In-between Time: Journey Through the Prophets

Isaiah 1: 1-4

2012-02-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

Isaiah 1

Rebellion of God’s People

¹ The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz concerning Judah and Jerusalem, which he saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. ² Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth;
For the LORD speaks,
“Sons I have reared and brought up,
But they have revolted against Me.
³ “An ox knows its owner,
And a donkey its master’s manger,
But Israel does not know,
My people do not understand.”
⁴ Alas, sinful nation,
People weighed down with iniquity, offspring of evildoers,
Sons who act corruptly!
They have abandoned the LORD,
They have despised the Holy One of Israel,
They have turned away from Him.

Isaiah opens his prophecy, which he received from God, saying that it came through a vision (1:1). As we learned last week in our introduction and is also found here in this verse, Isaiah's service to God came during the rule of four kings of Judah. Let's look a little more closely at each, as described in Scripture, recognizing that we'll delve into more of their stories as Isaiah continues:

Uzziah (also known as Azariah)--"He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem.... He did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. Only...the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. The LORD struck the king, so that he was a leper to the day of his death." (II Kings 15: 2-5, excerpts) "Hence his fame [as a successful leader in war battles] spread afar, for he was marvelously helped until he was strong. But when he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to the LORD his God...." (II Chronicles 26: 15 and 16)

Jotham, son of Uzziah--"He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.... He did what was right in the sight of the LORD.... Only...the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places." (II Kings 15: 33-35, excerpts) "...However he did not enter the temple of the LORD.... So Jotham became mighty because he ordered his ways before the LORD his God." (II Chronicles 27:2 & 6)

Ahaz, son of Jotham--"Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD his God, as his father David had done. But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and even made his son pass through the fire...." (II Kings 16: 2-3) It was under King Ahaz that an alliance between Judah and Assyria was made. We could take an entire blog's day on the troubles with Ahaz!

Hezekiah, son of Ahaz--"He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem....He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. For he clung to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses. (II Kings 18: 2, 5 and 6) Hezekiah, with encouragement from Isaiah along the way, made incredible reforms in a show of returning to the Lord. The end of his life would come with trouble, however, but what he tried to do in his leadership--submitting Judah to the Word of the Lord and following in obedience--is most noteworthy.

Verse 2 of Chapter 1 begins a speech by God, and all in Heaven above and Earth below are beckoned to hear. "Sons I have reared and brought up, but they have revolted against Me." God uses 'sons' to exemplify the relationship He has with His people. The original 12 tribes of Israel, the offspring of Abraham and his descendants, were God's "chosen people," like sons to Him.

"For I have chosen him [Abraham], so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.”
--Genesis 18:19

But God's chosen are now "sons who act corruptly!" (Isaiah 1:4) How corrupt are they? "A seed of evildoers," says verse 4 in the King James Version, implying that it is not just one set of sons, but generations. Continuing in the KJV, "They are gone away backward." Not just a casting aside for a time, but a rebellion against the Word of God, as Judah and Jerusalem turned to idols as their lord. 'Rebellion' at its Latin roots means "renewing a war." (Dictionary.com) In the covenant under Abraham, God's people were in a peaceful relationship. They had been chosen by God, and He sought their obedience to Him and His Word in return. The wayward behavior of Judah was as if they had turned to make war on God.

How corrupt are they? That God would refer to His people in the face of domestic animals who understood their place in the good order of things. In verse 3, God says that oxen and donkeys recognize and obey their masters, but, "My people do not understand." And, in their lack of understanding, the people rebel.

Here's an observation on Isaiah, the writer. He presents to us a term for God that he will use with frequency in his book--"the Holy One of Israel." The "set apart" nature of God is something that was not respected nor honored by the people. Yet, Isaiah uses this term, integrating God with Israel, to make a point of understanding and of remembrance of Who He is in relationship. Not that Isaiah's words would be heeded, mind you.

“...It is what the LORD spoke, saying, ‘By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, and before all the people I will be honored,’....”
--Leviticus 10:3

"God has had enough".... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: margaretmerrypaintings.wordpress.com

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Next week: Isaiah 1: 5-9

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

An Introduction to Isaiah

2012-01-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the blog! For some of you, this may be your first visit. This is a place of learning and going deep! I made a decision a few years ago to dedicate this blog to the study of the prophets, after looking at Proverbs and focusing on some other Biblical topics. I began my studies with the earliest-recorded prophet, Obadiah. Now, I'm on the first of the so-called major prophets, Isaiah.

For those who have been visiting and have supported me in prayer for direction, I thank you. This will be a long bloggy journey--probably 3 years plus or minus--as I've decided to continue taking my study in segments of Scripture passages rather than full chapters. This will give ample time for exploration of the text as well as quality focused time in the writing.

I always begin a study of a prophet with an introduction. Who was Isaiah? The fun facts first: Isaiah's name means, "The Lord is salvation" or "Jehovah saves." He is mentioned in the New Testament more times than any other Old Testament prophet, and by name in the New Testament more than 20 times. Including Jesus, in a moment with the Pharisees:

"You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME....'"
--Matthew 15: 7 and 8

I am encouraged in what my study Bible says of Isaiah's writing: "His writing style has no rival in its versatility of expression, brilliance of imagery, and richness of vocabulary." This means, it should be a rich read as well as an educational one. George L. Robinson, writing in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia says, "Isaiah is the Paul of the Old Testament."

Isaiah was the son of Amoz (which means strong in Hebrew [Strong's]). He grew up and continued to live in Jerusalem and its vicinity, making him a wise choice for a prophet of God's Word to the area. He was married with two sons, who are referred to in the text of his book. It would seem that he was in a family of some importance, as he had easy access to the king. Some accounts even suggest he was a cousin to King Uzziah, who was the first king in power of the four reigns through which Isaiah prophesied. We will read about Isaiah's calling to ministry in Chapter 6.

Isaiah served from about 739 B.C. until his death in 686 B.C. Where Hosea spoke mostly to the northern kingdom of Israel, Isaiah spoke to Judah, the southern kingdom of the divided nation of Israel. His ministry overlaps with the second half of Hosea's ministry, and occurs in the time before Judah is led into captivity. He was killed at the word if not by the hand of King Manasseh of Judah.

During Isaiah's ministry, Judah grew in commercial stature but declined in its spiritual well-being, not unlike Israel at this time. Indeed, Judah and Israel were enemies as they each sought international power and prestige. Judah would be known for building up its military, its fortifications and its conquering of new land--and, its reliance on foreign aid from Assyria. In fact, once Assyria came in to help Judah, it marked the beginning of the end for Israel (which was put under Assyrian captivity in 722 B.C.)

Judah would run into its own captivity troubles at the hand of the Babylonians in 605 B.C., after Isaiah had passed. But, the prophet foretold this event as well as many others under the reign of these kings--not to mention, the coming of the earthly reigns of the King of Kings!

Still, as a prophet, much of Isaiah's work revolved around the issuing of words of judgment upon the nations, and Isaiah will cover many more nations than Hosea. We will look at history, as we see some of the drama of the day-to-day political events that take place in and through these prophecies. The latter third of the book abounds in words of deliverance and grace.

With that brief overview, next week we begin the journey through Isaiah, not surprisingly, with the rebellion of God's people.

Welcome, or, welcome back!.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: nephilimlejeu.free.fr

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Next week: Isaiah 1: 1-4

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 14: 8 & 9

2012-01-18T00:00:00.000-05:00

⁸ O Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols?
It is I who answer and look after you.
I am like a luxuriant cypress;
From Me comes your fruit.
⁹ Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;
Whoever is discerning, let him know them.
For the ways of the LORD are right,
And the righteous will walk in them,
But transgressors will stumble in them.

Hosea comes to a thoughtful conclusion today. This has been a longer book in its examination, but, that's because Hosea reads like more than one book. His opening chapters--setting up the unfaithful marriage metaphor of God and Israel through his very own life story of his relationship with Gomer-- is powerful. Painstakingly working through the chapters that followed--Israel's sin, punishment, banishment and the promise of redemption through God and God alone--he truly provided us with the means for understanding the Father's grace and mercy.

"The way of the LORD is a stronghold to the upright,
But ruin to the workers of iniquity."

--Proverbs 10:29

In our text today, verse 8, God speaks with finality that He has nothing to do with idols, nor should His people. They have brought Israel to ruin. "It is I...," He says who provides exactly what comes. Ephraim is not a "luxuriant vine," (Hosea 10:1) but God is a "luxuriant cypress" bearing fruit, shade and shelter. A cypress tree was noted for being a useful tree for wood (from building construction to instrument making); a great and expansive tree (shade and shelter); and, an evergreen tree--green, flourishing, prosperous [Strong's]. For ever! Wonderful choice for God.

Hosea had a long course of ministry, and it no doubt must have frustrated him to have not seen Israel turn from its ways. Yet, God revealed that there would come a time when those who believed would return home. Those who took refuge "in his shadow" under the safety of THE cypress tree would know His mercy and would, as we read in verse 7, "again raise grain" and know prosperity through Him.

Finally, verse 9, which reads like a verse in Proverbs. Those who are "wise" and "discerning" would know what the Lord was saying through Hosea. More than once, Hosea appealed to Israel's history, drawing upon its past in the hopes that the people would remember the presence of God in all that they did.

"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."
--Deuteronomy 30: 19 & 20

But Israel did not "choose life," as obedience and giving up His ways for their ways led to their unfaithfulness in the covenant that God had established with their forefathers. Rather than 'discerning', the King James Version uses 'prudent'. The word probably still brings a smile, if not a chuckle, as we remember former President George H.W. Bush's using the word (and Dana Carvey recklessly overusing it in his impersonations). Prudent means not only being wise in current decision-making, but making decisions with foresight as to their outcome. Israel thought they were doing what was best for themselves at the time, not recognizing that each self-made, self-directed decision was bringing them further and further away from anything resembling goodness, success and prosperity.

"The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil."
--Ecclesiastes 12: 13 & 14

"For the ways of the LORD are right...."
--Hosea 14: 9

Introduction to Isaiah.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: tree-land.com

* * *

Next week: An Introduction to Isaiah

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 14: 4-7

2012-01-11T00:00:00.000-05:00

⁴ I will heal their apostasy,
I will love them freely,
For My anger has turned away from them.
⁵ I will be like the dew to Israel;
He will blossom like the lily,
And he will take root like the cedars of Lebanon.
⁶ His shoots will sprout,
And his beauty will be like the olive tree
And his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon.
⁷ Those who live in his shadow
Will again raise grain,
And they will blossom like the vine.
His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.

Rich, descriptive text marks our passage of Hosea today, as the prophet shares the blessings to be bestowed upon Israel. It is important to remember that the call to repentance that we read about last week was not something that Israel would heed in the days of the Hosea. The time difference between the issuing of the call and of these blessings from the Lord is time still being measured as you read this. Still, what is to come for Israel is beautiful!

Verse 4, "I will heal their apostasy." 'Apostasy,' at its roots, means a "revolt, desertion or defection"; literally, "a standing off" or "standing apart." [Dictionary.com] We have seen through our study of this time how Israel chose to stand apart from God, which is as if to see a bride standing away from her betrothed, in keeping with the early theme of Hosea. I love the translation of this part of the verse in the King James': "I will heal their backsliding...."

We can probably all point to a time and means of backsliding over something--sometimes, more seriously than others. In the Bible, this idea as often spoken of by the prophets, according to my study Bible, is backsliding in heart: "He [the backslider] belongs in the category of the fool, the wicked, and the disobedient and he is contrasted with the godly wise. It is a word that the prophets used of apostate unbelievers."

"The backslider in heart [from God and from fearing God] shall be filled with [the fruit of] his own ways, and a good man shall be satisfied with [the fruit of] his ways [with the holy thoughts and actions which his heart prompts and in which he delights]."
--Proverbs 14:14 (Amplified Bible)

Israel most assuredly is characterized in Hosea as having "his fill of his own ways." How amazing the grace and mercy of the Father in healing His people's backsliding. Have you thought that backsliding needs to be healed? That's a worthy question of its own.

Verse 5, "I [God] will be like the dew to Israel." I am not well internationally traveled, so I know nothing of the weather conditions in what was ancient Israel. Rain was a scarce commodity. Says an excerpt in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, it doesn't rain in Palestine from April to October. For an east coast westerner, that is our full growing season right there! No rain in that time period would mean no crops or harvest. Same would be true in Israel if it weren't for the abundant dew characteristic of the region. Dew may not last long, but its presence is enough to nourish and sustain the plants. For God to be like the dew again to His people would mean replenishment of weary, lonely souls.

"The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is like dew on the grass."
--Proverbs 19:12

Over verses 5 and 6, the metaphoric picture of the future Israel takes shape.

"Blossoming like a lily"--The Hebrew definition from Strong's describes an actual lily flower, though the word may refer to other types of flowers. "A lily (from its whiteness), as a flower or architectural ornament; also a (straight) trumpet (from the tubular shape)." Expanding on that, I see the white symbolizing purity and the straightness symbolizing a path of righteousness.
"Take root like...fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon"--(See picture above) These are tremendously strong and beautifully scented trees. They were prized for their strength and thus desired in the building of important structures, such as palaces and temples. They are not prolific, however, and not many remain today. How lovely that God would bring Israel back to Him with such an illustration of strength and beauty!
"...like the olive tree"--Olive trees provided so much in the way of their products: fruit, oil, wood, among others. Nothing was wasted. And, another beautiful tree.

Our last verse today, verse 7, says that those who live in the shadow of the Lord will return to the land that Israel will leave behind. God will scatter His people like the sowing of seeds, but they will return to the land, to "raise grain" and "blossom like the vine"--and not the luxuriant vine that Israel had made of itself. No, Israel's "renown"--"literally, its remembrance," says my study Bible--will be like the wine of Lebanon.

Learning a lot on the side in my study. Turns out that Lebanon is renown for its wines! This is one link, of, undoubtedly many, to a Lebanese winery, tracing its days back to Biblical times. This link even speaks of the fact that most of the rain in the region falls during the Winter (not in the Summer, which agrees with what we learned earlier), but the melting snows and the protection of the mountains all aid in bringing about a beautiful crop of grapes for wine. Hosea is truly writing for his audience, here.

But, again, Israel's future renown will not be because of itself. It will be because God has ultimately restored the relationship with His people, fulfilling a lifetime promise upon which most of the Word of God speaks. His anger will have finally and completely turned, and He will love them freely. And they will remember Him!

"Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity
And passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession?
He does not retain His anger forever,
Because He delights in unchanging love."
--Micah 7:18

"We stand and lift up our hands
For the joy of the Lord is our strength
We bow down and worship Him now
How great, how awesome is He....
It's rising up all around
It's the anthem of the Lord's renown...."
--from "Holy is the Lord," by Chris Tomlin

Hosea's epilogue, as we conclude with the last 2 verses.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: fs.fed.us

* * *

Next week: Hosea 14: 8 & 9

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 14: 1-3

2012-01-04T00:00:00.000-05:00

Hosea 14

Israel’s Future Blessing

¹ Return, O Israel, 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
And receive us graciously,
That we may present the fruit of our lips.
³ “Assyria will not save us,
We will not ride on horses;
Nor will we say again, ‘Our god,’
To the work of our hands;
For in You the orphan finds mercy.”

My goodness! Here we are--the final chapter of Hosea and almost halfway through the pre-exilic prophets. [And, please drop me a comment or send me an E-mail about Isaiah; I really would like to hear from you.] It was Spring when we started the book, meeting Hosea and his then estranged wife, Gomer. Although her name is not mentioned in this chapter, what we will learn here is embodied in her name, which means "completion." [Strong's] Exile is not the end for Israel, as the completion of this relationship between God and His people is for a time yet to come.

With verse 1, we see a final call to repentance issued to Israel, beckoning them to acknowledge their sinful living and to confess. A number of times in Hosea, we have read similar statements: "Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us" (from 6:1); "...For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes to rain righteousness on you" (10:12b); "...Observe kindness and justice, and wait for your God continually." (12:6b) Come. Seek. Wait. All actions that Israel needed to heed. God was standing by.

"'...And rend your heart and not your garments.'
Now return to the LORD your God,
For He is gracious and compassionate,
Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness
And relenting of evil."
--Joel 2:13

Hosea says to "take words with you" to "present the fruit of our lips." Words would be a start for Israel, though not just any words. We know from our reading that Israel still acknowledged God, but on such a surface level that their words didn't carry any weight. The phrase "fruit of our lips," used in the New Testament as words of thanksgiving (see Hebrews 13:15, a "sacrifice of praise")--can here be translated, "our lips as bulls." A translation of the King James Version reads, "...So will we render as bullocks the offering of our lips."

"The prophet calls on his contemporaries to return in penitence to Jehovah. Their worship should consist not of meaningless dumb ritual, but of 'words'—hymns and prayers, expressive of real gratitude and of actual needs—or perhaps pledges of repentance and reform. The people respond and undertake that their worship shall consist of 'calves or bullocks of lips,' i.e. not of animal offerings, but of promises of reform or vows of obedience."
--T. Lewis, writing in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

Bottom line: words were not enough nor were sacrifices. True repentance starts with confession, but confession is born of a changed heart and a desire to, as Jesus said to the woman at the well, "Go and sin no more." (John 8:11, KJV) Hosea says to come to the Lord bearing your heart. Alternate translations for "receive us graciously" use the words "accept that which is good." God cannot accept that which is not good, but, as sinners, we cannot offer anything that is. We're reading about a time before Jesus, but, nonetheless, God's Word makes it clear that a right state of the heart is paramount to repentance. To go forward on our "good" works with a "good" heart is how Israel ended up in the mess it was in. There was no good! They needed to hear, again, and follow the words of their king, David:

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise."
--Psalm 51:17

Verse 3 begins part of what sounds like a verbal confession. "Assyria will not save us," acknowledges that there is no help from foreign nations equal to that of reliance on God. Not only will Assyria not save them, but Assyria will enslave them. The crafting and worshiping of idols ("the work of our hands") would need to come to an end, as this was not of God. Going to war would not solve the problems of the nation nor make it great. "A horse is a false hope for victory; nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength." (Psalm 33:17) Worth repeating: "For there is no savior besides Me." (Hosea 13:4)

Today's passage ends, "For in You the orphan finds mercy." In the Old Testament, 'orphan' is most often translated as "fatherless." God has a tender place in His heart for the orphan; He is "father of the fatherless" (Psalm 68:5). I know a number of friends who have adopted or tried to adopt orphans into their homes, as well as continue to raise awareness of their circumstances. The Bible has a big-picture view of what it means to be fatherless. At its Hebrew root, 'orphan' means to "be lonely." [Strong's]

Surely, Israel would learn what it meant to be an orphan, facing a long exile. But, beyond that, following the prophets, God's voice went "silent" for some 400 years. Then Jesus came, and Israel remained lonely in not seeing the sent One as its Messiah. Yet, the Father of the fatherless is at the ready to receive Israel graciously, at the appointed time, for the Lord will keep His promises and show His mercy to His orphans.

"But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.’ So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him."
--Luke 15: 17-20

"I will heal their backsliding...." The merciful Father to the fatherless paints a beautiful scene. More from Chapter 14 .... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: soulgrit.wordpress.com

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Next week: Hosea 14: 4-7

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 13: 15-16

2011-12-28T00:00:00.000-05:00

¹⁵ Though he flourishes among the reeds,
An east wind will come,
The wind of the LORD coming up from the wilderness;
And his fountain will become dry
And his spring will be dried up;
It will plunder his treasury of every precious article.
¹⁶ Samaria will be held guilty,
For she has rebelled against her God.
They will fall by the sword,
Their little ones will be dashed in pieces,
And their pregnant women will be ripped open.

With our calendar year coming to a close on Saturday, it is appropriate that we close out another chapter this week (and the book of Hosea over the first few weeks of January). As you can see in the "Scripture Calendar" column, Isaiah is coming up next. I am praying over how to handle the 66-chapter book. As much as I would like to continue taking smaller sections apart, that would mean spending multiple years on the blog in Isaiah. Hmmm.... Would you stay with me? Could I stay with the book? A chapter a week would be more than a year's time, regardless. It would bless me to know that you are praying for guidance for me in this. Thanks!

The closing verses of Hosea 13 do not leave us with pretty pictures. Remember back to Hosea, Chapter 10: "Israel is a luxuriant vine...." (vs. 1) It is this same vine that is now referred to as flourishing amidst the reeds. But, the east wind--the sirocco--has come. Other translations take the metaphor out and speak more plainly: "Though he flourishes among the brothers, Assyria will come."

Like the burning hot wind from the East, Assyria will move in by the "wind of the Lord" and will sweep Israel away, taking all of its preciously stored up goods and supplies. (vs. 15) He gives and takes away! The "fountain" and "spring" that spiritually nourished the nation and guided the people in all things will dry up, leaving them parched for sustenance.

Israel's capital, Samaria, will fall at the hands of the Assyrians. The rest of verse 16 presents the horrors of the fate awaiting. The Assyrians were known for their intensely violent actions, and Israel would be spared none of them.

"‘But it was plucked up in fury;
It was cast down to the ground;
And the east wind dried up its fruit.
Its strong branch was torn off
So that it withered;
The fire consumed it.
‘And now it is planted in the wilderness,
In a dry and thirsty land.
‘And fire has gone out from its branch;
It has consumed its shoots and fruit,
So that there is not in it a strong branch,
A scepter to rule.’”
--Ezekiel 19: 12-14

"Assyria will not save us." Hosea makes his final plea, as Chapter 14 begins .... 'Til next Wednesday!

Happy New Year!

The year of our Lord 2012

Photo: americancropins.com

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Next week: Hosea 14: 1-3

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 13: 9-14

2011-12-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

⁹O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.
¹⁰I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities?
And thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes?
¹¹I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath.
¹²The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is hid.
¹³The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him:
he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long
in the place of the breaking forth of children.
¹⁴I will ransom them from the power of the grave;
I will redeem them from death:
O death, I will be thy plagues;
O grave, I will be thy destruction:
repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

A first for this blog--going all King James Version for our lead text! There are just some times when this is the most clear translation to understand. (Even if you have to read saidst instead of said.)

The Lord is reminiscing a bit here, but, still, He pleads with Israel to see the Light! I think of Psalm 121: "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth." (vs. 1-2) Yes, Israel has destroyed itself by itself through itself. But, the Lord is their help. Even more, the Lord is their King.

This is where more of Israel's history is brought forward, as Hosea reminds the nation of its troubled past in asking for help outside of God. A history of Godly leaders, yet the nation was not satisfied until it could look and behave like other nations. (The trouble with satisfaction! See last week's post.) So, they begged for a king.

"...And they said to him, 'Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.' But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, 'Give us a king to judge us.' And Samuel prayed to the LORD. The LORD said to Samuel, 'Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.'"
--I Samuel 8: 5-7

Don't miss what God said to Israel. "They have not rejected you, Samuel, but they have rejected Me." God allows for His people to continue to try their hand at sowing their seeds of help. There was the period of the judges--with Samuel closing that out--followed by the period of kings, which started with Saul. I had to chuckle as I read through some of the cross references about him. He made quite an entrance: “'Has the man [Saul] come here yet?' So the LORD said, 'Behold, he is hiding himself by the baggage.'” I couldn't help but think, how true of those "kings" we place before God!! By the baggage and hiding. We turn down God for what?

Now, after many kings in Israel--not to mention a divided kingdom--God says, enough already. (vs. 11 & 12)

"The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him...for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children."
--vs. 13

If you are a woman who has borne a child, then you understand the "sorrows of a travailing woman." Israel has come to a place in which it is about to experience significant pain, struggle and aloneness. This is an interesting metaphor, as Israel will know the pain of the mother yet is depicted here as the child unwilling to move from the birth canal. Says my study Bible: "By long deferring a 'new birth' with repentance, the nation was like a child remaining in the canal dangerously long and risking death." He is an "unwise son," indeed!

"But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God...."
--Romans 2:5 (NASB)

But, who brings delivery? Remember what we read last week: "For there is no savior besides Me." (Hosea 13: 4b) As foolish an infant is Israel is, God brings about deliverance, not the child! "I will ransom them...." "I will redeem them...." (vs. 14) Death and the grave have no power over God our help! Does this sound familiar?

"'O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?'”
--I Corinthians 15:55 (NASB)

Paul quotes Hosea in I Corinthians, as he calms the fears of those who fear the finality of death. "The sting of death is sin," Paul says in the next verse. Those birthpangs represent the sting of death--Israel's sin. God could have allowed His people to die--oh, so many times, in fact. But, no--again, no! The covenant He made, He would continue to uphold. He would put ultimate wrath aside and bring intense discipline through separation of His people. Ultimate victory was coming through the Messiah--the King of Kings! "See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God...." (I John 3:1, NASB)

"Thus says the LORD,
Who gives the sun for light by day
And the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night,
Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar;
The LORD of hosts is His name:
'If this fixed order departs
From before Me,' declares the LORD,
'Then the offspring of Israel also will cease
From being a nation before Me forever.'
Thus says the LORD,
'If the heavens above can be measured
And the foundations of the earth searched out below,
Then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel
For all that they have done,' declares the LORD."

--Jeremiah 31: 35-37 (NASB)

"Before the hills in order stood, or earth received her frame, from everlasting, thou art God, to endless years the same."
--O God, Our Help in Ages Past

But, His people would have to wait. And wait....

Chapter 13 concludes.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Merry Christmas, Friends!
Emmanuel has come....

Photo: themandalajourney.com

* * *

Next week: Hosea 13: 15-16

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 13: 4-8

2011-12-14T13:39:00.005-05:00

⁴ Yet I have been the LORD your God
Since the land of Egypt;
And you were not to know any god except Me,
For there is no savior besides Me.
⁵ I cared for you in the wilderness,
In the land of drought.
⁶ As they had their pasture, they became satisfied,
And being satisfied, their heart became proud;
Therefore they forgot Me.
⁷ So I will be like a lion to them;
Like a leopard I will lie in wait by the wayside.
⁸ I will encounter them like a bear robbed of her cubs,
And I will tear open their chests;
There I will also devour them like a lioness,
As a wild beast would tear them.

The beginning and end of our passage in Hosea today reflect material that has clearly been covered in the prophet's message to Israel. We have seen, especially in these closing chapters, the recalling of Israel's history and its covenant with God the Father. Should there have been any gods before the Father, or any gods at all? Of course, the Ten Commandments--Numero Uno--says NO! Yet, we find God saying, once again, that not only is there no other God, but there is no other Savior (vs. 4):

“'Declare and set forth your case;
Indeed, let them consult together.
Who has announced this from of old?
Who has long since declared it?
Is it not I, the LORD?
And there is no other God besides Me,
A righteous God and a Savior;
There is none except Me.'"
--Isaiah 45: 21

In all ways, God led His people out of slavery, out of the wilderness because he "cared" (vs. 5). Other translations, like the King James Version, use 'knew', which we know means a deep and intimate love. He is the only One who had known His people "since the land of Egypt," and before, with a righteous and everlasting love. It is an understanding of this sacred relationship that Hosea has been trying to re-communicate.

But, we know, too, that God is at a breaking point with Israel: an "I say tomato and you, Israel, say tomahto. Let's call the whole thing off" kind of impasse. This makes reading the last two verses of today's passage difficult. "So...," God begins, which is as if saying "Therefore," in other Scripture verses, God becomes as an animal on the prowl, hungry and intentional. According to my study Bible, the lion, the leopard and the bear were all native to Israel. But, now, these would become attack animals instead of mereindigenous creatures. The language is downright brutal.

"...And I will tear open their chests."
--vs. 8

When you start digging into the phrase "open their chests," you come across Hebrew words meaning "enclosure or encasement" [Strong's], and not of the chest so much as of the heart. God is not "attacking" for the sake of violence or to demonstrate outright strength. He is trying to get at the literal heart of why this relationship has failed. He wants to get at the heart of Israel to claim it, again, for Himself. He is certainly angry, but we know that He will withhold the ultimate in His wrath for a time yet to come. Still, His people will know that He is God!

What really caught my attention in preparing for today's passage was the verse in the middle, verse 6:

"As they had their pasture, they became satisfied, and being satisfied, their heart became proud; Therefore they forgot Me."
--vs. 6

In last week's teaser for this week's blog, I mentioned this oft-misquoted proverb: "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18, New International Version) The book of Proverbs is full of references to the dangers of pride and the importance of wisdom. Indeed, it is pride that led to Satan's fallen angel status. (Ezekiel 28; Isaiah 14) But, here in Hosea, we see that there is something that comes before pride--satisfaction.

To be satisfied is to have one's desires, needs, expectations, demands, etc., fulfilled, so as to put an end to want. At its basic Latin root, it means "to do enough." [Dictionary.com] If we are satisfied--content--then we recognize that there is no need to do more. When you read verse 6 in the King James, you begin to see the problem: "According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten Me." (emphasis mine)

At issue--and Mick and the boys said this perfectly--"I can't get no satisfaction." God supplied all of their needs, even their demands, at times. (Remember manna vs meat?) But, was Israel ever truly satisfied? No! There was always something else, something more--greener pastures! Once you start to feel secure with what you have, you look to the next thing, and you do so with the self-confidence that says you can have it!! But, in the end, it's not what you want. It's like another Stones' smash: "You can't always get what you want....and, if you try sometimes, you just might find..." that you DON'T get what you need! If you truly believe in God as Lord, walking in obedience and faith, then you understand that HE gives you what you need, and the Lord is your shepherd and you shall not have need! (Psalm 23)

“'Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them, and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.'"
--Deuteronomy 8: 11-14

What a statement of Truth and wisdom! God called it, right from Deuteronomy days! Israel had forgotten. And God knew them! If Israel had only remembered His Word from those days, Hosea might have had a very different ministry.

"Otherwise, you may say in your heart, ‘My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.’ But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. It shall come about if you ever forget the LORD your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I testify against you today that you will surely perish. Like the nations that the LORD makes to perish before you, so you shall perish; because you would not listen to the voice of the LORD your God."
--Deuteronomy 8: 17-20

There are enormous lessons for us all who struggle with pride in our lives. I can certainly reflect on my own life and see the many times I have tried to one-up myself in going beyond the boundary of contentment. I see my struggles with pride and my lack of contentment over my circumstances. The world we live in does not make fighting this any easier. But, that's temptation! It is when we choose to turn away from how the world lives, walking in what we know to be true, that even in our earthly dissatisfaction, we can live contently.

"And He has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.'"
--II Corinthians 12: 9 & 10

Thankful to be a work in progress on the Potter's wheel!

The painful outcome of being a dissatisfied Israelite, as Chapter 13 continues.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: en.wikipedia.org

* * *

Next week: Hosea 13: 9-13

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 13: 1-3

2011-12-05T21:21:00.001-05:00

Hosea 13

Ephraim’s Idolatry

¹ When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling.
He exalted himself in Israel,
But through Baal he did wrong and died.
² And now they sin more and more,
And make for themselves molten images,
Idols skillfully made from their silver,
All of them the work of craftsmen.
They say of them, “Let the men who sacrifice kiss the calves!”
³ Therefore they will be like the morning cloud
And like dew which soon disappears,
Like chaff which is blown away from the threshing floor
And like smoke from a chimney.

We are beginning the final two chapters of Hosea. Today's passage focuses, one last time, on Israel's sinfulness and--as you can read--idolatry, while Chapter 14 will focus on the nation's future, as the longstanding promises of God to the Israelites will be fulfilled.

There were so many suggested changes for wording to verse 1 that I thought I would share the Amplified Bible's version, since it put all of those suggested changes into its translation:

"WHEN EPHRAIM spoke with trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended and became guilty in Baal worship, he died [spiritually, and then outward ruin came also, sealing Israel's doom as a nation]."
--vs. 1, Amplified Bible

Sums it up nicely, doesn't it? There was a time when Israel's biggest tribe had the loudest and most authoritative voice. But, now, not a nation under God (except for being under His divine love and discipline), Israel's voice was diminished. Note how Israel died. First spiritually and then outwardly. Sometimes, I think we believe that our sinful nature is due to our outside world having caused us to sin. We need to be careful in what we say. Our world may influence us, but the first turn is the one we take away from God and His ways. Woe to us if we blame our world for our own decisions. That's the bottom line of freewill!

In verse 2, we revisit the trouble with idols. The creation of the idols, as well as the worship of them, was so painful for God to see. He had endowed craftsmen with special skills, and, as we are endowed with gifts of the Spirit, they were to use these skills to reflect God in how they worked and in what they made. The silver given to the people was also a gift from God, to be used for His glory. How did they invest their gift? Again, drawing from other translations, we read that idols were made "according to their own understanding." (King James Version) The combination of gift and skill being used in the heinous, man-centered creation and worship of idols not only broke the commandments but hurt God's heart.

"Those who fashion a graven image are all of them futile, and their precious things are of no profit; even their own witnesses fail to see or know, so that they will be put to shame. Who has fashioned a god or cast an idol to no profit? Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are mere men. Let them all assemble themselves, let them stand up, let them tremble, let them together be put to shame."
--Isaiah 44: 9-11

The time for shame had certainly come. God's people would be exiled in a mighty sweep--removed from their home. Verse 3 contains three metaphors for how His own would vanish: as the morning cloud and dew; as the chaff from the threshing floor; and as smoke from a chimney (or out a window, in other translations).

For Israel, dew had significance. In the days in the wilderness, God brought the dew and the manna overnight. In the morning, when the sun dried up the dew, the flaky manna would be left behind for the people to gather and use for the day's meal. The morning cloud was the presence of God in the daytime, moving ahead of the people, leading them to their next camp. But, here in Hosea, God says He will make His people disappear as quickly as dew leaves with the morning sun. No longer will manna be provided, nor the cloud of His presence.

"The wicked are not so,
But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the wicked will perish."
--Psalm 1: 4-6

The threshing floor was a busy place, as it was a processing facility.

"In the process of winnowing, as it has been carried on in the East for thousands of years, the grain is tossed into the air so that the wind may cause a separation of chaff and straw. The light husks from the wheat and fine particles of straw are dispersed by the wind in the form of a fine dust; the heavier straw which has been broken into short pieces by the threshing process falls near at hand on the edge of the threshing-floor, while the grain falls back upon the pile."
--International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

Israel was referred to as "chaff," which was not the best part to come from the winnowing process. Grain is saved for food. Straw is saved for the animals. The chaff is, literally, blown away from the threshing floor. Thus was the state of Israel. John the Baptist, in speaking of the coming of Jesus, used the metaphor in his referring to those who would not accept Him as Lord: "His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3:12) Not good to be chaff, nor the smoke that dissipates into the clear air.

"Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18, New International Version) What comes before that? More from Chapter 13 .... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo:vionnaswatching.wordpress.com

* * *

Next week: Hosea 13: 4-8

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 12: 11-14

2011-11-30T17:21:00.001-05:00

¹¹ Is there iniquity in Gilead?
Surely they are worthless.
In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls,
Yes, their altars are like the stone heaps
Beside the furrows of the field. ¹² Now Jacob fled to the land of Aram,
And Israel worked for a wife,
And for a wife he kept sheep.
¹³ But by a prophet the LORD brought Israel from Egypt,
And by a prophet he was kept.
¹⁴ Ephraim has provoked to bitter anger;
So his Lord will leave his bloodguilt on him
And bring back his reproach to him.

Rhetorical question, anyone? Chapter 12 of Hosea concludes today--each verse a history lesson of either the past or the very recent past. Verse 11 presents that rhetorical question. Of course there's iniquity in Gilead, whether Israel chooses to recognize or acknowledge the fact.

The once-held-sacred places, like Gilead and Gilgal, are now the places of rampant idol worship. Gilgal, a place hallowed in Israel's history, is filled with altar sites to the gods. My study Bible says that a gathering of stones in the field was not unusual. We've read cross-reference passages in Hosea reviewing God's Word about the use of stones as boundary markers that were not to be moved without punishment. The stones at Gilgal were plentiful, but their use was disgraceful. Would it surprise you to know that Gilgal means "heap of stones"?

"It is in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows."
--Hosea 10:10, King James Version

Strong's notes that 'furrows' may best be translated as "transgressions" in this passage. I wonder if that wouldn't also be true for 12:11, as the myriad altars surely represented part of the crop of transgressions in Israel's field of iniquity.

Verse 12 brings us once again to a look at the life of Jacob, pillar of Israel. Through Hosea, God continues to make Himself known through the treasures of the nation. Looking back at Genesis, we note that after Jacob received the blessing from his father, Isaac, he was sent away to his mother's side of the family to find an appropriate wife to take for himself.

"Then Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Paddan-aram to Laban, son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau."
--Genesis 28:5

Jacob went to Aram, which is Syria. It is here where Jacob meets his future wife, Rachel, and falls deeply in love. This is a love so deep that Jacob agreed to serve Laban, her father, in the fields for seven years. Even then, Laban forced Jacob to take Rachel's older sister, Leah, before he could finally be united with Rachel. This is the kind of love the Lord has been trying to recapture in the minds of the Israelites through Hosea and through Hosea's marriage story. These are stories of deep love--and deep faith. Truly, there is only One who could have devised such a plan as the creation of the tribes of Israel through Jacob! [You must read through chapters 29 and 30 of Genesis to see how truly involved God's work in this was. Who would have thunk it, really?!]

As if recalling Jacob is not strong enough, Hosea then invokes the story of Israel's first great leader--although his name is not mentioned--Moses. "But by a prophet, the Lord brought Israel from Egypt." (vs 13) We may not use 'prophet' with Moses as we do with Hosea or Isaiah or Ezekiel, but when we remember that a prophet is one who speaks forth the word of the Lord, Moses (even as he needed much helping in doing that) really was a prophet. God reminds Israel, again, that, through Moses, He led them to become a nation--to become His people.

"Then His people remembered the days of old, of Moses.
Where is He who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of His flock?
Where is He who put His Holy Spirit in the midst of them,
Who caused His glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses,
Who divided the waters before them to make for Himself an everlasting name,
Who led them through the depths?
Like the horse in the wilderness, they did not stumble;
As the cattle which go down into the valley,
The Spirit of the LORD gave them rest.
So You led Your people,
To make for Yourself a glorious name."
--Isaiah 63: 11-14

Chapter 12 ends with not unfamiliar thoughts: God is angry and punishment is on the way. Can't leave this passage without sharing a last tie-in between Jacob's story in Genesis and Israel's story here. If you do read on to Genesis 30, you read of how God brought most of the tribes of Israel through women other than Jacob's true love, Rachel. Like Sarah, Rachel had gone outside the lines, if you will, and offered up others to Jacob to conceive children. But, she would be shown grace.

"Then God remembered Rachel, and God gave heed to her and opened her womb. So she conceived and bore a son [Joseph] and said, 'God has taken away my reproach.'"
--Genesis 30: 22 & 23

Note the close of Hosea, 12:14--"And [God will] bring back his reproach to him." The grace offered Rachel would not be extended to Israel this time. At least, not yet.

Chapter 13, "Ephraim's Idolatry".... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: katienorwood.blogspot.com

* * *

Next week: Hosea 13: 1-3

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 12: 7-10

2011-11-22T12:41:00.001-05:00

⁷ A merchant, in whose hands are false balances,
He loves to oppress.
⁸ And Ephraim said, “Surely I have become rich,
I have found wealth for myself;
In all my labors they will find in me
No iniquity, which would be sin.”
⁹ But I have been the LORD your God since the land of Egypt;
I will make you live in tents again,
As in the days of the appointed festival.
¹⁰ I have also spoken to the prophets,
And I gave numerous visions,
And through the prophets I gave parables.

A most unflattering description of Israel, or Ephraim, opens our passage in Hosea 12 today. God continues to remind the nation of who has been and is in charge, and who clearly isn't.

A 'merchant' does not seem like a bad description except for the fact that, back in the day, the word was often used as a substitute for Caananite. Interestingly, the Hebrew word is also translated "humiliated." [Strong's]

"...The Canaanites are living by the sea and by the side of the Jordan."
--Numbers 13:29

Indeed, the placement of the land of Canaan made it an ideal place for a trading capital. But, the Canaanites were not a Godly people, which made for the development of unfair business practices. Israel picks up the moniker here in Hosea because it had become rich and self-absorbed with an oppressive business sense--even amongst its own and, obviously, in the light of God's Word and direction.

“When will the new moon be over,
So that we may sell grain,
And the sabbath, that we may open the wheat market,
To make the bushel smaller and the shekel bigger,
And to cheat with dishonest scales...."
--Amos 8:5, excerpt

"I have found wealth for myself...." (vs 8) We are so lost when we claim not only our riches but that we have come upon them ourselves. This is a first step toward self-reliance and a step away from God's provision by grace. Psalm 62:10 says, "If riches increase, do not set your heart upon them." We can become sidetracked with our own success, which leads to impure motives. How many stories of celebrity success [excess?] do we need to follow to understand how debilitating the self-fulfilled life is? Israel is blind to their celebrity, if you will. The darling nation has been feeding on the sin offerings of its own people (Hosea 4:8)!? Yet they say, "...They will find in me no iniquity, which would be sin...." Proverbs would label that "foolish" or "folly."

Israel is without excuse. God has called the prophets to relay His Word to His people--through speaking to them, and in multiple visions and parables. (vs. 10) How could they continue to hold such a foolish attitude, with God ever before them?

"Yet the LORD warned Israel and Judah through all His prophets and every seer, saying, 'Turn from your evil ways and keep My commandments, My statutes according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you through My servants the prophets.'"
--II Kings 17:13

Backtracking to verse 9, the key verse this week: "But I have been the LORD your God since the land of Egypt." Remember Egypt, O Israel? To have come so far--literally, years of wilderness travel--only to be found, now, so far away from Him again. The Father's heartache! His punishment comes in the form of a thanksgiving celebration turned upside down.

"I will make you live in tents again, as in the days of the appointed festival."
--vs. 9

God designed a memorial festival in which the Israelites would commemorate the 40-year wilderness venture that they made from Egypt to the promised land. The Feast of Booths, or the Feast of Tabernacles, was to be celebrated every year, with the people living in tents for its duration as a reminder of their time "on the road."

"'You shall celebrate the Feast of Booths seven days after you have gathered in from your threshing floor and your wine vat; and you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter and your male and female servants and the Levite and the stranger and the orphan and the widow who are in your towns. Seven days you shall celebrate a feast to the LORD your God in the place which the LORD chooses, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you will be altogether joyful.'"
--Deuteronomy 16:13-15

I am struck, first, at the "God-incidence" of having mention of this feast in Hosea the day before the American celebration of Thanksgiving Day. What a joyful feast! Celebrating after the harvest, with your family and those in your midst, celebrating "to the Lord your God," because HE has blessed in all of produce and work! That is how we are "altogether joyful." But, the context for Israel in Hosea is not one of joy, as God says the nation will live in tents again, only, this time, in Assyrian captivity.

Israel had forgotten a song of thanksgiving. Let us not do likewise.

"Give thanks to the Lord
Our God and King
His love endures forever
For He is good, He is above all things
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise...."
--Forever, Chris Tomlin

Another reference to Jacob, as Chapter 12 draws to a close.... 'Til next Wednesday!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

To God be the glory; great things He has done!

Photo: trentbooks.com

* * *

Next week: Hosea 12: 11-14

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 12: 1-6

2011-11-16T00:00:00.000-05:00

Hosea 12

Ephraim Reminded

¹ Ephraim feeds on wind,
And pursues the east wind continually;
He multiplies lies and violence.
Moreover, he makes a covenant with Assyria,
And oil is carried to Egypt.
² The LORD also has a dispute with Judah,
And will punish Jacob according to his ways;
He will repay him according to his deeds.
³ In the womb he took his brother by the heel,
And in his maturity he contended with God.
⁴ Yes, he wrestled with the angel and prevailed;
He wept and sought His favor.
He found Him at Bethel
And there He spoke with us,
⁵ Even the LORD, the God of hosts,
The LORD is His name.
⁶ Therefore, return to your God,
Observe kindness and justice,
And wait for your God continually.

