Who is wise? He will realize these things.
Who is discerning? He will understand them.
The ways of the LORD are right;
the righteous walk in them,
but the rebellious stumble in them.
This verse is found at the end of the book of Hosea.
When the nation of Israel was in trouble, they turned to everyone and everything for deliverance, everyone except God.
Did they forget that God was there? I don’t think so. The prophets were always reminding them. Did they think God won’t help them? I don’t think so. God continually reminded them of his faithfulness.
They were simply rebellious. They were having too much fun without God. They didn’t want to turn to God just as the prodigal son didn’t want to stay home with his father. They thought they knew better how life should be lived.
God’s ways are too strict. God’s ways are no fun. God demands too much. Why can’t I just do what I want to do? I am doing fine without God. In fact, if I turn to God, he’ll probably make me give up everything. He probably wants me to go to Africa as a missionary and suffer. I’ll lose my boyfriend, I’ll have to give money away and have less for myself.
I like this verse because it says God’s ways are right. We are wrong, no matter how right we think we are.
If we want to live the right way, be righteous, we live his way, not our own way.
If we don’t like his ways, it’s not because he is wrong. It’s because we are rebellious.
This verse makes it pretty simple. God is right. Follow him and be right. Don’t follow him and be wrong.