1. Sow righteousness; reap fruit of love (1-13a)

Israel is compared to a fruitful, spreading vine. Though he seemed to be prosperous and healthy, he was sick. The people worshiped the calf-idol and many other idols as well, for they had been deeply corrupted by Baal worship with all of its immoral practices. There was no stable leadership. Revolution after revolution rocked the land and filled men's hearts with malice. The sin committed in Gibeah (Jdg 19 ff) was like the sin of Sodom, and the fratricidal war which followed was certainly not God's solution to the sin problem. It was time to sow righteousness, not wickedness.

2. Don't depend on your own strength (13b-15)

When the Israelites tried to bring order to their land by building a bigger army and a stronger police force, they only made a society that was more corrupt and violence-filled. The only hope of a nation is people who seek the Lord with repentant hearts.

Application: Lord, we turn to you. Help us to sow righteousness. We can only trust you to bring good fruit from the seed.
One Word: Seek God; sow righteousness