Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you. Hosea 10:12 KJV
With the book of Hosea we go back in Israel’s history once again to the days of King Ussiah. As a prophet, Hosea was to warn them of their fallen spiritual condition and need for repentance. Here a great call for revival is illustrated. Fallow ground is ploughed soil; it is the first step toward growing a crop for harvest. Apparently Israel had begun to renew their relationship with the Lord, but had stopped short. The ground that was ploughed had now re-hardened and was in need of being broken up again so the seeds of righteousness could be planted, and then watered by the Lord. Hosea used this illustration to indicate it was time to seek the Lord and break up their spiritual hardness through repentance.
Lord, at different times in my own life I have begun to renew my relationship with You only to be distracted by other things. Fallow ground looks good when fresh but when no crop grows because no seeds were planted, it is an image of shame. Help me to always follow through in my relationship with You that I might reap the blessings of Your rain.
