Something has to change when the Lord says,
“I have written for him the great things of My law, but they were considered a strange thing.” [1]
Something has to change when the Lord says,
“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.” [2]
Something has to change when the Lord says,
“By the help of your God, return; observe mercy and justice, and wait on your God continually.” [3]
Something has to change when the Lord says,
“I have also spoken by the prophets and have multiplied visions; I have given symbols through the witness of the prophets. By a prophet, the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet he was preserved.” [4]
It is a good to read and live-by the writings of God’s prophetic writings that are recorded in the Bible because,
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by Me your days will be multiplied, and years of life will be added to you.” [5]
When the people of Ephraim turned from the Lord in the days of Hosea, the Lord let lose His lions on them. The Lord chastises those He loves. If He didn’t love them, He would have allowed them to keep spiraling down into depravity.
“For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear them and go away; I will take them away, and no one shall rescue. I will return again to My place till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.” [6]
God described war-bent world empires as a lion, leopard and bear in Daniel 7:2-6 and He uses a similar metaphor in Hosea 13:7-8. He empowers these empires to bring judgment on nations so that they repent, believe in Him, and glorify Him.
“So I will be to them like a lion; like a leopard by the road I will lurk; I will meet them like a bear deprived of her cubs; I will tear open their rib cage, and there I will devour them like a lion. The wild beast shall tear them.”
The Lord used this speech in the Book of Joel as well…
“A nation has come up against My land, strong, and without number; his teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he has the fangs of a fierce lion. He has laid waste My vine and ruined My fig tree; he has stripped it bare and thrown it away; its branches are made white.” [7]
What is the change that is needed now?
“Consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly; gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.” [8]
Praying! Fasting! Gathering together in the Name of the Lord!
One of the sins that was especially disturbing to God was the trafficking of boys and girls, “They have cast lots for My people, have given a boy as payment for a harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they may drink.” [9]
A great war was coming. Multitudes of people are about to die.
“Let the nations be wakened and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; for the winepress is full, the vats overflow—for their wickedness is great.” [10]
They should have made a decision to submit themselves to His guidance.
“Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will diminish their brightness. The Lord also will roar from Zion and utter His voice from Jerusalem; the heavens and earth will shake; but the Lord will be a shelter for His people, and the strength of the children of Israel.” [11]
The key to victory is to be one of God’s people. Know Him! Trust Him! Testify for Him! He is a shelter to those who run to Him in the day of judgment. Bring others with you.
[1] Hosea 8:12
[2] Hosea 10:12
[3] Hosea 12:6
[4] Hosea 12:10; 13
[5] Proverbs 9:10-12
[6] Hosea 5:14-15
[7] Joel 1:6-7
[8] Joel 1:14
[9] Joel 3:3
[10] Joel 3:12-13
[11] Joel 3:14-16
Bearing witness to the Word of God and to the testimony of Jesus!
Saturday, November 2, 2024
Friday, November 1, 2024
Rightly Representing God
The Lord says, “You shall not make for yourself a carved image. Any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them nor serve them for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.” [1]
The Lord opposes the creating, worshiping and serving of gods made by humans.
The Easter Bunny and Santa Claus come to mind. Why do some “Christians” allow these false images to infiltrate our services on holy days set aside for the worship of Christ’s resurrection and His incarnation? What about Halloween? It seems to be more eagerly and highly celebrated in the USA now than Christian holy days.
What about our modern images of Jesus Christ? Do they line up with Scripture?
This morning I read portions of Hosea’s prophecy and of John’s Gospel.
The Lord laments over His people’s religion saying, “They set up kings, but not by Me; they made princes, but I did not acknowledge them.” [2] People were not consulting with God when it came to appointing people to lead them. God’s will for their lives was not included.
“They do not direct their deeds toward turning to their God, for the spirit of harlotry is in their midst, and they do not know the Lord.” “Woe to them, for they have fled from Me! Destruction to them because they have transgressed against Me! Though I redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against Me.” [3] The Lord paid a heavy price to redeem us from our sin. Are we as His representatives being careful to represent Him as He is?
“None among them calls upon Me.” Are we praying to Him? Are we repenting of our own ways, and asking for His ways? Are we saying like John the Baptist did, “He [Jesus] must increase, I must decrease.” [4]
“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.” “The world… hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.” [5] God’s Word rightly spoken slays sin, and points to every person’s need for the Savior from sin.
“He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.” “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” [6] Our Lord Jesus sought the glory of His Father. He judged righteously.
