Hosea 6
People encourage a return to the LORD verse 1- 3
Come – and let us return to the LORD
FOR HE has torn – HE will heal us
HE has smitten – HE will bind us up
AFTER two days will HE revive us – in the third day HE will raise us up
and we shall live in HIS sight
THEN shall we know – if we follow on to know the LORD
HIS going forth is prepared as the morning
and HE shall come unto us as the rain
as the latter and former rain unto the earth
LORD confronts people regarding fake revival verse 4- 7
O Ephraim – what shall I do unto you? – O Judah – what shall I do unto you?
for your goodness is as a morning cloud – and as the early dew it goes away
THEREFORE have I hewed them by the prophets
I have slain them by the words of MY mouth
and your judgments are as the light that goes forth
FOR I desired mercy – and not sacrifice
and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings
BUT they like men have transgressed the covenant
there have they dealt treacherously against ME
LORD brings up their continued sin
without repentance verse 8- 10
Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity – and is polluted with blood
AND as troops of robbers wait for a man
SO the company of priests murder in the way by consent
for they commit lewdness
I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel
there is the whoredom of Ephraim – Israel is defiled
LORD states judgment still continuing verse 11
ALSO – O Judah – HE has set an harvest for you
when I returned the captivity of MY people
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. (2416 “revive” [chay] means life, live, renewal, to recover health, preserve, keep alive, cause to flourish or nurture)
DEVOTION: When children are given a punishment of a week without out television they think that their parents will forget and let them return to watching their favorite programs after a day or two. This sometimes is true. Some parents say something and never follow up on it and therefore never believe their parents will really act on their misbehavior. This is wrong on the part of the parents because it sets a pattern for life. They will think the same thing if after they become an adult and their boss warns them and they think the same thought they will lose their job and wondered what happened because it never happened when they were home.
Here the children of Israel are thinking that they can fake a revival and the LORD will believe that they have repented of their sin and HE will send back all the blessings.
The LORD is not easily fooled by false worship. HE wants genuinerepentance before HE will declare a revival in the nation. The chapter continues with verse four where the LORD is responding to their claim of revival.
HE states that their revival is like morning dew that disappears as soon as the sun come us. It is not really enough water to keep the crops growing. To have enough water there must be rain. Nothing is going to grow properly with fake revival or morning dew.
The LORD wants genuine revival where there is repentance of sin and a change of direction for the life of the people. HE knows the difference. The people just don’t understand it. They are foolish.
CHALLENGE: Don’t think that you can fake a repentant spirit. God always looks at our heart to see what is really happening. People might believe you but it will not bring the blessings of the LORD back into your life. Genuine repentance brings blessing!
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 4 O Ephraim, what shall I do to you? O Judah, what shall I do to you? for your goodness vanishes like the morning mist, and disappears like dew in the sunlight.
DEVOTION: There are people who like to be religious. They say the right things. They act the right way but their heart is far from the LORD.
The LORD uses the example of love. Those people who say the right things to us and sometimes act the right way toward us tell us that they love us. The LORD wants love to be genuine just like us.
The actions of those who say that they love us prove their love by them being their when we are hurting. They are there when we need help. They are there to tell us lovingly when we do wrong. They are there with resources that we could not normally afford.
Genuine love is different than mere words – it is always shown in actions. God hears the people say that they want to see the blessings of the LORD but they refuse to change their habits. They continue to practice things that displease HIM and expect HIM to send them blessings.
If we are genuine in our love for others we will change want needs to be changed in our life to help them love the LORD more. It is hard. We don’t like change and the change can’t just last for a couple of days like the change the children of Israel were trying to give the LORD. It has to last a long time.
CHALLENGE: Don’t let people you love down by only loving them over the short haul!!! They need you for a lifetime. The LORD wants a lifetime commitment too.
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: 6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. (1847 “knowledge” [da’ath] means perception, skill, discernment, wisdom, or understanding.
DEVOTION: There is a call to return to the LORD. The ten northern tribes were getting further away for true worship of the LORD. The LORD wanted internal worship first before external worship. HE wanted the people to have a good working relationship with him before they came to sacrifice at the Temple. They thought that if they just brought sacrifices to the LORD, HE would be happy with them. HE wanted their hearts first and foremost. HE wanted them to understand HIM more than just going through the motions. HE wanted their hearts desire to be to please HIM.
