Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Hosea 8-14

More talk of the sins of Israel. Its apparently the teenage years. Israel is rebelling, trying on different hats, trying to push the boundaries....

I don't get however, what they're getting from Baal. Why continue to worship it, (him?) if things aren't going well. They must be getting something from it. I guess its the freedom they feel. Like being a teenager and disobeying everyone in authority....doing what you want, when you want, with little to no regard for consequences. But we don't abandon our teenagers. Most of us don't turn our backs on them. We acknowledge the trials and help guide them along the correct path.

In the last chapter of the book, God decides to do exactly that. He doesn't turn his back. He says "I will heal their faithlessness; I will love them freely, for My anger is turned away from Israel."

3 comments:

Jamie said...

Well, most people don't turn their backs on their teenagers, but our kids only go thru that phase once; Israel does it every couple decades.

9:7 Now I know there are some quacks out there that claim to be Jesus, etc. And that clearly goes against what the Bible says, but isn't this verse true about how Christians are treated in our society today? It's as though anyone who is for God is called a nut, superstitious, ignorant, backwards, etc. Apparently, most of America and its leaders were all of these things up to just a few years ago. Really?!

I'm surprised you didn't mention Assyria being called a wild ass, or all of the references to a fiery, flying, serpent (dragon? maybe?).

10:13 Again, like my previous post. Making the mistake, like America does now, to trust and rely in our own "knowledge" and might of our military. Forgetting how we became the greatest nation in history.

13:2 Speaking and praying to idols. Reminds me of Catholics. And again, if that offends you then maybe you need to be offended. Kissing idols, etc. How many times have you seen some devout "Christian" break this commandment willfully and repeatedly? Kissing little mini statues of Mary, and praying to her. We've seen over and over again that that is a sin.

There is also lots and lots of prophesying about Jesus and the end of the world.

Jamie said...

And just to remind everyone. God doesn't like any idol worshipping. Even if that idol is supposed to represent Him or His Son. If you'll remember when Moses went up on the mountain to get the ten commandments, and Aaron made the golden calf. That golden calf was not a representation of another god. It was supposed to be a representation of God - Yaweh. And God was very angry about this. He said that He doesn't want images made to represent Him because He is so great He cannot be contained or given a likeness. Lest any Catholics read this and get mad they should stop relying on their priest to tell them what the Bible says, and read it for themselves. I'm not judging you or determining where you're going to spend eternity, I'm just saying that the Bible is clear that this is a sin.

Whendsome said...

Ok so yes, Israel goes through this every couple of decades, but these are mostly different people every couple of decades.....a new batch of teenagers if you will. I think that's worth acknowledging. These aren't the people He brought out of Egypt. Yes, following generations should listen to and heed the lessons of their elders... but we didn't.