The earliest books of the Old Testament provide some of the richest details, if one chooses to read through them: the creation of the Tabernacle, for instance--from the precise materials used to the skilled craftsmen who would construct it. God provided details in His Word to help people live righteous lives, and He expected this Word and the stories of the people who either embraced or didn't embrace His Word to carry forward throughout the generations.

We should not be surprised, then, this week, to see Hosea evoking the name of a "hero" of Israel. God purposed the life story of Jacob to transcend his time. Hosea reminds the lost nation, in Chapter 12, that it is time to recall those early days--days of walking with God--and those who walked that path.

But, first, verses 1 and 2, remind us reading now of why Israel is in the trouble it is. The nation has allied itself with ungodly neighbors, and it seeks after the East wind. The direction from which the wind blows is significant in Scripture.

"The east wind or sirocco...is the 'scorching wind' (James 1:11) from the desert. It is a hot, gusty wind laden with sand and dust.... The heat and dryness wither all vegetation (Genesis 41:6). Happily the wind seldom lasts for more than three days at a time. It is the destructive 'wind of the wilderness.'"
--International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

We know that God is going to punish Israel. But, in verse 2, 'Jacob' is used instead of 'Israel'. The two are interchangeable. Hosea then brings to mind significant events of Jacob's life story as we read verses 3-6. Remembering, through quick hops of the latter chapters of Genesis, Jacob was the son of Isaac and Rebekah, and came into the world grabbing the heel of his twin brother, Esau. Being the second born, Jacob did not have the birthright privileges of his older brother--but he came out on the fairer side of a trade, receiving the birthright from a hungry Esau for a bowl of red stew. Later, with help from his mother, Jacob would also receive his father's blessing in an interesting story of deception with provision. The incident would put Jacob on the run from his brother--and into the hands of God.

Hosea recounts how Jacob contended with God and wrestled with "the angel." In Genesis 32, we read that Jacob wrestled with "a man." But Hosea uses not only 'angel' but, much more specifically, "the LORD, the God of hosts," as the wrestler. It is at Peniel--which means "face of God"--where Jacob receives his new name, Israel. Verse 4 also mentions Bethel, which has been mentioned in Hosea throughout the chapters as a place of worship turned to idol worship. For Jacob, Bethel is the place of his true spiritual awakening, when God spoke to him of His promises--passed down from Abraham--in a dream.

Why Jacob? What are the lessons for the pre-exilic Israelites of Hosea's time? The prophet helps us understand, again in verse 5: "The Lord is His name" or, otherwise translated as "the Lord is his memorial." For Jacob, Bethel represented a sacred anointing moment between him and God. At Peniel, not just a moment, but an entire new movement through his new name.

"He said, 'Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.'”
--Genesis 32:28

"'Memorial' as the translation of 'azkarah' is a sacrificial term, that which brings the offerer into remembrance before God, or brings God into favorable remembrance with the offerer...."
--International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

Jacob named these places so he would remember what God had done, and so his children and his descendants would remember what God had done. Life-changing moments upon which he could remember the favor of his Lord, the provision and love of his Lord. In Hosea's time, there was little Israel could look to, memorial-wise, to remember the favor of the Lord upon His people. What Israel hadn't completely marred, God would destroy. Yet....

"Therefore, return to your God, observe kindness and justice, and wait for your God continually."
--vs. 6

Even when their memorial landmarks would be taken away, Israel could still draw direction from Hosea's words, and remember Jacob's perseverance and faithfulness. They certainly did not have the strength or fight to prevail over "the man," much less any man. But, God had not abandoned them, either. Their charge? To "wait...continually." The Hebrew word means "to bind together...to expect, gather, look patiently...." [Strong's]

"The most important and frequent use of the word wait, however, is to define the attitude of a soul God-ward. It implies the listening ear, a heart responsive to the wooing of God, a concentration of the spiritual faculties upon heavenly things, the patience of faith, 'the earnest expectation of the creation' (Romans 8:19)."
--International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

And, Israel is reminded that God has been God for a long time. More from Chapter 12.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: icenchristine.spi-blog.com

* * *

Next week: Hosea 12: 7-10

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 11: 8-12

2011-11-09T11:25:00.001-05:00

⁸ How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
How can I surrender you, O Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart is turned over within Me,
All My compassions are kindled.
⁹ I will not execute My fierce anger;
I will not destroy Ephraim again.
For I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst,
And I will not come in wrath.
¹⁰ They will walk after the LORD,
He will roar like a lion;
Indeed He will roar
And His sons will come trembling from the west.
¹¹ They will come trembling like birds from Egypt
And like doves from the land of Assyria;
And I will settle them in their houses, declares the LORD.
¹² Ephraim surrounds Me with lies
And the house of Israel with deceit;
Judah is also unruly against God,
Even against the Holy One who is faithful.

The end of Chapter 11 comes with verses opening like that of Shakespeare--"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways." God says, "How can I give you up?" His love for His people shines through the prophet's words this week.

God refers to not treating Israel as He did Admah and Zeboiim. These two cities are not as widely recognized by name as their destroyed cousins, Sodom and Gomorrah. Now that's a point of reference!

"‘All its land is brimstone and salt, a burning waste, unsown and unproductive, and no grass grows in it, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which the LORD overthrew in His anger and in His wrath.’"
--Deuteronomy 29:23

We come to the end of verse 8 in which God expresses an ultimate statement of love: "My heart is turned over within me. All of my compassions are kindled." This is part of the character of God that I absolutely accept, but that I cannot with any merit sufficiently explain. We have visited this concept of God "changing His mind" before. To say that would imply that He is not omniscient. Nothing in Israel's behavior would suggest that He even had reason to change His mind, which is why His mercy on His people is so unbelievable. "For I am God and not man...." (vs. 9)

Clearly, even through the chapters of discipline and punishment that we have read, there was an understanding from the beginning of Hosea--through the prophet's very life story--that God's compassion for His people was immense. Restoration of His relationship with them was paramount. Of course He knew His people would fail, and He would bring destruction and exile upon them--but out of the deepest love and passion for them, not out of vengeance and hate.

"Compassion, literally a feeling with and for others, is a fundamental and distinctive quality of the Biblical conception of God, and to its prominence the world owes more than words can express."
--W. L. Walker, writing in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

"'Great is Thy faithfulness,' O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be."
--http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/19#ixzz1dDwyh1ON

The reality of Israel's next steps, however, continue to be spoken. Note verse 12. Ephraim would be destroyed at this time. His people would be captured and, then, scattered.

"In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came and captured Ijon and Abel-beth-maacah and Janoah and Kedesh and Hazor and Gilead and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria."
--II Kings 15:29

God will "roar like a lion" in His judgment. (vs 10) But, as we learned from Joel, "the LORD is a refuge for His people and a stronghold to the sons of Israel." (3:16) The end of verse 10 and verse 11 may be confusing as far as the timeframe and movement. It says people are moving "from the west." This geographical reference is so simple as to gloss over it, yet when we stop and pause, it seems to be in error. If Ephraim is held captive in Assyria and Judah in Babylon, then they would come back to Israel from east to west, not from west to east. My study Bible explains that "this undoubtedly has reference to His return at the Second Advent to set up the millennial kingdom, when He calls Israel from their worldwide dispersion and reverses the judgment of 9:17." [which says, "My God will cast them away because they have not listened to Him; And they will be wanderers among the nations."]

With all of His compassions kindled--His merciful love that no earthly being can emulate or imagine--God promises that He will, once and for all, restore His own unto Himself.

^"Thus says the Lord GOD, 'When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and will manifest My holiness in them in the sight of the nations, then they will live in their land which I gave to My servant Jacob. They will live in it securely; and they will build houses, plant vineyards and live securely when I execute judgments upon all who scorn them round about them. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God.'

"Also the tree of the field will yield its fruit and the earth will yield its increase, and they will be secure on their land. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bars of their yoke and have delivered them from the hand of those who enslaved them."
--Ezekiel 28: 25 & 26, and 34:27

Chapter 12, "Ephraim reminded".... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: merrimentdesign.com

* * *

Next week: Hosea 12: 1-5

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 11: 1-7

2011-11-02T00:00:00.000-04:00

Hosea 11

God Yearns over His People

¹ When Israel was a youth I loved him,
And out of Egypt I called My son.
² The more they called them,
The more they went from them;
They kept sacrificing to the Baals
And burning incense to idols.
³ Yet it is I who taught Ephraim to walk,
I took them in My arms;
But they did not know that I healed them.
⁴ I led them with cords of a man, with bonds of love,
And I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws;
And I bent down and fed them. ⁵ They will not return to the land of Egypt;
But Assyria—he will be their king
Because they refused to return to Me.
⁶ The sword will whirl against their cities,
And will demolish their gate bars
And consume them because of their counsels.
⁷ So My people are bent on turning from Me.
Though they call them to the One on high,
None at all exalts Him.

Chapter 11 may make you think bankruptcy, but be assured that with Israel and God, there is perennial hope, even in the bleakest of circumstances. With this chapter, we begin to see a shift in the tone and text of Hosea. Mind you, even with all that we have read over these months, God still loves His people. Amidst His anger with them, we also see that love.

Verse 1 says that God loved Israel, His people, in its earliest days. Then, look at the glimpse into the future we see in the second part of the verse--"out of Egypt I called My son." Even when Israel was not a safe place in which to be, God would call His Son back, so He could be among His people.

"Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, 'Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.' So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ^'OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON.'"

--Matthew 2:13-15

Verse 2 recalls Israel's current state. More easily understood for me are the translations that use 'the prophets' rather than 'they'. The more the prophets called on Israel, the more Israel ran away from the prophets. God's frustration shows, again, in verse 3, as He recalls having taught Israel (Ephraim) "to walk" or, "to go" in the King James, both having their literal meanings, but, also, figurative meanings, such as "to behave oneself." [Strong's] When we know the word of God, when we are taught how to walk and go and behave according to His way, how can we turn away and still claim we are in a relationship with Him? Our personal history with God goes back before time began. How can we stand? This is the position in which Israel found itself as Hosea ministered to them.

"The LORD your God who goes before you will Himself fight on your behalf, just as He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, just as a man carries his son, in all the way which you have walked until you came to this place. But for all this, you did not trust the LORD your God, who goes before you on your way, to seek out a place for you to encamp, in fire by night and cloud by day, to show you the way in which you should go."
--Deuteronomy 1: 30-33

Verse 4 is God's beautiful testimony of His love. Leading with cords of a man implies tight-knit strength. Bonds, or bands, of love. (There's that reference to the marriage covenant. With this ring--with this band--I thee wed.) "Lifted the yoke" and "bent down and fed them." Last week, we read about the yoke being put on. Today, we remember that He had lifted that yoke of slavery, came down to be before His people, and fed them of Himself, that they would want to walk in His ways. Israel has forgotten its time in Egypt, its time in the wilderness, the way once learned.

^"Moreover, I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so that you would not be their slaves, and I broke the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect."
--Leviticus 26: 11-13

Verses 5 and 6 return to speaking of Israel's punishment over their disobedience, with verse 7 noting the nation's acknowledgment of God, yet its utterly unfaithful exultation of God for who He is.

"No man repented of his wickedness,
Saying, ‘What have I done?’
Everyone turned to his course,
Like a horse charging into the battle.
'Even the stork in the sky
Knows her seasons;
And the turtledove and the swift and the thrush
Observe the time of their migration;
But My people do not know
The ordinance of the LORD.'"
--Jeremiah 8: 6b-7

Fully into Fall, now, the geese migration is on regular audible and visual display! The geese know its time to fly, because the One who created them endowed them with the knowledge of their migratory season and pattern. But Israel does not obey His ordinances. God says, "...My people are bent on turning from Me," or, from the King James, "And my people are bent to backsliding from me...." 'Backsliding' is a wonderfully descriptive word. The Hebrew word translates "stubborn" or "rebellious," which we certainly know to be true of Israel. But the visual picture of sliding backwards is so strong--and active.

"In all places the word is used of Israel forsaking Jehovah, and with a reference to the covenant relation between Jehovah and the nation, conceived as a marriage tie which Israel had violated. Jehovah was Israel’s husband, and by her idolatries with other gods she had proved unfaithful (Jer 3:8,14; 14:7; Hos 14:4). It may be questioned whether Israel was guilty so much of apostasy and defection, as of failure to grow with the growing revelation of God. The prophets saw that their contemporaries fell far short of their own ideal, but they did not realize how far their predecessors also had fallen short of the rising prophetic standard in ideal and action."

--International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (italics, mine)

This is a very interesting commentary. As God should have been becoming bigger in the hearts and lives of the Israelites, instead, He was reduced in significance--a name upon which to refer, but not to exalt; a "club" to which to belong, but not to heed its code of conduct or membership rules. They failed to grow in the plan God established for them. They failed to see His goodness, mercy, grace and provision in light of themselves. They failed to understand that the provision of His law was to help them, not to burden them. They should have been taking steps forward, as they did with Him leading them through the wilderness--but, they slid backwards. And they became bent on doing it.

"I am God..." Hear Me roar!.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: ruralmissouri.coop

* * *

Next week: Hosea 11: 8-12

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 10: 11-15

2011-10-26T00:00:00.000-04:00

¹¹ Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh,
But I will come over her fair neck with a yoke;
I will harness Ephraim,
Judah will plow, Jacob will harrow for himself.
¹² Sow with a view to righteousness,
Reap in accordance with kindness;
Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the LORD
Until He comes to rain righteousness on you.
¹³ You have plowed wickedness, you have reaped injustice,
You have eaten the fruit of lies.
Because you have trusted in your way, in your numerous warriors,
¹⁴ Therefore a tumult will arise among your people,
And all your fortresses will be destroyed,
As Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle,
When mothers were dashed in pieces with their children.
¹⁵ Thus it will be done to you at Bethel because of your great wickedness.
At dawn the king of Israel will be completely cut off.

I do love reading this rich text in Hosea, even though the subject matter is very difficult to embrace. The language--even in the English--is full of word pictures. God opened Chapter 10 with the picture of Israel as a luxuriant vine, producing abundant fruit, yet growing in the furrows of the field amongst the poisonous weeds of judgment. (vs. 4) He ends the chapter with further references to planting and turning the tables on the mention of cows back upon Israel.

Since Israel is stubborn like a stubborn heifer,
Can the LORD now pasture them like a lamb in a large field?

--Hosea 4:16

The cow-worshiping Israelites are once again referred by God as being like a cow, or, a heifer. These strong animals were used regularly in the care and maintenance of the planting fields. Not only has Israel been "stubborn" in its ways, but, as verse 11 says, it has been "trained" in that way and loves to "thresh," or trample out the grain. (The King James Version says 'corn.') Threshing was not considered difficult work, as it involved the heifer, with all its weight, traversing the fields, its hooves separating corn from cob. The heifer could even eat the yields whenever it felt hungry. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia describes the heifer's life here in Hosea as a "picture of contentment."

Obviously, this life of ease and self-sufficiency is not what God desired for Israel, as He plans to put a yoke upon the heifer. No longer would the animal be used for threshing but for plowing, which was much more difficult work. "Judah would plow" and "Jacob will harrow," or break up the clods of dirt that arose after the plowing. None of God's chosen was exempt from this change in work orders.

Verse 12 provides a reprise from the harsh pronouncements. There is commanding direction in this verse but it has a more encouraging tone than it does one of punishment. "Sow with a view to righteousness. Reap in accordance with kindness," or, as some translations use, "loyalty." Yes, there will be yoking and harder days. But Israel has spent too many days plowing wickedness and reaping injustice, eating the fruit of lies. (vs. 13) Yoking and new planting techniques are required. How does Israel plant for growth? Looking to righteousness and being loyal to the Lord. "Break up your fallow ground." Fallow ground is that which has been unseeded for a year or more. God says to break up the land that has gone dormant, yielding nothing but those poisonous weeds. "Seek the Lord!"

"The wicked earns deceptive wages,
But he who sows righteousness gets a true reward."
--Proverbs 11:18

I think it's worth noting the phrasing "Sow with a view to righteousness." The Israelites thought themselves righteous, which would be impossible having no active relationship with God the Father. He says that their yoking days must continue, "until He comes to rain righteousness on you." By 'rain', He means to teach, to instruct, to show the way to righteousness. Israel would put on a yoke of oppression and slavery in its captivity to Assyria. But only until such a time that God finished the teaching work He needed to do. Then, He would provide refreshment for their souls.

“So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD.
His going forth is as certain as the dawn;
And He will come to us like the rain,
Like the spring rain watering the earth.”

--Hosea 6:3

The end of the chapter marks the finality of Israel's punishment, with its takeover by Assyria. It is thought that Shalman (vs. 14) is a reference to Shalmaneser V, the king of Assyria at that time. I was excited to have come across 'Beth-arbel', in that I knew what half the Hebrew meant. 'Beth' means "house of," as in Bethel meaning "house of God" (Beth-El). So Beth-arbel must have meant "house of" something. It turns out to mean "house of God's ambush." Reading the rest of verse 14 fills out the details of the kind of king Shalmaneser was. I've mentioned this before, but remember again, that God brought the king of Assyria under His control. The takeover and exile to come were His doing.

"Thus it will be done to you...." (vs. 15)

Indeed, consultation of II Kings explains how Israel's king Hoshea would be "completely cut off" and the nation of Israel yoked to break up its fallow spiritual ground in captivity.

"Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against him, and Hoshea became his servant and paid him tribute. But the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea, who had sent messengers to So king of Egypt and had offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year; so the king of Assyria shut him up and bound him in prison. Then the king of Assyria invaded the whole land and went up to Samaria and besieged it three years. In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and carried Israel away into exile to Assyria, and settled them in Halah and Habor, on the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes."
--II Kings 17: 3-6

Chapter 11--"God Yearns over His People." I don't know about you, but I'm ready to read about His grace and mercy.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: messianic-torah-truth-seeker.org

* * *

Next week: Hosea 11: 1-7

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 10: 5-10

2011-10-19T11:26:00.002-04:00

⁵ The inhabitants of Samaria will fear
For the calf of Beth-aven.
Indeed, its people will mourn for it,
And its idolatrous priests will cry out over it,
Over its glory, since it has departed from it.
⁶ The thing itself will be carried to Assyria
As tribute to King Jareb;
Ephraim will be seized with shame
And Israel will be ashamed of its own counsel.
⁷ Samaria will be cut off with her king
Like a stick on the surface of the water.
⁸ Also the high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, will be destroyed;
Thorn and thistle will grow on their altars;
Then they will say to the mountains,
“Cover us!” And to the hills, “Fall on us!”
⁹ From the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel;
There they stand!
Will not the battle against the sons of iniquity overtake them in Gibeah?
¹⁰ When it is My desire, I will chastise them;
And the peoples will be gathered against them
When they are bound for their double guilt.

As we read this mid-section of Chapter 10 of Hosea, we come across some familiar ideas--ideas we first came across back in Chapter 4. The establishment of calf worship by Israel's king, Jeroboam, comes under fiery attack by God, as we continue to read about His retribution upon His people.

Let's review some place names. Samaria (vs 1) is the capital of Ephraim, which is the largest tribe of Israel that has been used in Hosea in reference to all of Israel. The people of Samaria will be "cut off" from God, and left to float away recklessly without Him "like a stick on the surface of the water." (vs. 7) When branches separate from the vine, we understand from the New Testament that all purposeful life goes with that separation. God illustrates His wrath in separating Himself from the Israelites, allowing them to be snipped and carried off into Assyrian captivity.

Beth-aven and Aven are references to the homes of idol worship. The Amplified Bible helps our understanding by breaking down the words within: "Aven--[once Beth(el), house of God, now (Beth-)aven, house of idolatry]." Even as the people and priests cry out for their idols (vs 5), the Lord will consume their places of worship with "thorn and thistle" (vs. 8)

Verse 6 tells us that the calf, and, thus, idol worship in general, will be found in Assyria--"a tribute to King Jareb." This is another name that we discovered earlier in Hosea:

"When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound,
Then Ephraim went to Assyria and sent to King Jareb.
But he is unable to heal you, or to cure you of your wound."

--Hosea 5:13

King Jareb is not the name of a real Assyrian king, but that a powerful foreign king who did not worship the God of Heaven would come and take God's people away is fact. Information from the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia suggests that King Jareb "is probably an epithet or nickname applied to the Assyrian king...'a king that should contend'...'the king that should plead.'" Earthly powerful? To a point. But, remember, this was God's engineering, because no king of Assyria could heal Israel's sickness.

Verse 6 also gives us a glimpse into Israel's reaction to God's retribution. The people will be "seized with shame" and "ashamed of its own counsel." Verse 8 continues with the realization of the horrible mess they have gotten themselves into, as the people cry out as in the last days. To put some perspective on these words, look at Jesus quoting Hosea as He is walking with His cross:

"And following Him was a large crowd of the people, and of women who were mourning and lamenting Him. But Jesus turning to them said, 'Daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’ Then they will begin TO SAY TO THE MOUNTAINS, ‘FALL ON US,’ AND TO THE HILLS, ‘COVER US.’ For if they do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?'”
--Luke 23: 27-31

Jesus, in facing the wrath of God for the sins of the world, reframes these words by referencing three time periods at once. This is a message to those who would soon be without Him on Earth; those who will face the last days of Earth in the time of the Tribulation; and, those who walked in the days of Israel's captivity to Assyria. Don't look at me, He said, look at yourselves, look at what you're doing, what you have done. "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34)

"Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward."
--Jeremiah 7:24

"From the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel." I mentioned the story of Gibeah in Chapter 9 of Hosea, and you can find it in detail in Judges 19 and 20. In short, almost the entire tribe of Benjamin is wiped out in a war, caused by most heinous circumstances. But sin will be overtaken at Gibeah. (vs 10) God's chastisement of His people will be done, "when they are bound for their double guilt."

