Year 2, Week 5, Day 4 Bible Reading Observations

Year 2, Week 5, Day 4

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Hosea 3-6.

Today’s reading continues the prophet Hosea’s words to Israel. Hosea 3 recounts the LORD’s charge to Hosea to take back his unfaithful wife: “Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins” (Hosea 3:1). Imbedded in this charge is the connection between the love that Hosea was to have toward Gomer and the love that the LORD has for His people. Hosea 4, which is the start of a new section of the Book, lays out the case against Israel: "Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land; there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed” (Hosea 4:1-2). Israel does not reflect the character of the LORD, for they have rejected the LORD. Hosea 5 is the verdict of the case against Israel: “Hear this, O priests! Pay attention, O house of Israel! Give ear, O house of the king! For the judgment is for you; for you have been a snare at Mizpah and a net spread upon Tabor. And the revolters have gone deep into slaughter, but I will discipline all of them” (Hosea 5:1-2). Hosea 6 describes a return to the LORD: “Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up” (Hosea 6:1). The LORD will restore His people.

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading was the continued theme in Hosea concerning the great reversal of fortunes that the LORD would accomplish for His people. Repeatedly, the LORD declared the charges against Israel: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children” (Hosea 6:6). Israel, from the priests down to the people, had rejected the LORD refusing to walk in His ways. In light of the charges, the LORD repeatedly declared the judgment that Israel would face: “Ephraim shall become a desolation in the day of punishment; among the tribes of Israel I make known what is sure. The princes of Judah have become like those who move the landmark; upon them I will pour out my wrath like water. Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment, because he was determined to go after filth” (Hosea 5:9-11). The judgment that Israel would experience would linger for some time: “For the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or household gods” (Hosea 3:4).

But then there would be a reversal: “Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the LORD and to his goodness in the latter days” (Hosea 3:5). The LORD would restore His people: “After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him” (Hosea 6:2). The judgement described in Hosea 5 would result in Israel’s destruction and captivity. But this judgment would not be the last word; salvation would come through the judgment. The LORD was providing Israel with a message of hope concerning a future restoration, even before the judgment itself unfolded. Such a message of hope was a means to prompt repentance, “Come, let us return to the LORD,” for the LORD ever calls His people to turn to Him, whether the captivity had actually happened yet, or they were on the back end of the captivity. There would be a future for Israel and that future was intended to stir repentance in them.

Certainly, that future restoration found expression in Israel’s eventual release from Babylonian, but the fuller expression of their restoration in Christ Jesus. True reversal fortunes is found in how Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice restores and saves: “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). As Hosea speaks of being torn than healed, and being struck down than bound up (Hosea 6:1), this reflects Paul’s words that Christ’s death for our sins was, “in accordance with the Scriptures.” Christ, “was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). The Scriptures not only predict the death of Christ in our place, they also speak of the resurrection of Christ on our behalf. Christ was raised from the dead, “in accordance with the Scriptures.” Today’s reading contains one of the prophet’s announcements of Christ’s resurrection: “on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him” (Hosea 6:2). The ultimate reversal of fortunes is found in Christ, for He went from death by crucifixion to ascension to the Father’s right hand, from defeated king of the Jews to risen LORD. All who belong to Christ also will experience a reversal of fortunes. Thus, a new way of living should characterize our understanding that such a reversal of fortune must make: “Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth” (Hosea 6:3).

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe