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Hosea 2:14-8:14<\/strong><\/span> Hosea chapter 3 brings us redemption again for Israel.\u00a0 Verse 5 I believe applies to us today \u2013 we who are in the last days (all the days after the life of Jesus) \u2013 \u201cBut afterward the people will return to the LORD their God and to David\u2019s descendant, their king. They will come trembling in awe to the LORD, and they will receive his good gifts in the last days.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Have you returned to Jesus?\u00a0 Jesus who is from the line of David?\u00a0 Is Jesus your king?\u00a0 Are you receiving God\u2019s good gifts through your awe and faith in God through Jesus?<\/span><\/p>\n Hosea chapters 4 & 5 are classic prophesying!\u00a0 If you ever think of a prophet in the Old Testament going around and stirring things up in the land \u2013 think of these 2 chapters\u2026\u00a0 \u00a0If you\u2019re just checking out this website and today\u2019s readings, I realize that they will sound very harsh on the surface.\u00a0 However, context from Jeremiah & Ezekiel & 2 Kings will help catch you up on why God is not happy here. Essentially the northern kingdom of Israel is worshiping Baal, an idol\/false god, and not God himself.\u00a0 And the immorality in the land is skyrocketing.\u00a0 God\u2019s reaction here is actually a compassionate reaction \u2013 he is trying to reverse the immorality and bring people back to him in repentance.\u00a0 Below is an image of Hosea prophesying by the artist Duccio di Buoninsegna from the year 1308:<\/span><\/p>\n Verses 1 & 2 in chapter 4 set the stage for these 2 chapters: \u201cHear the word of the LORD, O people of Israel! The LORD has filed a lawsuit against you, saying: \u201cThere is no faithfulness, no kindness, no knowledge of God in your land. You curse and lie and kill and steal and commit adultery. There is violence everywhere, with one murder after another.\u201d <\/em>\u00a0 See any violations of the Ten Commandments in these 2 verses?<\/span><\/p>\n Verse 18 really stood out to me today: \u201cTheir love for shame is greater than their love for honor.\u201d<\/em> Is it possible in our world today that there are people who love shame more than they love honor?\u00a0 It is possible that this happens in our lives at times?\u00a0 Will we pursue love of honor in our lives, leaving behind anything that might look like love of shame?<\/span><\/p>\n Today we get prophesying by God via Hosea on what\u2019s going to happen to Israel due to her unfaithfulness and many sins.\u00a0 Hosea chapter 6\u2019s first 2 verses start things off on what seem like a hopeful note.\u00a0 However, commentaries suggest that this was a very shallow pledge by Israel: \u201cCome, let us return to the LORD! He has torn us in pieces; now he will heal us. He has injured us; now he will bandage our wounds. In just a short time, he will restore us so we can live in his presence.\u201d <\/em>Even if this is a shallow pledge from Israel, I do really like verse 3 too: \u201cOh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know him!\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0Are we pressing on in our lives to know God?\u00a0 Are we returning to God?\u00a0 Are we seeking to continually live in His presence?\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n God\u2019s reply to all of this in verse 6 is fantastic: \u201cI want you to be merciful; I don\u2019t want your sacrifices. I want you to know God; that\u2019s more important than burnt offerings.\u201d <\/em>Are there times in our lives where we try to bring \u201csacrifices\u201d of prayer or pledges of repentance or works, when really what we should be bringing to God is mercy for others and just simply the desire to know God?\u00a0 Do our \u201cacts\u201d of repentance sometimes get in the way of our actual love relationship with God?<\/span><\/p>\n Chapter 7 Verse 16 stood out to me today as well: \u201cThey look everywhere except to heaven, to the Most High.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>If we are hurting, sad, tired, do we look to things other than God?\u00a0 Do we look to \u201cquick fixes\u201d from things of this world that are not healthy for us?\u00a0 Do these \u201cquick fixes\u201d really fix the problem?\u00a0 Are we looking everywhere except to heaven, to the Most High?\u00a0 Will we look only for the Most High \u2013 God?<\/span><\/p>\n Worship Video:<\/strong> Today\u2019s readings reminded me of Micah Tyler\u2019s song \u201cWalking Free:\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \n
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