Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“I will punish her for the festival days of the Baals, when she offered incense to them and decked herself with her ring and jewelry, and went after her lovers, and forgot me, says the Lord.”
NL Daily Devotion for Friday, November 8, 2024
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
I’m not a fan of Hosea’s metaphor here. He goes on and on with deeply problematic patriarchal language carrying on the covert and overt attitudes in the Bible that allow unfaithfulness in men, but condemn any unfaithful woman as whore.
Of course, that’s not the point. But, unfortunately, you have to dance around the problematic language to get to what Hosea is saying in his prophecy against Israel. Maybe a modern take is in order? Perhaps Wall Street capitalists going to the market and taking money as a lover at the expense of justice? That about sums it up.
But will God ever really punish them for their festival days of the god Mammon, when they offer stock options and deck themselves with expensive suits and Rolexes, and go after their dividends and forget God? Sadly, I haven’t seen it yet.
What do I worship that isn’t God?