What is "double guilt"? The Amplified Bible says, "when I shall bind and yoke them for their two transgressions [revolt from the Lord their God and the worship of idols]." Throughout our reading of Hosea, God has pointed to this "double" sin over which Israel had shown no recognition of much less remorse over. Their multiple times sinning without regard for God's Word has led to the awarding of a double punishment. The King James Version translates the end of verse 10 this way: "...When they shall bind themselves in their two furrows." I like how this fits with verse 4 from last week: "Judgment sprouts like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field." Israel has bound itself to poisonous weeds, which will all be pruned and cast away, that the Vine remain pure.

Interestingly, also, is that Gibeah means "hill," which is not unlike a furrow.

Turning the tables on the 'cow'.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: flickr.com

* * *

Next week: Hosea 10: 11-15

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 10: 1-4

2011-10-12T00:00:00.000-04:00

Hosea 10

Retribution for Israel’s Sin

¹ Israel is a luxuriant vine;
He produces fruit for himself.
The more his fruit,
The more altars he made;
The richer his land,
The better he made the sacred pillars.
² Their heart is faithless;
Now they must bear their guilt.
The LORD will break down their altars
And destroy their sacred pillars. ³ Surely now they will say, “We have no king,
For we do not revere the LORD.
As for the king, what can he do for us?”
⁴ They speak mere words,
With worthless oaths they make covenants;
And judgment sprouts like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field.

Luxuriant! It's not every day I come across something luxuriant. Hosea offers up a word picture at the beginning of Chapter 10 in describing Israel as "a luxuriant vine." Clearly, the prophet depicts Israel's earthly successes and prosperity. High-yielding fields provided much fruit. The sale of the trade of fruit provided funds to build up the land, as well as build up the temples and accessories necessary to serve the gods the people had decided to serve. Suddenly, not such a luxuriant life after all, unless you are Bael or....

The King James Version uses 'empty' instead of 'luxuriant'. The Hebrew adjective used means "to pour out, empty or make void." Dictionary.com also offers "lacking in restraint." Israel invested its luxuriant success into itself as a vine growing abundantly but with irreverent abandon. There's a lovely parable in Isaiah that captures the scene beautifully:

"Let me sing now for my well-beloved
A song of my beloved concerning His vineyard.
My well-beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hill.
He dug it all around, removed its stones,
And planted it with the choicest vine.
And He built a tower in the middle of it
And also hewed out a wine vat in it;
Then He expected it to produce good grapes,
But it produced only worthless ones."

--Isaiah 5: 1-2

"Their heart is faithless." Here's another opportunity for some fun word study. Verse 2 is self-explanatory as written in the NASB, but other translations use 'smooth' for 'faithless'. What is a smooth heart? The picturesque nature of Hebrew makes this verse even more abundantly clear. Smooth stones were often used when it came time to cast lots for something, as in to separate for distribution among those present. To have a smooth heart, therefore, would be a separated or divided heart. [Strong's] Faithless to God, without a doubt. Divided between God and the baels? Even more accurate.

"Elijah came near to all the people and said, 'How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.' But the people did not answer him a word."
--I Kings 18: 20-21

We know it is not God's pleasure to have people be lukewarm over Him. Elijah had to prove that to the Israelites through a graphic demonstration of God's consuming fire and his self-slaying 450 prophets of Bael. In Revelation 3, the church of Laodicea receives the cold slap from God that it is spiritually tepid. "Because you say, 'I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,' and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked...." Pre-captivity Israel is just another "smooth operator."

...Who "must bear their guilt," continues verse 2. God has found fault with Israel and it will face punishment as it deserves, which is what this whole chapter is about--retribution. Not only will the people be tossed from the land, but God will do away with all of Israel's sites and tools of idol worship. "He shall spoil their images," reads the KJV. Check out this explanation of the Hebrew for 'spoil'--"Properly to be burly, i.e. (figuratively) powerful (passive impregnable); by implication to ravage." God's gonna be burly on those graven images!

I jest a bit, but think about what it would mean for God to come in and ravage the images--the pillars--of that which keeps us from worshiping Him alone. We think we can fight off things ourselves, not unlike a certain people mentioned in this chapter. But, perhaps we need to turn over our idols to God for some spiritual bullying and burliness. It's hard to make images go away by themselves, and this is part of Israel's problem here, too.

The point of verse 3 is that Israel not only doesn't acknowledge God as their King, but doesn't acknowledge its kings as king either. My study Bible notes that the last five kings of Israel, prior to the captivity period, were "usurpers." With all that jumbling of political power going on at the highest earthly levels, trust in government was at an all-time low. "We have no king"--indeed!

The theme of covenant continues forward into Chapter 10, as we are reminded of Israel's words spoken in a vow, only to be broken. The whole idea of making an oath is that one stands by the words he or she speaks. Yet, Israel's words are considered "worthless" as it has forgotten that which brought the nation together with its Father.

I was reading cross-references in Deuteronomy, re-visiting the words of God to Moses as the close of the leader's days on Earth. How tragic for Moses to hear these words at the end of his life--that the days of being "stiff-necked" will not be over once the Israelites move into the Promised Land. It made me appreciate, too, how tragic for God to know this truth, not only then, but now, in Hosea, upon sending His people out of the Promised Land.

^"'For when I bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to their fathers, and they have eaten and are satisfied and become prosperous, then they will turn to other gods and serve them, and spurn Me and break My covenant. Then it shall come about, when many evils and troubles have come upon them, that this song [Moses' song that he will write, to become Deuteronomy 32] will testify before them as a witness (for it shall not be forgotten from the lips of their descendants); for I know their intent which they are developing today, before I have brought them into the land which I swore.'"
--Deuteronomy 31: 20-21

Read that last line of Deuteronomy one more time. "For I know their intent which they are developing today...." God doesn't come to Hosea and say, "Hey, I've seen what My people are doing, and it's really bad this time. I'm going to have to punish them. Go let them know." From way back, God knew the intent of their hearts. He knew that despite Moses' efforts at leading and teaching His people that they were hard-hearted, wayward and prone to wandering. Last week, we called that restlessness. The intent of the heart of Israel remained the same as it did that day God spoke to Moses, and God's intent to bring "evils and troubles" would remain His intent as well.

"...Thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field."
--Hosea 10:4 (King James Version)

Double their pleasures; double their punishment.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: ipm.iastate.edu

* * *

Next week: Hosea 10: 5-10

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 9:14-17

2011-10-05T00:00:00.000-04:00

¹⁴ Give them, O LORD—what will You give?
Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts. ¹⁵ All their evil is at Gilgal;
Indeed, I came to hate them there!
Because of the wickedness of their deeds
I will drive them out of My house!
I will love them no more;
All their princes are rebels.
¹⁶ Ephraim is stricken, their root is dried up,
They will bear no fruit.
Even though they bear children,
I will slay the precious ones of their womb.
¹⁷ My God will cast them away
Because they have not listened to Him;
And they will be wanderers among the nations.

Time to close out another chapter of Hosea, today, as we bring Chapter 9's punishing words to a conclusion. Not that there aren't more difficult words for Israel to hear in the next chapter, but we'll find a changing tone from God as we study the last four chapters of this book of prophecy.

Verse 14 picks up on our verses from last week, in which God has said that Israel will be punished in its inability to have children, their future. Hosea intimates in verse 14 that the punishment will be seen in miscarriage and the loss of ability to feed the infants that are born. The expression of thoughts here, my study Bible suggests, are "reminiscent of the imprecatory psalms." You may be like me in that you are not familiar with that term. But, we have probably read some of those psalms and wondered about them. Imprecatory psalms contain curses or prayers for punishment to be brought upon the enemies of the writer.

For example, Psalm 55, titled in my study Bible, "Prayer for the Destruction of the Treacherous." Here's a sample verse:

"Let death come deceitfully upon them; let them go down alive to Sheol. For evil is in their dwelling, in their midst." (vs. 15)

Is this how we're supposed to pray for our enemies? Why should Hosea be allowed to pray for such a curse as "No birth, no pregnancy and no conception" (Hosea 9:11) upon Israel? Interesting and potentially troublesome. What must be considered in reading such passages is that the writer is drawing upon actions that God Himself has already done. In other words, the psalmist or prophet is not asking anything that God Himself wouldn't do. That means the writer has great knowledge of the will and workings of God. I would struggle to be able to pray such a prayer in confidence! But, this is why I am not a prophet!

Verse 16 presents Israel as a once vivacious plant that is now spiritually dead and will in every other way be "stricken." God has zapped its source of living water, as it were, leaving a dead root structure. The roots are what gather water and nutrients for a plant, not to mention serving as its foundation for stem development. Without a thriving root structure, there is no upward growth. There is no flowering. Sometimes, we may see massive growth in a plant that has a small root structure--usually a weed! Israel's self-determined, self-centered weed-like growth was soon to be completely "Round-up"-ped.

"Because they have not listened to Him...."
--vs. 17

The trouble comes because Israel has not listened, has not taken to heart. What did the Law say about having other gods before me? Verse 15 brings us back to a mention of Gilgal (see Hosea 4:15 entry), once a hallowed place in Jewish history, now tainted by idol worship. "I came to hate them there!" God says. "I will drive them out of My house." Hosea follows up this thought, in verse 17, with, "My God will cast them away." The same Hebrew verb is used in both verses, and it means to "drive out from a possession; especially, to expatriate or divorce." [Strong's] We understand that the Israelites will become expatriated, as God is sending them out of their native land into captivity. How about 'divorce'? We are reminded, again, of how Hosea begins, with a covenant marriage that is on the verge of disintegration.

Why did Israel forget the Law? How could Israel forget the consequences? Deuteronomy 28:15 begins many verses in which God outlines the consequences of disobedience for Israel. That God would revisit consequences here in Hosea should not surprise the Israelites. This was part of the foundation of their covenant with Him, given after the Law. It was a covenant of obedience. No one could turn to the Lord and say, "But, You didn't tell us this would happen?"

"Moreover, the LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth; and there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone, which you or your fathers have not known. Among those nations you shall find no rest, and there will be no resting place for the sole of your foot; but there the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing of eyes, and despair of soul."
--Deuteronomy 28: 64-65

The consequences of sin on Earth are truly desperate. Praise God for Jesus in saving believers from the ultimate consequences of sin! Lately, I have found myself coming across 'rest' and 'restless' in my looking at different Bible texts. I'm doing a group study on James, and he talks about the tongue being "a restless evil." Our words being born of the wellspring of our hearts, which must also be restless. Genesis 27:40, speaking of Esau: "'By your sword you shall live, and your brother you shall serve; but it shall come about when you become restless, that you will break his yoke from your neck.” Even in the earliest of days, Cain was declared by God to be "a restless wanderer" after killing his brother. (Genesis 4:13) Some telling thesaurus words for 'restless' include ungratified and unsatisfied. At its most basic definition, 'restless' means unable to be still.

"Be still and know that I am God."
--Psalm 46:10

"Truly my soul finds rest in God."
--Psalm 62:1

It is not good for one to be restless, nor is it good to rest in oneself. Israel would rediscover true rest through the consequences of their restlessness.

Retribution for sin--and some more wonderful metaphors--as Chapter 10 begins.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: picasaweb.google.com

* * *

Next week: Hosea 10: 1-4

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 9:10-13

2011-09-28T11:22:00.002-04:00

¹⁰ I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness;
I saw your forefathers as the earliest fruit on the fig tree in its first season.
But they came to Baal-peor and devoted themselves to shame,
And they became as detestable as that which they loved.
¹¹ As for Ephraim, their glory will fly away like a bird—
No birth, no pregnancy and no conception!
¹² Though they bring up their children,
Yet I will bereave them until not a man is left.
Yes, woe to them indeed when I depart from them!
¹³ Ephraim, as I have seen,
Is planted in a pleasant meadow like Tyre;
But Ephraim will bring out his children for slaughter.

We begin the second half of Hosea, Chapter 9, with metaphorical remembrances as to the special place Israel had in the heart of God. "Grapes in the wilderness," "earliest fruit on the fig tree" (vs 10) and "a pleasant meadow like Tyre" (vs 13) describes a new, sweet, refreshing fellowship between the Israelites and God. Permission to sing the Carpenters' "We've Only Just Begun" granted, because that's the kind of new and beautiful relationship we are talking about. Note that God is speaking of the earliest Israelites--the forefathers of those to whom Hosea is addressing. However, the beauty of these descriptions would be overshadowed in our passage today by equally passionate statements of loss, woe and hatred.

Verse 10 moves from pleasure to shame, as we are reminded that no sooner had God led His people--those forefathers--out of bondage in Egypt that they would begin to form bonds with the false god Baal at Peor, a town of Moab. Idol worship leading to immoral behavior led God to quickly step in (see Numbers 25) and have those involved in the behavior killed by the judges of Israel as a statement of discipline. The situation of Hosea's Israel is equally horrifying to God. "And they became as detestable as that which they loved." That is a truly harsh statement.

"Their idols are silver and gold,
The work of man’s hands.
They have mouths, but they cannot speak;
They have eyes, but they cannot see;
They have ears, but they cannot hear;
They have noses, but they cannot smell;
They have hands, but they cannot feel;
They have feet, but they cannot walk;
They cannot make a sound with their throat.
Those who make them will become like them,
Everyone who trusts in them."
--Psalm 115: 4-8

There is a reason God devoted so much explanation in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5) about the problem with idols. Have NOTHING to come before Me and don't make ANYTHING that might resemble Me to come before Me. God's saying, I AM! the One and the Only. He knew enough about the wayward human heart to make these commandments 1 and 2. Because, if you make it, you will trust it, and you will become like it--"detestable as that which they loved," according to God. If you explore the roots of 'detest', it means to "denounce with one's testimony." (Dictionary.com) By the testimony of their lives, Israel had denounced their Father, and, needless to say, the Father cannot be in relationship with that which He finds detestable.

Verse 11 says that the "glory," or the abundance, the honor, the hallowed place of respect in the covenant relationship with God, will "fly away like a bird." God will "depart from them" (vs 12) as a bird taking flight from a branch. Whatever special protections and grace had been put in place by God would be removed. "'You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself,'" speaks God in Exodus 19:4. No longer would Israel live as saved by the wings of the eagle.

"Then My anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide My face from them, and they will be consumed, and many evils and troubles will come upon them; so that they will say in that day, ‘Is it not because our God is not among us that these evils have come upon us?’"
--Deuteronomy 31:17

The majority of the passage focuses on the loss of Israel's future, as the ability to have and raise children will be taken away. If you think back to the stories of the Israelites--Abraham and Sarah; Isaac and Rebekah; David and Bathsheba--the importance of children, the blessing of children, the struggles over children dominated their lives. The loss of David's son was devastating! The significance of carrying forth to a next generation was huge! For God to say "no" to all aspects of furthering the lineage of the people would be a crushing, sickening blow. And if we didn't know how this story would change, come the Word from the Gospels, we would believe Israel to be truly hopeless.

^"O Israel, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield."
--Psalm 115: 9

Chapter 9 concludes next week.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: growing-grapes.org

* * *

Next week: Hosea 9:14-17

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 9: 6-9

2011-09-21T00:00:00.000-04:00

⁶ For behold, they will go because of destruction;
Egypt will gather them up, Memphis will bury them.
Weeds will take over their treasures of silver;
Thorns will be in their tents. ⁷ The days of punishment have come,
The days of retribution have come;
Let Israel know this!
The prophet is a fool,
The inspired man is demented,
Because of the grossness of your iniquity,
And because your hostility is so great.
⁸ Ephraim was a watchman with my God, a prophet;
Yet the snare of a bird catcher is in all his ways,
And there is only hostility in the house of his God.
⁹ They have gone deep in depravity
As in the days of Gibeah;
He will remember their iniquity,
He will punish their sins.

Chapter 9 of Hosea continues with the prophet explaining why Israel will be led away into captivity. Note the use of 'because':

"...of destruction"--vs.6
"...of the grossness of your iniquity"--vs 7
"...your hostility is so great"--vs 7
(by inference) "...the snare of the bird catcher is in all his ways"--vs 8
(by inference) "...there is only hostility in the house of his God"--vs 8
(by inference) "...they have gone deep in depravity"--vs 9

I am struck by the two-time use of 'hostility' in these passages. It means enmity, which is a word for mutual hatred. When did I first learn the meaning of 'enmity'? From reading the Bible:

"And I [God] will put enmity
Between you [the serpent] and the woman,
And between your seed and her seed;
He [Christ] shall bruise you on the head,
And you shall bruise him on the heel.”
--Genesis 3:15 (with my added clarifications)

Dictionary.com further defines 'hostile' as "applying to the spirit, attitude, or action of an enemy." At its most basic English root, it means "of or belonging to an enemy." Why is God so full of wrath? Because in spirit, attitude and action, Israel belongs to the ENEMY! The only One in the position of restoring these people is God Himself. The only One who can snap the pull that the Enemy has is God! The only One capable of grace, love and mercy in a period of "mutual hatred"--over spirit, attitude and action--is God.

"I will first doubly repay their iniquity and their sin, because they have polluted My land; they have filled My inheritance with the carcasses of their detestable idols and with their abominations.”

--Jeremiah 16:18

We started with concept. Let's look back a minute for content in verse 6. 'Egypt' will gather them up, referring to Assyria. 'Memphis' will bury them. Memphis is the name of an old capital in Egypt. My study Bible does not indicate that Memphis equates with anything on the Assyrian side. As pointed out in a previous post, there were some from Israel who were taken into captivity in Egypt. This reference may refer to those. Or perhaps it is strictly metaphorical. I don't have a solid answer on this one, except that I can see how Egypt and Memphis relate to each other. [And Memphis is not in Tennessee!]

Weeds, thorns, punishment and retribution. We get the idea! Instead of 'punishment,' some translations, like the King James Version, use 'visitation', which does not imply an actual visit by God--but, close. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia says, of 'visitation,' "In Biblical writings, the divine investigation or inspection of men’s character and deeds with a view to apportioning to them their due lot, whether of reward or of chastisement; divine dispensation of mercy or of punishment."

In my childhood church, the Ten Commandments were presented from the pulpit pretty much every Sunday. Some Sundays, it was an abbreviated version--the Commandments without the detail. But, on other Sundays, and definitely for Catechism Class, it was the full Exodus 20 (or Deuteronomy 5) Scripture version. Note verse 5 of Exodus 20 in the King James:

"Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me...."

I was confused by this one on a few levels growing up, but "visiting the iniquity" definitely needed some translation. Even if I understood it as "punishing the sins," the concept didn't quite make sense as it seems to say third and fourth generations will be punished. This is not true! We are not punished for someone else's sins. But, in His infinite wisdom, God understood that sins undealt with could lead to additional problems (i.e., sinning) down the line. Consider the New Living Translation version of the same verse:

"I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me."

The family "is affected." The impact of the sins committed in the authority figures of the family will have a trickle-down effect into the family, the environment, the culture, etc. If God does not "visit the iniquity"--chastising, punishing--out of His love to discipline and to impact the next generation, what happens? If the sons of Israel have learned enmity from their fathers, what of the generations of children to come, if not for God's Holy intervention? Long tangent, but it completes a circle, doesn't it? Moving forward....

"The prophet is [considered] a crazed fool and the man who is inspired is [treated as if] mad or a fanatic, because of the abundance of your iniquity and because the enmity, hostility, and persecution are great."
--Verse 9:7b (Amplified Bible)

What a position for Hosea to have himself--to call himself, essentially, a crazed fool! God called him, and prophets like him, not to easy missions. How would you feel having to deliver bad news all the time? Not that this gives anyone the right to condemn the messenger of God, yet, that was Israel's position, having forsaken God and His Word as to the significance of prophets:

“Son of man, speak to the sons of your people and say to them, ‘If I bring a sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them and make him their watchman, and he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows on the trumpet and warns the people, then he who hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, and a sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet but did not take warning; his blood will be on himself. But had he taken warning, he would have delivered his life.'"
--Ezekiel 33: 2-5

And Ephraim was a watchman for God! To have been in a position of receiving God's Word so intimately and personally--then to sacrifice that privilege, bound up in the snare of a fowler.... Verse 9 cuts even deeper than Israel's plunge into depravity as Hosea reminds them of the story of what happened at Gibeah. You will need to read Judges 19 to learn the entire story (and you will find yourself reading into 20, as well). It's the kind of material the producers from "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" would use to craft an episode, "ripped from the headlines," as it were. [shudder!] Suffice it to say that if Hosea is calling up this story, Israel is in some mighty dark days.

"He will remember their iniquity,
He will punish their sins."

--Verse 9

"And they became as detestable as that which they loved...." Wow, more tough stuff ahead.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: bpl.org

* * *

Next week: Hosea 9:10-13

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 9: 1-5

2011-09-14T00:00:00.000-04:00

Hosea 9

Ephraim Punished

¹Do not rejoice, O Israel, with exultation like the nations!
For you have played the harlot, forsaking your God.
You have loved harlots’ earnings on every threshing floor.
² Threshing floor and wine press will not feed them,
And the new wine will fail them.
³ They will not remain in the LORD’S land,
But Ephraim will return to Egypt,
And in Assyria they will eat unclean food.
⁴ They will not pour out drink offerings of wine to the LORD,
Their sacrifices will not please Him.
Their bread will be like mourners’ bread;
All who eat of it will be defiled,
For their bread will be for themselves alone;
It will not enter the house of the LORD.
⁵ What will you do on the day of the appointed festival
And on the day of the feast of the LORD?

As we reach Chapter 9 in Hosea, the prophet begins to speak more openly about what awaits the punished nation of Israel in the land of the "new Egypt," Assyria. (vs. 3) Areas in which Israel would have celebrated itself for its success--"with exultation like the nations"--would be turned Right-side-up by Hosea.

We have been presented with the illustration of harlotry throughout this book, understanding that Israel's forsaking God in all respects defiled its covenant with God. Verse 1 takes this concept yet another step forward, saying that Israel has "loved harlots' earnings on every threshing floor." We can understand this to mean Israel's gain of richness in food and monetary stores, which is true. But, my study Bible says that this is truly a literal passage. "These were the very places ["threshing floor and wine press...", vs 2] where sacred prostitution took place in an attempt to cause Baal to bring prosperity." Is it any wonder "the new wine will fail them." Blech!

