Hosea 1:8,9 December 27, 2007

After Gomer had weaned Lo-ruhammah, she again became pregnant and gave birth to a second son.  And the LORD said, “Name him Lo-ammi–‘not my people’–for Israel is not my people, and I am not their God.”

Lo-ammi was Gomer’s third child, a son, and his name means “not my people.”  Not only would God remove His mercy from His people, but He would also renounce the covenant He had made with them.  It was like a man divorcing his wife and turning his back on her, or like a father rejecting his own son (see Exodus 4:22 adn Hosea 11:1).

Here God was in essence dissolving the covenant (Jeremiah 7:23).  The name of the third child conveys the finality of God’s judgment.  God’s warnings recorded in Deuteronomy 28:15-68 were beginning to come true:  Israel was abandoning God, and in turn, He was leaving them alone and without His blessings.

I believe God’s warning in Jeremiah still rings true for us today.  God wants us to obey him with a joyful heart and in turn we enjoy an amazing relationship with Him.  It’s a no-lose situation for us:  walk in all the ways He commands, and He will take us places beyond our imagination. 

Credits:  Be Amazed (Wiersbe), Grace Institute:  The Prophets:  Hosea, Life Application Bible, New Living Translation Bible

Hosea 1:6,7 December 18, 2007

Soon Gomer became pregnant again and gave birth to a daughter.  And the LORD said to Hosea, “Name your daughter Lo-ruhama – ‘not loved’ – for I will no longer show love to the people of Israel or forgive them.  But I will show love to the people of Judah.  I will free them from their enemies-not with weapons and armies or horses and charioteers, but by my power as the LORD their God.

In Hosea 1:3, we read that Gomer “bore him (Hosea) a son.”  In verse 6 we learn that Gomer gave birth to a daughter – no indication that it belongs to Hosea.  Regardless of who the father is, the message we need to hear is in the meaning of the child’s name:  “not pitied.”  Some other meanings are “not loved” or “no compassion.”

God’s patience was wearing thin.  God was no longer going to have pity on His people if they continued in their unfaithfulness.  They were getting near the end when He would no longer pity them but would hand them over to invading armies. 

How long must God wait for us before we turn back to Him?  Or do we have to be destroyed before He gets our attention? 

God had loved His people and proved it in many ways, but now He would withdraw that love and no longer show them mercy.  The expression of God’s love is unconditional, but our enjoyment of that love is conditional and depends on our faith and obedience.  God loves us no matter what but we need to do our part to experience the fullness of God’s love.  When we don’t live according to God’s plan and purpose, we miss out.

For me, the perfect illustration is my kids.  When they obey and do what they are supposed to do, things are great between us.  But when they willfully disobey I have to punish them.  There are consequences for their action – inaction in most cases.

But is their punishment immediate?  Absolutely not!  They get chance after chance to correct their behavior before the hammer comes down.  I believe God is so much more longsuffering toward me than I am with my children.  And I am thankful that He is.

So what’s the deal with verse 7?  I believe God helped Judah because Judah had a few kings who honored Him.  God said He would personally rescue the people of Judah from their enemies with no help from their armies or weapons.  We serve an awesome God.  He does not need us to fulfill His purposes, but He chooses to work through us for our benefit – because we have something to gain. 

Hosea 1:4,5 December 17, 2007

And the LORD said, ‘Name the child Jezreel, for I am about to punish King Jehu’s dynasty to avenge the murders he committed at Jezreel.  In fact, I will bring an end to Israel’s independence.  I will break its military power in the Jezreel Valley.

As with numerous people in Scripture Gomer’s three children were given meaningful names selected by the Lord.  The first child, a son, was called Jezreel, which means “God sows” or “God scatters.”  God was giving the nation of Israel a warning by naming this child Jezreel, or “cast away”:  they too would be cast away if they didn’t recognize the folly of their actions, if they didn’t turn from going after idols and giving way to abominable practices and trying to be like everybody else around them.

Jezreel was a city in the tribe of Isaachar, near Mt. Gilboa, and is associated with the drastic judgments that Jehu executed on the family of Ahab (2 Kings 9-10; 1 Kings 21:21-24 and 2 Kings 9:6-10).  Jehu was so zealous about purging the land of Ahab’s evil descendants that he murdered far more people than the Lord commanded, including King Ahaziah of Judah and forty-two of his relatives (2 Kings 9:27-10:14). 

Through the birth of Hosea’s son, God announced that He would avenge the innocent blood shed by Jehu and put an end to Jehu’s dynasty in Israel.  God also announced that the whole kingdom of Israel would come to an end with the defeat of her army, which occurred in 724.

What can we learn from Jehu?  Have you ever heard the phrase, “partial obedience is disobedience?”  I think in the case of Jehu, he went the polar opposite extreme and went way over the line; above and beyond what God had asked him to do.  This too was sin.  God was very clear in his instruction. 

Jehu killed all possible competition to the throne and claimed God’s sanction for doing it.  He had his own agenda – not God’s agenda – that he was following.  He wanted the throne all to himself and this was the perfect opportunity to get rid of any competition.  

The story of Jehu forces me to examine my own heart and ask myself, “Is my own agenda more important than God?”  What is my motivation in serving?  Why do I go to church?  When I’m there, is my mind completely focused on God or am I thinking about something else?  Forgive me Lord when I put my agenda ahead of yours.  Please help me to truly worship you in spirit and in truth at all times.

Credits:  Be Amazed (Wiersbe), Grace Institute: The Prophets: Hosea, Life Application Bible, New Living Translation Bible

      

Hosea 1:1-3 December 16, 2007

Verse 1:  The LORD gave this message to Hosea son of Beeri during the years when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah, and Jeroboam son of Jehoash was king of Israel.

