DECEMBER 5
By the way, in some countries St. Nick comes tonight to fill
shoes with good things.
Hosea 1-3
Hosea is one of the "minor"
prophets, meaning that his recorded message was short. There were actually many
prophets whom God used, whom we don't know, who never wrote. So then, it is significant
that God chose to have the message of Hosea recorded and circulated around
Israel and included in the Word.
Hosea is one of the better known minor
prophets because of the unusual thing God asked him to do. If you look at the
chart, “Kings
of Judah and Israel and the Preexilic Prophets,” (located at the end of this
document) you'll see that Hosea
continued the prophetic ministry against Israel after Elisha was gone. Although
Amos and Jonah were there for a short time after Elisha, Hosea continued. Since
God had already pronounced judgment against the northern kingdom during the
ministry of Elijah, you wonder what Hosea's impact was meant to have. He
couldn't have saved his country. Maybe there were individuals who could still
turn to God. That was definitely the case during the time of King Hezekiah when
many from the north finally left and moved south to Judah. Also, I think that
Hosea had an influence on Hezekiah, who was a godly king and would have paid
attention to what the Lord was saying. In fact, if you compare the dates on the
chart, Hosea was pretty much finished with his ministry when Hezekiah was just
beginning to come to power.
Here are some guiding thoughts about
this message of Hosea. First, the message God gave him was to emphasize and
expose the spiritual adultery of Israel, and thereby, to warn Judah. Second,
though we only have 14 chapters, you can see by the chart that Hosea's ministry
spanned a couple of decades. Third, although the message is very hard, there is
mercy and hope mixed in; in fact, there is a very clear structure of judgment
being declared followed by a message of salvation and hope. This cycle will
happen about five times. Just like the promise of God's restoration of His
people, I'd like to think that the relationship with Hosea and Gomer ended
well, like a little miracle on earth.
Hosea 1
Vs. 1-3 Some of the names of these
kings should be familiar to you. It was during this period that the northern
kingdom was captured and taken into exile by Assyria and when the Assyrians
tried to take Jerusalem.
Vs. 2-3 Lots of people object to God
commanding Hosea to do this. We have seen that the life God gave His prophets
was not glamorous or easy. Isaiah had to walk around naked for a year. Jeremiah
endured persecution and incredible sadness. Ezekiel acted out several disaster
scenarios over a couple of years and then lost his wife. Daniel & Co. lost
everything.
It is very probable that Hosea already
knew Gomer, had a crush on her, and married her knowing she had an unsteady heart,
but before she was fully unfaithful. If Hosea's relationship with her mirrored
God's relationship to Israel, that would be a fair description. God didn't make
a covenant with a whore, but showed His love to an unsteady nation. Could Hosea
win Gomer back and would she change? If God's work with Israel is the model for
the human drama and sadness Hosea is about to endure, then there would be a
happy ending for Hosea.
The son is clearly Hosea's son.
Vs. 4-5 Jezreel becomes a name for
judgment. This was the deciding battle where Assyria took Israel.
Vs. 6-7 This is another of Hosea's own children
with Gomer, a girl called No Mercy.
The nation of Israel was removed and God showed them no mercy from the
Assyrians.
But notice in v. 7 that God did show
mercy to Judah. God says that He will save Judah; notice that He says how
He will not save them. Do you remember what God did to the Assyrian
army when they threatened Jerusalem? This was during the reign of King Hezekiah.
I think Hezekiah read Hosea.
Vs. 8-9 A third child for Hosea with a
very harsh name, Not My People.
Vs. 10-11 (Actually, 2:1 is a part of
this, and is a transition.) Here is the salvation and hope. Do you see the
aspect of this promise that will only be complete in the Millennial Kingdom?
Note that Paul quotes from this section in Romans 9:26. Notice too, how the
name, Jezreel, that formerly denoted judgment, now becomes a word for
salvation.
Hosea 2
V. 1 This is transitional in that the
children of this blessing are to cry out to the mother, the nation.
Vs. 2-13 This is the declaration of
God's judgment on Israel, mirrored in some respect by Gomer's actions toward
Hosea. You can imagine that people were watching this drama between Hosea and
Gomer, getting really mad at the behavior of Gomer in response to the kindness
of Hosea. But when they said to Hosea, "Too bad you married a whore,"
Hosea's answer would have singed their ears; because the idolatrous people of
Israel were the real whores.
But, on a personal level, can you
imagine Hosea going through this, feeling all the love and betrayal and
ridicule and anger. This is what God felt toward Israel, and still feels as
those He loves betray Him.
V. 3 Notice this image of the
wilderness. God will use isolation to punish Israel as in v. 7. If you
understand the scope of biblical redemptive history, Israel is still in this
wilderness, being prepared to finally cry out for their Messiah.
Vs. 14-23 (actually to 3:5) This is the
declaration of hope and redemption. Notice again that the fulfillment of this
promise of redemption is still future.
V. 14 It is in the hardness and
isolation of the wilderness that God will woo Israel to renew her faithfulness.
Hosea 3:1-5
This is the command to buy back his
wayward wife who has become the slave of another. God did the same thing with
His people, and with us, as slaves of sin. That is why Jesus is our Redeemer.
He bought us back.
V. 5 We have seen this in Ezekiel.
David will be the ruler of the reunited and redeemed Israel.
Isn't it interesting that even when God
is meting out judgment, He is very careful to affirm His love and to give hope
of redemption? Who says there is no love or grace in the Old Testament?
1 John 5
Vs. 1-5 There is a lot packed into
these verses. John is repeating what Jesus Himself said so many times in so
many different ways: "Why do you call me Lord and do not do what I
say?" Remember, Jesus' commandments have to do with following, not living
morally and staying out of trouble. Those "right living" things are
assumed of anyone who names the name of Christ. His commands have to do with
following and acknowledging Him, testifying to Him, in a lost world. We are to
work in the harvest, making disciples, who make disciples. We are to have our
loins girded and our lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return
home from the wedding feast, to open up to Him at once when He comes and
knocks. (Luke 12:35) Obeying Jesus has nothing to do with living mousey, moral,
invisible lives on earth. In v. 5 this belief that overcomes is not silent or
invisible.
Vs. 6-12 This is a great affirmation to
the redeeming power of Christ as our Savior. This also seems to be a rebuke to
some of the false teachers. There was a line of thinking and teaching that said
that the man Jesus was not God the Son, but was only possessed by God the Son.
In their thinking, at the crucifixion, God the Son left that poor guy on the
cross because it is impossible for God to suffer or endure such sinful behavior
by men. By the way, that was probably also Satan's thought. The incarnation,
God becoming fully man and remaining fully God, was a mystery. If Satan had
understood that Jesus was fully God and fully man, he might have understood
that Jesus could pay for the sins of man. I think this "wisdom of
God" is what Paul was referring to when he said, None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they
would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (1 Cor. 2:8) Jesus was not only
anointed as the Son of God at His baptism, by water, but He was shown to be the
Son of God at His death, by blood. The Holy Spirit testified over all of this.
The incarnation is the reason why salvation can only be through Jesus Christ,
the Son of God.
Vs. 13-15 The key thoughts here are, that you may know, this is the confidence, and we
have the requests. All of these things were shaken by those teachers who
had attacked the full adoption as sons that we obtain through Jesus, claiming
Jesus was only a man and not the God-Man.
Vs. 16-17 Apparently there were people
sinning and being chastened by God with death. We see this in Acts 5:1-11 and
in 1 Corinthians 11:30. As we've seen in 1 Corinthians, Christians are capable
of a lot of sin and God does, at times, chasten by using sickness and death.
V. 18 Jesus is the one who protects, in His hand, those who abide
in Him.
V. 19 So we should live like it,
working in the harvest.
V. 20 Our lives are to be lived very
simply, in Jesus, seeking Jesus, following Jesus.
V. 21 Any passion other than Jesus can
lead us into idolatry.
Psalm 124
I wonder what
this sounded like as it was sung by the people as they walked to Jerusalem for
the feasts. It is interesting too, that this psalm is of David. That might be
why there is the thought of deliverance from enemies.
Vs. 1-5 David
understood that with all the fighting, ducking, and hiding that took place over
the years he ran from Saul, if it hadn't been for the Lord, he would have died.
In all the battles David waged for Israel, it wasn't his ability as a leader
that won the day. It was not that he had some incredible fighters that gave the
victory. It was the Lord. This is the same for us. This realization can't be
"lip service;" it has to be heartfelt and deeply understood.
Vs. 6-7 We can
say the same not only regarding salvation, but as we escape the effects of the
sin within us every day we walk on this planet.
V. 8 Amen!
Proverbs 29:5-8
Vs. 5-6 Lots of capturing birds imagery here. (Notice Psalm
124:7.) I wonder if that imagery is continued in the righteous man singing. I guess the guy doesn't understand that he
is spreading a net for his own feet.
V. 7 Here too is an inability for the wicked to understand.
V. 8 Those who start fires (among people) often get burned
by them, but a wise man understands how to put them out.
If you’re reading along
and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this link http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.”
I'm writing these
comments to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and interested in
growing deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see
the growth of a discipleship culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting
weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make
disciples who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we
have and key to our growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused
on why we are here or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to
provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of
redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us
focused on Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in
these groups will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others
to meet with and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making
disciples in the harvest.
If you would like a
complete description of this model of being and making disciples you can find
it in my book: Simply Disciples*Making Disciples.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011WJIDQA?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
If you would like a more
descriptive commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the
Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's keyed to the NIV, so the result is the
commentators are constantly telling you what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never
hurts.
I am not endorsing any
particular One Year Bible; in fact, I read something you don't, die revidierte
Lutherbibel 1984.
Anyone reading along with
us is welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their
own observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular
tradition or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to
criticize any point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has
written to us, as I understand it. Send comments or feedback to dgkachikis@gmail.com.
If you would like
documents containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes. You can download these to use on your computer or to
print.
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