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When Ephraim Spoke Trembling (Hosea 13.1)

Figures of speech are intended to cause mental images to arise in the minds of the readers/hearers, images which suggest some likeness between the figure and the person or thing being described. The following text is intended to do just that: "When Ephraim spoke, trembling, He exalted himself in Israel; But when he offended through Baal worship, he died." (Hosea 13.1).

It is obvious that the prophet speaks of two vastly different times in the past history of Ephraim (Israel). One time in the more distant past was a time…  ( Click for more )

Break Up Your Fallow Ground (Hosea 10.12-13)

There are passages of great hope in the book of Hosea. The following text is one such passage: "Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you. You have plowed wickedness; You have reaped iniquity. You have eaten the fruit of lies, Because you trusted in your own way, In the multitude of your mighty men." (Hosea 10.12-13).

The figures in this passage deal with farming – plowing, sowing, plentiful rains,…  ( Click for more )

"They sow the wind, And reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no bud; It shall never produce meal. If it should produce, Aliens would swallow it up." (Hosea 8.7). This figure of speech concerning sowing and reaping will be explored in our study today.

First, consider the law of sowing and reaping. In the very beginning of time, God instituted many "laws of nature." In the Genesis record, one finds a statement like this: "Then God said, 'Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields…  ( Click for more )

Ephraim – Weak, Graying and Unaware (Hosea 7.9)

"Aliens have devoured his [Ephraim's] strength, But he does not know it; Yes, gray hairs are here and there on him, Yet he does not know it." (Hosea 7.9).

In these metaphors, strength and gray hairs are opposites; one is a sign of vibrant youth and the other is a symbol of declining vitality. Or, to put it as the wise man did, "The glory of young men is their strength, and the splendor of old men is their gray head." (Proverbs 20.29). Unbeknownst to Ephraim, the strength which he had once enjoyed was…  ( Click for more )

Ephraim - a Cake Unturned (Hosea 7.8)

"Ephraim has mixed himself among the peoples; Ephraim is a cake unturned." (Hosea 7.8). Two background points are needed before exploring this metaphor.

First, Ephraim (a name for the ten rebellious tribes of Israel) had received the same instructions about separateness as had the rest of Israel. God had given strict instructions to Israel against intermarrying with the pagan nations that inhabited the Promised Land. One specific reason for this prohibition was to prevent the Israelites from going after the gods of the heathen…  ( Click for more )

God Hews by the Prophets (Hosea 6.4-6; 2 of 2)

An axe and an adze are tools that are frequently used for hewing. Sometimes the hewing process is intended to give an object a desired shape and at other times hewing is simply intended to divide or chop an object in two. Now hear God's word through Hosea: "Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of My mouth." (Hosea 4.5). What does this metaphor mean and what can we gain by considering its usage?

Hebrew parallelism is again at work. To hew Israel "by the prophets"…  ( Click for more )

God Hews by the Prophets (Hosea 6.4-6; 1 of 2)

O Ephraim, what shall I do to you? O Judah, what shall I do to you? For your faithfulness is like a morning cloud, And like the early dew it goes away. Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of My mouth; And your judgments are like light that goes forth. For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6.4-6).

God asked two identical questions, one concerning Ephraim and the other, Judah. By asking twice, the strength of the point is emphasized.…  ( Click for more )

Israel, the backsliding heifer (or the stubborn calf as translated by the New King James Version), simply would not be coaxed out of her headlong slide into apostasy. The words of the prophets were just so much fodder as they chewed themselves into a situation from which they would never recover. God, who knows the hearts of men, knew that they were not going to change through the works of the prophets. Since they were bent on self-destruction the Lord declared, "Now the LORD will let them forage like a lamb in…  ( Click for more )

Soon after the death of Solomon, Jeroboam revolted against the united kingdom of Israel. The prominent sin which he institutionalized was idolatrous worship. He set up golden calves at Dan and Bethel so that his followers would not have to go to Jerusalem to worship. He did this knowing that if he could isolate the rebellious tribes from their God-given heritage it would be easier to maintain their allegiance to him. This being done, the inspired historian recorded, "This thing became a sin…" (1 Kings 12.30). …  ( Click for more )

Like People, Like Priests (Hosea 4.6-9)

Material prosperity was THE measure of success. Everything else was, in the mind of the average Israelite, merely incidental. Hosea had his work cut out for him since Northern Israel was enjoying a period of unequalled growth and prosperity. How and why would anyone heed his message when, by their own yardstick, things could not be better? That was the political and spiritual climate into which Hosea stepped when he prophesied some 700 to 750 years before the birth of Jesus Christ.

Especially of late, those who study politics have…  ( Click for more )

The Mountain of the Lord's House (Micah 4.1-4)

Micah's prophecies concerned Jerusalem as well as Samaria; his words were filled with threats as well as promises of hope and redemption. During the time of his ministry (c 740 - 700 BC), there were many, many prophetic voices from which to choose; a few of these voices were of God's faithful seers such as Hosea, Isaiah, and Micah. And, there was the multitude of hireling false prophets to which one could listen. Situated almost squarely in the middle of Micah's book, there is a glorious promise that gave hope to all who trusted…  ( Click for more )

A Famine of the Word of God (Amos 8.11-12)

Amos' preaching proved too much for Amaziah, priest of Bethel. In fact he was so disturbed that he "invited" Amos to leave the country. Hear his words to Amos: "Go, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah. There eat bread and there prophesy. But never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is the royal residence." (Amos 7.12-13).

