Sorry, I've gotten a bit behind updating this blog. I'll start first with recapping this past Sunday and hopefully later this week I'll recap the previous Sunday.
In our passage this Sunday we reviewed again the details of Israel's rebellion, were confronted with the harsh reality of God's judgment as an inevitable consequence because of Israel's rebellion, and then found hope in the form of some questions and reminders.
Israel was a people who constantly "strove with God" (Hosea 12:3). God had been been extremely generous and gracious to them throughout their history. They however became complacent, taking for granted God's blessings (cf Hosea 13:4-6). This complacency led to pride, which led to them forgetting about God and worshiping idols.
Israel's rejection of God would bring on them devastating consequences. This section of Hosea contains some of the harshest descriptions of what God's judgment on Israel will entail. God says that he will be like a wild predator against them (Hosea 13:7-9). The nation will become as nothing, they will disappear (Hosea 13:3). Their sin will have a disastrous effect on their society, affecting the most vulnerable people in their community (Hosea 13:16).
In the midst of all this however we get the questions posed in Hosea 13:14, which seems to suggest that perhaps God will save his people from the death that awaits them. How will this happen? By way of Hosea 12:6. There we are reminded how we can get right with God. We must return to God, something that is only possible by God's help. We must maintain steadfast love and justice in our lives and in our community. And we must wait continually, with eager anticipation, for God, which doesn't mean being passive but coming near to God, "leaning forward" towards God. Fortunately, we do these things knowing already how God will respond. He has responded to us with Christ. In Christ the questions of Hosea 13:14 become definitive answers. In Christ God has saved us from the power of death and the judgment we all deserve for our sin against him (cf 1 Cor 15:54-56).
How do the truths contained in this passage resonate with you? Was it difficult for any of you to read this passage, especially the severe and harsh descriptions of what will happen to Israel? (Note: God's judgment did eventually come on Israel; you can read the account of it in 2 Kings 16-17.) How can we avoid become "full" prideful Christians who forget God(cf Hosea 13:5-6) and instead be Christians who are always thankful to God for Christ, "leaning forward" towards him?
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
"An Uncommon Love" Hosea 11:1-11
Hosea 11 starts off telling us how God first loved the nation of Israel. He called Israel out of Egypt and adopted Israel as his son. He then loved him in the way a good parent - he fed him, protected him, guided him. Israel responded by rejecting God. They become the stereotypical punk kid - completely ungrateful to their Father and self-absorbed.
Rightfully Israel should face the full consequences of their rebellion and be completely wiped out. But God decides that he won't do this, for his heart still burns with compassion for his wayward kid (Hosea 11:8). How could this be possible? It's because God is "God and not a man" (Hosea 11:9). He is the "Holy One" (v.9). This means that God alone is God. There is no other like him. He is separate, unique, distinct, above us and beyond us, infinite, perfect, pure.
God chooses to show holy love towards Israel as opposed to the holy wrath they should have gotten from him. He does this not because of anything they have done; he does this entirely based on who he is - a holy God who can do as he wants so that ultimately he gets the praise and glory.
How then will the sin of Israel be dealt with so that God, the Holy One, can still be who is and yet also be in relationship with such a sinful people. We find out several centuries later, in person of the one true Son of God, Jesus. Unlike the adopted son Israel, Jesus remains perfectly faithful and obedient to God. He obeys the Father to the point of giving up his life on the cross. And it is on the cross that sin is dealt with and holy wrath and justice are satisfied. It is now through Jesus that the way is opened up so that all sinners can be brought into relationship with the Father.
For really, all humanity is like Israel in that we all have acted like punks towards God. We depend on our religious spirituality (acting like the punk kid who says to his dad, "I can make it on my own I don't need you"). Or we depend on excuses for why we sin or why our sin really isn't sin (acting like the punk kid who always says, "I'm a victim, it's not my fault").
The audacity of the gospel is that God still graciously chooses to love us in spite of "punkish" ourselves (Eph 1:4-6). Because of God's love towards us in Jesus, we can now, through faith in Jesus, experience God's grace and compassion. We are forgiven of our sins, made new, and adopted as full sons and daughters of God. We now live in this love, which God calls us to display to the rest of our world so that others might also believe in Jesus and know God's love in their lives (cf 1 Thess 3:11-13).
Let's think further about this holy uncommon love of God. What does it mean to you personally that God is a holy God, and then that he graciously choose to show love towards you in Jesus Christ? What are some practical ways each of us in the coming weeks can display this holy uncommon love to those around us who have yet to personally experience it? What are some practical ways we as a church community can display this holy uncommon love to our city?
Rightfully Israel should face the full consequences of their rebellion and be completely wiped out. But God decides that he won't do this, for his heart still burns with compassion for his wayward kid (Hosea 11:8). How could this be possible? It's because God is "God and not a man" (Hosea 11:9). He is the "Holy One" (v.9). This means that God alone is God. There is no other like him. He is separate, unique, distinct, above us and beyond us, infinite, perfect, pure.
God chooses to show holy love towards Israel as opposed to the holy wrath they should have gotten from him. He does this not because of anything they have done; he does this entirely based on who he is - a holy God who can do as he wants so that ultimately he gets the praise and glory.
How then will the sin of Israel be dealt with so that God, the Holy One, can still be who is and yet also be in relationship with such a sinful people. We find out several centuries later, in person of the one true Son of God, Jesus. Unlike the adopted son Israel, Jesus remains perfectly faithful and obedient to God. He obeys the Father to the point of giving up his life on the cross. And it is on the cross that sin is dealt with and holy wrath and justice are satisfied. It is now through Jesus that the way is opened up so that all sinners can be brought into relationship with the Father.
For really, all humanity is like Israel in that we all have acted like punks towards God. We depend on our religious spirituality (acting like the punk kid who says to his dad, "I can make it on my own I don't need you"). Or we depend on excuses for why we sin or why our sin really isn't sin (acting like the punk kid who always says, "I'm a victim, it's not my fault").
The audacity of the gospel is that God still graciously chooses to love us in spite of "punkish" ourselves (Eph 1:4-6). Because of God's love towards us in Jesus, we can now, through faith in Jesus, experience God's grace and compassion. We are forgiven of our sins, made new, and adopted as full sons and daughters of God. We now live in this love, which God calls us to display to the rest of our world so that others might also believe in Jesus and know God's love in their lives (cf 1 Thess 3:11-13).
Let's think further about this holy uncommon love of God. What does it mean to you personally that God is a holy God, and then that he graciously choose to show love towards you in Jesus Christ? What are some practical ways each of us in the coming weeks can display this holy uncommon love to those around us who have yet to personally experience it? What are some practical ways we as a church community can display this holy uncommon love to our city?
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