Some who heard Jesus speak, said of Him, “Truly this is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But those who were propagating a false narrative about God and Messiah accused Jesus of being a deceiver, and wanted to arrest, and kill Him. [7]
Jesus Christ is the rightful representation of God. “He is the image of the invisible God.” “[He is] the express image of His [God’s] person and upholding all things by the Word of His power.” “The testimony of Jesus is Spirit of prophecy.” [8]
Now is the time that each of us needs to ask the Lord to forgive us for the times that we have misrepresented Him and joined with others who are doing it flagrantly. Now is the time to ask the Lord to reveal Himself to us just as He did to His holy prophets and apostles, and then, ask Him for the courage to stand with Him, and speak for Him, just as He did, and just as His disciples in the Bible did.
The Jesus that is revealed in the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ is One who warns against dead works, sin, and calls people to prepare for His everlasting kingdom which is destined to replace all the kingdoms of this world. [9]
It is good news that there is one way to the Father. There is no other name than the Name of Jesus by which we can be saved. He saves us by leading us to repent of our sins, believe in Him, and to receive His Holy Spirit. [10]
[1] Exodus 20:4-6
[2] Hosea 8:4
[3] Hosea 5:4; 7:13
[4] Hosea 7:7; John 3:30
[5] Hosea 6:5-6; John 7:7
[6] John 7:18; 24
[7] John 7:40-41; John 7:1, 12, 30
[8] Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3; Revelation 19:10
[9] Revelation 1:1; 11:15
[10] John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Acts 2:38-39
The Lord opposes the creating, worshiping and serving of gods made by humans.
The Easter Bunny and Santa Claus come to mind. Why do some “Christians” allow these false images to infiltrate our services on holy days set aside for the worship of Christ’s resurrection and His incarnation? What about Halloween? It seems to be more eagerly and highly celebrated in the USA now than Christian holy days.
What about our modern images of Jesus Christ? Do they line up with Scripture?
This morning I read portions of Hosea’s prophecy and of John’s Gospel.
The Lord laments over His people’s religion saying, “They set up kings, but not by Me; they made princes, but I did not acknowledge them.” [2] People were not consulting with God when it came to appointing people to lead them. God’s will for their lives was not included.
“They do not direct their deeds toward turning to their God, for the spirit of harlotry is in their midst, and they do not know the Lord.” “Woe to them, for they have fled from Me! Destruction to them because they have transgressed against Me! Though I redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against Me.” [3] The Lord paid a heavy price to redeem us from our sin. Are we as His representatives being careful to represent Him as He is?
“None among them calls upon Me.” Are we praying to Him? Are we repenting of our own ways, and asking for His ways? Are we saying like John the Baptist did, “He [Jesus] must increase, I must decrease.” [4]
“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.” “The world… hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.” [5] God’s Word rightly spoken slays sin, and points to every person’s need for the Savior from sin.
“He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.” “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” [6] Our Lord Jesus sought the glory of His Father. He judged righteously.
Some who heard Jesus speak, said of Him, “Truly this is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But those who were propagating a false narrative about God and Messiah accused Jesus of being a deceiver, and wanted to arrest, and kill Him. [7]
Jesus Christ is the rightful representation of God. “He is the image of the invisible God.” “[He is] the express image of His [God’s] person and upholding all things by the Word of His power.” “The testimony of Jesus is Spirit of prophecy.” [8]
Now is the time that each of us needs to ask the Lord to forgive us for the times that we have misrepresented Him and joined with others who are doing it flagrantly. Now is the time to ask the Lord to reveal Himself to us just as He did to His holy prophets and apostles, and then, ask Him for the courage to stand with Him, and speak for Him, just as He did, and just as His disciples in the Bible did.
The Jesus that is revealed in the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ is One who warns against dead works, sin, and calls people to prepare for His everlasting kingdom which is destined to replace all the kingdoms of this world. [9]
It is good news that there is one way to the Father. There is no other name than the Name of Jesus by which we can be saved. He saves us by leading us to repent of our sins, believe in Him, and to receive His Holy Spirit. [10]
[1] Exodus 20:4-6
[2] Hosea 8:4
[3] Hosea 5:4; 7:13
[4] Hosea 7:7; John 3:30
[5] Hosea 6:5-6; John 7:7
[6] John 7:18; 24
[7] John 7:40-41; John 7:1, 12, 30
[8] Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3; Revelation 19:10
[9] Revelation 1:1; 11:15
[10] John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Acts 2:38-39
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