Author: missionspaul

Though we may want to carry on reading about the compassion of God and that He cannot let go of His people and that it will be all okay in the end, we cannot. We are not there yet. Hosea continues. The pain is still there. God’s people are still in trouble.

“Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, Israel with deceit. And Judah is unruly against God, even against the faithful Holy One.” (Hosea 11 v 12)

Just like Gomer did not keep her vows to Hosea, God’s people have broken their vows to God.

The northern kingdom (Ephraim/Israel) were lying and deceitful before God. They broke their own covenant law which stated they should be truth-telling.

The southern kingdom (Judah) was also guilty and their sin was wandering off away from relationship with God.

And all this was done against the faithful One.

Interestingly the words ‘Holy One’ are plural in the Hebrew text and it reveals not only were His people lying, deceitful and wandering away from God the Father but also the Son and the Spirit.

And that is exactly what has happened throughout the generations.

Whether to Jesus the Holy One who was rejected by his own or the Holy Spirit poured out but who again is grieved.

The lying, deceiving and wandering off continues and it is found in people who should know better.

Surely in 2023 there is a need to respond to the call of repentance and to get right before the Holy One. He will not be lied to nor deceived and He will not stand back and let the godly be unruly.

So many are held by what they did or what was done to them. Even when exiles are over people can live in exile within. It seems the delight of God is to lead us into the next season and not to be held back in what has happened in our past.

In a sudden pause within the prophetic message ahead of the exile we have this:

“They will follow the Lord; he will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west. They will come from Egypt, trembling like sparrows, from Assyria, fluttering like doves. I will settle them in their homes,” declares the Lord.” (Hosea 11 v 10-11)

The exile is completed and they are walking with Him in faithful relationship. This may have been the remnant of Judah but it can also be seen in the coming Messiah. Some link it to the repopulation of Israel in 1948.

But more importantly is to know the heart of God towards us.

They will follow, he will roar. When he roars, his children will. They will come. I will settle them.

God is there, in your tomorrow, in your new day, your new beginning and He is calling you back to Him.

God is more concerned about your future than your past.

It is not difficult to find anger. It is all around us.

Our world is no longer tolerant of each other.

Two wrongs seem to make it right now. We seem to be justified to say anything to one another no matter how hurtful.

Mercy and forgiveness is in short supply. Judgment and obliteration are practised or at least attempted.

What should be done to God’s rebellious people in Hosea’s day?

They are going to go into exile. Their lifestyles mean this is inevitable. But wait …

“How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboyim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused. I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I devastate Ephraim again. For I am God, and not a man—the Holy One among you. I will not come against their cities.” (Hosea 11 v 8-9)

Admah and Zeboyim were 2 cities near Sodom and Gomorrah that were completely destroyed by God. They were not spared even though it was Sodom and Gomorrah’s sin that brought the judgment. God’s heart is stirred. He must find a way to save. A remnant at least. And in what looks like a prophetic declaration of the sending of His Son, Jesus Christ not to judge the world but to save the world through him (John 3:17) and prior to Hosea’s day after flooding the earth in His judgment He saved a handful to start again with, we see God’s heart again. He just cannot completely destroy! How can I? How can I?

God’s compassion meant He could not completely wipe out Israel. The tribe of Judah and Benjamin were saved.

How is this possible? God’s people deserved complete wiping out without a remnant left in place.

It is possible because He is God and we are not.

Our anger knows no limits and it carries on even for generations. Anger turns to hate and hate wants to remove everyone who has wronged us.

We serve a God who is not quick to anger but who battles within to bring judgment. Compassion flares up and He has decided to pour out His wrath on His Son.

Today you are forgiven. It is not of man, nor of you, but it is totally all of Him for He is God.

It is the heart of God to set us apart from those around us who do not know Him.

As we go to ‘Church’ today bear in mind that the reason for its existence is to demonstrate being the body of Christ.

The people of God in Hosea’s day were facing everything they were not created to be.

“Will they not return to Egypt and will not Assyria rule over them because they refuse to repent? A sword will flash in their cities; it will devour their false prophets and put an end to their plans. My people are determined to turn from me. Even though they call me God Most High, I will by no means exalt them.” (Hosea 11 v 5-7)

Flip these verses around to what should have been.

The Church is here to show the world a better way to live.

