The 3 lessons of Stewardship

 Read Hosea 9.

Israel celebrated the harvest by giving thanks and worshiping Baal.  The theme of this spiritual adultery towards the God of heaven runs through the entire book of Hosea.  Meanwhile, the One who owns the land, who provided the seed, who sent the rain and the sun to nourish the crops, who gave them life and strength to work the fields, remained ignored.

The Owner's judgment upon them for this misuse of His properties included that they would be taken from "the land of the LORD" (v.3) and that they would experience the invasion of the brutal Assyrian Empire.  The Assyrian strategy was to slaughter any opposition, destroy the cities it conquered, and scatter those who remained.  The ten northern tribes, therefore, "shall be wanderers among the nations" (v.10).

This put an end to their pretense of worshiping of the LORD.  They would be forced to eat unclean foods and, as a result, be ceremonially unclean according to the Law (vv.3-5).  Instead of feast days, "the days of punishment have come" (v.7).  These were God's chosen people but, because of their rebellion against Him, He now would withdraw His love and blessings from them for a time.

They failed the stewardship test! 
1. The first lesson of stewardship is that God owns it all.  
"The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein." (Psalm 24:1)

2. The second lesson is that humans are individually responsible to manage God's possessions in a manner that pleases Him.
"Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful." (1 Corinthians 4:2)

3. The third lesson is that each of us will give an account to the Owner of what we did with His time, His abilities, and His resources He gave us during this life.
Jesus compared it this way in a story: "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property....Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them." (Matthew 25:14-30)

Those who understand and are faithful look forward to one day hearing those wonderful words of commendation: "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21)