But Amaziah was not the only one who did not appreciate the message that Amos had for Israel. The greedy men of Israel observed the feast days and the Sabbaths,…  ( Click for more )

The Vision of the Plumb Line (Amos 7.7-9)

God is upright, the source of all truth and goodness. Israel had gone astray. They placed little value in truth and their lives were perverse. Got sent Amos from the southern kingdom of Judah to deliver a message of warning to the ten northern tribes. It would be a gross understatement to say that his message was unappreciated. A part of his message involved the metaphor of a plumb line. Today's study will examine this graphic figure of speech and its application.

"Thus He showed me: Behold, the Lord stood on a wall made…  ( Click for more )

About 150 year or so had passed since the nation of Israel had been shattered by rebellious and self-seeking men. The southern tribes (Benjamin and Judah) formed one government headquartered in Jerusalem and the remaining northern ten tribes formed another government located in Samaria. In this climate of division and brotherly contempt, many other sins found welcome lodging in the hearts of the children of Jacob. On the black list of transgressions that were rampant in the land, blatant materialism ranked high especially in Samaria.…  ( Click for more )

There are many beautiful and meaningful passages in the scriptures. To pick one and say, "This is my favorite!" is almost an impossible task. Each passage has its own nuances based on the author, his mood, style, and scores of other factors. Add to these the reader's "appetite" for the moment and one can see why picking a favorite is so difficult. However, it would be difficult to find someone who would say that the passage to be considered today is not in his/her top ten list.

Consider Habakkuk's…  ( Click for more )

Two haunting questions had arrested the mind of Habakkuk. They were: 1) How long do I have to wait before You [God] will heed my call for help and avenge my cause? (see Habakkuk 1.2) And 2) Will You [God] use a more wicked person to discipline a righteous person? So distraught was he for an answer that he dared to confront God and stand on a watchtower awaiting a response from the Lord (see Habakkuk 2.1). The answer came and it is the pivotal point of Habakkuk's 3 chapter book. We will examine that answer and its implications. …  ( Click for more )

The Hills shall Flow with Milk (Joel 3.18)

Joel's prophecies anticipate the coming of the Messiah's kingdom. In fact, the Holy Spirit chose Joel's prophecies as a means of calling attention to and introducing the preaching of the very first gospel sermon (see Acts 2.17-21). So it should not be surprising to find that Joel's prophecies in the closing chapter of his book also allude to the kingdom of Christ and some of its characteristics. Our review of the text cited (Joel 3.18) will elaborate on Joel's descriptors of that kingdom.

The "day" that Joel foresaw…  ( Click for more )

Rend Your Heart and not Your Garments (Joel 2.12-13)

"'Now, therefore,' says the LORD, 'Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.' So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm." (Joel 2.12-13).

With the passing of Solomon the moral and spiritual landscape of Old Testament Israel was forever changed. Fueled by the oppressive bent of Rehoboam in Jerusalem, ten of the twelve tribes of Israel cast their…  ( Click for more )

"By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand." (1 Peter 5.12).

The threat to believers is ever present whether from false brethren internally or from "outside." Wherever there is a thing of value that can be counterfeited, give it time and it will be; that is Murphy's spiritual law. Peter specifically wrote of "the true grace of God" possibly inferring the existence…  ( Click for more )

God's People: Trusting Him (1 Peter 5.10-11)

"But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 5.8-9).

It is interesting that Peter refers to God as "the God of all grace." Peter had walked with Jesus during His earthly ministry and witnessed firsthand that grace as it was manifested toward others. But beyond that, Peter had personally benefited from that…  ( Click for more )

God's People: Resist the Devil (1 Peter 5.8-9)

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world." (1 Peter 5.8-9).

Sobriety and vigilance are the first commands; Resist is the next. There is a reason for sobriety and vigilance, and there is a reason for resistance. Sobriety and vigilance is necessary due to the character of the enemy; Resistance is necessary due to…  ( Click for more )

God's People: Humility and Trust (1 Peter 5.6-7)

"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." (1 Peter 5.6-7).

It is not a question of whether or not we will be humbled under the mighty hand of God – we shall be! It rather is a question of whether or not we will humble ourselves under that mighty hand or whether He will humble us! The mighty hand of God holds this universe and all that pertains to it, after all the universe is but the work of…  ( Click for more )

God's People: Required Clothing (1 Peter 5.5)

"Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for 'God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.'" (1 Peter 5.5). The submissive spirit that this passage anticipates is absolutely key to achieving Peter's objectives here, but more importantly, this spirit is essential to pleasing God. God gives grace to the humble but "resists" (or is set in opposition against - jb) the proud. Now note the figure…  ( Click for more )

God's People: Their Shepherds (1 Peter 5.1-4; 2 of 2)

"Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away." (1 Peter 5.2-4).

Peter's challenge to elders is a challenge to lead, to oversee, to protect, to feed, to nurture, and to guide. The word "shepherd" is the leading verb of the…  ( Click for more )