For now they will say: ‘We have no king, for we do not fear the Lord, and a king—what could he do for us?’ They utter mere words; with empty oaths they make covenants; so litigation springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field. The inhabitants of Samaria tremble for the calf of Beth-aven. Its people shall mourn for it, and its idolatrous priests shall wail over it, over its glory that has departed from it. The thing itself shall be carried to Assyria as tribute to the great king. Ephraim shall be put to shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his idol. (Hosea 10: 3-6)

For Hosea the consequence of valuing what is unreal is the proliferation of confusion. Every source of authority and assurance fades into illusion.

Lack of respect for God leads to disintegration of order. Being out of relationship with God results in us abusing other relationships. If we worship untruth, it is natural to speak untruths. Our promises are worthless. Confusion spreads.

God is the ultimate reality. Hosea calls us to be radical realists. By attending to what is real we will find what is ultimately fulfilling.

Above is a bronze bull with gold leaf from ancient Byblos, a Phoencian port city adjacent to Israel.