“Therefore, I will take back My grain at harvest time
And My new wine in its season.
I will also take away My wool and My flax
Given to cover her nakedness."
--Hosea 2:9

Verse 3 denotes Assyria as "Egypt" and says that Israelites will eat unclean food. Assyria may have been used by God to hold His people, but Assyria is not the country by which the Israelites will learn to right themselves. There will not be opportunities to worship God as they had done, when they were honestly worshiping. God has withdrawn Himself. Sacrifices offered would be rejected. Deuteronomy 26 highlights many a commandment presented by the Lord to the Israelites regarding sacrifices and their proper presentation. The people would come to realize that even in their attempts to do right, their hearts would condemn them.

^"Then said Haggai, If one who is [ceremonially] unclean because he has come in contact with a dead body should touch any of these articles of food, shall it be [ceremonially] unclean? And the priests answered, It shall be unclean. [Unholiness is infectious.] Then answered Haggai, So is this people and so is this nation before Me, says the Lord; and so is every work of their hands, and what they offer there [on the altar] is unclean [because they who offer it are themselves unclean]."
--Haggai 2: 13-14 [Amplified Bible]

Hosea continues about the bread, saying what the Israelites will metaphorically feed upon in captivity is "mourners' bread" or, more literally, "the bread of misfortune." And this defiled bread will become, for the Israelites, "their appetite." Is Assyria getting this bread? No! Shouldn't it? Hmmm.... That's another chapter in another book! God's discipline, here, is for His people--severe, of long duration, yet what was necessary in order to restore their hearts to Him. Israel would remain, even though the people were extracted from it.

"'The land, moreover, shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are but aliens and sojourners with Me.'"
--Leviticus 25:23

What Israel really needed to see is that it had tried to become God. But, as He so makes clear, in passages like the Leviticus one above, everything belongs to Him, and we are but sojourners on the land with Him. Though Israel was not permanently sold and God would bring (and will bring) His people back, for now, they would go without, pondering life amidst the crumbs fallen from the bread of their self-created misfortune.

"The prophets prophesy falsely,
And the priests rule on their own authority;
And My people love it so!
But what will you do at the end of it?"
--Jeremiah 5:31

"Your hostility is so great...." We'll explore this sticking point of God's from Chapter 9.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: orthocuban.com

* * *

Next week: Hosea 9: 6-9

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 8: 8-14

2011-09-07T08:06:00.005-04:00

⁸ Israel is swallowed up;
They are now among the nations
Like a vessel in which no one delights.
⁹ For they have gone up to Assyria,
Like a wild donkey all alone;
Ephraim has hired lovers.
¹⁰ Even though they hire allies among the nations,
Now I will gather them up;
And they will begin to diminish
Because of the burden of the king of princes.

¹¹ Since Ephraim has multiplied altars for sin,
They have become altars of sinning for him.
¹² Though I wrote for him ten thousand precepts of My law,
They are regarded as a strange thing.
¹³ As for My sacrificial gifts,
They sacrifice the flesh and eat it,
But the LORD has taken no delight in them.
Now He will remember their iniquity,
And punish them for their sins;
They will return to Egypt.
¹⁴ For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces;
And Judah has multiplied fortified cities,
But I will send a fire on its cities that it may consume its palatial dwellings.

Chapter 8 concludes today, as we continue to explore the words of Hosea in his reaching out to Israel and Judah. We left off last week with the illustration of grain with no fruit being devoured by strangers in Israel. Today's passage opens with Israel being swallowed up by strangers--the illustration taken one step nearer to fulfillment.

"Like a vessel in which no one delights," says verse 8, of Israel. The King James Version reads, "...Now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure." In the Hebrew, Strong's defines 'pleasure' as "hence (abstractly) desire; concretely a valuable thing; hence (by extension) a matter (as something in mind)." God's covenant people are and will continue to be mixed among the heathen, literally and in all other respects. God says they are a people no longer desired by Him nor will He have regard for or mind them--at least, not in their current state. The recourse for Israel's disobedience, given God's anger, should be obliteration.

"What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?"
--Romans 9:22

We have referenced through this book earlier that Israel has turned to Assyria for assistance. Rather than seek the Lord, Israel sought to make alliances with earthly powers that could provide what they thought they needed, fulfill what the lusts of their heart, getting back to the idea of harlotry portrayed throughout. Here, though, Hosea gives Israel a new designation--"a wild donkey." Not only a stubborn animal but a wild, untamed stubborn animal!

"A wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness, that sniffs the wind in her passion."
--Jeremiah 2:24a

'Onager' is another word for wild donkey, closer to the original Hebrew. Interestingly, this word would later be used as the word for a military catapult for throwing stones. Rather than respecting the stones of faith and boundaries laid by their Godly ancestors, Israel would seem to be throwing away their lineage.

I love how the Jeremiah cross-referenced description of a wild donkey ties in with these next verses of Hosea. "...They will begin to diminish," which is otherwise translated "suffer for awhile". (vs. 10) "Accustomed to the wilderness," as Jeremiah says, Israel will return to its days of wandering in the wilderness, and even back further into its days of captivity, as God will call Assyria forward and use the "allied" nation for His own plan.

"I send [the Assyrian] against a hypocritical and godless nation and against the people of My wrath; I command him to take the spoil and to seize the prey and to tread them down like the mire in the streets. However, this is not his intention [nor is the Assyrian aware that he is doing this at My bidding], neither does his mind so think and plan; but it is in his mind to destroy and cut off many nations."
--Isaiah 10: 6 & 7, Amplified Bible

What God had provided to Israel in those wilderness days--the law and the establishment of the tabernacle for worship and sacrifices--would be used for disgrace and acknowledged as "strange" or foreign. (vs. 12) Remember what we read in Hosea 4:6, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Not that they were not told. They did not retain, pass on or obey what they had learned. The provisions of sacrificial gifts by the Lord, to be offered in return, in thanksgiving, in obedience to that law, upon His altars, were tainted and, thus, rejected.

"They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the LORD accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt."
--Hosea 8:13, King James Version

They will return to "Egypt." Not the literal Egypt, but "the new Egypt," if you will, that being Assyria--new land of slavery and captivity. [My study Bible adds that some refugees of Judah did actually go into captivity in Egypt. (II Kings 25:26)] This will not be the first time Hosea uses 'Egypt' for 'Assyria' as we'll see next week.

The text finishes with a mention of Judah, which would not be taken into captivity until years later by the Babylonians. God punishes Judah for its fortification of cities rather that its trust in God as being their protector.

“They will devour your harvest and your food;
They will devour your sons and your daughters;
They will devour your flocks and your herds;
They will devour your vines and your fig trees;
They will demolish with the sword your fortified cities in which you trust."
--Jeremiah 5:17

"For Israel has forgotten his Maker...." Though we read in other places in the Bible that God forgives and remembers sin no more, at this time, He has chosen to forget the people and remember the sin.

“Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker—an earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth! Will the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing?’"
--Isaiah 45:9

"Ephraim Punished," because of their treatment of the elements.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: jakekail.com

* * *

Next week: Hosea 9: 1-5

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 8: 1-7

2011-08-31T00:00:00.001-04:00

Hosea 8

Israel Reaps the Whirlwind

¹ Put the trumpet to your lips!
Like an eagle the enemy comes against the house of the LORD,
Because they have transgressed My covenant
And rebelled against My law.
² They cry out to Me,
“My God, we of Israel know You!”
³ Israel has rejected the good;
The enemy will pursue him.
⁴ They have set up kings, but not by Me;
They have appointed princes, but I did not know it.
With their silver and gold they have made idols for themselves,
That they might be cut off.
⁵ He has rejected your calf, O Samaria, saying,
“My anger burns against them!”
How long will they be incapable of innocence?
⁶ For from Israel is even this!
A craftsman made it, so it is not God;
Surely the calf of Samaria will be broken to pieces.
⁷ For they sow the wind
And they reap the whirlwind.
The standing grain has no heads;
It yields no grain.
Should it yield, strangers would swallow it up.

The blast from a trumpet is a sound of warning. When God is showing the demonstrative side of His character, He brings the appropriate accompaniment. Again, we understand the basic message of our text from Hosea: Israel minus healthy one-on-one, covenant relationship with God equals discipline (i.e., captivity). How is God telling His message to us in Chapter 8? Loudly, to start!

Verse 1 says, "Like an eagle...." Not to be confused with the reference to eagles' wings in Isaiah 40 as the renewal of strength by the Lord, my study Bible says, more literally, an eagle here should be a vulture. The reference is to the pending attack by Israel's future captive holders, Assyria.

“The LORD will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as the eagle swoops down, a nation whose language you shall not understand, a nation of fierce countenance who will have no respect for the old, nor show favor to the young.... It shall besiege you in all your towns until your high and fortified walls in which you trusted come down throughout your land, and it shall besiege you in all your towns throughout your land which the LORD your God has given you."
--Deuteronomy 28: 49, 50 & 52

Verse 1 continues with the reminder that Israel has been unfaithful. "Transgressed My covenant and rebelled...." Remember the framework of this book: the marriage covenant. Israel cries out in verse 2: "My God, we of Israel know You." Of course if that were true, their behavior, attitude, mindset, focus, allegiance, honor, worship, service would be directed toward God and not to themselves and their foolish attempts to make themselves sufficient without Him. Such platitudes were not ignored. Israel's words and God's response should make us all sit up and take notice. How faithful are we? "And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139: 24, King James Version)

Verses 4 and 5 revisit Israel's sins in the areas of unethical behavior and spiritual wrongdoing at the highest levels of the kingdom's leadership structure--the kings as well as the priests. Verse 5 calls out their worship of the calf, which is a heinous thing to the Lord. After the incredible disgrace suffered by the Israelites at the hands of Aaron, when Moses was en route to receive the Ten Commandments, it's hard to believe such rampant worship of the bull could exist. In reading my study Bible notes and cross-references, it appears we will revisit calf worship in Hosea 10. More on this later.

I do find God's rhetorical question to be quite powerful: "How long will they be incapable of innocence?" The Message paraphrase puts it this way: "How long before they shape up? And they're Israelites!" When the favored home team is on a losing streak, you wonder what it will take to snap them out of it. We say, "They can't do anything right." We've watched our favorite baseball team lose players, coaches, managers, front office people. We're still losing. How long before they come together and recognize their issues? God knows Israel's issues, and He's sending them off--not to the bargaining table but to the special training camp. Clean slate management. He's the only One who can make this team favored again.

Verse 7 is yet another wonderful metaphor from God--a gardening one, yet--to illustrate the situation of Israel. The kingdom has planted a dangerous seed amongst its own--the wind! What happens when you plant the wind? It yields a whirlwind. What's one of the definitions of a whirlwind, according to Dictionary.com? "Any circling rush or violent onward course." Why is God lovingly concerned with the state of His people? They have chosen to follow a violent onward course. Praise Him for loving His people enough to take such drastic measures to start bringing them home!

We just had Hurricane Irene pass through Virginia and much of the eastern coast of the United States. The large circular storm was, indeed, massive in its coverage. Violent? Just ask anyone whose boat was thrown up by the wind or the folks in Vermont who can only be reached by helicopter, at the moment. Might there be a few wind seeds planted on American soil? Not saying that God is punishing America specifically, necessarily, but.... Creation is in His hands as is how He uses it. We do live in a post-man's Fall era. I might suggest that this country is following a violent onward course. But, I digress... a bit.

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap."
--Galatians 6:7

Can you picture the next part of verse 7? Imagine a stalk of wheat. The standing grain is something that rises up, like wheat, on a stalk. But, if there is no head of grain on the stalk, there is merely a stick. Nothing of fruitfulness grows on the stalk. Thus, the next line, "it yields no grain," or no "meal," no "flour." (King James Version) And, if by some reason the stalk did yield grain, "strangers would swallow it up." It would not be the choice spiritual food that God would have planted. No, there is nothing fruitful and productive in what is being grown in Israel.

"He who sows iniquity will reap vanity,
And the rod of his fury will perish."
--Proverbs 22:8

Though He wrote 10,000 precepts, Israel looked upon His word as 'strange'. More trouble in the whirlwind as Chapter 8 concludes.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: crh.noaa.gov

* * *

Next week: Hosea 8: 8-14

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 7: 13-16

2011-08-24T00:00:00.002-04:00

¹³ Woe to them, for they have strayed from Me!
Destruction is theirs, for they have rebelled against Me!
I would redeem them, but they speak lies against Me.
¹⁴ And they do not cry to Me from their heart
When they wail on their beds;
For the sake of grain and new wine they assemble themselves,
They turn away from Me.
¹⁵ Although I trained and strengthened their arms,
Yet they devise evil against Me.
¹⁶ They turn, but not upward,
They are like a deceitful bow;
Their princes will fall by the sword
Because of the insolence of their tongue.
This will be their derision in the land of Egypt.

In this last part of Hosea 7, I am picking up on the strong emotion that Carmen alluded to in comments on the post from two weeks ago. "God seems so sad here, none care, none seek Him," she wrote. It is quite obvious from the tone of the text this week that the fallen relationship with Israel is a personally hard-hitting blow to God, and He is angry about it.

God recalls the gifts of preparing His people--"trained and strengthened their arms" (vs. 15). Yet Israel used those gifts for evil purposes rather than godly ones. God would like to redeem His people, "but they speak lies against Me." (vs. 13) Where there was grace, in return, there was disrespect, injustice and self-righteousness. Even Jesus lamented over Israel's condition, in this cross-reference from Matthew:

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling."
--Matthew 23:37

But, Israel's list of wrongs is overbearing to God in light of His patience, grace, mercy and love:

"Strayed from Me" (vs. 13)
"Rebelled against Me" (vs. 13)
"Do not cry to Me [but] for the sake of grain and new wine they assemble themselves" (vs. 14)
"Turn away from Me" (vs. 14)
"...Turn, but not upward" (vs. 16)

My study Bible notes in verse 14 that many ancient translations use "gash themselves" rather than "assemble themselves." Gashing refers to ritualistic behavior that came with idol worship. If you want to read a cool story of faith--and understand this gashing behavior--read I Kings 18, starting with verse 20, about how Elijah showed the people the difference between God and Baal. Trust me, you'll be fired up after you read it--LOL!

Actually, the princes of Israel have much in common with the prophets of Baal. They will be short-lived. The "insolence" on their tongue will be "their derision." 'Insolence' means rude, insulting or disrespectful speech or behavior. The King James Version uses "the rage of their tongue." [Strong's] What does James say about the tongue?

"So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell."
--James 3: 5 & 6

In the end, Egypt, former home of the enslaved Israelites, will mock the princes of Egypt ("their derision"), as their words, their deeds, their hearts would lead them back into captivity.

“But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,
Who gives songs in the night,
Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth
And makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’"
--Job 35: 10 & 11

"Israel Reaps the Whirlwind"--You know Chapter 8 is up to no good.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: purplecrying.info

* * *

Next week: Hosea 8: 1-7

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 7: 8-12

2011-08-17T00:00:00.003-04:00

⁸ Ephraim mixes himself with the nations;
Ephraim has become a cake not turned.
⁹ Strangers devour his strength,
Yet he does not know it;
Gray hairs also are sprinkled on him,
Yet he does not know it.
¹⁰ Though the pride of Israel testifies against him,
Yet they have not returned to the LORD their God,
Nor have they sought Him, for all this.
¹¹ So Ephraim has become like a silly dove, without sense;
They call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
¹² When they go, I will spread My net over them;
I will bring them down like the birds of the sky.
I will chastise them in accordance with the proclamation to their assembly.

Last week, the oven was too hot because the baker wasn't attending it. This week, the hot oven that is Israel (Ephraim) is now a "cake not turned." Who's running this kitchen? [Who said Gordon Ramsey? Be nice!]

Hosea 7:8 begins with a reference to Israel's poor leadership, "mixing" with other nations. This goes beyond trading and other economic relationships. Israel was indulging itself in other nations' culture and religion, as well as administrative practices. Is it any wonder Israel's devotion to God and His meeting of their needs fell by the wayside? So many other influences when One would have more than sufficed. Perhaps their "batter" contained a few too many foreign "ingredients"?

Given how ovens back in the day would have heated, a cake not turned would have baked thoroughly on only one side. Half burned, half raw. Paula Deen couldn't have saved this cake with butter if she tried!

Verse 9 paints an unsettling picture. If Israel thought itself a stronghold, it was in denial. "Gray hairs also are sprinkled on him, yet he does not know it." How much time do people spend in front of the mirror evaluating how much gray hair they have, among other things? One report says that, globally, we spend $38 billion a year on hair care products. Not enough to cancel out the U.S. deficit, but a good chunk. Somebody's noticing. Israel didn't, and gray hair was highly honored by the Jews. (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia "...A crown of glory...found in the way of righteousness," Proverbs 16:31). Israel wasn't looking at itself in the mirror. What wisdom it had was not noticed. Why not?

"...the pride of Israel testifies against him...."
--vs. 10

Pride said, "No! We don't need to look in the mirror. We know we're successful. We've adapted all these wonderful things from all our neighboring new friends. We're getting to be like them in so many ways. Isn't this great? We don't need anybody else, now. We know what we're doing."

"The highway of the upright is to depart from evil;
He who watches his way preserves his life.
Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before stumbling.
It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly
Than to divide the spoil with the proud."
--Proverbs 16: 17-19

Pride had taken up residence in Israel's heart, and as spoken of last week, there was no true lifeblood flowing from there. Israel was so deep into itself that it could not see how truly desperate a nation it was. Remember those verses we read about the corruption, the unholy religious practices, the bloodshed. Yet, no one could see what was going on around them. And, most importantly, "they have not returned to the Lord their God, nor have they sought Him, for all this." (vs. 10)

Verse 11, Israel moves from being a cake to a "silly dove." Captivity would provide Israel the opportunity to finally look at itself and to realize its foolishness. Instead of "without sense," older translations suggest "without heart." Exactly! Israel would call for help from Egypt and Assyria. Egypt, of course, was the original place of captivity for the Israelites--the place from which God called them that they might be in a new covenant relationship and not slavery. Assyria is the next place for Israel's captivity, with God Himself, spreading "My net over them," that they might be chastised for their waywardness.

There are penalties for disobedience. (Feel free to read one of the cross-references for verse 12--Leviticus 26: 14-39. OH MY!) Even though it isn't stated as boldly as in other places in the Bible, God's grace was clearly covering Israel through His amazing patience with their sin and prideful heart. But, God has limits, and early withdrawal from the covenant comes with substantial penalties.

God's rejected offerings lace the conclusion of Chapter 7.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: for-the-love-of-beauty.blogspot.com

* * *

Next week: Hosea 7: 13-16

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 7: 1-7

2011-08-10T00:00:00.003-04:00

Hosea 7

Ephraim’s Iniquity

¹ When I would heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim is uncovered,
And the evil deeds of Samaria,
For they deal falsely; The thief enters in,
Bandits raid outside, ² And they do not consider in their hearts
That I remember all their wickedness.
Now their deeds are all around them; They are before My face.
³ With their wickedness they make the king glad,
And the princes with their lies. ⁴ They are all adulterers,
Like an oven heated by the baker who ceases to stir up the fire
From the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.
⁵ On the day of our king, the princes became sick with the heat of wine;
He stretched out his hand with scoffers,
⁶ For their hearts are like an oven as they approach their plotting;
Their anger smolders all night,
In the morning it burns like a flaming fire.
⁷ All of them are hot like an oven, and they consume their rulers;
All their kings have fallen. None of them calls on Me.

Iniquity, evil deeds, bandits and thieves. If we weren't studying Hosea, you'd think I was talking about "Cowboys and Aliens" or some other summer blockbuster. Chapter 7 reviews the sinful circumstances of Israel (i.e., Ephraim, listed here with its capital, Samaria).

"...They do not consider in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness...."
--vs. 2

God's frustration in His relationship with Israel is that the very basic premise of the relationship--the covenant He made with His people--is no longer respected, spoken of, obeyed. Remember, the book of Hosea is built around the concept of a marriage covenant in a broken state. Do folks reading this book these days appreciate that God and Hosea are both working to re-establish a covenant relationship, a promise that was made to be upheld? Our divorce-prone, quick-answer society may not see the depth of covenant in dealing with its marital woes. God, however, gets right to the point in verse 2: It's a heart issue.

And when your heart is in the right place? Well.... We can go to Proverbs for support of that wisdom. "Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life." (4:23) There is nothing resembling life flowing from the heart of Israel, and God, again, attacks the kings and princes, in Chapter 7, for their leading the people astray--committing adultery under a holy promise.

"...And although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them."
--Romans 1:32

What stood out most in today's passage for me is yet another metaphor fashioned to make us see the severity of Israel's situation. It's a baking metaphor, no less! God compares Israel's heart to an oven. (see above) But, not just any oven. This is an oven that the baker has left unattended.

My husband bakes, and he's wonderful at it! Going gluten-free has certainly put a damper on his baking, as it's not as fun to bake (and eat) for yourself. But, he still makes mean pizzas for himself and the girls, and he loves a hot, hot oven! Crispy crust bottoms and perfect melting come when the pizza stone has been heated in the hottest oven you can have. But, other baking requires careful control of the heat. He also makes delicious sourdough loaves, and they are best left inside a turned-off oven to finish their baking.

The baker in Hosea 7 is not tending his fire in the oven all night, as he would do if preparing baked goods for selling in the next day's market. There is a time to knead, a time to leaven (add the rising agent), and a time to heat up the oven so the dough cooks at its proper temperature.

"For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire. They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me."
--Verses 6 & 7 in the King James Version

Flames are for Whoppers, not for baking! The heart of Israel was consumed with an out-of-control burning passion for fulfilling its own destiny. The problem was, that wasn't their calling. That wasn't the agreement. In their trying to go it alone, they are in the vicious cycle of "devouring" their leaders, and fanning into flame the fire of self-preservation and self-importance. And God's not stopping them this time! What Israel needed to understand is what the church of Ephesus was told in Revelation 2:4--"But I have this against you, that you have left your first love."

