Recently, I realized that when things are wrong with God's people, God is able to really speak to us. He does not speak from frustration or anger, as people do; but rather He solidly reasons with us as He did Hosea with Israel. Here are a few selected phrases from the book of Hosea:
* My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (spiritual understanding) (4:6)
* And there shall be, like people, like priests... (there will be no difference between common people and priests; they all are idolaters) (4:9)
* Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart (4:11)
* Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone (4:17)
* They will not frame their doings to turn with their God (5:4)
* Come and let us return unto the Lord... (6:1)
* Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord...(6:3)
* Strangers have devoured his strength and he knows it not... (7:9)
* Ephraim is like a silly dove without heart (not like an eagle) (7:11)
* And they have not cried unto me with their heart: when they howled on their beds... (7:16)
* They returned but not to their most High... (7:16)
* They have set up kings but not by me... (8:4)
* Israel is an empty vine (10:1)
* Their heart is divided (10:2)
* Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity: ye have eaten the fruit of lies (10:13)
The content behind all these verses is that the people of Israel had departed from God in their hearts. Just as God is direct in showing where their hearts are off, He is similarly gracious in drawing them back.
* When Israel was a child then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt (11:1)
* I draw them with cords of a man, with bands of love (11:4)
* How shall I give thee up Ephraim (11:8)
* ...I will place them in their houses (11:11)
* O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God...take with you words and turn to the Lord (14:1, 2)
* I will heal their backslidings; I will love them freely (14:4)
* I will be as the dew with Israel: he shall grow as the lily (14:5)
This study on Hosea is deeply encouraging. God is the God of reality. As a good doctor, He will tell us what we need to hear, but also heal us.
No fooling around with Him, life is too precious. His love and desire toward all of us is beyond our greatest thoughts. He is our loving, caring, real Father.
No comments:
Post a Comment