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Hosea chapter 1 through chapter 5

Ignorance Is Not Bliss

                God warned Israel and Judah that their behavior revealed that they were ignorant about life and death. Their ignorance was by choice. They chose to ignore God which left them without any knowledge of how to live. God said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge…you have forgotten the Law of your God…” (Hosea 4:6) God tells them the consequence of rejecting Him “there is swearing, deception, murder, stealing, and adultery. They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed. Therefore the land mourns and everyone who lives in it languishes…” (Hosea 4:2-3a)

                Only knowledge of man’s depravity and Gods holiness will cause men to turn from wickedness. Only knowledge that the Bible is God’s Word that teaches that Jesus died, shed His blood, and paid for our sin will cause men to humbly live together. Let me urge everyone who reads this to get that knowledge out in the market-place.

What Is A God-Follower?

                Israel could not tolerate prosperity. Every time they became blessed of God they would start copying pagan nations and their worship. God warned them that they could not prosper nor would He continue to bless them when they strayed. He did tell them what He expected of them. “For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6) God wants our life to reflect His holiness. His holiness sets Him apart from all other gods and all other philosophies and religions. “…for the ways of the Lord are right, and the righteous will walk in them, but transgressors will stumble in them.” (Hosea 14:9)

                God-followers are those that concentrate on following God’s commandments because they reverence and love Him. They serve Him out of love not fear. Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (John 14:15) NASB Translation

God Trouble

                Paul said that when the brilliant light appeared on the road to Damascus that Jesus asked him why he was kicking against the goad. The goad was a stick with a very sharp point that was used to prod an animal to keep going. The nation of Israel was like an animal kicking against a goad which was God’s trouble being poured out on Judah in the form of Locusts, bad weather and an enemy attack. God was attempting to get them to turn to Him and rely on Him for all their needs in life. He wanted to bless them because they were His CHOSEN PEOPLE. The instant they repented God promised to remove the heavenly disasters and would bless them beyond measure. The choice was Israel’s to make as they lived in the “Valley of decision.”

                The “day of the Lord” was not a day to look forward to when a nation or person was in rebellion against God. The only option to avoid the judgment of the “day of the Lord” was to repent. Just as Israel experienced “God trouble” we as believers will experience the same kind of “trouble” when we rebel. God’s love for us is displayed when He corrects us. God never threw His people away as though they were trash. He always held out hope for them to return to His love and care. “…Judah will be inhabited forever…” (Joel 3:20) Our salvation is forever but our fellowship with God can be broken.

Supernatural Transparency

                Openness about one’s life is evidence that a person is walking very close to the Lord. God always and I mean always was open with man about His requirements and His warnings. He does that by choosing men who are faithful to share His message unedited. God lists Israel’s failings and then warns them of the dire consequences if they do not return to following Him.

                Amos gives credence to the message he must proclaim when he reminds Israel that, “Surely the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret counsel to His servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7) The message is never popular with the worldly professors who say they follow the Lord but act in opposition to everything He stands for. Jesus warned the disciples many times of the coming climatic events and then lived out what He had revealed.

                God declares His character, His covenant, His corrective acts on His followers, and His call to repentance. Four times in chapter four He reveals His purpose of preaching and prophesying. He wanted them to return to Him so He could care for them.

                My prayer: Lord, let me live a transparent life like Jesus even when the pain is overwhelming. With all my heart I ask to be conformed to the image of Christ.

What Goes Around Comes Around

                Obadiah warns Edom with God’s words about their hatred of Israel and their rejoicing over Israel being conquered by Babylon. The Edomites were descendents of Isaac and Rebekah/Re Becca. They descended from Esau which means they were Israel’s cousins. Could it be that they had an innate hatred of Israel as one result of Jacob cheating Esau out of his inheritance? The Herod’s of Christ’s time where Edomites. They were pagan in their worship and turned out to be the appropriate rulers to treat Christ cruelly. The Edomites were never heard of again after A.D. 70- and Jerusalem’s destruction.

                God’s warning to Edom is applicable to us today when He says, “For the day of the Lord draws near on all the nations. As you have done, it will be done to you. Your dealings will return on your own head.” (v. 15) This points out one reason to follow Christ’s teachings when He says, “…I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.” (Mt. 5:44) Jesus also said, “…however you want people to treat you, so treat them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Mt. 7:12)

God Says, “Pay Attention”

                When I taught in the public school system of Sands ISD in Ackerly, Texas I taught the 4^th grade the first year. During the years of 1965 to 1969 a teacher was able to paddle the students. I paddled one particular boy just outside the door of the classroom. The class could hear the slap of the paddle and cries of the boy. The class would be a model class with no discipline problems for a pretty good while after the paddling. In like manner God was saying to Israel that they should have taken notice of His judgment on other nations and quit copying the other nation’s behavior. “Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are on the sinful Kingdom and I will destroy it from the face of the earth;” (Amos 9:8) “…yet they have not grieved over the ruin of Joseph. Therefore, they will now go into exile at the head of the exiles,” (Amos 6:6b) God stated to all nations including Israel that He would withdraw His Word from them for ignoring Him. “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, 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.” (Amos 8:11) The worst Spiritual paddling a nation or person can have is if God’s Word is removed from them.

A Solution to Catastrophes

                Many encounters in life cannot be understood and appear to be mysterious. The sailors in this story were sensitive to the fact that some kind of supernatural event was taking place and they were caught in the center of it. Amazingly they were religious enough to believe that a divine hand was in operation and unless they found out the reason for the storm they would all die. Notice there were no atheist. After exhausting all their options they discovered that their passenger might be the one stirring up God’s wrath. He was! They desperately wanted out of this dangerous situation. They learned the truth that Jonah was a rebellious, resisting, runaway prophet. He instructed them and resolved the crisis. They were rescued and a city was saved by the hand of God. The solution was to learn what God wanted and obey Him.

                The world is in a desperate situation today and God is looking for someone to tell everyone that the world doesn’t have to experience God’s judgment. The violence and mayhem must stop as the king of Nineveh said after Jonah warned the city. The king told the citizens, “…to turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands.” (Jonah 3:8) The world had the same problem with violence before the flood. (Gen. 6:11, 13) Violence is a symptom of a sick heart. God’s mercy and our repentance is the solution.