“She will pursue her lovers, but she will not overtake them; And she will seek them, but will not find them. Then she will say, ‘I will go back to my first husband, for it was better for me then than now!’"
--Hosea 2:7

Better than now, when it's too darn hot, Israel!

Cakes, gray hairs and silly doves, oh my.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: kirkepiscatoid.blogspot.com

* * *

Next week: Hosea 7: 8-12

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 6: 6-11

2011-08-03T00:00:00.001-04:00

⁶ For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice,
And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
⁷ But like Adam they have transgressed the covenant;
There they have dealt treacherously against Me.
⁸ Gilead is a city of wrongdoers,
Tracked with bloody footprints.
⁹ And as raiders wait for a man,
So a band of priests murder on the way to Shechem;
Surely they have committed crime.
¹⁰ In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing;
Ephraim’s harlotry is there, Israel has defiled itself.
¹¹ Also, O Judah, there is a harvest appointed for you,
When I restore the fortunes of My people.

I said in last week's post that we would return to the thoughts of Samuel with this week's post. Verse 6 echoes those thoughts completely--loyalty (obedience) over sacrifice and knowledge (knowing and revering God) over burnt offerings. God says, "But like Adam," Israel has sinned. Remembering how this book of Hosea has been fashioned--based on a marriage relationship--He says they have "transgressed the covenant." (vs 7) Remember what happened when Adam sinned? We're still dealing with the fallout from that transgression. Thanks be to God for His Son who keeps us from being eternally in that fallout!

"Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”
--Exodus 19: 5 & 6

This is God speaking to Moses in what is referred to as the Mosaic Covenant. God declared Israel to be His "own possession," in words that were to be spoken "to the sons of Israel" throughout the generations. Hosea is still relaying God's words, yet the context is completely different now, as Israel has broken its covenant with God through disobedience.

Once again, God rails on Gilead for the idol-worshiping/murder capital it has become. Verse 9 in the King James Version is slightly different, and, to me, more clearly understood: "And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness." God singles out the priests, again, and calls them murderers through the act of their allowing others to sin. 'Lewdness' in the Hebrew means "a 'plan,' a 'purpose,' so translated several times and then shading off into 'evil plan'; translated also 'heinous crime,' 'wicked purpose or device.'" (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)

Israel's lewdness was compared to Gomer's harlotry back in Chapter 2:

“And then I will uncover her lewdness
In the sight of her lovers,
And no one will rescue her out of My hand."
--Hosea 2:10

Just to note, in verse 9 of the text, Shechem is a place in Palestine, or can refer, generally, to a ridge. [Strong's] The King James' does not mention that in its translation, but I didn't want to blow past a place name.

The chapter concludes with a final statement of the obvious concerning Israel: "a horrible thing"..."defiled itself." (vs 10) Before composing today's blog, I was working on music selections for our bell choir's upcoming involvement with the Christmas program at church. We are plugging into Christmas prophecy and combing through the reactions of characters in the Christmas story in encountering Jesus for the first time. More than once, I came across hymn text referring to Jesus as "undefiled."

"Gentle Mary laid her Child lowly in a manger;
There He lay, the undefiled, to the world a Stranger.
Such a Babe in such a place, can he be the saviour?"

--from the hymn "Gentle Mary Laid her Child"

The breaking up of the marriage covenant between God and Israel came about because Israel could no longer stand before God in a clean state. The people made murky the plans of God, preferring their own lewdness. Even when they claimed to be in relationship with Him, sacrifices and religious practices fouled the pure intent of God's way. Israel defiled itself.

Israel will not be the only one facing judgment, as God reminds Judah, in verse 11, that "there is a harvest appointed for you." And by that, God is not suggesting that they will come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves. The harvest is one of judgment and captivity.

"Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe.
Come, tread, for the wine press is full;
The vats overflow, for their wickedness is great."
--Joel 3:13

But, after such a time, He will "restore the fortunes of My people."

Chapter 7 brings us back to "Ephraim's Iniquity." May seem familiar, so get ready to look at how God says what He says and what He means.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: island-adv.com

* * *

Next week: Hosea 7: 1-7

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 6: 1-5

2011-07-27T00:00:00.002-04:00

Hosea 6

The Response to God’s Rebuke

¹ “Come, let us return to the LORD.
For He has torn us, but He will heal us;
He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.
² “He will revive us after two days;
He will raise us up on the third day,
That we may live before Him.
³ “So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD.
His going forth is as certain as the dawn;
And He will come to us like the rain,
Like the spring rain watering the earth.”

⁴ What shall I do with you, O Ephraim?
What shall I do with you, O Judah?
For your loyalty is like a morning cloud
And like the dew which goes away early.
⁵ Therefore I have hewn them in pieces by the prophets;
I have slain them by the words of My mouth;
And the judgments on you are like the light that goes forth.

For three verses of Hosea 6, the people respond to God's rebuke with words that would indicate a rightness of heart and a renewed acknowledgment of who He is. Three whole verses. Then God speaks, once again, through the conclusion of the chapter, to address the people once again. My study Bible indicates that the people's verses are what Israel will speak at the time of Christ's millennial reign--a reminder that true restoration of God's chosen is still something yet to be.

Regardless, the people's words are truth and indicate the movement of Israel to return to their one true God and Father. The people have been torn--remember last week's lion--but they will be mended up and revived once again. Verse 2 is interesting because it sounds as though they are speaking of Christ and His resurrection. But even though there is a parallel in the timing and action, it is not a direct reference (i.e., Israel is not dead), but a similarity strictly in numbers. But the reassurance that Israel will return to their God and know eternity with Him is a promise reaffirmed here.

"So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord." (vs. 3) That is what we all should be striving to do. To 'know' doesn't just mean by seeing, but by true recognition as that of a follower. How do we 'know'? Maybe by instruction. But, maybe by punishment. Maybe by trial, in which we then, over time, understand more of God's mercy and grace. God's people would discover Him through their captivity at the hands of other nations; through His calling them back to rebuild the temple; and, eventually, through their recognition, their true knowing, of His Son, Jesus Christ, as their Messiah and Lord, at the end times.

The rest of verse 3 is so encouraging--God's presence "as certain as the dawn" and His coming "like the spring rain" at just the time it is needed. Praise be to God for His Word of encouragement to us today! [Especially the part about the rain; I know many of us have been seeking that refreshment and restoration.]

With verse 4 comes God's voice, shifting the reviving sense of the passage back to one of concern for Israel. Do you not picture God shaking His head with the reading of verse 4? "What shall I do with you?" I can hear myself saying this, substituting some words here and there. "For your good behavior is like a morning cloud and like your helpful, kind-spoken nature which goes away early." (italics mine) God the Father is speaking, all right!

Must stop at the phrase, "For your loyalty," as bloggy friend and graphic designer (see sidebar bookmark), Edie, made known something interesting and wordy that fits in beautifully today. Some translations suggest the use of 'lovingkindness' for 'loyalty'. Edie posted yesterday that 'lovingkindness' appears 176 times in the Bible, the Hebrew "meaning, perhaps, 'to bend or bow oneself,' 'to incline oneself'; hence, 'to be gracious or merciful.'" God's point, being, that Israel's ability to bow itself to Him is as a morning cloud, that vanishes with the dawn, or the dew that is evaporated in the sun. Short-lived! Explains why God is continuing to speak here in Hosea 6. [Thank you, Edie!]

Moving on to verse 5, God says, "I have hewn them in pieces," which, again, brings to mind last week's image of the roaring lion and the Lord's tearing Israel to pieces, leaving them alone (5:14). 'Hew' means to strike forcibly, as with an ax, or to chop or sever from a larger whole. The cross-reference verses for verse 5 refer to the story of Samuel and God's disappointment over His selecting Saul to be a king. Samuel, having received a vision from God, directed Saul, as new king, to kill Israel's enemy, the Amalekites. Saul killed everybody but their king, Agag, and he also instructed the people to take the choicest plunder (the animals to be used to sacrifice to God). Samuel and God were disappointed and displeased with Saul's disobedience, and Samuel prayed throughout the night to God. Then, Samuel faced Saul with God's message:

"Samuel said, 'Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry.Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king.'”
--I Samuel 15: 22 & 23

Samuel then asked for Agag to be brought to him, at which time Samuel "hewed Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal." (I Samuel 15:33) Samuel's words needed to be heeded by Israel and Judah, but, as God says, "I have hewn them in pieces by the prophets." Hosea's words would go unheeded, and the nations' rebellion would mark their award of punishment and rejection. God not only severed His ties with His people, but He divided up the tribes as well.

Food for thought, in looking at I Samuel: If we claim to be "in the Lord's army," do we understand what "insubordination" in the ranks truly means? That's a powerful passage right there, and we'll revisit Samuel's words next week as well.

Israel will know God through numerous means. The rest of Chapter 6 will provide more instruction to them, not that they will retain what is taught to them at the time. Those first three verses, however, will be revisited, will be spoken, at at time yet to be. And God will respond!

"For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for a lifetime;
Weeping may last for the night,
But a shout of joy comes in the morning."
--Psalm 30:5

Chapter 6 concludes.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: swindonia.blogspot.com

* * *

Next week: Hosea 6: 6-11

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 5: 13-15

2011-07-20T00:00:00.002-04:00

¹³ When Ephraim saw his sickness,
And Judah his wound,
Then Ephraim went to Assyria
And sent to King Jareb.
But he is unable to heal you,
Or to cure 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 to pieces and go away,
I will carry away, and there will be none to deliver.
¹⁵ I will go away and return to My place
Until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face;
In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.

To fully appreciate the text of the conclusion to Hosea 5, we need to step back several books of the Bible into II Kings. It's always a blessing to see prophecy framed against history!

Verse 13 says that both Ephraim (Northern Kingdom) and Judah (Southern Kingdom) will recognize their "sickness" or "wound." Some older translations use 'ulcer' instead, with the idea that this is not the kind of sickness that goes away by itself with time, nor is this a surface wound that you could walk around with, waiting for healing. This describes a sore that require a compress [Strong's]. This is a pus-filled sore that is leaking everywhere, contaminating all who come near with infection! The sickness of sin that has run rampant through Israel--as God has presented through the entirety of Hosea 5--requires serious intervention.

Even though verse 13 says Israel sees this wound, she runs not to God but to Assyria! The text here mentions a King Jareb. But, there is no documented King Jareb who ruled Assyria. My study Bible says 'Jareb' means "warrior," and, in fact, other translations use "the avenging king" or "the great king" rather than King Jareb. I like the details I read in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, so I'm sharing:

"Jareb cannot be regarded as the name of a person, owing to the absence of the article before melek ,'king,' which is always inserted in such a case. It is probably an epithet or nickname applied to the Assyrian king, as is suggested by RV margin ('a king that should contend') and AV margin ('the king that should plead'), being derived from the root reev, 'to strive.' The rendering would then be 'King Combat,' 'King Contentious,' indicating Assyria’s general hostility to Israel and the futility of applying for help to that quarter against the will of Jehovah."
--International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

I also love the parallel with what we have already read in Hosea. Remember Chapter 2? "Contend with your mother, contend, for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband." (vs. 2) The nation seeks help not from the One who loves her, but from one who would strive to take her over! God even says that the king will not heal them. Of course, He's right! Here's the historical background:

II Kings 15: 17-22 gives us the story of Menahem, who was a 10-year king over Israel, ruling out of Samaria. Menahem was one of those kings who "did evil in the sight of the Lord" and bought his way out of a conflict with the Assyrians by paying the king to "strengthen the kingdom under his rule." (vs. 19) Fifty shekels per man in Israel went to Assyria to keep the country away. Not the way to handle a seeping wounded relationship with God--running to the enemy and paying him off to keep evil on the throne.

Judah was not much better, as we read in II Kings 16: 7-9. Ahaz, the first king to serve in the line of David since Solomon, disgraced the office and God. What's amazing is that God continued to leave Ahaz in his position, even allowing him protection from warring nations. [What God brought forth from the line of David...don't forget!] Surrounded and on the brink of battle, Ahaz seeks help from the king of Assyria. Not only does Ahaz follow Menahem in paying off the king, but Ahaz pays him off with gold and silver taken from the house of the Lord! (vs. 8) Ahaz's allegiance to the king of Assyria brought further changes to the temple and led the people further and further away from their reverence for God.

Is it any surprise that God would present Himself in these last verses of Hosea as a roaring lion? Verse 14, "I, even I, will tear to pieces and go away, I will carry away, and there will be none to deliver." It is a little scary to read this, knowing that I Peter 5:8 describes Satan as a "roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." People in the hands of an angry God...it's not good!

"‘All your lovers have forgotten you,
They do not seek you;
For I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy,
With the punishment of a cruel one,
Because your iniquity is great
And your sins are numerous.
Why do you cry out over your injury?
Your pain is incurable.
Because your iniquity is great
And your sins are numerous,
I have done these things to you.'"
--Jeremiah 30: 14 & 15

Verse 15 of Hosea says, "I will go away and return to My place." God is withdrawing His physical--through the Holy Spirit--presence from Israel. If God had to "return," then it meant He had been present! Israel was to lose this presence! To be torn apart by a roaring lion is one thing. To then be without a Deliverer is something else. Yet, even in this hopeless situation, God says there is a way: "Until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face...." (emphasis mine) It would not be enough for Israel to proclaim, Guilty as charged! Again, looking at other translations, the phrase "bear their punishment" would be a more accurate statement of Israel's responsibility in seeking the only true help.

God added that "in their affliction" Israel will seek Him. 'Early' means not just in the morning, but earnestly and painstakingly, as from dawn until dusk [Strong's].

"Who say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’
And to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’
For they have turned their back to Me,
And not their face;
But in the time of their trouble they will say,
‘Arise and save us.’"
--Jeremiah 2:27 (emphasis mine)

The people respond! What can they say? Chapter 6 begins.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: chessaleeinlondon.wordpress.com

* * *

Next week: Hosea 6: 1-5

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 5: 8-12

2011-07-13T00:00:00.000-04:00

⁸ Blow the horn in Gibeah,
The trumpet in Ramah.
Sound an alarm at Beth-aven:
“Behind you, Benjamin!”
⁹ Ephraim will become a desolation in the day of rebuke;
Among the tribes of Israel I declare what is sure.
¹⁰ The princes of Judah have become like those who move a boundary;
On them I will pour out My wrath like water.
¹¹ Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment,
Because he was determined to follow man’s command.
12 Therefore I am like a moth to Ephraim
And like rottenness to the house of Judah.

Blow the horn! Sound the trumpet! More place names!! Please don't run off, which is what our text from Hosea 5 is suggesting Israel do. The map has it all spelled out for us toda--not to worry.

Gibeah, Ramah and Beth-aven are all on the map above. Start with the red arrow at Gibeah and look northward. Gibeah and Ramah are actually in Judah (Southern Kingdom), on its northern border with Israel (the Northern Kingdom). Beth-aven, which we read about earlier in Hosea 4:15 ("...do not...go up to Beth-aven and take the oath: 'As the Lord Lives....'"), is actually in southern Israel. (North, South, Israel, Israel--the people; it does get confusing, doesn't it?) My study Bible explains that all three were important defense cities, places to thwart attacks. (You can see Mizpah there, too. Remember from last week, it means watchtower.) It would make sense for warning alerts to be issued at these points.

"Behind you, Benjamin!" (vs. 8)

As Ephraim is the name of one of the 12 tribes of Israel, so is Benjamin. In this case, Benjamin is used to represent the whole Southern Kingdom. The King James' translation helped me with understanding the meaning: "After thee, O Benjamin!" It's like watching an episode of Scooby Doo and hearing Fred say, "They're getting away. (Hops into the Mystery Machine) After them, guys." [Ah, a week with the nephews and nieces!]

Israel is under attack, by the Lord Himself! The Lord is after you!! The day of rebuke, which God has been laying out through this chapter of Hosea, is coming, and Ephraim will know His wrath. Benjamin, the enemy surrounds you! Watch out! How about this colorful metaphor:

"Behold, the Lord has a strong and mighty agent;
As a storm of hail, a tempest of destruction,
Like a storm of mighty overflowing waters,
He has cast it down to the earth with His hand.
The proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim is trodden under foot.
And the fading flower of its glorious beauty,
Which is at the head of the fertile valley,
Will be like the first-ripe fig prior to summer,
Which one sees,
And as soon as it is in his hand,
He swallows it."
--Isaiah 28: 2-4

If there were any doubt about who is in control of Israel, God makes His Name sure in verse 9: "Among the tribes of Israel I declare what is sure." (emphasis mine) He also declares what will be "swallowed."

Challenging what was believed in the political arenas at the time, God says the princes were not the ones in power. Though they possessed the earthly position of power, they did not possess the Godly know-how to properly use their power. They were greedy, and turned a blind eye to the ways of God. They had become "like those who move a boundary." (vs. 10) Though this may not sound significant, as princes might well conquer lands and change boundaries, again, it was a question of under whose authority they did such deeds.

Read God's law on the moving of stones in Deuteronomy, 19:14--

“You shall not move your neighbor’s boundary mark, which the ancestors have set, in your inheritance which you will inherit in the land that the LORD your God gives you to possess."

Boundary stones came with inscriptions that bore the name of the owner of the property. If someone moved your stones, it was equal to stealing your property. The princes of Hosea's day were considered guilty before God of stealing "property." What was God really saying in verse 10? See the point in the Amplified Bible's take on the verse: "The princes of Judah are like those who remove the landmark [the barrier between right and wrong]." The apostasy of the princes made null God's law in the eyes of the people, leading to and giving credence to their own apostasy.

As Christians, we need to recognize that we still have spiritual stone boundaries.

"As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: 'See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.'”
--I Peter 2:4-6

Christ's name is on that cornerstone, and woe to those who try and move our boundary stones! Israel rejected the law as well as the relationship with the creator of the law, leading to verse 11's pronouncement that God's people will be "oppressed, crushed in judgment," in following "man's command." "Put to shame," to use Peter's words. My study Bible notes that ancient translations use the phrase "follow nothingness."

Therefore, God becomes "like a moth" and "like rottenness" to His people. (vs. 12) God would become the destructive force that would bring Israel to desolation, in rebuke, in discipline--truly, in a form of "tough love" that continues on, even now.

"But did not My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, overtake your fathers? Then they repented and said, ‘As the LORD of hosts purposed to do to us in accordance with our ways and our deeds, so He has dealt with us.'”
--Zechariah 1:6

Chapter 5 concludes with a stop in Assyria.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: bibleatlas.org

* * *

Next week: Hosea 5: 13-15

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 5: 1-7

2011-07-05T19:31:00.007-04:00

Hosea 5

The People’s Apostasy Rebuked

¹ Hear this, O priests! Give heed, O house of Israel!
Listen, O house of the king! For the judgment applies to you,
For you have been a snare at Mizpah
And a net spread out on Tabor.
² The revolters have gone deep in depravity,
But I will chastise all of them.
³ I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me;
For now, O Ephraim, you have played the harlot,
Israel has defiled itself.
⁴ Their deeds will not allow them to return to their God.
For a spirit of harlotry is within them,
And they do not know the LORD.
⁵ Moreover, the pride of Israel testifies against him,
And Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity;
Judah also has stumbled with them.
⁶ They will go with their flocks and herds
To seek the LORD, but they will not find Him;
He has withdrawn from them.
⁷ They have dealt treacherously against the LORD,
For they have borne illegitimate children.
Now the new moon will devour them with their land.

When it seems like God is repeating Himself, you have to consider two things: 1. It's REALLY important, and, 2. What else is being said that wasn't said the first time He said it. If it seems like Chapter 5 is saying more of the same as what we have read, you're not wrong. So, it's probably REALLY important, and there are probably some things we could find that are new.

Verse 1 addresses the priests and the nation of Israel, which we have already read about. Note, though, the addition in this address of the "house of the King." Hosea now has a message going to those in the earthly positions of political power. There is no one excused from the receiving of God's Word. Hearing God's Word is another story entirely.

Verse 1 also introduces two new place names: Mizpah and Tabor, which my study Bible says were, likely, additional places of false idol worship. Mizpah lay east of the Jordan River. In Hebrew, it translates to mean "outlook" or "watchtower" [Strong's]. Growing up, we used to end our Sunday School worship time with a benediction that was called a mizpah, based on a passage in Genesis in which Laban and Jacob are departing from this location: May the Lord watch between me and thee, while we are absent, one from another. (Genesis 31:49) As with other significant Jewish spiritual landmarks, this "watchtower" became disreputable in God's eyes.

Tabor, located southwest of the Sea of Galilee, or Mount Tabor (see above picture), also has deep history as being a place of pilgrimage for worship as well as a place of significant meetings. Tradition even holds that it is the location for the Transfiguration. It is not insignificant that God chooses to reference such places here in Hosea 5.

The use of 'revolter' in verse 2 is not what we would think. Those who stage revolts nowadays do so for their personal reasons or motives. Its use here is specifically to indicate "one who turns from right" or one who "sins" against God. [Strong's] It begs the question of whether we see ourselves as revolting against God when we turn from what we know is His right. Also, the phrase "gone deep in depravity" can be translated as "waded deep in slaughter." Powerful phrasing!

"For now," God continues in verse 3--saying first, "I know Ephraim," and He knows and holds its very future--Israel (Ephraim and tribes) has chosen the path of revolution. "Their deeds will not allow them to return to their God," says verse 4. The ultimate saving of Israel is to come, but their deeds at the moment will blind them from seeing God's plan and grace. No one is saved by deeds, but our works are clearly important in being able to have a fruitful relationship with God.

