Because the Shade thereof is Good

The religious practices of Jews in eighth-century (B. C.) Israel were motivated by a highly
intelligent, noble, and practical point of view--they sacrificed to idols and committed
whoredom when and where they did "because the shadow thereof was good" (Hosea 4:13).
In other words, they liked the way the shade felt and the kind of atmosphere it produced.
Unbelievable. God brought a helpless, disorganized, unfit, grumbling bunch of slaves out of
their bondage in Egypt, provided their every need, gave them their own law, made them his
own, brought them to a land filled with blessings they did not deserve, and made out them a
successful nation. They in turn rejected him in favor of sticks and stones and prostitutes
because "I like the way the shadows make me feel."

Where will we worship this coming Sunday, and what is our reason for worshipping there? At
what congregation will we become members, and why there instead of elsewhere? If the
determining factor is the "shade" rather than the proper object of and pattern for worship
(God and his word) and an environment conducive to spiritual growth, shouldn’t we be
rearranging our priorities? One common form of "shade" which draws worshippers is a nice
meeting facility. Some folks choose their church based on the quality and appearance of the
church building. They just love the atmosphere that stained-glass windows, big fancy crosses,
new carpet and padded pews, and couches and coffee tables in the foyer provide.

Others decide to be members of churches and worship where there are plenty of enjoyable
activities being regularly conducted. A gymnasium is a must for some people, playgrounds
are essential for many parents with young children, and lots of Six Flags outings carry a lot of
weight for others. For these, the fun and games that a church can provide is a more
important criterion than whether Bible classes are sound and challenging, leadership is
faithful and capable, or worship is God-centered and scriptural.

Another shade which draws people is the enjoyment factor in worship. Some just like the
way newer preachers are laid back in their speaking, the way they share their personal
experiences and work in lots of stories and jokes to lighten up the audience. They love to
leave every sermon feeling sweet and rosy. For others, the way the singing sounds is more
important. If there is not some beautiful four-part harmony going on, then they would rather
be somewhere else.

For Israel in Hosea’s time, their pursuit of good shade was really just a symptom of their
underlying problem. They simply did not have a deep concern for spiritual matters. Idolatry
was a convenient, pleasure-motivated, self-centered, materialistic approach to religion.
Finding a nice shady place to carry it out was part of that approach. Today, we do not have to
be guilty of idolatry to yet be shade-oriented. Any approach to religion that emphasizes the
superficial or material over the spiritual is of no more benefit to anyone than abandoning
religion altogether. Let your desire to learn and do the truth, to worship and serve God
acceptably, and to associate and work with active, faithful Christians be the determining
factors in your choosing a congregation with which to work and worship.

No doubt sometimes serving and worshipping God as he demanded meant the Israelites did
not "have as much fun" or feel as comfortable as they would have in those shady gardens.
Attending solemn assemblies and traveling to Jerusalem could be a hassle, after all (cf. 1
Kings 12:28). But, for a true child of God, a single day in his courts was better than a
thousand anywhere else; to be a doorkeeper in his house was better than to live in luxury
where sin could be found (Psalm 84:10).