To demonstrate that they are flourishing and being who they were created to be. That they are not dominated but they rule.

They continually walk in repentance, correcting their walk, so they become like God.

Peace and love will be at the heart of their community and they will not be defeated.

They give themselves to the message of God. Knowing the voice of God is important. For they are not self-governing or self-leading.

The Church continues to pursue God and as a result they are helped by Him.

That’s the better way.

Who was the first person to teach you to walk? Can you remember?

Whose hands did you hold as you took those first few steps?

When you fell for the first time who swooped you up and rubbed your knee and ‘kissed it better’? Can you remember?

Who gave you not only food but treats of kindness? Who held your hand as you crossed the road?

Whose embrace did you first experience? Who lifted you up to their cheek so that you could hear them whisper ‘there there’ or sing some lullaby? Can you remember?

What is your earliest recollection of food being made for you? Who did that for you?

“It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realise it was I who healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them.” (Hosea 11 v 3-4)

It was I.

But they did not realise it was I.

To those who are wondering if God will help them today or are asking if He will be in their tomorrow: He was there when you didn’t know so He will certainly be there now that you are calling on Him.

Maybe this morning we should not be like the ungrateful Israelites but we should stop and give God thanks for all He has done even when we didn’t know He was with us.

The message will not change.

“I call you back, return to me, come back to being the person I created you to be.”

One of my favourite films has to be the Lion King. It tells the story of Simba (Swahili for lion) who is to succeed his father, Mufasa as King of the Pride Lands, however ….

“Dad! Dad! You gotta get up! Come on, we gotta go home!” Simba nudges his head against his father’s face. It drops hard. He leaps up and tugs on his father’s ear. No response. Simba’s eyes widen and he frantically calls for help. Tears flood down his face. Out of the mist comes his Uncle Scar who scolds Simba. “Simba. What have you done?” Scar proceeds to feed Simba shame and doubts. “If it weren’t for you, he’d still be alive. What will your mother think?” Simba’s eyes widen with terror. “What am I gonna do?” Scar hisses in his ear, “Run away, Simba. Run! Run away and never return.” Simba flees and our hearts break at the sadness and injustice of this situation. Simba doesn’t know Scar murdered Mufassa. He doesn’t even know Scar was present during the stampede. He thinks it’s his fault, and his one source of “comfort” only confirms his worst fear: he killed his daddy. And so he runs. Runs far away from Pride Rock. He runs so he won’t have to face his mother and tell her what he did. He runs to forget about the stampede and the death of his father. He runs to escape his problems and responsibilities as the new lion king.

For all kinds of reasons and mistakes, sometimes not our own, we find ourselves away from where we should be. I am not speaking geographically but people run thinking no one can see, for they run away from things that are private, from devotion to God, from enthusiasm for the Church, from energy for worship, they back away from community. And yet even though they think only they know, the truth is eventually everyone knows.

“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. But the more they were called, the more they went away from me.  They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images.” (Hosea 11 v 1-2)

The more the prophets called them, the more they went from them. (ASV)

It’s not until he meets Rafiki, a wise crazy monkey, that Simba begins to see the light. And then he sees the ghost of his father, who tells him to remember who he is. Simba finally decides to return to Pride Rock, defeat his uncle, and take his rightful place as king.

Return to the place God has called you for. What has been served in this life to you may have led to defeat or disappointment and you may have made wrong choices but those experiences have no hold over you if you can still decide to return.

Promises and hopes may be lost – blessings, ministries, miracles, testimonies that belong to you. You can find them again. Maybe some were fantasy – but some were given by God, you made note of them. Get after them again, pray for them again.

Decide you won’t waste another day. Realise that what you do today has far reaching consequences for your tomorrow. Whatever you pursue today, tomorrow you will find.

I believe everyone can return to the place the enemy of their soul removed them from.

Maybe today you have to return.

A return to trusting God for your situation.

A return to walking with God.

Your starting point may not be a great one. But you need to start somewhere and here now, today. So why not step out towards your new life today? Maybe you need to make some decisions? Maybe you need to surrender your agenda? Moving a step towards God and putting your trust in Him. It’s a start. The start is a prayer away.

How much does God love you? Are you doubting you are loved?

The answer is found in chapter 11 of Hosea.

