Bible Chapter: Hosea 3 & 4

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
The mercy of the Lord.  He told Hosea to go and love his wife again. The purpose was to illustrate that the Lord still loved Israel.  They had been unfaithful, but He still loved them.  Hosea bought her back for fifteen pieces of silver, five bushels of barley and a measure of wine.  God said that after a time the people would return and devote themselves to the Lord.
God detailed their offenses.  They included a lack of faithfulness and no love for God. They did not really know God or his Word.  Note to the modern church: read and study your Bible so you know what it actually says.  Because they didn’t know God or what He wanted, crime and violence was common.  The people were filled with fear and misery.  (Does that sound like today?)  Their lack of personal relationship with God was destroying them because they had little knowledge of God. They were willfully rejecting and ignoring the truth of God.  Another problem they had was that the priests were willfully going in the same direction. They said only what the people wanted to hear and no longer challenged them to abandon and avoid sin.  So, the people went far from God.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
The priests, the ones who were charged with telling the truth and guiding the people, were using religious language and routine, and simply going through religious rituals.  This deceived the people into thinking that they were really pleasing God. False teachers know how to deceive by using Biblical language to pass on beliefs that are lies, not what the Bible really says. Our protection against the false is studying the Bible so that we are very familiar with God’s Word.  Run what is being taught through the filter of the Bible.  Always follow the standards and principles of God’s written Word.  Never compromise.

3.  How can I help someone?
I want to teach the Bible. I want to teach what it really says so that people can learn it and be set free by the message.  The truth of God will set you free.