Monday • 10/3/2022
Proper 22

This morning’s Scriptures are: Psalm 106:1-18; Hosea 14:1-9; Acts 22:30–23:11; Luke 6:39-49

This morning’s Canticles are: following the OT reading, Canticle 9 (“The First Song of Isaiah,” Isaiah 12:2-6, BCP, p. 86); following the Epistle reading, Canticle 19 (“The Song of the Redeemed,” Revelation 15:3-4, BCP, p. 94)

An audio or video version of this devotional can be found here: Apple Podcast, Spotify Podcast, YouTube

Today finds me pondering the arresting imagery in Hosea.

The prophet Hosea has used powerful and penetrating metaphors and similes to communicate Yahweh’s persistent appeals to Israel. Yahweh is an estranged husband who will not be denied (1:2–3:5). He is a disappointed father who will not give up on his child/son (11:1-9). He is like a lion who roars both in wrath (5:14; 13:7) and in love (11:10).

Likewise, Hosea has used compelling metaphors and similes to characterize his people. Israel is (or is like) a wayward wife (1:2–3:5), a luxuriant vine (10:1), a trained heifer (10:11), a lost child/son (11:1-9), a flock of disoriented birds (8:11-12; 11:11).

Metaphor transfers the meaning of one thing to another for the sake of comparison (from the Greek metaphorein, meaning “transfer”). Simile likens one thing to another, likewise for the sake of comparison (from the Latin similis, meaning “similar, like”). Metaphor and simile provide the Bible with tools to reshape our perception of reality: “This is that, isn’t it?” or “This is like that, isn’t it?” Hosea wants us to reshape our imaginations—inviting us to “see” Yahweh’s resolute love for us, and our resolute rebelliousness and our squandering of his love. And Hosea wants us to picture how we might answer God’s resolute love by turning from our irresolution in love.

In the final chapter of the Book of Hosea, the prophet makes one last direct appeal, and then showers us with one last burst of metaphors and similes of his love. It’s really quite beautiful and moving, I think.

Yahweh’s appeal for repentance — Hosea 14:1-3,8

Acknowledge that you are the one responsible for your situation — 14:1
“Take words with you … the fruit of your lips” — i.e., name the specifics and ask for forgiveness — 14:2
Confess that the true God is your only hope — 14:3,8

Metaphors & similes of God’s amazing promises to “re-Edenize” the world through Israel: “I will be like the dew to Israel…” — Hosea 14:4-7

“…like the lily” — Yahweh will beautify the ugly.
“…like the forests of Lebanon” — Yahweh will strengthen the weak.
“…his shoots shall spread out” — Yahweh will make Israel’s now contracted spiritual heart once again expansive.
“…like the olive tree” — Yahweh will make Israel’s now unproductive spiritual life once again the source of spiritual value in the world.
“…fragrance like that of Lebanon” — Yahwah will replace the stench of rot exuding from Israel with a delightful aroma.
“…live beneath my shadow … flourish as a garden” — Where there is now withered spiritual dryness, Yahweh will create lush and luxuriant spiritual life.

Hosea offers one last simile for Yahweh and his people: “I am like an evergreen cypress; from me comes your fruit” (Hosea 14:8 RSV). Whether he got it directly from Hosea or not, Vincent Van Gogh was profoundly shaped in his spiritual life by this image. The most memorable line (in my view) of the one sermon that survives from a young Vincent’s short career in ministry is the aspiration he urges upon us: “to be born again … to an evergreen life.” I pray that God’s evergreen life becomes your own.

Be blessed this day,

Reggie Kidd+

Image: Vincent van Gogh , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons