural war to normalize sexual behaviour and sexuality contrary to what the Bible teaches.
But does the Prophet blame the wayward people in this case? No! The blame is placed squarely on the Priests, who have ‘rejected knowledge’ and ‘forgotten the law of our God’. It is sobering to remember that today, we, the Church, are the ‘chosen people, a royal priesthood’ (1 Peter 2:9) to the world. I am that priest!
I wonder if I have been too compliant and happily silent even when surrounded by this rapidly evolving moral landscape. As a young adult, am I more concerned with keeping up with the times and being ‘woke’(1) rather than understanding, loving, delighting in, and speaking of God’s law, commands and statutes?
I look to and am inspired by the example given by the Psalmist, who seeks after the Lord with an earnestness and passion. He is committed to the Lord, even in the presence of disgrace (v39), taunting (v42), suffering (v50), and mockery (v51).
APPLY:
I have to commit to thinking and praying deeply when reading God’s Word like the Psalmist does, as opposed to a hurried browsing. More importantly, I have to stand for what the Bible says, even if it is counter-cultural (or especially if it is counter-cultural) when the situation arises. If I, as God’s priest, do not speak up for Him in this world, then who will?
DO:
I will continue to strive to:
- Read the Word daily
- Seek the Lord for a deeper understanding of His Word when I read it
I will seek to be a more proactive agent for God in my spheres of influence
PRAY:
Dear God, thank you for reminding me that I am your priest – your agent and representative in the world today. Sometimes, it may be easier to reject your knowledge for the ‘knowledge of the world’, and to forget your laws. I am sorry for my sin when I do so. I ask for your direction and understanding of your Word. I delight in your wisdom and your laws. Help me be an effective member of your priesthood in the world today to shine your light around me like a city on a hill. Amen.
