Hosea 1:1-11
The word of the Lord that came to Hosea the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. 2 When the Lord began to speak by Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea: "Go, take yourself a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry, for the land has committed great harlotry by departing from the Lord." 3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. 4 Then the Lord said to him: "Call his name Jezreel, for in a little while I will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu, and bring an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. 5 It shall come to pass in that day that I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel." 6 And she conceived again and bore a daughter. Then God said to him: "Call her name Lo-Ruhamah, for I will no longer have mercy on the house of Israel, but I will utterly take them away. 7 Yet I will have mercy on the house of Judah, will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword or battle, by horses or horsemen." 8 Now when she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. 9 Then God said: "Call his name Lo-Ammi, for you are not My people, and I will not be your God. 10 "Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, you are not My people, there it shall be said to them, you are sons of the living God. 11 Then the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together, and appoint for themselves one head; and they shall come up out of the land, for great will be the day of Jezreel!
In chapter 1 of Hosea we begin with the general inscription of the book, in which the author and time of this prophecy are expressed (vs. 1). The people of Israel are being rebuked for their idolatry; under the representation of a harlot that Hosea is called to marry (vs. 2-3). Hosea chose Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, as his wife and they had three children, each of whom received a symbolic name from the Lord. The firstborn son's name Jezreel was a reminder of the atrocities that had occurred at Jezreel. God would soon judge Israel for these sins, appropriately through a military defeat at this same city. Their daughter LoRuhamah's name, meaning "Not Loved," announced that the Lord would temporarily withdraw His love from Israel (vs. 4-6). Next Hosea is called to speak mercy and comfort to the people of Judah (vs. 7). Then we read of the third child's name Lo-Ammi, meaning "Not My People," anticipated the severe disruption of the Lord's covenantal relationship with His people (vs. 8-9). Then, I believe, the chapter concludes with a beautiful prophecy of the conversion of the Gentiles, and the calling of the Jews in the latter day; and of the union of Judah and Israel under one Head and Saviour, Christ; and of the greatness and glory of that day (vs. 10-11).
The verse that stands out to me today is Hosea 1:10 "Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, you are not My people, there it shall be said to them, you are sons of the living God." Israel's covenant relationship with God is at the heart of Hosea's message. God delivered His people from slavery in Egypt, established them as a nation, and took great delight in them. He looked for a favorable response to His love and obedience to the commandments He had given to regulate the people's worship and daily activities. However, the people were ungrateful, turning to other gods, violating the religious and social standards of God's covenant, and forming alliances with surrounding nations. When God establishes a binding relationship, He demands absolute loyalty. Through Hosea, God announced that He would use severe judgment to free His people from their spiritual stupor and get their attention. This judgment would take the forms of drought, invasion, and exile. Although Israel was unfaithful, God's commitment remained unchanged. This promise of a future reuniting reiterated the covenant made with Moses (Deut. 30:1-10) and foreshadowed the prophecies of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 29:11-14; Jeremiah 31:31-40) and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 11:16-21). It was a prediction of the day when all the people of God will be united under Christ. Today all believers everywhere are God's chosen people, a royal priesthood (see 1 Peter 2:9). The Book of Hosea gives us a clear and balanced picture of God. He loves His people and desires an intimate and vibrant relationship with them. He is jealous of their affections and tolerates no spiritual adultery. When they sin, He will discipline them as severely as is necessary. While God's jealousy may seem inappropriate and His discipline may seem harsh, this divine reaction to His people's sin is actually evidence of His love and commitment. He will allow nothing to ruin the relationship He has established and will do everything to preserve it. In the end, His devotion and mercy will win out, and His people will come to their senses, giving Him the love He fervently desires and the healthy relationship that we so desperately need.
I pray that you would be aware of the wonderful covenant relationship that God's has provided for you today.
Romans 11:27 (KJV)
For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
Hebrews 10:16 (KJV)
This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
Hebrews 12:24 (KJV)
And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Hebrews 13:20 (KJV)
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
Holding on to the Covenant,
Alan J. Schrader
Hosea 2:1- 23
Say to your brethren, My people, and to your sisters, mercy is shown. 2 "Bring charges against your mother, bring charges; for she is not My wife, nor am I her Husband! Let her put away her harlotries from her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts; 3 Lest I strip her naked and expose her, as in the day she was born, and make her like a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst. 4 "I will not have mercy on her children, for they are the children of harlotry. 5 For their mother has played the harlot; she who conceived them has behaved shamefully. For she said, I will go after my lovers, who give me my bread and my water, My wool and my linen, My oil and my drink. 6 "Therefore, behold, I will hedge up your way with thorns, and wall her in, so that she cannot find her paths. 7 She will chase her lovers, but not overtake them; yes, she will seek them, but not find them. Then she will say, I will go and return to my first husband, for then it was better for me than now. 8 For she did not know that I gave her grain, new wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold- which they prepared for Baal. 9 "Therefore I will return and take away My grain in its time and My new wine in its season, and will take back My wool and My linen, given to cover her nakedness. 10 Now I will uncover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and no one shall deliver her from My hand. 11 I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her New Moons, her Sabbaths- all her appointed feasts. 12 "And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, of which she has said, these are my wages that my lovers have given me. So I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them. 13 I will punish her for the days of the Baals to which she burned incense She decked herself with her earrings and jewelry, and went after her lovers; but Me she forgot," says the Lord. 14 "Therefore, behold, I will allure her, will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her. 15 I will give her her vineyards from there, and the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt. 16 "And it shall be, in that day," says the Lord, "That you will call Me My Husband, and no longer call Me My Master, 17 For I will take from her mouth the names of the Baals, and they shall be remembered by their name no more. 18 In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, with the birds of the air, and with the creeping things of the ground. Bow and sword of battle I will shatter from the earth, to make them lie down safely. 19 "I will betroth you to Me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy; 20 I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know the Lord. 21 "It shall come to pass in that day that I will answer," says the Lord; "I will answer the heavens, and they shall answer the earth. 22 The earth shall answer with grain, with new wine, and with oil; they shall answer Jezreel. 23 Then I will sow her for Myself in the earth, and I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy; then I will say to those who were not My people, you are My people! And they shall say, You are my God! "
In chapter 2 of Hosea the prophet is instructed to speak to the idolatry of the people (vs. 1-5). Next God's judgment are declared against Israel as He threatens to take way from them the blessings that He gave them because they are using them to serve idols (vs. 6-13). The chapter concludes with God's promises of reconciliation as He promises to return mercy to them, to renew His covenant with them, and to bless them with all good things (vs. 14-23).
The verse that stands out to me today is Hosea 2:8 "For she did not know that I gave her grain, new wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold- which they prepared for Baal." We learn in this chapter that the Israelites were thanking false gods for their food, shelter, and clothing, instead of recognizing God as the Giver of blessings. Therefore, God would block Israel's "path with thorn bushes" and "wall her in" by making the rewards of idol worship so disappointing that the people would be persuaded to turn back to God. Both Gomer and Israel used their possessions irresponsibly as they ran after other lovers and other gods. However, despite Israel's unfaithfulness, God was still faithful and merciful. He would continue to hold his arms out to his people, even to the point of placing obstacles in their wayward path to turn them back to him. Again, we see in this verse that the Israelites were so immersed in idolatry that they actually believed pagan gods gave them their vineyards and orchards. They had forgotten that the entire land was a gift from God (Deut. 32:49). Today many people give credit to everything and everyone but God for their prosperity?luck, hard work, quick thinking, the right contacts. When you succeed, who gets the credit?
I pray that you would take time to give Him glory, honor and thanks today.
Rev. 5:12-13 (KJV)
Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. [13] And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
Rev. 7:12 (KJV)
Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
Singing His Praises,
Alan J. Schrader
Hosea 3:1-5
Then the Lord said to me, "Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery, just like the love of the Lord for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love the raisin cakes of the pagans." 2 So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver, and one and one-half homers of barley. 3 And I said to her, "You shall stay with me many days; you shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man-so, too, will I be toward you." 4 For the children of Israel shall abide many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, without ephod or teraphim. 5 Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days.
In chapter 3 of Hosea we learn how the prophet is called upon to love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery (vs. 1). Next we learn of the prophet's execution of that order, making a purchase of her, and a covenant with her (vs. 2-4). The chapter concludes with a prophecy and promise of the conversion of the children of Israel to Christ in the latter day (vs. 5).
The verse that stands out to me today is Hosea 3:1 "Then the Lord said to me, "Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery, just like the love of the Lord for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love the raisin cakes of the pagans." We learn in this verse how the Lord told Hosea to go to the public market and buy back his faithless wife from her adultery. The purchase price, fifteen shekels of silver and one and one-half homers of barley, was that of a female slave. Although Hosea had good reason to divorce Gomer, he was told to buy her back and love her. Gomer had become the property of another man. Hosea's purchase of Gomer symbolized God's great devotion, which moves Him to seek reconciliation even if it means subjecting Himself to humiliation. But God brought her back. Gomer was no longer worth much to anyone except Hosea, but he loved her just as God loved Israel. For many days after that, there were to be no marital relations; later she would be restored to her full marital status. This pictures the past, present, and future of the nation of Israel. Unfaithful to Jehovah, she ran after other lovers (idols). What a beautiful reminder of the truth that no matter how low we sink, God is willing to buy us back?to redeem us?and to lift us up again.
I pray that you would have a fresh reminder of how Christ's redemption has purchased your release from the captivity of sin with a ransom. We are not only free from the sentence of death for our sin, but we are also purified from sin's influence as we grow in Christ.
Titus 2:14 (KJV)
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Love in Christ,
Alan J. Schrader
Hosea 4:1-19
Hear the word of the Lord, you children of Israel, for the Lord brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land: "There is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land. 2 By swearing and lying, killing and stealing and committing adultery, they break all restraint, with bloodshed upon bloodshed. 3 Therefore the land will mourn; and everyone who dwells there will waste away with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air; even the fish of the sea will be taken away. 4 "Now let no man contend, or rebuke another; for your people are like those who contend with the priest. 5 Therefore you shall stumble in the day; the prophet also shall stumble with you in the night; and I will destroy your mother. 6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. 7 "The more they increased, the more they sinned against Me; I will change their glory into shame. 8 They eat up the sin of My people; they set their heart on their iniquity. 9 And it shall be: like people, like priest. So I will punish them for their ways, and reward them for their deeds. 10 For they shall eat, but not have enough; they shall commit harlotry, but not increase; because they have ceased obeying the Lord. The Idolatry of Israel 11 "Harlotry, wine, and new wine enslave the heart. 12 My people ask counsel from their wooden idols, and their staff informs them. For the spirit of harlotry has caused them to stray, and they have played the harlot against their God. 13 They offer sacrifices on the mountaintops, and burn incense on the hills, under oaks, poplars, and terebinths, because their shade is good. Therefore your daughters commit harlotry, and your brides commit adultery. 14 "I will not punish your daughters when they commit harlotry, nor your brides when they commit adultery; for the men themselves go apart with harlots, and offer sacrifices with a ritual harlot. Therefore people who do not understand will be trampled. 15 "Though you, Israel, play the harlot, let not Judah offend. Do not come up to Gilgal, nor go up to Beth Aven, nor swear an oath, saying, As the Lord lives'- 16 "For Israel is stubborn like a stubborn calf; now the Lord will let them forage like a lamb in open country. 17 "Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone. 18 Their drink is rebellion, they commit harlotry continually. Her rulers dearly love dishonor. 19 The wind has wrapped her up in its wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
In chapter 4 of Hosea we learn of the prophet's call to pronounce God's judgments against the sins of the people of Israel (vs. 1-5). God himself is then introduced complaining of the ignorance and stubbornness of Israel; and as their priests had a large share in the common guilt, it is declared that they will be visited with judgment (vs. 6-11). The chapter concludes with the prophet continuing to rebuke Israel for their idolatry and he gives warning to Judah not to tread in the steps of Israel, because they saw their steps went down to hell (vs. 12-19).
The verses that stand out to me today are Hosea 4:6-8 "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. 7 "The more they increased, the more they sinned against Me; I will change their glory into shame. 8 They eat up the sin of My people; they set their heart on their iniquity." Great honor was attached to the priesthood. However, Israel's sinful priests would forfeit their honor and respect. The priests greedily accepted the meat from the people's hypocritical and empty sacrifices (6:6; 8:11). The priests prospered from the people's sins. Every time a person brought a sin offering, the priest received a portion of it. The more the people sinned, the more the priests received. Because they couldn't eat all of the offerings themselves, they sold some and gave some to their relatives. The priests profited from the continuation of sin; it gave them power and position in the community. So instead of trying to lead the people out of sin, they encouraged sin to increase their profits. God accused the religious leaders of keeping the people from knowing him ("destroyed from lack of knowledge"). They were supposed to be spiritual leaders, but they had become leaders in wrongdoing. The people may have said to one another, "It must be OK if the priests do it." Spiritual leadership is a heavy responsibility. Whether you teach a church school class, hold a church office, or lead a small group, don't take your leadership responsibilities lightly. Be a leader who leads others to God.
I pray that you would grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ today.
2 Peter 3:18 (KJV)
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Love in Christ,
Alan J. Schrader
Hosea 5:1-15
"Hear this, O priests! Take heed, O house of Israel! Give ear, O house of the king! For yours is the judgment, because you have been a snare to Mizpah and a net spread on Tabor. 2 The revolters are deeply involved in slaughter, though I rebuke them all. 3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me; for now, O Ephraim, you commit harlotry; Israel is defiled. 4 "They do not direct their deeds toward turning to their God, for the spirit of harlotry is in their midst, and they do not know the Lord. 5 The pride of Israel testifies to his face; therefore Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity; Judah also stumbles with them. 6 "With their flocks and herds they shall go to seek the Lord, but they will not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them. 7 They have dealt treacherously with the Lord, for they have begotten pagan children. Now a New Moon shall devour them and their heritage. 8 "Blow the ram's horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah! Cry aloud at Beth Aven, look behind you, O Benjamin! 9 Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke; among the tribes of Israel I make known what is sure. 10 "The princes of Judah are like those who remove a landmark; I will pour out my wrath on them like water. 11 Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked by human precept. 12 Therefore I will be to Ephraim like a moth, and to the house of Judah like rottenness. 13 "When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria and sent to King Jareb; yet he cannot cure you, nor heal you of your wound. 14 For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear them and go away; I will take them away, and no one shall rescue. 15 I will return again to my place till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me."
In chapter 5 of Hosea we learn more of the judgments of God on the people. More specifically this chapter begins with threatening the Israelites for ensnaring the people to idolatry by their sacrifices and other rites on Mizpah and Tabor, (vs. 1-5). Next we learn that their sacrifices, however costly, are declared to be unacceptable, (vs. 6); and their substance is devoted to the locust, (vs. 7). Then their punishment is denounced, of which notice was to be given them by the sound of the trumpet, as an alarm of war, or as calling for mourning, (vs. 8); since Ephraim would become desolate, of which notification had been made among the tribes, (vs. 9); and wrath would be poured out in great abundance on the princes of Judah, who were very wicked men,(vs. 10); and Ephraim would be oppressed and broken by the judgment of God, who would be as a moth unto them, and also rottenness to Judah, because they followed the commandments of men, (vs. 11); and, what was still more provoking, when they were aware of their calamities and distresses, they sought not help from the Lord, but from men that could do them no good; and therefore He threatens to be as a devouring lion to them, (vs. 12-13); and yet the chapter concludes with a promise of the conversion of these people, after the Lord had dealt with them in an angry manner, (vs. 15).
The verse that stands out to me today is Hosea 5:4 "They do not direct their deeds toward turning to their God, for the spirit of harlotry is in their midst, and they do not know the Lord." We learn in this chapter that God's people could not hide their harlotry, for it had defiled them. According to the Law of Moses, adultery made a person spiritually unclean or defiled (see Lev. 18:20, 24; Num. 5:20, 27, 28). Harlotry in scripture is the Hebrew word: (zanah) (1:2; 5:3; Jer. 3:3; Ezek. 16:35) Strong's 2181: The verb zanah refers to having illicit sexual relations, especially involving prostitution. Two forms of prostitution were practiced in the ancient world: common prostitution and ritual, or "sacred," prostitution, which involved pagan fertility rites. Both forms were strictly forbidden in God's law (Lev. 19:29; Deut. 23:17). The Old Testament frequently uses prostitution as an image of the sin of idolatry. Israel was pledged to serve one God (Ex. 20:3), so idolatry was like marital unfaithfulness against the Lord. Jeremiah and Ezekiel develop this image in graphic detail (see Jeremiah 3; Ezek. 16; 23), and Hosea actually married a prostitute as a living symbol of God's patience with Israel's infidelities. We learn in this verse that the people had an uncontrollable desire to worship other gods. Persistent sin hardens a person's heart, making it difficult to repent. Deliberately choosing to disobey God can sear the conscience; each sin makes the next one easier to commit. Don't allow sin to channel a hard path deep within you. Steer as far away from sinful practices as possible. If you stumble be quick to humble yourself and turn away.
I pray that you would know the comfort of God's Word today knowing that you have an advocate in Jesus Christ.
1 John 2:1 (KJV)
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Love in Christ,
Alan J. Schrader
Hosea 6:1-11
Come, and let us return to the Lord; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. 2 After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight. 3 Let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth. 4 "O Ephraim, what shall I do to you? O Judah, what shall I do to you? For your faithfulness is like a morning cloud, and like the early dew it goes away. 5 Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of My mouth; and your judgments are like light that goes forth. 6 For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. 7 "But like men they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt treacherously with Me. 8 Gilead is a city of evildoers and defiled with blood. 9 As bands of robbers lie in wait for a man, so the company of priests murder on the way to Shechem; surely they commit lewdness. 10 I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel: there is the harlotry of Ephraim; Israel is defiled. 11 Also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed for you, when I return the captives of My people.
In chapter 6 of Hosea we learn how the prophet earnestly exhorts the people to repentance (vs. 1-3). Next we have the instability of many of them in their professions and promises of repentance, and the severe course which God therefore took with them (vs. 4-5). Then we learn of the covenant God made with them and his expectations from them (vs. 6). The chapter concludes with their violation of that covenant and frustrating those expectations (Hos_6:7-11).
The verse that stands out to me today is Hosea 6:6 "For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings." We learn in this chapter how the people did not understand the depth of their sins. They did not turn from idols, regret their sins, or pledge to make changes. They thought that God's wrath would last only a few days; little did they know that their nation would soon be taken into exile. Unfortunately Israel was interested in God only for the material benefits He provided; they did not value the eternal benefits that come from worshiping him. Because Israel and Judah have been faithless, God has condemned them by the prophets. We learn in this verse that He wanted love more than sacrifice, and knowledge of Himself more than burnt offerings. Mercy means "loyalty" or "devotion" (4:1). Knowledge of God does not refer to mere head knowledge, but to a genuine recognition of God's authority that produces obedience to His commandments. The truth is religious rituals can help people understand God and nourish their relationship with him. That is why God instituted circumcision and the sacrificial system in the Old Testament and baptism and the Lord's Supper in the New Testament. But a religious ritual is helpful only if it is carried out with an attitude of love for and obedience to God. If a person's heart is far from God, ritual will become empty and vain. God didn't want the Israelites' rituals; He wanted their hearts. We need to ask ourselves, "Why do you worship? What is the motive behind our "offerings" and "sacrifices"?
I pray that your worship would be genuine and true so that you would experience all the benefits that come from knowing HIM. Remember the Spirit reveals truth to us, lives within us, and then enables us to respond to that truth.
John 4:23-24 (KJV)
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. [24] God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Love in Christ,
Alan J. Schrader
Hosea 7:1-16
"When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was uncovered, and the wickedness of Samaria. For they have committed fraud; a thief comes in; a band of robbers takes spoil outside. 2 They do not consider in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness; now their own deeds have surrounded them; they are before My face. 3 They make a king glad with their wickedness, and princes with their lies. 4 "They are all adulterers. Like an oven heated by a baker- he ceases stirring the fire after kneading the dough, until it is leavened. 5 In the day of our king princes have made him sick, inflamed with wine; he stretched out his hand with scoffers. 6 They prepare their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait; their baker sleeps all night; in the morning it burns like a flaming fire. 7 They are all hot, like an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings have fallen. None among them calls upon Me. 8 "Ephraim has mixed himself among the peoples; Ephraim is a cake unturned. 9 Aliens have devoured his strength, but he does not know it; yes, gray hairs are here and there on him, yet he does not know it. 10 And the pride of Israel testifies to his face, but they do not return to the Lord their God, nor seek Him for all this. 11 "Ephraim also is like a silly dove, without sense- they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria. 12 Wherever they go, I will spread My net on them; I will bring them down like birds of the air; I will chastise them according to what their congregation has heard. 13 "Woe to them, for they have fled from Me! Destruction to them, because they have transgressed against Me! Though I redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against Me. 14 They did not cry out to Me with their heart when they wailed upon their beds. "They assemble together for grain and new wine, they rebel against Me; 15 Though I disciplined and strengthened their arms, yet they devise evil against Me; 16 They return, but not to the Most High; they are like a treacherous bow. Their princes shall fall by the sword for the cursings of their tongue. This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.
In chapter 7 of Hosea we learn of the charges drawn up against Israel for their many sins (vs. 1-7). Next Ephraim is exposed for their hypocrisy. More specifically Ephraim is here charged with conforming to the nations (vs. 8), senselessness and stupidity under the judgments of God (vs. 9-11), ingratitude to God for His mercies (vs. 13), incorrigibleness under his judgments (vs. 14), contempt of God (vs. 15), and hypocrisy in their pretences to return to Him (vs. 16).
The verse that stands out to me today is Hosea 7:10 "And the pride of Israel testifies to his face, but they do not return to the Lord their God, nor seek Him for all this." We learn in this chapter that the corruption of Ephraim was great, including fraud, robbery, lies, wicked deeds, adultery, and drunkenness. The people and the royal princes were filled with lustful passions. The reason for this state of being has to do with man's heart being filled with pride. The truth is arrogance (pride) keeps a person from returning to God because arrogance acknowledges no need of help from anyone, human or divine. Pride intensifies all our other sins because we cannot repent of any of them without first giving up our pride. We learn in the scriptures that the cure for evil desires is humility (see Proverbs 16:18-19; 1 Peter 5:5-6). Pride makes us self-centered and leads us to conclude that we deserve all we can see, touch, or imagine. It creates greedy appetites for far more than we need. We can be released from our self-centered desires by humbling ourselves before God, realizing that all we really need is His acceptance and approval. When the Holy Spirit fills us, we see that this world's seductive attractions are only a cheap substitute for what God has to offer.
I pray that you would experience the grace of God that is able to keep you healthy and wise.
James 4:6 (KJV)
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Love in Christ,
Alan J. Schrader
Hosea 8:1-14
"Set the trumpet to your mouth! He shall come like an eagle against the house of the Lord, because they have transgressed My covenant and rebelled against My law. 2 Israel will cry to Me, My God, we know You! 3 Israel has rejected the good; the enemy will pursue him. 4 "They set up kings, but not by Me; they made princes, but I did not acknowledge them. From their silver and gold they made idols for themselves- that they might be cut off. 5 Your calf is rejected, O Samaria! My anger is aroused against them- how long until they attain to innocence? 6 For from Israel is even this: a workman made it, and it is not God; but the calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces. 7 "They sow the wind, and reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no bud; it shall never produce meal. If it should produce, aliens would swallow it up. 8 Israel is swallowed up; now they are among the Gentiles like a vessel in which is no pleasure. 9 For they have gone up to Assyria, like a wild donkey alone by itself; Ephraim has hired lovers. 10 Yes, though they have hired among the nations, now I will gather them; and they shall sorrow a little, because of the burden of the king of princes. 11"Because Ephraim has made many altars for sin, they have become for him altars for sinning. 12 I have written for him the great things of My law, but they were considered a strange thing. 13 For the sacrifices of My offerings they sacrifice flesh and eat it, but the Lord does not accept them. Now He will remember their iniquity and punish their sins. They shall return to Egypt. 14 "For Israel has forgotten his Maker, and has built temples; Judah also has multiplied fortified cities; but I will send fire upon his cities, and it shall devour his palaces."
In chapter 8 of Hosea we continue to learn of the sins and punishments of Israel. Destruction is declared by the prophet for the transgression of Israel (vs. 1-4). Next we read of the particular instances of Israel setting up kings without God, setting up idols against God, and courting alliances with the neighboring nations (vs. 5-10). The chapter concludes with further threatening for the same sins (vs. 11-14).
The verse that stands out to me today is Hosea 8:14 "For Israel has forgotten his Maker, and has built temples; Judah also has multiplied fortified cities; but I will send fire upon his cities, and it shall devour his palaces." We learn in this chapter that Israel's idolatry and Judah's trust in multiplied fortified cities would bring suffering and destruction. True security comes from the Creator, but God's people trusted instead in their own efforts, symbolized by their temples and fortified cities. Israel had placed its confidence in military strength, strong defenses, and economic stability, just as nations do today. But because of the people's inner moral decay, their apparent sources of strength were inadequate. There is a tendency in many nations toward removing all traces of God from daily life. But if a nation forgets its Maker, its strengths may prove worthless when put to the test. History is full of examples. When we seek security in anything except God, we expose ourselves to great danger. Without God there is no lasting security. If we are not careful, we too, like Israel, can call on God to ease our pain without wanting Him to change our character or behavior. And we, like Israel, may repent after it is too late to avoid the painful consequences of sin.
A challenging statement I read today went something like this: What good is it to stand and say, My God I know thee, if we cannot say, My God, I love thee, serve thee, and cleave to thee only?
I pray that you would know where your strength comes from.
Psalm 59:9 (KJV)
Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defense.
Psalm 59:17 (KJV)
Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defense, and the God of my mercy.
Psalm 73:26 (KJV)
My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
Dependent on Him,
Alan J. Schrader
Hosea 9:1-17
Do not rejoice, O Israel, with joy like other peoples, for you have played the harlot against your God. You have made love for hire on every threshing floor. 2 The threshing floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her. 3 They shall not dwell in the Lord's land, but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and shall eat unclean things in Assyria. 4 They shall not offer wine offerings to the Lord, nor shall their sacrifices be pleasing to Him. It shall be like bread of mourners to them; all who eat it shall be defiled. For their bread shall be for their own life; it shall not come into the house of the Lord. 5 What will you do in the appointed day, and in the day of the feast of the Lord? 6 For indeed they are gone because of destruction. Egypt shall gather them up; Memphis shall bury them. Nettles shall possess their valuables of silver; Thorns shall be in their tents. 7 The days of punishment have come; the days of recompense have come. Israel knows! The prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is insane, because of the greatness of your iniquity and great enmity. 8 The watchman of Ephraim is with my God; but the prophet is a fowler's snare in all his ways- enmity in the house of his God. 9 They are deeply corrupted, as in the days of Gibeah. He will remember their iniquity; He will punish their sins. 10 "I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstfruits on the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal Peor, and separated themselves to that shame; they became an abomination like the thing they loved. 11 As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird- no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception! 12 Though they bring up their children, yet I will bereave them to the last man. Yes, woe to them when I depart from them! 13 Just as I saw Ephraim like Tyre, planted in a pleasant place, so Ephraim will bring out his children to the murderer." 14 Give them, O Lord- what will You give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts! 15 "All their wickedness is in Gilgal, for there I hated them. Because of the evil of their deeds I will drive them from My house; I will love them no more. All their princes are rebellious. 16 Ephraim is stricken, their root is dried up; they shall bear no fruit. Yes, were they to bear children, I would kill the darlings of their womb." 17 My God will cast them away, because they did not obey Him; and they shall be wanderers among the nations.
In chapter 9 of Hosea we learn how God exposes Israel for their harlotry (vs. 1-5). Next God judges them to utter ruin, for their own sins and the sins of their prophets (vs. 6-8) and then rebukes them for walking in the wickedness of their fathers before them (vs. 9-10). The chapter concludes with God threatening to be bring about destruction on their children and the future generation because Israel did not obey (vs. 11-17).
The verse that stands out to me today is Hosea 9:7 "The days of punishment have come; the days of recompense have come. Israel knows! The prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is insane, because of the greatness of your iniquity and great enmity." We learn some interesting things in this verse. First of all sinful Israel disdained God's true prophets, regarding them as raving maniacs. The Hebrew word translated insane is used in 1 Sam. 21:15 of David when he pretended to be a madman before the Philistine king. Enmity refers to strong resentment that can give rise to violent behavior. By the time Israel began to experience the consequences of its sins, it was no longer listening to God's messengers. Refusing to hear the truth from prophets who spoke out so clearly about its sins, the nation did not hear God's warnings about what was soon to take place. We all listen and read selectively?focusing on what seems to support our present life-style, ignoring what demands a radical reordering of our priorities. In doing this, we are likely to miss the warnings we need most. Listen to people who think your approach is all wrong. Read articles that present viewpoints you would be unlikely to take. In other words, challenge your thinking. Ask yourself, "Is God speaking to me through these speakers and writers? Is there something I need to change?" One of the most dangerous things that can happen to you and me is that we know longer become teachable. The day we feel we know it all and or we can manage everything on our own is the day we our seduced into deception.
I pray that you would remain teachable and that you would be guided by the Holy Spirit in all your learning. The truth into which the Holy Spirit guides us is the truth about Christ.
John 15:26 (KJV)
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
John 16:13 (KJV)
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Love in Christ,
Alan J. Schrader
Hosea 10:1-15
Israel empties his vine; he brings forth fruit for himself. According to the multitude of his fruit he has increased the altars; according to the bounty of his land they have embellished his sacred pillars. 2 Their heart is divided; now they are held guilty. He will break down their altars; he will ruin their sacred pillars. 3 For now they say, "We have no king, because we did not fear the Lord. And as for a king, what would he do for us?" 4 They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant. Thus judgment springs up like hemlock in the furrows of the field. 5 The inhabitants of Samaria fear because of the calf of Beth Aven. For its people mourn for it, and its priests shriek for it- because its glory has departed from it. 6 The idol also shall be carried to Assyria as a present for King Jareb. Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel. 7 As for Samaria, her king is cut off like a twig on the water. 8 Also the high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed. The thorn and thistle shall grow on their altars; they shall say to the mountains, "Cover us!" And to the hills, "Fall on us!" 9 "O Israel, you have sinned from the days of Gibeah; there they stood. The battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them. 10 When it is My desire, I will chasten them. Peoples shall be gathered against them when I bind them for their two transgressions. 11 Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh grain; but I harnessed her fair neck, I will make Ephraim pull a plow. Judah shall plow; Jacob shall break his clods." 12 Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, till He comes and rains righteousness on you. 13 You have plowed wickedness; you have reaped iniquity. You have eaten the fruit of lies, because you trusted in your own way, in the multitude of your mighty men. 14 Therefore tumult shall arise among your people, and all your fortresses shall be plundered as Shalman plundered Beth Arbel in the day of battle- a mother dashed in pieces upon her children. 15 Thus it shall be done to you, O Bethel, because of your great wickedness. At dawn the king of Israel shall be cut off utterly.
In chapter 10 of Hosea we have more of the same as the prophet sets for the sins of the ten tribes, and declares the judgments of God to them. First the people of Israel are charged with corruption in the worship of God and are threatened with the destruction of their images and altars (vs. 1-8). Next they are charged with imitating the sins of their fathers, and with security in their own sins, and are threatened with judgments (vs. 9-11). The chapter concludes with an earnest invitation to repent and reform, and are threatened with ruin if they did not (vs. 12-15).
The verse that stands out to me today is Hosea 10:12 "Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, till He comes and rains righteousness on you." First, let me start out with some background: Israel prospered under Jeroboam II, gaining military and economic strength. But the more prosperous the nation became, the more they gave themselves to worshipping idols. It seems as though the more God gives, the more we spend on the pleasures of this world. We want bigger houses, better cars, and finer clothes. But the finest things the world offers line the pathway to deception and destruction. As we prosper, we need to consider where our money is going. Is it being used for God's purposes, or are we consuming it all on ourselves? In this verse Hosea calls the people to repentance, reminding them that a decision could not be postponed, and that God's blessings could still be restored. In Israel's case, the people had to reestablish social justice-righteousness-and loyalty-mercy-in the land. The prophet admonishes them to Break up your fallow ground: Hosea repeatedly uses illustrations about fields and crops. Here he envisions a plowed field, earth that is ready to receive seeds. It is no longer stony and hard; it has been carefully prepared, and it is available. Is your life ready for God to work in it? You can break up the unplowed ground of your heart by acknowledging your sins and receiving God's forgiveness and guidance. Plowing and planting are necessary preliminary steps for growing a crop, which eventually causes increase when the rain falls in season. In the same way, repentance would set the stage for restored blessing, which God would eventually rain down on His people.
I pray that you would know the goodness of the LORD today and that He would come and rain righteousness on you.
Hosea 10:12 (NKJV)
"Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, till He comes and rains righteousness on you."
Romans 2:4 (KJV)
Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
2 Peter 3:9 (KJV)
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Love in Christ,
Alan J. Schrader
Hosea 11:1-12
"When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son. 2 As they called them, so they went from them; they sacrificed to the Baals, and burned incense to carved images. 3 "I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by their arms; but they did not know that I healed them. 4 I drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love, and I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them. 5 "He shall not return to the land of Egypt; but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to repent. 6 And the sword shall slash in his cities, devour his districts, and consume them, because of their own counsels. 7 My people are bent on backsliding from Me. Though they call to the Most High, none at all exalt Him. 8 "How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I set you like Zeboiim? My heart churns within Me; My sympathy is stirred. 9 I will not execute the fierceness of My anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim. For I am God, and not man, the Holy One in your midst; and I will not come with terror. 10 "They shall walk after the Lord. He will roar like a lion. When He roars, then His sons shall come trembling from the west; 11 They shall come trembling like a bird from Egypt, like a dove from the land of Assyria. And I will let them dwell in their houses," says the Lord. 12 "Ephraim has encircled Me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit; but Judah still walks with God, even with the Holy One who is faithful.
In chapter 11 of Hosea we first learn of God's goodness towards the people of Israel, and how God loved them (vs. 1). Next we have their ungrateful conduct toward God's kindness (vs. 2-4). Then they are threatened with disappointment of relief from Egypt, with captivity into Assyria, and with the destruction of the sword in all places, and being a people bent on backsliding (vs. 5-7). Next, we learn how God's mercy is remembered in the midst of wrath (vs. 8-9). The chapter concludes with promises of what God would yet do for the people of God, and the lies of Israel but the honorable character of Judah, who still walks with God (vs. 10-12).
The verse that stands out to me today is Hosea 11:3 "I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by their arms; but they did not know that I healed them." Like a father teaching his child to walk, the Lord patiently gave the people of Israel direction and cared for them tenderly when they experienced pain or injury. Not only did God walk with them but He "healed" them. The Hebrew word is rapha', (raw-faw'); or raphah, raw-faw'; a primitive root; properly to mend (by stitching), i.e. (figurative) to cure :- cure, (cause to) heal, physician, repair, × thoroughly, make whole. In other words God had consistently provided for His people in every area of their lives, but they refused to see what He had done, and they showed no interest in thanking Him. Ungratefulness is a common human fault. For example, when was the last time you thanked your parents for caring for you, or thanked a teacher for giving you or your child good instruction? When was the last time you thanked a VET for their service to our country? Many of the benefits and privileges we enjoy are the result of loving actions done long ago. Look for hidden acts of nurturing, and thank those who make the world better through their love. Most of all begin by thanking God for all His blessings. We can never forget all that God has done for us.
I pray that you would be favored to do good and to communicate your gratefulness to others.
Hebrews 13:16 (KJV)
But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Love in Christ,
Alan J. Schrader
Hosea 12:1-14
"Ephraim feeds on the wind, and pursues the east wind; he daily increases lies and desolation. also they make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried to Egypt. 2 "The Lord also brings a charge against Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his deeds He will recompense him. 3 He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and in his strength he struggled with God. 4 Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed; he wept, and sought favor from Him. He found Him in Bethel, and there He spoke to us- 5 That is, the Lord God of hosts. The Lord is His memorable name. 6 So you, by the help of your God, return; observe mercy and justice, and wait on your God continually. 7 "A cunning Canaanite! Deceitful scales are in his hand; he loves to oppress. 8 And Ephraim said, surely I have become rich, I have found wealth for myself; in all my labors they shall find in me no iniquity that is sin. 9 "But I am the Lord your God, ever since the land of Egypt; I will again make you dwell in tents, as in the days of the appointed feast. 10 I have also spoken by the prophets, and have multiplied visions; I have given symbols through the witness of the prophets." 11 Though Gilead has idols- surely they are vanity- though they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal, indeed their altars shall be heaps in the furrows of the field. 12 Jacob fled to the country of Syria; Israel served for a spouse, and for a wife he tended sheep. 13 By a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet he was preserved. 14 Ephraim provoked Him to anger most bitterly; therefore his Lord will leave the guilt of his bloodshed upon him, and return his reproach upon him.
Chapter 12 of Hosea begins with charges against both Israel and Judah for their sins, which were the foundation of God's controversy with them (vs. 1-5). Next, Judah is admonished to turn to God, wait on Him, and do that which is right and good (vs. 6). Then Ephraim is again exposed for the sin of fraud and injustice in their trade dealings, and yet pretended he got riches by his own labor, without wronging any (vs. 7-8). The chapter is closed with observing Ephraim's bitter provocation of God, for which his reproach should return unto him, and his blood be left upon him (vs. 9-14).
The verse that stands out to me today is Hosea 12:6 " So you, by the help of your God, return; observe mercy and justice, and wait on your God continually." Judah, with whom the Lord had a controversy, is here addressed and exhorted to return to the Lord, from whom they had backslidden; and this is urged, from the consideration of their being the descendants of so great a man as Jacob; whose example they should follow, and make supplication to the Lord as he did; and from this instance might encourage themselves, that God, who was his God, and their God, would be gracious and merciful to them, and that they should prevail with Him likewise, and obtain the blessing, and especially since He is the everlasting and unchangeable elohiym. In other words, just as Jacob had come to his senses and recognized his dependence on God, so Israel was to repent (return), reestablish justice in society, and depend (wait) on the Lord. In this verse we can also see that there are two principles that Hosea called his nation to live by, mercy and justice, are at the very foundation of God's character. They are essential to His followers, but they are not easy to keep in balance. Some people are merciful to the point that they excuse wrongdoing. Others are just to the extent that they forget mercy. Mercy without justice, because it is not aiming at a higher standard, leaves people in their sins. Justice without mercy, because it has no heart, drives people away from God. To specialize in one at the expense of the other is to distort our witness. Today's church, just like Hosea's nation, must live by both principles.
I pray that you would be able to walk in mercy and justice throughout your day as you wait on God continually.
