Hosea Chapter 10 has two agriculture-related metaphors. What do these metaphors have to do with us today?
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Tumbling loaf of bread
A feature of the Book of Hosea is that it uses many metaphors to talk about the Israelites. Hosea chapter 7 alone has at least four.
Hosea Chapter 10 has at least two of such metaphors, both of which are related to agriculture.
Israel the Luxuriant Vine
In Chinese and in English translations such as ESV, Hosea 10:1 describes Israel to be a luxuriant and fruitful vine, a symbol of prosperity.
Unfortunately, as the people of God prospered, they built more altars and embellished more pillars (Hosea 10:1).
Their hearts were divided (Hosea 10:2), directed towards idols such as the calf of Beth Aven (Hosea 10:5). Rather than fearing God and mourning over their sins, they mourned over the calf of Beth Aven being taken captive to Assyria (Hosea 10:5-6).
In the Bible, thorns and thistles represents the result of sin - being cursed. After mankind fell, the land was cursed to bring forth thorns and thistles (Gen 3:17-19). Later on in history, the Israelites were told that the inhabitants of Canaan would be thorns in their eyes and sides should they fail to drive them out (Num 33:55, Jos 23:13).
Now, the altars and pillars that they have heaped up for themselves will all be broken down, with thorns and thistles growing on them (Hosea 10:2,8).
Thorns and thistles are a stark contrast to Israel being a luxuriant and fruitful vine.
Something else we see in this chapter is that both Beth Aven and Bethel are mentioned (Hosea 10:5, 15). These are likely referring to the same place. Bethel means the "house of God", but ironically became associated with a golden calf (1 King 12:28-29). As a result, the prophet calls it Beth Aven, which means "house of idolatry" or "house of wickedness".
Bethel (or Beth Aven) will hence be destroyed (Hosea 10:8,15). The people of God shall be punished, their king shall be cut off (Hosea 10:3, 7, 15).
Ultimately, the curse and destruction will be so great that people will ask the hills and mountains to fall on them (Hosea 10:8).
Moses had warned them a long time ago not to forget God when they are living in prosperity (Deut 8:11-17). Sadly, this warning fell on deaf ears.
How about us today?
We who are baptised into Christ are attached to Christ the true vine (John 15:1-8). We ought to be bearing fruits to glorify our Father.
Most, if not all of us, are living under God's blessings and protection today, just like Israel the luxuriant vine. Though we may face ups and downs in life, we are generally leading comfortable lives.
In these days of prosperity, we ought to be vigilant lest we follow the footsteps of the Israelites and heap up more spiritual idols for ourselves.
Otherwise, our blessing will turn to curse, and when the Son of Man comes again, we too will call out to the hills and mountains to fall upon us (Luke 23:30; Revelation 6:16).
Ephraim the Trained Calf
Besides the calf of Beth Aven, there's another calf (or heifer in NKJV) in this chapter: Ephraim! This is the second metaphor in Hosea chapter 10.
God harnesses Ephraim and yokes her, making her plow the fields (Hosea 10:11).
Ephraim is supposed to be a trained calf, yet God accuses Israel of plowing wickedness, reaping iniquity, and eating the fruit of lies (Hosea 10:13).
Nevertheless, God still calls out for His people to sow for themselves righteousness rather than iniquity (Hosea 10:12).
The result of doing so?
They will reap the mercies of God, and God will come and rain righteousness upon them.
Later in history, Jeremiah prophesies that there will come a time when Ephraim will admit to being an untrained bull/calf and will return to God after being disciplined (Jer 31:18-19). And true enough, God is faithful and has mercy on Ephraim (Jer 31:20).
This down pouring of righteousness mentioned in Hosea 10:12 refers to the down pouring of the Holy Spirit (Isa 32:15-18). When the people of God sow righteousness, God helps them through the Holy Spirit. He rains righteousness upon us, that they may continue to be a luxuriant and fruitful.
By relying on the Holy Spirit, we can put to death the evilness in us (Romans 8:13) and become sanctified (2 Thess 2:13, 1 Peter 1:2).
Today, we are supposed to be like trained oxen, diligently plowing and sowing righteousness. However, is striving to be more Christ-like and do righteous deeds truly the focus of our lives? Have we been plowing the world and reaping material wealth instead? Have we been inadvertently sowing wickedness and iniquity?
Let us break up the fallow ground (i.e., soften our hearts to receive God's words and repent of our sins), let us sow righteousness (i.e. pursue perfection and do righteous deeds), for it is now time to seek after the Lord and reap in His abundant grace and mercy.