It is an astonishing phenomenon that the early prophets were so concerned with such a modern issue as social justice. Over the last few weeks we have been reading the prophets Amos and Hosea. They were very different characters from very different backgrounds. They did, however, share a prophetic vocation. They were solicitous for the glory of God and the spiritual well-being of Israel. Hosea sees how material prosperity leads to idolatry. Nowadays, prosperity will probably not lead anyone to build altars and sacred pillars. Nowadays, perhaps, idolatry will take more subtle forms.

Hosea also saw Israel aspiring to certain political forms that obtained in other countries. Only God was king of Israel, but many of the people aspired to be like other nations with a king of their own. God reminds them that a king would do them no good if they had already abandoned the only possible source of their happiness and well-being, the Lord. He urged the people to renewal: "cut for yourselves a new furrow". As he insisted that it was "time to seek the Lord", he surely implied that the Lord would respond. No matter how far we stray, there is always the possibility of returning to God.