READ: Hosea 3:3
“And the LORD said to me, ‘Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins.’”
When God told Hosea to reconcile his strained relationship with his wife, He was ultimately saying that He wanted to do the same with Israel. They seemed to be content with their new relationship though. They had everything they wanted, including some tasty baked goods. Yes, you read that correctly. Hosea writes that Israel “turned to other gods and love cakes of raisins” (Hosea 3:1). God accused them of choosing a cake over the God of the universe.
In this passage, the sacred raisin cakes refer to sweet pastries that devout believers offered to the gods of Mesopotamia. Misguided disciples would bake elaborate fruit cakes made of honey, nuts, dried grapes, and figs to bring to the temple of Asherah. They had two choices: the God who rescued their ancestors from slavery, or a sweet snack and a false god. They chose the raisin cakes.
We laugh at this foolishness, but we do the same thing. It may not be cakes made out of dried fruits, but I am sure you’ve chosen something silly over God. We all have raisin cakes in our lives. Whether it’s your career, clout, relationships, hobbies, popularity, or online streaming services, you know what it’s like to give something more attention than you give to God.
When picking between God and raisin cakes, always choose God. One will fill you up for a moment while the other will fulfill you for eternity.