However, they were breaking HIS covenant. Their external actions showed that they didn’t love HIM. They were doing things that showed that they didn’t understand HIS heart. HE had set up cities of refuge for people to run to if they were innocent of a crime. The priest was to discern if they were innocent or guilty of murder. The innocent party was to stay in the city until the priest died and then he could return to his home. If the person was guilty, he was given over to the one who was offended for judgment.
Now they were having the guilty ones stay in the city and rob and murder for the profit of the priests. The spiritual leaders consented to their sinful behavior. The ones who were to direct them to the commandments of the LORD were telling them that their sin was OK. The LORD was not pleased with these actions. Judgment was coming unless they returned to the commandments of the LORD.
The chapter ends with a warning to the Southern Kingdom of Judah and Benjamin to not follow in their actions or they would follow in their judgment.
There is a belief hitting our churches that says that we don’t need theology or theologians because they just confuse the issue of a good relationship with the LORD. The children of Israel didn’t think they had to know much about the LORD because all they needed to know was the basics. They only had to bring their sacrifices to the temple on the Sabbath and all would be well.
Today there is a feeling that all we have to do to be good Christians is to go to church, give to church and read the Bible once in a while and then we are in a good relationship with the LORD. WRONG!!! The relationship is one that has to be worked on. If we want to have a good marriage – we have to work at it. If we want to have a good paying occupation – we have to work at it. If we want to have a good-looking house – we have to work at it. If we do the just do the basics and not work at it – they will fall apart in time.
The same is true with our relationship with the LORD. To have a good relationship with the LORD we have to study the Word of God to find out what HE expects of us. When we study the Word of God we become theologians. What is a theologian? It is someone who is involved in the “study of God.” If we are studying the Word of God we realize that God doesn’t want us to settle for the basics of the faith. HE wants us to move to advances principles in the Word of God. HE wants us to be teachers of others. The only way we can be teachers is to study. When we study we have an understanding of all the doctrines or teachings of Scripture. We should be able to teach the whole counsel of God after we have been saved for a number of years. Some people have been a Christian for twenty years with only one year of understanding twenty times. That is sad.
Our relationship with the LORD has to be internal first and then our actions will be true to HIS Word. Are our actions true to HIS Word or are we going through the external motions with no internal interest???
CHALLENGE: God wants us to be able to give an answer for our belief in HIM to others. Genuine answers only come from genuine study of the Word of God. This causes a lifestyle change in our life.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 9 As bands of robbers lie in wait for a man, So the company of priests murder on the way by consent; Surely they commit (lewdness. (2154 “lewdness” [zimmah] means wickedness, mischief, heinous crime, wicked devices, infamy, shameful behavior, or fornication and incest.)
DEVOTION: There were refuse cities for people who were accused of killing someone. If they were declared innocent the “avenger of blood” couldn’t kill them. The avenger was usually a relative of the one who was killed. The city was occupied by priests. The high priest made the final decision and the person had to stay in the city until the high priest died.
The priests in the city were declaring guilty people innocent and letting them live in the city. These guilty people would pay off the priests. They were able to get the money to pay them from criminal acts.
It was wrong but it was happening. God condemned it. The people were far from serving the LORD.
Today we find that many church leaders are condoning sin in the church. They know their people are disobeying the LORD but there is no confrontation. They want the money in the offering plates. This is wrong.
Paul had the church at Corinth confront a man who was part of their fellowship who was having improper relationships with a woman. He was confronted and repented and Paul wrote in his third letter to restore the man to fellowship in the church.
Confrontation from the LORD or others who are in tune with the LORD is good for the fellowship of the church. Sometimes confrontation is abused but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be done right with a loving attitude toward reconciliation.
CHALLENGE: The LORD wants HIS leaders to be clean and serve a clean congregation. This can only happen with confession of sin and turning toward the LORD daily.
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DISCIPLINE
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Sacrifice verse 6
Burnt offerings verse 6
Priests verse 9
commit lewdness
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Covenant verse 7
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 1, 3
HE has torn verse 1
HE will heal verse 1
HE has smitten verse 1
HE will bind us up verse 1
HE will revive us verse 2
What shall I do to your Judah verse 4
I hewed Judah and Ephraim by the prophets verse 5
I have slain them by the words of MY mouth verse 5
Judgment of LORD – as the light that goes forth verse 5
I have desired mercy and not sacrifice verse 6
Knowledge of God more than burnt offerings verse 6
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign, Plural name) verse 6
Saw a horrible thing verse 10
HE has set an harvest for Israel verse 11
I returned the captivity of MY people verse 11
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
In the third day HE will raise us up verse 2
HIS going forth is prepared as the morning verse 3
HE shall come unto us as the rain
as the later and former rain verse 3
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
False goodness verse 4
False sacrifice verse 6
Transgressed the covenant verse 7
Dealt treacherously against LORD verse 7
Iniquity verse 8
Polluted with blood verse 8
Troops of robbers verse 9
Priests commit murder by consent verse 9
Commit lewdness verse 9
Whoredom verse 10
Defiled verse 10
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Return verse 1
Heal verse 1
Bind verse 1
Revive verse 2
Raise up verse 2
Live in HIS sight verse 2
Know the LORD verse 3
Goodness verse 4
Prophets verse 5
Mercy verse 6
Knowledge of God verse 6
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Ephraim verse 4, 10
Judah verse 4, 11
Gilead – city that works iniquity verse 8
House of Israel – defiled verse 10
Captivity verse 11
God’s people verse 11
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
The backslider is always punished (Prov. 14:14), and that is what Israel was-a backslider (4:16; see also Jer. 3:6, 11). Christians who break their vows with the Lord do not lose their salvation, of course, but they do lose their joy, power, and usefulness; and they must suffer the discipline of God. Hosea could see Assyria coming to punish the nation and deliver it into slavery. He pictures this judgment as the coming of a swift eagle (8:1), the wrath of a whirlwind (8:7), and the burning of a fire (8:14). The nation is going to be scattered (8:8; 9:17), and they will reap more than they have sown (10:12–15). Sinners reap what they have sown, of course (Gal. 6:7–8); but they also reap more, because those few seeds planted multiply into a large harvest. How terrible it is to reap the harvest of sin! David sowed one seed of lust and see what a harvest of tears he reaped.
Why did God permit Israel to be judged by wicked Assyria? Because He loved His people. Love always disciplines to make the child better (Heb. 12:1–13; Prov. 3:11–12). The hand of chastening is the hand of love; it is the Father correcting a son, not a judge punishing a criminal. How grateful we ought to be for the chastening love of God-Ps. 119:71. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1993). Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the Old Testament (Ho 8–10). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books)
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6:9 This verse is quite difficult in Hebrew. It might be better translated, “Like members of marauding bands, so is a gang of priests along the way, / they commit murder at Shechem, for they carry out a wicked plan.” Once again, Hosea looks back to Genesis for his wordplay. Shechem was a city in north central Palestine. It, too, had its share of historical incidents. For example, Rehoboam was crowned there (1 Kgs 12:1). The most notorious incident involving Shechem, however, was the slaughter of its inhabitants by Simeon and Levi in retaliation for the rape of Dinah (Gen 34). In this verse Hosea describes the priests as a gang of thugs who lie in wait for unsuspecting victims. This is a metaphor of ambush, and it cannot be accidental that Hosea alludes to a place where Levi, father of the priesthood, was guilty of treachery and mass murder. Furthermore, the assertion that the priests “carry out a wicked plan” appropriately describes the deceit of Simeon and Levi at Shechem (Gen 34:13).
Hosea has therefore once again used a threefold pattern involving places in Israel, but this time with a peculiar twist. Each place recalls the worst characteristics of one of the patriarchs. At Adam they broke faith with God as did Adam; at Gilead the people, unlike Jacob, are entirely without grace; and at Shechem the sons of Levi renew the history of treacherous slaughter. (Garrett, D. A. (1997). Hosea, Joel (Vol. 19A, pp. 163–164). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
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9 The prophet next thought of the priests, stating that they were acting in packs like highwaymen. Shechem lay on the road from the capital city, Samaria, to the religious center, Bethel. The thought is that the very priests, appointed by Jeroboam from “all sorts of people” (1 Kings 12:31), were robbing and murdering pilgrims. The word translated “shameful crimes” (zimmāh) often carries a sexual connotation (cf. Lev 18:17; 19:29), but probably it is more general here (cf. Prov 10:23; 21:27). (Wood, L. J. (1986). Hosea. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Daniel and the Minor Prophets (Vol. 7, p. 195). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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6:9. The background of this verse is equally obscure. Perhaps groups of priests were actually murdering travelers to Shechem. A more likely explanation is that the language is hyperbolic, perhaps pointing to the priests’ false teaching and involvement in social exploitation. The references to (Ramoth) Gilead and Shechem are well chosen. Joshua had designated that both of these towns be cities of refuge, where manslayers could find asylum (Josh. 20:1–2, 7–8; see the map “The Six Cities of Refuge,” near Num. 35). In this way the land would be spared outbreaks of bloodshed, and justice would be promoted. Ironically in Hosea’s day these cities had become associated with bloodshed and injustice.
The priests’ crimes were shameful. Elsewhere this word (zimmâh) is used of the vilest sexual sins, including incest (Lev. 18:17), cult prostitution (Lev. 19:29), rape (Jud. 20:5–6), and adultery (Job 31:9–11). This sexual connotation is probably applicable here because the priests’ breach of covenant (Hosea 6:6–7) is likened to prostitution (v. 10). (Chisholm, R. B., Jr. (1985). Hosea. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1394). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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The New Testament does not explicitly cite this verse, but 1 Cor 15:4 asserts that Christ arose on the third day “in accordance with the Scriptures,” and no other text speaks of the third day in the fashion that Hos 6:2 does.
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The “two days” are for Israel metaphorical for a relatively short captivity but have a literal fulfillment in the resurrection of Christ. Similarly, the raising to life is literal in the case of Christ, but in the case of Israel it is a metaphor for restoration. On the other hand, there is also a literal fulfillment for the Israel of God, when all who are Christ’s shall be raised at his coming (1 Thess 4:13–17).
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Hosea is not a religious reactionary who simply desires to stamp out social sins and impose religious duty on people. To the contrary, he desires that his reader acquire the loving and compassionate heart that comes from a transformational life with God. (Garrett, D. A. (1997). Vol. 19A: Hosea, Joel. The New American Commentary (158- 160). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
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If you are a careful reader and understand biblical theology, you will recognize that the essential elements of a true confession are missing. The first element that is missing—indeed, the obvious and almost inescapable element—is a reference to sin. There is acknowledgment of the consequences of Israel’s sin: injury and the absence of God himself. But there is total non-acknowledgment of the sin that caused them. There is nothing of the acceptable prayer of the publican, referred to by Jesus, who cried out, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13). (Boice, J. M. (2002). The Minor Prophets: An expositional commentary (56). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.)
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Ver. 9. And as troops of robbers wait for a man, &c.] As a gang of highwaymen or footpads lie in wait in a ditch, or under a hedge, or in a cave of a rock or mountain, for a man they know will come by that way, who is full of money, in order to rob him; or, as Saadiah interprets it, as fishermen stand upon the banks of a river, and cast in their hooks to draw out the fish; and to the same purpose is Jarchi’s note from R. Meir: so the company of priests murder in the way by consent; not only encourage murderers, and commit murders within the city, but go out in a body together upon the highway, and there commit murders and robberies, and divide the spoil among them; all which they did unanimously, and were well agreed, being brethren in iniquity, as well as in office: or, in the way of Shechem; as good people passed by Gilead to Shechem, and so to Jerusalem, to worship there at the solemn feasts, they lay in wait for them, and murdered them; because they did not give into the idolatrous worship of the calves at Dan and Beth-el: or, in the manner of Shechemf; that is, they murdered men in a deceitful treacherous manner, as the Shechemites were murdered by Simeon and Levi: Joseph Kimchi interprets this of the princes and great men, so the word cohanim is sometimes used; but the context seems to carry it to the priests: for they commit lewdness; or enormity; the most enormous crimes, and that purposely, with deliberation devising and contriving them. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 6, p. 409). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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FROM MY READING:
The original decree is found, and permission is given to complete the temple restoration.