“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.” (Hosea 11 v 1)

We will see the beautiful heart of God for us and the whole world right here in this chapter.

Let me summarise what God says in this chapter; prayerfully read it slowly:

“How can I give you up?

Even if I could, I wouldn’t.

I called you and you came to me

But then others called you and you left me.

Yet I stuck with you then and I don’t intend to change my pattern now.

I taught you to walk, I led you, I bent down and lifted you up.

It is within your DNA to walk away from me.

Every time.

But I am committed to you. And that is final.

So I ask, How can I give you up?

How can I let you be ruined?

I cannot.

For I am not like you.

I am the Holy One, the different One.

And I am here with you.

I will win you back.

I cannot let go.

I will not let go.

I know you will return.

I am waiting.”

They went to bed that night blessed. The magi had gone but had left behind expensive and substantial gifts. This was a high time for Joseph and Mary. They were overcome with such provision – what are we going to do with all this, this is too much? Within hours they would realise that God had provided at just the right time for them. They would need the gifts from the Magi to get them through the next period of time, on the journey and staying in a foreign country, Egypt.
When it feels like God cannot change the events of your life, take a step back, turn back the clock, it may only be for a few hours, but turn it back and you will find that He has been preparing you and providing for you in all that you will need for this period of time.

Nothing about this story is safe.
Mary’s conception could have split the relationship for good.
Caesars census and journey to Bethlehem could have injured the heavily-pregnant Mary.
Herod is searching to kill their child.
If we were God we would have written a different story.
God is saying ‘I am fully in control in such circumstances. I can be trusted.’

The reason for telling this story is because of our next verse which is the opening of chapter 11 of Hosea: “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.” (11 v 1)

As Moses was called to go to Egypt and rescue Israel from slavery so Jesus was called out of Egypt in His infancy through this divine message to Joseph, to save mankind from the slavery of sin. God is in control of your life, He has you and He will not let go of you. But don’t imagine Joseph telling Mary, ‘Don’t worry Mary, this is all in Hosea’s prophecy’. When you are going through the trial, Bible verses don’t always come to your mind, no matter what the experts tell us. It is often looking back, as Matthew does, after the event, 50 years later, he sees the hand of God, the prophetic plan being fulfilled.

We walk by faith and when it feels like not even God can intervene He can and He probably already has.

How do we articulate our feelings of the atrocities done to the innocent people in Israel and Gaza? The first-hand news has rocked us to the core. It’s not the only horrendous story of course, sadly there are many and have been many. We will read the next few verses of something that happened which is not actually in the Bible story but Hosea obviously knew of it and so did the people.

“the roar of battle will rise against your people, so that all your fortresses will be devastated – as Shalman devastated Beth Arbel on the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to the ground with their children. So will it happen to you, Bethel, because your wickedness is great. When that day dawns, the king of Israel will be completely destroyed.” Hosea‬ ‭10‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭

It’s always the suffering of the children that shocks us. Whatever happened when Beth Arbel was set upon, it was the children that caught the headlines. Mothers fell with their children. This is not only the soldiers but the innocents that are in loss. 

In the same way … God says just like that day, there is coming a day of destruction for His people. And why? The House of God (Bethel) was not what it was created to be. 

Could it be that if the Church does not get right before God and remain true to the Bible and stop grieving the Spirit that judgment will also come?

And could it be that even if the prophetic messages speak of a new day coming and life will be better that “when that day dawns” it does so to further pain and not blessing?

Some won’t want to know of or read of such prophecy.

Is the Church waking up? God’s people in Hosea’s day didn’t.

Whatever you plant then that is what will grow. If you live a life of goodness then goodness will follow you; if you live with truth and integrity then no one will accuse you of benefiting by manipulation and lies; if you trust God with everything then you won’t be be disappointed when others let you down.

God has said that He could shower them with righteousness but what God can do does not mean He will and the conduct and trust of His people are paramount to His move.

“But you have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception. Because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors,” Hosea 10:13

How are you investing, your time, money, your kindness to people?

What are you reaping from what you have sown? How would you sum up your blessings?

What is sustaining your life? Is it truth? Is it integrity?

Whose strength do you rely on? Do you do your own thing? Do you have crutches that support you?

Consequences, results, benefits are all simply the law of reaping where you have sown.