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds."
--Titus 2: 11-14

What is bringing this ruin to Israel? "The pride of Israel testifies against him." Pride--the root of so much sin and "stumbling," as verse 5 says. "They will seek the Lord but will not find Him. He has withdrawn from them." How painful for the Father, who led this people by fire and cloud, and mercifully provided for them through countless obstacles and stumbling places, that He should have to withdraw His presence! The sheep, seeking to return to their shepherd, only to be roaming and lost in a big field. "Can the LORD now pasture them like a lamb in a large field?" (Hosea 4:16)

“So when you spread out your hands in prayer,
I will hide My eyes from you;
Yes, even though you multiply prayers,
I will not listen.
Your hands are covered with blood.
--Isaiah 1:15

Verse 7 concludes with ideas of earlier verses. "Illegitimate children" is a reminder of Gomer's children of Chapter 2--a representation of Israel's harlotry with false idols. God says the "new moon will devour them," a reference to Israel's organized new moon festivals and sacrifices, which were no longer tolerated by God due to their lack of focus on Him. The last phrase, "in their land" may also be translated "with their portions," as in the King James' and other versions. 'Portion' in the Hebrew is not just a segment of land but also "inheritance." [Strong's] Did Israel understand what was being lost?

"Whom have I in heaven but You?
And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
--Psalm 73: 25 & 26

Lots of place names next week. Wading through more from Chapter 5.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: sacred-destinations.com

* * *

Next week: Hosea 5: 8-11

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Study Break

2011-06-29T00:00:00.003-04:00

Just to let you know that we're taking a break from study this week. Not "the beautiful land" of Scripture. (That's the Sea of Galilee, by the way.)

But enjoying another beautiful place stateside. See you here next week, in July....

Hosea 4: 15-19

2011-06-22T00:00:00.000-04:00

¹⁵ Though you, Israel, play the harlot, do not let Judah become guilty;
Also do not go to Gilgal, or go up to Beth-aven
And take the oath: “As the LORD lives!”
¹⁶ Since Israel is stubborn, like a stubborn heifer,
Can the LORD now pasture them like a lamb in a large field?
¹⁷ Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone.
¹⁸ Their liquor gone, they play the harlot continually;
Their rulers dearly love shame.
¹⁹ The wind wraps them in its wings,
And they will be ashamed because of their sacrifices.

God completes His laying out of the controversy He has with Israel, as Hosea 4 comes to a conclusion. No surprises in our text today. Just a few points of clarification on some place names. Chapter 5 begins the actual "rebuke" of Israel, as my study Bible has labeled it.

Verse 15 not only addresses Israel's own behavior but says that the people are a bad influence on their brothers and sisters in Judah, the Southern Kingdom. We hit place names right away, with Gilgal and Beth-aven. We read about Gilgal in Amos. It was sacred to the Jews--the place where Joshua circumcised Israel after the nation entered into the Promised Land. And, if you remember Gilgal from Amos, you might also remember Bethel, which means "house of God," and was the location where God changed Jacob's name to Israel.

Here in Hosea, there is name changing, too, with Beth-aven referring to "house of wickedness or deceit," according to my study Bible. King Jeroboam established idol worship in these sacred places, and God didn't want any more of this contamination leaching into His people.

“And although they say, ‘As the LORD lives,’ surely they swear falsely.”
--Jeremiah 5:2

I hadn't meant to have a review-of-Amos lesson, but, it is interesting to note how Chapter 4 of Amos begins: "Hear this word, you cows of Bashan...." The cow references continue in Hosea 4, with Israel's being called a "stubborn heifer." (vs 16, see picture above) In both texts, God refers to Israel as a cow. What I didn't understand until reading the study notes in Hosea is that Jeroboam's idol of worship in these places was a calf! I've seen God do this in other places in the Word. There's just something powerfully relational in His choices of words and expressions, even at the height of discipline! It's like He's saying, "Can't you see--I know you. I know what you're doing!"

"And not be like their fathers,
A stubborn and rebellious generation,
A generation that did not prepare its heart
And whose spirit was not faithful to God."
--Psalm 78:8

An alternate translation for "Can the Lord now pasture them like a lamb...." is, "Now the LORD will pasture...." The shepherd keeps the flock together. Remember Jesus' parable of the one sheep that goes astray; the shepherd keeps the rest of the flock together and searches desperately for the missing sheep, so he can return it to the fold. Prone to wandering! For Israel to be released "in a large field" to be by itself was God saying that the people's lack of faithfulness would not be returned this time with protection by the Shepherd.

“So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart, to walk in their own devices."
--Psalm 81:12

Verse 17 leads off with "Ephraim" which is one of the 10 tribes of Israel, and, being the largest tribe, was the name most often used to refer to Israel. God says, "Let him alone."

As a mom, I can speak to the effectiveness of natural consequences in discipline. They work better than anything I can come up with (and I would prefer not coming up with anything!). The remainder of the passage sums up Israel's life and times--the drink will be dried up; they are not devoted to their Love; their rulers, their priests, have no respect for true leadership; the people are blown to hither and yon by their sinful desires; and, their sacrifices (to idols, no less) are unholy.

What choice does God have but to rebuke in wrath? And what are the natural consequences of being removed from the protective hemming in of the Lord? I may have used this description before, but I'm reminded of the scene from "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" in which Sam the Snowman first talks about the Abominable Snow Monster. As the wind whips up in a flurry, and the scary music starts, Sam opens up his umbrella to try and keep his ground over the evil. [shudder!] "The wind wraps them up in its wings." (vs 19) There's only One who can tame it.

"For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen."

--Romans 1: 25 (Read more from Romans 1:18-32.)

"The People's Apostasy Rebuked" Chapter 5 begins.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: en.wikipedia.org

* * *

Next week: Hosea 5: 1-7

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 4: 11-14

2011-06-15T08:16:00.003-04:00

¹¹Harlotry, wine and new wine take away the understanding.
¹²My people consult their wooden idol, and their diviner’s wand informs them;
For a spirit of harlotry has led them astray,
And they have played the harlot, departing from their God.
¹³They offer sacrifices on the tops of the mountains
And burn incense on the hills,
Under oak, poplar and terebinth,
Because their shade is pleasant.
Therefore your daughters play the harlot
And your brides commit adultery.
¹⁴ I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot
Or your brides when they commit adultery,
For the men themselves go apart with harlots
And offer sacrifices with temple prostitutes;
So the people without understanding are ruined.

After condemning Israel for her behavior in last week's passage, God explains the problem at hand in this week's passage. Harlotry, wine, idolatry--in other words, worldly indulgences--have robbed Israel of her focus and devotion to God.

Proverbs 20:1 says, "Wine is a mocker." The irresponsible drinking of wine leads one to confusion, lack of clarity and vision, and even to mockery, as in mimicking God and His power through other means or ridiculing God through overt or covert rejection. Who guides the people? Wooden idols and diviner's wands, according to verse 12. "A spirit of whoredoms [idolatry] hath caused them to err," says the King James Version. "To err," looking at the Hebrew in Strong's, meaning "to vacillate, reel or stray. Wander. Stagger. Be seduced. Be out of the way," or, if I might suggest, be out of The Way!

The more literal translation of verse 11 says that Israel's indulgences in worldly things "take away the heart." The people may still believe that they have a connection with God, but in their erring, in their total disregard of Him and His ways, they have "departed," or "departed from under their God." (KJV)

^"Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me."
--Psalm 51: 10 and 11

Verse 13 zeroes in on the sacrifices of the people that the Lord detests. Last week, we spoke of the priests' mishandling and mockery of the temple sacrifices. This week, God condemns those who abuse the privilege of the sacrifice. These are not sacrifices following The Law, but sacrifices made to idols, with the additional disgrace of prostitution.

^"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise."
--Psalm 51:17

Why the emphasis on the trees (terebinth, likely meaning elm tree)? The verse explains what the picture above shows. "Because their shade is pleasant." I think the King James' states the nature of the sin even more clearly: "Because the shadow thereof is good." Do you see as clearly what is done in shadow as what is done in the light? Israel is the one who is blinded in this situation, thinking that God does not see what is done in the shade. Let's tie a few thoughts together with Galatians 6:7: "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap."

"Surely you will be ashamed of the oaks which you have desired,
And you will be embarrassed at the gardens which you have chosen."
--Isaiah 1:29

As today's passage concludes, a note on the use of 'brides' in verses 13 and 14. My study Bible suggests that the word may be more accurately translated as "daughters-in-law." The idea, which connects with God's ultimate conclusion as to consequences, is that there were opportunities within the family to have prevented such sinful behavior. Though all have sinned, God will hold the men--fathers and husbands--more responsible, as they should have led a more Godly example for the women in their midst.

"...For [the fathers and husbands] themselves go aside in order to be alone with women who prostitute themselves for gain, and they sacrifice at the altar with dedicated harlots [who surrender their chastity in honor of the goddess]."
--Verse 14b, Amplified Bible

As a result, the people shall be "ruined." We know from our earlier reading, the end of Chapter 2, specifically, that God's plan is not the ruin of Israel, as in their permanent destruction. Other translations suggest, "thrust down, out or away," with the Hebrew meaning "overthrown or fall." [Strong's] God's people will certainly fall. Captivity is soon to come. A renewed understanding will be born.

^"Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge....

Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom."
--Psalm 51: 4 and 6 (emphasis mine)

Sometimes, I forget that David's words came before Hosea's. Shouldn't they have known? Shouldn't we know?

"Since Israel is...like a stubborn heifer...." [(sigh!) Enough said, right?] Chapter 4 concludes.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: israelpostcards.com

* * *

Next week: Hosea 4: 15-19

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 4: 6-10

2011-06-08T00:00:00.002-04:00

⁶My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge,
I also will reject you from being My priest.
Since you have forgotten the law of your God,
I also will forget your children.

⁷ The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me;
I will change their glory into shame.
⁸ They feed on the sin of My people
And direct their desire toward their iniquity.
⁹ And it will be, like people, like priest;
So I will punish them for their ways
And repay them for their deeds.
¹⁰They will eat, but not have enough;
They will play the harlot, but not increase,
Because they have stopped giving heed to the LORD.

When God led the Israelites on their exodus to the Promised Land and beyond, He had some very detailed and intentional plans on how His people should carry out their worship of Him. Along with the giving of The Law and the presentation of the daily manna, there are chapters of instruction on the creation of the Ark of the Covenant and the Tent of Meeting, as well as the selection of Aaron and the tribe of Levi (the Levites) to be consecrated as priests--the mediators between the people and God.

"...and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”
--Exodus 19:6

I'm sure there are many today who think that trouble within the priesthood is a fairly recent issue, probably, due to the increase in media coverage of such issues. But, the trouble with the priesthood dates back to the time when God put such an establishment into being. Why? Because priests are not God, and they were never meant to be God. Were they expected to uphold righteousness and holiness to the best of their human ability? Absolutely! God certainly had expectations for them, which is why He selected individuals from only one tribe of Israel in which to serve, and placed heavy demands on their training (and severe punishment--as in death--for those who did not fulfill their roles wholeheartedly).

At the time of Hosea, the priests were unrecognizable from the rest of the Israelites.

"My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me. Since you priests refuse to know me, I refuse to recognize you as my priests."
--vs. 6, New Living Translation

Israel, "My priest" or "the priestly nation," as the Amplified Bible puts it, could not possibly continue forward as representative of God in that it appeared as the complete opposite of what God was. "The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me." When I see 'multiply', I think many in number. Again, I think the Amplified Bible explains this term more accurately in referring to the increase of Israel's "power and prosperity." The nation was growing stronger and richer, but all under its own effort and without the guidance of God's Word. This was not at all what God wanted for His people. Not the better way! And, since He is always in charge, He would "change their glory into shame."

Have had some fun reading different translations this week [OK, well, maybe not fun. This is really strong Word], especially in regard to verse 8.

"You encourage others to sin, so you can stuff yourselves on their sin offerings."
--vs. 8, Contemporary English Version

"They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity."
--vs. 8, King James' Version

Since the focus of the passage has been on the priests, it makes sense to consider 'sin' as 'sin offering'. Under God's provision, though the priests were allotted a portion of certain offerings in Aaron's day, the priests in Hosea's day were taking way more than seconds! The King James' gets to the point--"they set their heart on their [the people's] iniquity." They were counting on the people's abundantly sinful nature to provide an abundance of offering for themselves.

Our passage concludes with God's plan, then, to punish the priests along with the people. They will be given food, but, unlike the daily manna of old, not enough food to satisfy their hunger. They will seek other "harlots" (vs. 10)--other sources of fulfillment--but they will not "increase," or know prosperity, as we spoke of earlier. They will be in the "not a people" stage, as we reflect back on Gomer's son, Lo-ammi. "...Like people, like priest." (vs. 9). Truly, this is where we find Israel today. From my study Bible:

"Israel temporarily forfeited this privilege [of being a royal priesthood] because of its apostasy [at its most basic level, meaning, to withdraw or stand apart from one's faith] and because its wicked leaders executed the Messiah. At the present time, the church is a royal priesthood united with the royal priest, Jesus Christ. A royal priesthood is not only a priesthood that belongs to and serves the king, but is also a priesthood which exercises rule. This will ultimately be fulfilled in Christ's future kingdom."

A time will come when Israelite and Gentile will stand side by side in the kingdom--each able to claim this verse as its own:

"But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY."
--I Peter 2: 9 & 10

Harlotry and impure sacrifices...Picking up where we leave off today.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: oneyearbibleblog.com

* * *

Next week: Hosea 4: 11-14

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 4: 1-5

2011-05-31T19:32:00.004-04:00

Hosea 4

God’s Controversy with Israel

¹Listen to the word of the LORD, O sons of Israel,
For the LORD has a case against the inhabitants of the land,
Because there is no faithfulness or kindness
Or knowledge of God in the land.
² There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing and adultery.
They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed.
³ Therefore the land mourns,
And everyone who lives in it languishes
Along with the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky,
And also the fish of the sea disappear.

⁴ Yet let no one find fault, and let none offer reproof;
For your people are like those who contend with the priest.
⁵ So you will stumble by day,
And the prophet also will stumble with you by night;
And I will destroy your mother.

From the richly sublime, loving text of Chapter 3, Hosea pulls a 180, launching into the terms of an indictment that God has filed against Israel. Chapter 4 opens with a cry of anguish, to use the words of the late pastor, David Wilkerson. "Listen...because the Lord has a case...." (vs 1).

There is no "faithfulness...kindness...knowledge of the Lord." Other translations use the words truth and loyalty instead of faithfulness and kindness. I like what the Amplified Bible tacks on about knowledge--"[from personal experience with Him]." It is such a stark contrast to come from Chapter 3, knowing God's ultimate plan, to being in the pit of Chapter 4, at a point in Israel's relationship with God that there truly is no relationship with God. And how are we all looking today, as a nation?

Verse 2 expounds on the issues. Self-explanatory, really, though I like my study Bible's mention of how many of these issues are found in the Ten Commandments--The Law. Should have spoken volumes to the Jews. Verse 3 is then the verse of consequences. Note the phrasing: "The land mourns...and everyone who lives in it languishes." (italics mine) The land, beasts, birds and fish also face consequences. The King James' says, of the fish, they "shall be taken away." Strong's defines the Hebrew word as "to gather for any purpose." The One who has established creation is also the One who can gather up creation, for His purpose! Do we really question why flocks of birds fall from the sky or schools of one species of fish flip belly-up?

"For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now."
--Romans 8:20-22 (italics mine)

Then, verse 4: "Yet let no one find fault" or let no one contend. We studied the word contend in Chapter 2, with reference to Israel's looking at itself as the nation of God's chosen people in light of its sinful behavior. "Contend with your mother," it says in 2:2. But here, no one is grappling, wrangling and holding a controversy [Strong's] over his sin--not the nation, not the Israelite.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us."
--I John 1: 9 & 10

It is no wonder Hosea says to "Listen to the word of the Lord," and "there is no knowledge of the Lord in the land." Had there been, Israel "coulda been a contender." And there would have been no "deception." Not only was there no self-reflection or confession, but there was no one challenging the sin. No one upholding the Word before others. Check out this interesting cross-reference from Ezekiel:

"Moreover, I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be mute and cannot be a man who rebukes them, for they are a rebellious house."
--Ezekiel 3:26

Perhaps I was too quick to say that Israel didn't contend. Problem was, they were contentious as if dealing with the priests--those whom, under God's direction, they were not to disregard.

"According to the terms of the law which they [the priests] teach you, and according to the verdict which they tell you, you shall do; you shall not turn aside from the word which they declare to you, to the right or the left. The man who acts presumptuously by not listening to the priest who stands there to serve the LORD your God, nor to the judge, that man shall die; thus you shall purge the evil from Israel. Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and will not act presumptuously again."
--Deuteronomy 17: 11-13

Hosea certainly knows how to reach the heart of the Israelite, drawing from The Law to make clear and meaningful the charges laid before the people. Verse 5 closes with the people and the prophet stumbling, and the "mother," or the nation, of Israel, being "destroyed." Strong's defines the Hebrew root as meaning "to be dumb or silent" rather than obliterated. Oh, Israel! God's got your tongue! The One who brings creation under His feet will bring this nation to a humbling place under its Father.

"He says, 'Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.'”
--Psalm 46:10

God turns up the heat! More from Chapter 4.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: shashasociologic.wordpress.com

* * *

Next week: Hosea 4: 6-10

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 3

2011-05-25T00:00:00.000-04:00

Hosea 3

Hosea's Second Symbolic Marriage

¹Then the LORD said to me, "Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband,
yet an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the sons of Israel,
though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes."

²So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a half of barley.

³Then I said to her, "You shall stay with me for many days. You shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man; so I will also be toward you."

⁴For the sons of Israel will remain for many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar and without ephod or household idols.

⁵Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king; and they will come trembling to the LORD and to His goodness in the last days.

"Go again...." This reminds me of the calling of Jonah, who got two calls to go to Nineveh. But, Hosea is faithful and, in my estimation, stands a bit more firmly than Jonah in God's presence, taking His direction in the light of hardship. Do you remember the invitation to Hosea in Chapter 1? "Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry...." [Hosea 1:2]. Now, he's being asked to go again, but to whom?

"...Go again, love [the same] woman [Gomer]...." [vs. 1, Amplified Bible]

Getting back to this whole idea of a literal/figurative analogy by God's design, He tells Hosea to take his wife-turned-harlot Gomer back, just as God, Himself, has promised to take back runaway Israel. The King James Version lays it out completely: "...Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel...." That's an amazingly deep and sacrificial love, as you know. But what of raisin cakes? Mentioned in the same phrase with "turn to other gods," it must have greater significance than just being a snack, like a Twinkie.

"Raisin cakes were used as a religious ritual in fertility rites. The cakes were molded in the form of a female goddess. Raisins were delicacies, which represented enjoying the sensuality of idolatrous worship." [The Ladies Society of Sacred Knowledge, http://sacredknowledgesociety.com/raisin.html. You could say you heard it through the grapevine....]

Verse 2 describes a scene that could well be a slave auction. The pieces of silver and the dry measure of barley mentioned--worth about 30 pieces of silver [there's that number again!]--would be the price paid for a common slave. My study Bible also notes that barley was the offering of one accused of adultery, according to Numbers 5:15. It's not exactly a Will and Kate kind of marriage ceremony, is it?

Indeed, as Hosea continues speaking, there are some ground rules laid in place before he and Gomer can return to a proper marriage relationship. Although the two will live together, they will not live as husband and wife, nor will they live as harlots. More like roommates. Spouses having a long cooling-off period, perhaps. Not separated, but not together. Remember last week's post about when the everlasting covenant between God and Israel will come to fulfillment--not until the last days! Has God left Israel? No. But neither is He on intimate terms with her at this time, or at the moment.

Verse 4 is both prophecy fulfilled and prophecy yet to come. The sons of Israel definitely faced a time in which they had no representation--in earthly kings or priests--nor daily sacrifices. I just happen to be finishing a study of Daniel (love the God-incidence of timing, here), Chapters 11 and 12, in which Daniel is receiving God's word through an angel as to the Jews' return to Israel after years of captivity in Babylon.

"From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days."
--Daniel 12:11

The passage describes a ruler of the Grecian Empire, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who championed a most horrific reign of terror on the Jews, until the beginnings of the Roman Empire. There was no king of Israel, exactly. Likewise, Antiochus took many a mighty blow at the Jews' religious practices. An ephod is one of the garments the high priests wore, containing the names of the twelve tribes of Israel engraved on stones. There would be no presence of an ephod, nor would there be any form of household idols or Teraphim, which were images of ancestors that the Jews kept in their homes--not that the Jews should have had any idols.

So, guidelines and conditions were tough. But, in the eyes of the Lord, the situation required serious measures to rectify the relationship.

"Surely, as a woman treacherously departs from her lover, so you have dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel," declares the LORD."
--Jeremiah 3:20 (Treacherous, meaning "characterized by faithlessness or readiness to betray trust," [Dictionary.com], which was Gomer/Israel)

Verse 5 closes out the chapter--Wow, I know!--and I like, again, the Amplified Bible's notes on this: "Afterward shall the children of Israel return and seek the Lord their God, [inquiring of and requiring Him] and [from the line of] David, their King [of kings]...." [vs. 5, Amplified Bible] The verse doesn't really make sense if you try and consider David being alive, which he wasn't. But, a King of Israel from the line of David, ah...now you know Who it is! But, again, I ask you to remember that this is prophecy to come. The Jews did not recognize Christ as the Messiah during His earthly ministry. But, soon--

"...at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and [that] every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
--Philippians 2: 10 & 11

"In those days and at that time," declares the LORD, "the sons of Israel will come, both they and the sons of Judah as well; they will go along weeping as they go, and it will be the LORD their God they will seek. They will ask for the way to Zion, turning their faces in its direction; they will come that they may join themselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten."
--Jeremiah 50: 4 & 5

"God's Controversy with Israel" is Chapter 4.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: sacredknowledgesociety.com

* * *

Next week: Hosea 4: 1-5

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 2: 19-23

2011-05-18T10:32:00.001-04:00

¹⁹"I will betroth you to Me forever;
Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice,
In lovingkindness and in compassion,
²⁰And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness.
Then you will know the LORD.
²¹"It will come about in that day that I will respond," declares the LORD.
"I will respond to the heavens, and they will respond to the earth,
²²And the earth will respond to the grain, to the new wine and to the oil,
And they will respond to Jezreel.
²³"I will sow her for Myself in the land
I will also have compassion on her who had not obtained compassion,
And I will say to those who were not My people,
'You are My people!'
And they will say, 'You are my God!'"