Proverbs 3:6 (KJV)
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Love in Christ,
Alan J. Schrader
Hosea 13:1-16
When Ephraim spoke, trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended through Baal worship, he died. 2 Now they sin more and more, and have made for themselves molded images, idols of their silver, according to their skill; all of it is the work of craftsmen. They say of them, "Let the men who sacrifice kiss the calves!" 3 Therefore they shall be like the morning cloud and like the early dew that passes away, like chaff blown off from a threshing floor and like smoke from a chimney. 4 "Yet I am the Lord your God ever since the land of Egypt, and you shall know no God but Me; for there is no savior besides Me. 5 I knew you in the wilderness, in the land of great drought. 6 When they had pasture, they were filled; they were filled and their heart was exalted; therefore they forgot Me. 7 "So I will be to them like a lion; like a leopard by the road I will lurk; 8 I will meet them like a bear deprived of her cubs; I will tear open their rib cage, and there I will devour them like a lion. The wild beast shall tear them. 9 "O Israel, you are destroyed, but your help is from Me. 10 I will be your King; where is any other, that he may save you in all your cities? And your judges to whom you said, give me a king and princes'? 11 I gave you a king in My anger, and took him away in My wrath. 12 "The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is stored up. 13 The sorrows of a woman in childbirth shall come upon him. He is an unwise son, for he should not stay long where children are born. 14 "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes." 15 Though he is fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come; the wind of the Lord shall come up from the wilderness. Then his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up. He shall plunder the treasury of every desirable prize. 16 Samaria is held guilty, for she has rebelled against her God. They shall fall by the sword, their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child ripped open.
Chapter 13 of Hosea begins with observing the different state and condition of Ephraim before and after his idolatry. First the people of Israel are reproved and threatened for their idolatry (vs. 1-4). Next they are reproved and threatened for their immorality, pride, and other abuses of their wealth and prosperity (vs. 5-8). Then we learn of their ruin that is coming upon them for these and all their other sins (vs. 12-13). The chapter concludes with the judgment of Samaria and with those among them that yet retain a respect for their God are here encouraged to hope that He will yet appear for their relief, though their kings and princes, and all their other supports have failed them (vs. 14-16).
The verse that stands out to me today is Hosea 13:1 "When Ephraim spoke, trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended through Baal worship, he died." We know from history that at one time the tribe of Ephraim had gained a prominent position in the northern kingdom and could strike fear into the hearts of the other tribes. Trembling probably refers to the effect that Ephraim's speech had on the other tribes. However, this was before the idolatrous ways, and before they have turned to Baal worship. Ephraim by Hosea's time had rebelled against God and had lost their authority among the nations. Greatness in the past is no guarantee of greatness in the future. It is good to remember what God has done for you and through you, but it is equally important to keep your relationship with Him vital and up-to-date. In other words commit yourself to God moment by moment. We learn that when abundant possessions made Israel feel self-sufficient, it turned its back on God and forgot him. Self-sufficiency is as destructive today as it was in Hosea's time. Do you see your constant need of God's presence and help? Learn to rely on God both in good times and bad. If you are traveling along a smooth and easy path right now, beware of forgetting who gave you your blessings. Don't depend on your gifts; depend on the Giver.
I pray that you would be reminded today of where your help comes from, and that it would cause you to rejoice in the LORD goodness and mercy.
Psalm 121:2 (KJV)
My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.
Blessings,
Alan J. Schrader
Hosea 14:1-9
O Israel, return to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity; 2 Take words with you, and return to the Lord. Say to Him, "Take away all iniquity; receive us graciously, for we will offer the sacrifices of our lips. 3 Assyria shall not save us, we will not ride on horses, nor will we say anymore to the work of our hands, You are our gods. For in You the fatherless finds mercy." 4 "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, for My anger has turned away from him. 5 I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall grow like the lily, and lengthen his roots like Lebanon. 6 His branches shall spread; his beauty shall be like an olive tree, and his fragrance like Lebanon. 7 Those who dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall be revived like grain, and grow like a vine. Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon. 8 "Ephraim shall say, what have I to do anymore with idols? I have heard and observed him. I am like a green cypress tree; your fruit is found in Me." 9 Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.
In chapter 14 of Hosea we learn of the exhortation in repentance, what to do and what to say (vs. 1-3). Next we learn of the encouragement to repentance because of God's readiness to receive the backslider (vs. 4-8). The chapter concludes with a solemn recommendation of the ways of the Lord, a promise of God's blessing to the prudent, and stumbling for the transgressor (vs. 9).
The verse that stands out to me today is Hosea 14:2 "Take words with you, and return to the Lord. Say to Him, "Take away all iniquity; receive us graciously, for we will offer the sacrifices of our lips." This final section of Hosea's prophecy begins with a call to repentance that includes a model prayer. The people of Israel were to pray for God's gracious forgiveness and renew their allegiance to Him by renouncing foreign alliances, their own military strength, and artificial gods."The sacrifices of our lips" refers to thank offerings to God. God desired real, heartfelt repentance, not merely annual sacrifices. The word in Hebrew for "sacrifices" is par, it means a bullock (apparently as breaking forth in wild strength, or perhaps as dividing the hoof) :- (+ young) bull (-ock), calf, ox. In other words, God was asking for offerings from the mouth that were a result of a change of heart. Forgiveness begins when we see the destructiveness of sin and the futility of life without God. Then we must admit we cannot save ourselves; our only hope is in God's mercy. When we request forgiveness, we must recognize that we do not deserve it and therefore cannot demand it. Our appeal must be for God's love and mercy, not for His justice alone. Although we cannot demand forgiveness, we can be confident that we have received it because God is gracious and loving and wants to restore us to Himself, just as He wanted to restore Israel.
In John 3:16 God sets the pattern of true love, the basis for all love relationships?when you love someone dearly, you are willing to give freely to the point of self-sacrifice. God paid dearly with the life of His Son, the highest price He could pay. Jesus accepted our punishment, paid the price for our sins, and then offered us the new life that He had bought for us. When we share the gospel with others, our love must be like Jesus'?willingly giving up our own comfort and security so that others might join us in receiving God's love.
I pray that you would have opportunity to share the message of repentance because when you do you will be sharing God's love.
John 3:16 (KJV)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Blessings,
Alan J. Schrader
