June 21st

After trying in many different ways to get the attention of the people of Israel so that they might change their ways comes one of the scariest scriptures in the Bible.

 ¹² “Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel,
   and because I will do this to you, Israel,
   prepare to meet your God.”
 ¹³ He who forms the mountains,
   who creates the wind,
   and who reveals his thoughts to mankind,
who turns dawn to darkness,
   and treads on the heights of the earth—
   the LORD God Almighty is his name.

"Prepare to meet your God" carries the weight of an atomic bomb.  God is through with these people who He blessed in every way and yet refuse to acknowledge Him.  The Lord can be very frightening.  What would it be like if the world knew this?

June 20th

 ⁷ Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing
   without revealing his plan
   to his servants the prophets.

Amos 3 tells me that God isn't going to land something on us that we haven't been fully warned about.  This is another example of how God is faithful even though we aren't always faithful.

June 19th

The end of Hosea says:

⁹ Who is wise? Let them realize these things.
   Who is discerning? Let them understand.
The ways of the LORD are right;
   the righteous walk in them,
   but the rebellious stumble in them.

     I wonder how all of these prophecies were recieved.  Were they widely circulated or was it a commentary on the time and not many knew their words?   It seems to me that the ending of Hosea says that the people had access to what he was saying and it was up to them to change their ways in light of this witness.

June 18th

Two impactful statements from today's reading:
1) my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.
2) a people without understanding will come to ruin.

     I know as a teacher/coach how frustrating it is when a student/athlete refuses to learn and then when it is time to perform just can't, because they aren't equipped.  I also know how frustrating it is as a parent to see your kids not be able to perform, because someone who was supposed to prepare them has not done the job.  I feel for God and the heartache that He must feel when we blindly disobey Him or in the case of Israel when the priests didn't do their job and teach the people.  A teacher carries a weight of responsibility and this shows in the reading today.  Leaders must lead and do it humbly realizing that the Lord is judging their work.

June 17th

     Hosea teaches me about the righteous jealousy of God.  It was the perfect lesson having Hosea marry Gomer, have children and then seek to take her back after her promiscuous ways.  God puts it so simply.  How can you give all the credit for your blessings to worthless, powerless idols and then give Him no credit!  I can see how He would be jealous and offended.  What does this have to do with me?  Obviously, when I put myself first or the things that I own I start to worship things other than God.  Is God still a jealous God?  You bet He is?  Are the lessons that the Israelites had to go through still applicable today?  That's why they are preserved.  How can I be so foolish to ignore God, the Creator, the Holy One?  Help me not to, Lord!

June 16th

I love the story of Jonah.  I liked the comments about the fact that the Assyrians were actually more repentent and godly than the nation of Israel at this time.  They even made the animals were sack clothe and ashes!   It makes me realize how much that God loves the lost.

June 14th

In Joel 3 it talks about the restoration of Judah and Jerusalem.  I wonder about Jerusalem currently and God's interest in having the Jews actually inhabit it.