Feel the love, friends! Better yet, KNOW the love in this beautiful passage from Hosea--the closing of Chapter 2--that reads as wedding vows. As much as I would like to say that these could be used for a renewal of vows ceremony, truly, only One could say these words.

Found some wonderful notes in my study Bible today that have made this passage more than just the poetry of grace: "These verses are recited by every orthodox Jew as he places the phylacteries [small cubes containing Scriptures, which the Jews used and use in their prayers] on his hand and forehead." The words of God's grace upon Israel were to be taught and remembered, as if written on the forehead, from generation to generation. God made tremendous promises to His people through these words. Yet, only a remnant will remember and know the truth.

Note that 'betroth' is used three times as the passage begins. God issued the promise to marry, to espouse, to be united with His people, eternally, in perfect harmony, as something to come. If you take the word apart, you can almost see 'truth' instead of 'troth' and you would be understanding correctly. How many Jews have not, do not and will not see Jesus Christ as their Messiah? Yet, the truth is before them, right here in Hosea, for one example.

I said at the top that only One could make such a wedding vow. In His betrothal, God promises a relationship in righteousness, justice, lovingkindness, compassion (vs 19), and faithfulness (vs 20). He is the only one who could make such a promise to Israel. To "know" the Lord, is that deep kind of knowing--the Hebrew word meaning "to recognize." [Strong's] In "that day" (vs 21), meaning, the last Day, with the return of Jesus to the Earth, all will recognize that He is the Lord.

Let us not hiccup on verse 21 with the phrasing. "I will respond to the heavens...heavens to the earth" does not put God or Heaven in subservient positions as if He and it are required to answer to His creation. Israel has brought nothing into this relationship but its unfaithful self. The word for respond, answer, hear (in the King James') can be expanded upon to mean "to sing, shout, testify, announce." [Strong's] God, in His promise of espousal, is testifying of His love and grace upon Israel, announcing the marriage, singing and shouting with the blessings of life in new covenant relationship. This is a proactive response of God's overflowing love, not a reactive response to an offering of Israel's, of which there was none.

One more word trip for you today. When you start digging into English word origins for 'respond', you find roots tying back to the word sponsor. Beyond the commonly thought of definition referring to somebody who gives money on behalf of a cause, a sponsor, more generally, is "one who makes a promise on behalf of another. Gives assurance. Promises solemnly." There's even a root related to 'sponsor' that means "to make a drink offering." [All Dictioinary.com] God's response, sponsoring, espousing Israel is sacrificial and is pledged under the highest authority of truth.

Moving on, verse 22 reverses the course of what God had brought Israel in the beginning of Chapter 2 ("slay her with thirst," vs 3). With the establishment of the renewed relationship with Israel, God will bless the land with abundance. Recall Joel 2:19 as well as this verse from Zechariah:

"'For there will be peace for the seed: the vine will yield its fruit, the land will yield its produce and the heavens will give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things.'"
--Zechariah 8:12

Not only is this a literal reference, but it is a figurative one as well, as alluded to in the Zechariah passage above. Note the end of Hosea 2:22: "And they will respond to Jezreel." In Chapter 1, we learned that Gomer's first son was named Jezreel, meaning "God will scatter." In our Chapter 2 passage, the meaning is more positive, especially when looking at it in light of verse 23. God will scatter seed, sowing Israel "for Myself" in that He would bless her with eternal sustenance and peace (again, see Zechariah, above).

The chapter ends with God completely restating, now in the affirmative, that which He spoke in Chapter 1, through Gomer's other two children:

"'Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer have compassion on the house of Israel, that I would ever forgive them....' And the LORD said, 'Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not My people and I am not your God.'"
--Hosea 1:6 & 9

God's plan is to completely restore Israel unto Himself. It is as if He has given Gomer's children new names! More importantly for Israel, it reestablishes, once and for all, that God is with them.

"It will no longer be said to you, 'Forsaken,'
Nor to your land will it any longer be said, 'Desolate';
But you will be called, 'My delight is in her,'
And your land, 'Married';
For the LORD delights in you,
And to Him your land will be married."
--Isaiah 62:4

One last point before we leave Chapter 2. The Apostle Paul quotes verse 23 of Hosea in Romans 9:25, as he wrote of how the Jew and the Gentile attain God's righteousness. Of course, in the day, there was confusion. The Jews had such a long history with the Law, and now the Gentiles were on the scene being presented with the Gospel of grace by Jesus' gift of salvation through the cross. Having not accepted Christ's role as Messiah, the Jews were left with the Law and with the "stumbling block" of Christ crucified. Paul's words would not be in the Jews' understanding. But, one day, Hosea's words will be understood by the remnant who comes to truly know the Lord. And then, Paul's words in II Corinthians will be understood by them as well:

"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."
--II Corinthians 5:17

Blessed are those who stand upon the promises of God!

Hosea, Chapter 3--(the whole thing!)--"Hosea's Second Symbolic Marriage".... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: calvarychapelemmett.org

* * *

Next week: Hosea 3

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 2: 14-18

2011-05-11T00:00:00.002-04:00

Restoration of Israel

¹⁴"Therefore, behold, I will allure her,
Bring her into the wilderness and speak kindly to her.
¹⁵"Then I will give her her vineyards from there,
And the valley of Achor as a door of hope
And she will sing there as in the days of her youth,
As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.
¹⁶"It will come about in that day," declares the LORD,
"That you will call Me Ishi
And will no longer call Me Baali.
¹⁷"For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth,
So that they will be mentioned by their names no more.
¹⁸"In that day I will also make a covenant for them
With the beasts of the field, the birds of the sky
And the creeping things of the ground
And I will abolish the bow, the sword and war from the land,
And will make them lie down in safety.

One of my favorite transition words--'Therefore'--opens up our passage this week. Last week, we left the end of a long diatribe in which God lays out for Israel the deepness of her sin. The powerful text could lead one to believe that there would be no hope for reconciliation. Not until verse 14 of Chapter 2, anyway, which starts with 'Therefore' and leads us through God's plan for restoration of His relationship with Israel.

"I will allure her." (vs. 14) In the Hebrew, 'allure' means "to be open" or "to make roomy." [Strong's] Where dialogue had been closed or uncomfortable, God would reestablish openness in communicating, captivating the attention and the heart of Israel. As I read this, I have a picture of what happens when one has a fight with one's boyfriend or girlfriend, or husband or wife. There's a period of separation, as emotions are discharged and feelings sorted out. Then, there is a time, sometimes mutually felt, for reconciliation. Reuniting at a favorite place or a significant place in the relationship. God spoke enormously to the Israelites in their years of roaming the wilderness together during the time of the Exodus from Egypt. The mention of that locale is not out of place here in Hosea.

The valley of Achor (see above), or the "valley of trouble," is not as well-known, perhaps, as the wilderness, but Israel would understand the symbolism, as God writes yet another analogy. This reference relates to a story in Joshua in which Achan and his family faced judgment after having taken some items that they had been banned from being allowed to touch. "The anger of the Lord burned against the sons of Israel." (Joshua 7:1) Joshua then sent 3,000 Israelites to spy on the land of Ai. Thirty-six men were struck down, and Joshua tore his clothes, asking God why.

"Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. And they have even taken some of the things under the ban and have both stolen and deceived. Moreover, they have also put them among their own things. Therefore the sons of Israel cannot stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, for they have become accursed. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy the things under the ban from your midst."
--Joshua 7: 11&12

Now, in Hosea, God says this place that had brought Israel despair will now be a "door of hope," at which Israel will "give answer" as in the days of her youth--an affirmative answer of following the Lord, wholly and truly.

Verse 16 has some vocabulary that needs a glance. 'Ishi' means "husband" while 'Baali' looks like what it is, "Baal." More generally, it means "my master." As if wooing a bride, God is showing profound grace to Israel by bringing her back to an earlier time, when He first called the nation to be His own. Again, in the quiet of the wilderness, God will speak to Israel's heart, saying that she will once again call Him husband, and they will reestablish the intimate relationship they once knew. She will not call Him "master" as if she were a slave. Indeed, as God says in verse 17, He will completely remove the names of the Baals from Israel's mouth to be remembered no more. As profoundly strong as God can be in asserting His way, He is also remarkably gentle in His handling of His people.

"In that day I will also make a covenant for them...." (vs. 18) God has certainly made His covenants with His people over time--from Moses to Jesus. But this one refers to a day yet to come:

"And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little boy will lead them.... They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, or the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea."
--Isaiah 11: 6 & 9

Such a dramatic peace is coming, with God directing all of creation in the laying down of arms and in knowing a time of eternal security and salvation. Israel will know this amazing time!

The conclusion of God's words in "The Restoration of Israel".... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo: churchwarnings.blogspot.com

* * *

Next week: Hosea 2: 19-23

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 2: 8-13

2011-05-04T08:58:00.005-04:00

⁸"For she does not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the new wine and the oil,
And lavished on her silver and gold, which they used for Baal.
⁹"Therefore, I will take back My grain at harvest time
And My new wine in its season.
I will also take away My wool and My flax
Given to cover her nakedness.
¹⁰"And then I will uncover her lewdness
In the sight of her lovers,
And no one will rescue her out of My hand.
¹¹"I will also put an end to all her gaiety,
Her feasts, her new moons, her sabbaths
And all her festal assemblies.
¹²"I will destroy her vines and fig trees,
Of which she said, 'These are my wages
Which my lovers have given me '
And I will make them a forest,
And the beasts of the field will devour them.
¹³"I will punish her for the days of the Baals
When she used to offer sacrifices to them
And adorn herself with her earrings and jewelry,
And follow her lovers, so that she forgot Me," declares the LORD.

"For she does not know...." Lost in her sin, too far gone for most to see, Israel is facing punishment from the Lord. God's words through Hosea in our passage today are as descriptive as they are clear.

Israel would learn, as we know, that God is the sole provider of all that we have. My church recently experienced a break-in, with thousands of dollars of equipment being stolen. Even as I know there were earthly thieves involved, I also have to say that God allowed for this event to take place. We have felt violated with the invasion. But, we have also turned to God in prayer, not putting aside our worship, and reaching out to our community for support. As the song says, "You give and take away. My heart will choose to say, 'Lord, blessed be Your Name!'"

But, here in Hosea, Israel has not recognized her Father. And God is in a mode of taking away. That with which He blessed Israel in making her the nation of His children, He would remove from sight, that she might, once again, turn to Him. Ezekiel, Chapter 16, begins with a gorgeously rich passage of God's grace upon Israel--a nation of feeble begininngs, yet, with God's personal hand-dressing, a nation that would grow into extreme beauty. But, affirming our Hosea passage, it would not last.

"But you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot because of your fame, and you poured out your harlotries on every passer-by who might be willing....Then it came about after all your wickedness ('Woe, woe to you!' declares the Lord GOD),that you built yourself a shrine and made yourself a high place in every square."

--Ezekiel 16:16, 23-24 [Look at that interjection by God in the middle of His own message--'Woe, woe to you' Israel. Wow!]

If you read all of that Ezekiel chapter, you will understand how verse 9 of Hosea fits in so beautifully with Israel's story. "I will also take away My wool and My flax given to cover her nakedness." Before Israel was a chosen nation, she was bloodied and naked. God's grace would serve as a "skirt" (Eze. 16:8) to cover her. "But you trusted in your beauty," says Ezekiel 16:16, and God had no choice but to remove His grace for a time. Linen, a material so desired, that even to manufacture linen was a dream job. Linen and wool symbolize purity and whiteness. But God would remove the garments He placed upon Israel, once again, leaving her in nakedness--meaning, "disgrace, blemish, unclean, shame." [All references here, Strong's].

God is putting an end to Israel's "party", as it were, (vs. 11) their focus on prosperity at their own hands and their worship of idols, notably Baal. The nation's creation of their own worship festivals and holidays was not celebrated by God, but, rather, condemned. Hosea is not the first to mention this practice.

"I hate, I reject your festivals, nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies.... You also carried along Sikkuth your king and Kiyyun, your images, the star of your gods which you made for yourselves."
--Amos 5:21, 26

Back to Hosea 2:12, God will destroy the nation's food source, notably, fig trees. We may not talk much about figs outside of Newtons or ingredients on cooking shows, but fig trees are often mentioned in the Bible and had enormous significance--both literally and figuratively--back in the day. The fig was a very important, reliable crop, especially for trade. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia also says, "Plenitude of fruitful vines and fig-trees, specially individual ownership, thus came to be emblematical of long-continued peace and prosperity." Israel would know the deep loss of relationship with God. Note the credit of the giving of the fig trees as wages from Israel's lovers, or false gods. Praise God from Whom ALL blessings flow--not so much, Israel. [Not to forget that Adam and Eve's first garments were created from fig leaves, getting back to the nation's soon-to-be state of "nakedness".]

Today's passage concludes with God punishing Israel for its worship of Baal. Baal was a Phoenician sun god who courted Israel through the evil Jezebel when she married King Ahab. The prophet Elijah comes to the forefront when looking at Jezebel's story and influence. Remember how he fled following Jezebel's threats to kill him? His pleading with God at the cave to be finished with his work? God would strengthen Elijah, as there were important leadership changes that he would help bring about. God also issued this word through His prophet:

"Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him."
--I Kings 19:18

There's a lot of back and forth in the messages of Hosea. But isn't that how it goes with studying the dynamics of a relationship? Having concluded an "Unfaithfulness" section, and reading God's Word as documented I Kings, we begin anew with "The Restoration of Israel".... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo:myjewelrybox.com; en.wikipedia.org

* * *

Next week: Hosea 2: 14-18

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 2: 1-7

2011-04-27T00:00:00.004-04:00

Israel's Unfaithfulness Condemned

¹Say to your brothers, "Ammi," and to your sisters, "Ruhamah."
²"Contend with your mother, contend,
For she is not my wife, and I am not her husband;
And let her put away her harlotry from her face
And her adultery from between her breasts,
³Or I will strip her naked
And expose her as on the day when she was born
I will also make her like a wilderness,
Make her like desert land
And slay her with thirst.
⁴"Also, I will have no compassion on her children,
Because they are children of harlotry.
⁵"For their mother has played the harlot;
She who conceived them has acted shamefully
For she said, 'I will go after my lovers,
Who give me my bread and my water,
My wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.'
⁶"Therefore, behold, I will hedge up her way with thorns,
And I will build a wall against her so that she cannot find her paths.
⁷"She will pursue her lovers, but she will not overtake them;
And she will seek them, but will not find them
Then she will say, 'I will go back to my first husband,
For it was better for me then than now!'

Israel's portrayal, through Gomer, as a harlot opens Chapter 2 of Hosea. Speaking to the Israelites, God calls upon the children of Israel to "contend with your mother." The Hebrew word used here for 'contend' means to "grapple, wrangle or hold a controversy." [Strong's] God is challenging His people to see their harlotry in their betrayal of Him. Yes, they would always belong to the nation of Israel, to be children (Ammi, "My people," and Ruhamah, "She has obtained compassion") of their mother, but they needed to grapple with the overall stance taken by the nation--a stance of opposition against the Almighty.

For now, God is saying, "She is not my wife." (vs 2) Not so long as she chooses to be a harlot. And if she does not turn from her ways, God will smite her as a wilderness with famine. Do you remember this cross-reference we recently took apart in Amos? A time will come in which the word of the Lord will not be heard in Israel, even their thirst for the word will be slayed (vs 3):

"'Behold, days are coming,' declares the Lord GOD,
'When I will send a famine on the land,
Not a famine for bread or a thirst for water,
But rather for hearing the words of the LORD.
People will stagger from sea to sea
And from the north even to the east;
They will go to and fro to seek the word of the LORD,
But they will not find it.
In that day the beautiful virgins
And the young men will faint from thirst.'"
--Amos 8:11-13

Verse 5 demonstrates the complete waywardness of the prostitute nation as it seeks "its lovers" for all of its needs, forsaking God. This was a time of Israel's life in which it was enjoying immense prosperity and the hands of its kings and was being filled spiritually by idol worship. "I get what I want from those with whom I have a relationship," in other words, and that relationship was not with God!^{As we read verse 6, we see the actions that God is going to take with Israel--to "hedge her up" and "build walls to block her paths." I just love the richness of the picture of the hedge (see above), with this thorny variety being commonly found in Israel. The word itself, in Hebrew, is equally descriptive--"to entwine; shut in for formation, protection or restraint." [Strong's] Israel needed reformation, protection from its evils and restraint in making the poor choices that they were making.

God entwines us for our own good, so that we can see Him more clearly. Sounds like an oxymoron! Scripture has many examples: "He has walled up my way so that I cannot pass, and He has put darkness on my paths." (Job 19:8) He has walled me in so that I cannot go out; He has made my chain heavy." (Jeremiah quoted in Lamentations, 3:7). What about beautiful Psalm 139 (verse 5): "You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me." God truly does not want us wandering on our own, living off the relationships we make with other people as if there is not a place for Him. So, when we stray, He has His means of keeping us contained and under His control. Praises!

Verse 7 is an early mention of the recognition Israel needs to have. She will be thwarted in her steps. Not as a result of her mistakes, but as a result of the loving God who wants to take her back. Not surprisingly, Luke 15, which contains the story of the prodigal son, is mentioned in my study Bible as a cross-reference.}

'I will go back to my first husband, for it was better for me then than now!' (vs 7)

"'I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight....' But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.... For this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.'"
--Luke 15: 18, 20, 24 (excerpts)

But before there can be celebration, the prodigal harlot must be humbled.

A harlot's due.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo:reconcilable-differences.com

* * *

Next week: Hosea 2: 8-13

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).

Hosea 1: 6-11

2011-04-18T11:34:00.013-04:00

⁶Then she conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. And the LORD said to him, "Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer have compassion on the house of Israel, that I would ever forgive them.

⁷"But I will have compassion on the house of Judah and deliver them by the LORD their God, and will not deliver them by bow, sword, battle, horses or horsemen."

⁸When she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and gave birth to a son.

⁹And the LORD said, "Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not My people and I am not your God."

¹⁰Yet the number of the sons of Israel
Will be like the sand of the sea,
Which cannot be measured or numbered;
And in the place
Where it is said to them,
"You are not My people,"
It will be said to them,
"You are the sons of the living God."
¹¹And the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel will be gathered together,
And they will appoint for themselves one leader,
And they will go up from the land,
For great will be the day of Jezreel.

The remainder of Hosea, Chapter 1, introduces us to Gomer's two other children. As we learned with Jezreel's name, God had plans in the naming of these two siblings.

Lo-ruhamah is the daughter, and the meaning of her name is summed up in verse 6--"...for I will no longer have compassion on the house of Israel." It is hard to imagine our most merciful God as saying He no longer has compassion. But we know, most recently, from our study of Amos, that the prophets have been called into action because of the severity of the sin nature of Israel. That God would name the prophet's daughter Lo-ruhamah is not something easily glossed over.

Judah, however would continue to receive God's compassion in this time--and mighty arm! Note the wording in verse 7: "I will...deliver them by the LORD their God and will not delivery them by...." God was going to bat for Judah and its king, Hezekiah, to protect them from an assault by the Assyrians in 701 B.C. [What a slap in the face that must have been for Israel, having been defeated by the Assyrians in 722 B.C.!] Enjoy the fullness of the text as you read it from II Kings:

^"'Then this shall be the sign for you: you will eat this year what grows of itself, in the second year what springs from the same, and in the third year sow, reap, plant vineyards, and eat their fruit. The surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root downward and bear fruit upward.'

'For out of Jerusalem will go forth a remnant, and out of Mount Zion survivors. The zeal of the LORD will perform this. Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, 'He will not come to this city or shoot an arrow there; and he will not come before it with a shield or throw up a siege ramp against it. By the way that he came, by the same he will return, and he shall not come to this city,' declares the LORD. 'For I will defend this city to save it for My own sake and for My servant David's sake.'

Then it happened that night that the angel of the LORD went out and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men rose early in the morning, behold, all of them were dead."
--II Kings 19:29-35 (italics mine)

In verse 9, we are introduced to younger brother, Lo-ammi, which means "not my people." Again, it seems unfathomable for God to declare His people not His people. The language is strong! Israel needed to change. Israel needed to bow down and remember God. I have to wonder what people thought when they got their birth announcements. It makes for quite a trio when you put them all together: remembering bloodshed and punishment; without compassion; not My people. For a prophet of "salvation", that must have been quite a burden!

But, even as God pronounces His thoughts concerning Israel, He quickly shifts His focus in verse 10, to say that after this time, there will be a time of blessing, and there will be a people who are His people. Lest discerning Israelites feared that the covenant made with Abraham was no longer valid, God clears that up. The number of the sons of Israel will be like "the sand on the sea."

"Indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies."
--Genesis 22:17 (God speaking to Abraham)

In the place in which God speaks through Hosea, God will, once again, make Himself known. And Israel, Lo-ammi, will then be called "sons of the living God." There is a future of promise fulfilled awaiting Israel, but not in the time of Hosea nor in the time of Paul, who quoted the prophet in Chapter 9 of Romans:

"What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.
As He says also in Hosea, 'I WILL CALL THOSE WHO WERE NOT MY PEOPLE, 'MY PEOPLE,' AND HER WHO WAS NOT BELOVED, 'BELOVED. AND IT SHALL BE THAT IN THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS SAID TO THEM, 'YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE,' THERE THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF THE LIVING GOD.'"
--Romans 9:22-26

Verse 11 continues with what was to come in the end times--the restoration of Israel and the coming of One who will rule over all. As was alluded to last week, "great is the day of Jezreel" when Christ will be Lord on Earth, destroying the armies of Satan at Har-Magedon.

Chapter 2, "Israel's Unfaithfulness Condemned" begins.... 'Til next Wednesday!

Photo:umc-sc.org

* * *

Next week: Hosea 2: 1-7

Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation,
specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB).
I will quote other sources if used in a post.

I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(with notes from the King James Version).