p. 8 | Dangers of Prosperity by H.

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · May 19, 1909

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 36, No. 20.

Dangers of Prosperity

By H.

In the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam, king of Israel, the prophet Hosea bore a decided message against the wickedness of these two kingdoms. In wonderfully forceful language he set before them their departure from God and the results of that apostasy. Fearlessly he told of the depths to which they had fallen, the idolatry, the disobedience, the wickedness.

But Ephraim said, “Yet I am rich, I have found me out substance: in all my labors they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.” Then it was that the prophet called their attention to their beginnings. “Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.” One lone man, he fled from his angry brother, sleeping by the wayside, with a stone for a pillow. Too poor to pay the usual dowry, he served Laban for Rachel.

In his humility the Lord prospered him and made him strong and great. Then “he had power over the Angel, and prevailed.” When he was increased in wealth and numbers, “by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.” From small beginnings he became a mighty nation. “When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling, he exalted himself in Israel.”

But Israel offended; he turned from God to the worship of Baal; wherefore all the terrible judgments which came upon him. Yet through it all the prophet pleaded with his generation to turn and live. “Come, and let us return unto the Lord,” said he, “for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up.” He told them just how they could obey the Lord: “Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord.” But with all the warning, Israel and Judah went farther and farther away from God, sank deeper and deeper into sin. Finally the message came, “Ephraim is joined to his idols: let him alone.” And disaster, destruction, and captivity followed.

It was but the fruit of their own planting, the natural goal of their wicked course—the sure result of sin. The whole race runs on to the same end. As with the race, and the nation, so with the individual, the first step into sin is a step downward; and never in the course of sin does there come an upward step — it is all down, down, down, with open-armed Death at the verge of the abyss.

But there is hope, even to the fallen. However sinful, however far removed from Him, God’s message to Israel, and to all who wander as did Israel of old, is the same: “O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen in thy iniquity.” “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for Mine anger is turned away from him.” There is hope for every soul, deep-dyed in sin tho he be, who will cry unto God for succor, for He will hear the cry, His ear is inclined unto all. With David all may sing:

“He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay; And He set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.”