September 18 - Hosea 5-7
In this passage Hosea speaks to the people of Israel and Judah in some direct statements, and he also uses many word pictures or figures of speech. How many of those word pictures did you notice? Which ones spoke to your heart the most? I hope you can read slowly enough to let some of these things soak into your soul.
Hosea tells the people of God that they could seek God, but they would not find Him, because He had withdrawn Himself from them. This is a scary condition, but it is logical, because they had been walking by human precepts and ignoring God. The only way they were going to hear from God again was to acknowledge their sin and turn to Him. God was patiently waiting for them to return, even though He had to go ahead with His punishment. The people were living like God did not know everything in their hearts and all of their actions, but He knew them all. They could not fake it with God. He knew that when they cried out on their beds, they did not cry for Him. He loved them, and this broke His heart. He longed for the day they would really love Him back, again. I pray that God has not withdrawn Himself from you, but if He has, then take this as a message to you. Confess your sin and repent. Put your faith in Him and not in the precepts of man. Then, God will be able to restore your relationship with Him.
Don't let your faith be like the morning cloud or like the dew. (6:4) Watch out that you are not like a cake unturned, burned on one side and raw on the other. (7:8) What causes that? The cause is not paying attention to what is important or being distracted by something else. Don't be like a silly dove, without sense. (7:11) Have you ever seen a dove that ran into something and was dazed? That is how some people are who run their lives counter to God's way. Let's commit to being consistent Christians, who pay attention to the things of God, and we live with a definite sense of purpose.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Hosea 8-10.
Hosea tells the people of God that they could seek God, but they would not find Him, because He had withdrawn Himself from them. This is a scary condition, but it is logical, because they had been walking by human precepts and ignoring God. The only way they were going to hear from God again was to acknowledge their sin and turn to Him. God was patiently waiting for them to return, even though He had to go ahead with His punishment. The people were living like God did not know everything in their hearts and all of their actions, but He knew them all. They could not fake it with God. He knew that when they cried out on their beds, they did not cry for Him. He loved them, and this broke His heart. He longed for the day they would really love Him back, again. I pray that God has not withdrawn Himself from you, but if He has, then take this as a message to you. Confess your sin and repent. Put your faith in Him and not in the precepts of man. Then, God will be able to restore your relationship with Him.
Don't let your faith be like the morning cloud or like the dew. (6:4) Watch out that you are not like a cake unturned, burned on one side and raw on the other. (7:8) What causes that? The cause is not paying attention to what is important or being distracted by something else. Don't be like a silly dove, without sense. (7:11) Have you ever seen a dove that ran into something and was dazed? That is how some people are who run their lives counter to God's way. Let's commit to being consistent Christians, who pay attention to the things of God, and we live with a definite sense of purpose.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Hosea 8-10.