Spiritual Adultery… It Has Consequences

Hosea 7-9; Psalm 128; Proverbs 29:19-20

What is spiritual adultery? In God’s way of looking at things, spiritual adultery is unfaithfulness toward Him. In other words, worshiping any god or any created thing instead of Him is spiritual adultery. Putting anything before Him is spiritual adultery.

He wants a pure relationship with His people, a relationship in which He loves His people and His people love Him back. There’s joy and expectation and excitement in a good relationship like that.

“When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your fathers, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree.” – Hosea 9:10a

But too often God’s people commit spiritual adultery. It leaves a bitter taste in God’s mouth and makes His people much less attractive in His eyes.

“But when the came to Baal Peor, they consecrated themselves to that shameful idol and became as vile as the thing they loved.” – Hosea 9:10b

And there are consequences—real consequences that God initiates to show His people that a life of blessing is found only with Him.

“Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird—no birth, no pregnancy, no conception. Even if they rear children, I will bereave them of every one. Woe to them when I turn away from them! I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre, planted in a pleasant place. But Ephraim will bring out their children to the slayer.”

Give them, O LORD—what will you give them? Give them wombs that miscarry and breasts that are dry.” – Hosea 9:11-14

So many people are clamoring, in our country, for the right to abort children. Can you imagine a scene like this, where God took away our ability to have children—and if we had children, sent killers after them? Which is more valuable—the right not to have children, or the right to have children?

Spiritual adultery has real consequences, and it can even affect our ability to have children. God is not just sitting out there in space, shouting suggestions at us. He’s here, and He wants faithful people. When we aren’t faithful, He is able to disrupt our desires, our plans, our lives—and what He does here is just a small picture of His coming wrath against unfaithful people and rebels.

Father, make us faithful!

What are the warning signs that indicate to you when you’re beginning to drift away from Jesus?