Hosea prophesied for approximately 60 years to the nation of Israel during the time leading up to the fall of Israel under Assyria.  These kings were wicked and refused to repent and turn to God (2 Kings 13:6).

Verse 2:  When the LORD first began speaking to Israel through Hosea, he said to him, “Go and marry a prostitute, so that some of her children will be conceived in prostitution.  This will illustrate how Israel has acted like a prostitute by turning against the LORD and worshipping other gods.”

How could God ask Hosea to marry a prostitute?  Much like today, even the mere association with a prostitute would have alienated him from mainstream society.  Obviously God wanted to show Israel a vivid picture of her sin so that they would repent and turn back to Him.

There is some debate as to whether or not Gomer was a prostitute when Hosea married her, or if she was a pure woman who later became a prostitute.  In the Old Testament prostitution is a symbol of idolatry and unfaithfulness to God (Jer. 2-3; Ezek. 16; 23).  Since the Jews were idolatrous from the beginning (Josh. 24:2-3, 14), it seems likely that Gomer would have to be a prostitute when she married Hosea; for this would best symbolize Israel’s relationship to the Lord.

We often have the mistaken notion that God would never ask us to do something which might jeopardize our happiness or our reputation.  Often following after God requires us to give up comforts, reputation and even our very life.  Jesus tells us in Matthew 17:24, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”  A life which seeks after God is willing to give up the surface happiness for a peace and joy which surpasses all understanding.

Verse 3:  So Hosea married Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she became pregnant and gave Hosea a son.

For me the key phrase here is, “So Hosea married Gomer.”  He married her.  He just did it because God said so, and that settled it for him.  Regardless of his personal feelings about marrying a prostitute, he obeyed God.  I wonder if he wrestled with this decision (for he had a free will you know!).  If he was anything like me, I’m sure he did.

God may ask us to do something difficult and extraordinary too.  If He does, how will you and I respond?  Will we obey Him, trusting that He who knows everything has a special purpose for His request?  Will we be able to accept the fact that the pain involved in obedience may benefit those we serve and not us personally?

It’s a daily struggle.  It’s an hourly struggle.  It’s a minute by minute struggle.  The battlefield is the mind.  In our mind, who is in first place?  When we put ourselves first we will not respond in a way that honors God.  I’m reminding myself constantly that it is NOT ABOUT ME.  It’s way too easy to get distracted by worldly comforts and place our trust in our own abilities.  This does not honor or please God.

Only when we put Him first in our lives do we truly reap all the wonderful benefits that are in store.  He gives us peace beyond understanding, He gives us joy unspeakable, He loves us no matter what, He comforts us, He provides for our needs.  The list goes on and on but I think you get the picture.  I am convinced that come h*ll or high water, it’s always right to obey God!  And just like Hosea did, I just need to do it too.  J

Credits:  Be Amazed by Warren Wiersbe, Grace Institute: The Prophets: Hosea, Life Application Bible, New Living Translation Bible

Don’t Worry December 13, 2007

God is in control.  His Word is true.  Through the ups and downs of life we can find ourselves worrying about anything and everything.  Worrying about the future.  Will our needs be met?  Will the children be okay?  What’s going to happen at my job?  My husband’s job?  Will everyone stay healthy?  The questions are endless. Thinking about these things can be utterly overwhelming to the point of despair. 

Thank God that we have a way out!   

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”  1 Corinthians 10:13 

God teaches us about worry in His Word…

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”  Matthew 6:25-34 

“Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.”  Psalm 55:22 

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds to Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:6,7 

“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”  1 Peter 5:7 

I believe it is sin when we worry.  God wants us to trust Him to meet our every need.  Worrying distracts us from the one thing that we were made to do…seek Him with all our heart.

Intro to Hosea December 9, 2007

The book of Hosea is a love story.  It is the love story between Hosea and Gomer, God and the people of Israel and, I believe, is a love story that illustrates God’s constant and persistent love for you and me.

More than anything we want to be loved and accepted unconditionally.  I am excited about studying Hosea and growing deeper in love with my God as I discover more about His love that will never let me go.

Hosea was a prophet to the Northern Kingdom of Israel during a period of time when they were unfaithful to God.  The people of Israel were worshipping idols and seeking relationships with other nations in hopes of strengthening their military.  They had allowed other things to take God’s rightful place – first place – in their lives.  Israel was prospering but Hosea could foresee the inevitable judgment that was in store for Israel if they did not repent and turn back to God.

When I apply this story to my life I am convicted of the times when I do not fully rely on God and let other things distract me from the most important relationship in my life.  Thank you God for your constant and persistent love.  Thank you for being a just God who is merciful but also disciplines those whom you love.  Thank you for being faithful to your promises.  Forgive me Lord for not keeping you in first place – where you rightfully belong.  Please help me to be ever mindful of your love for me.  Amen.

My husband is so great! December 7, 2007

So Sunday afternoon Kenny tells me he’s got a surprise for me and we are going on a little ‘drive’ somewhere.  So we’re driving to Fayetteville, NC, and I’m wondering what he’s got planned.  We get to the coliseum and it’s none other than THIRD DAY the most awesome band in the world! 

There we are rockin’ out to Jars of Clay and during intermission they are signing autographs so I get in line to meet them.  They are unbelievably talented and put on a great show. 

 

It had been a while since we had done anything like that for each other.  Made me realize how blessed I am to be going through life with him. 

the kids…

Bailey the brains and Molly the rockstar.  Amazing how your kids can brighten up even your worst day.  I thank God for them!