INSIGHT
It is often darkest before the dawn. Just as it looks as if the work on the temple is going to be stopped, the Lord turns the situation around. Not only is permission given to complete the temple, but those who had tried to stop the work are required to finance the remainder of the restoration! Worrying does little to further the work of God; He is quite capable of accomplishing His work. Our work is trust, obedience, and faithfulness to our responsibilities. (Quiet Walk)
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ENTERING GOD’S KINGDOM
… not imputing their trespasses unto them….For he hath made him to be sin for us. 2 Corinthians 5:19,21
You cannot live in God’s kingdom unless you are a worthy citizen. How, then, can you enter? Christ is the answer. This is the Good News, that He bore our sins “in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24). Here is the message: “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them….For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:19,21). And thereby by dying on the cross, He has opened the gateway into the kingdom, and He says, “Today is the day of salvation–enter in.” “Come unto me, all ye that labor and heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
“The time is fulfilled” (Mark 1:15). The time promised so long ago has arrived; the kingdom of God has drawn near, has come. He says, “I am the King; come unto Me just as you are.” Thank God you do not have to put yourself right first; you do not have to understand the profundity first; you do not have to set out on some great quest. You may have to die very soon, and your question is, “How can I stand before God? How can I know that I am going to heaven and eternal bliss?”
And this is the answer: “The time is fulfilled; the kingdom has come.” The King is the Lord Jesus Christ, and He loved you so much that He died for you and your sins, and all He says to you is, “Repent, think again, believe My message.” Repent and believe the gospel; acknowledge your folly and your sin, your shame, and your helplessness. Stop making inquiries; stop setting out with your great intellect to understand. Simply believe.
A Thought to Ponder: “I am the King; come unto Me just as you are.” (From The Kingdom of God, pp. 23-24, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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Ceremony Becoming the Occasion
“The LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.” (Isaiah 61:1)
“Philadelphia, July 5, 1777. My dear Daughter: Yesterday being the anniversary of American Independence, was celebrated here with a festivity and ceremony becoming the occasion . . . The thought of taking any notice of this day was not conceived until the second of this month, and it was not mentioned until the third. It was too late to have a sermon, as every one wished, so this must be deferred another year” (John Adams, from Adams Family Correspondence: June 1776–March 1778, 274).
John Adams made two observations that should be remembered today. First, the idea of “taking any notice” of the significance of the day was “not conceived” for some time, and second, “every one wished” to hear a sermon rather than hold a celebration. We have come far!
But note the Creator’s idea of independence. The text in Isaiah 61 is what the Lord Jesus quoted in the synagogue in Nazareth as He assumed His public ministry. “This day,” Jesus declared, “is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (Luke 4:21). God’s great liberty is of the spirit and of the mind, not merely of the land and the national population. The independence of Christ will heal the brokenhearted. It grants deliverance to the “captives” and new sight to the blind. The liberty of the King of kings and the Creator of the ends of the earth will set at liberty the bruised.
Be grateful and celebrate the wonderful liberty that God has granted the United States. But pray, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. . . . For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen” (Matthew 6:10, 13).
(HMM III, The Institute for Creation Research)
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THE Right ATTITUDES
The steps that Jesus outlines for reconciliation help us develop the right attituded in approaching the one who offended us. Through these steps we are able to come to the other person with an attitude of
· Gentleness, like one who is tenderly seeking to heal a broken bone.
· Humility, aware that we are capable of doing exactly what the offender has done and that we may have even contributed to the offense.
· Introspectin, searching our own heart for self—serving motives and recognizing that the human heart is impulsive and deceitful. (Remember that the process of reconciliation is a profoundly spiritual exercise, requiring prayer.)
· Love, seeking the best for the relationship and avoiding gossip that would damage the other person (even if the potentially damaging statements are true). (page 142, WHEN YOU’VE BEEN WRONGED by Erwin W. Lutzer)
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