Monday, April 23 2012
Hosea 14
Verse of the Day:V4 “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.”
1. Return (V1-3)
V1 “O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.”
The Lord through Prophet Hosea lovingly pleaded with His people, the people of Israel, to return to Him from their backsliding. The people of Israel were once a holy nation called of God to be the light in this dark and evil world. However, the people of Israel time and again sinned against God, and the loving God through Prophet Ezekiel pleaded to the people to return to Him.
V2 “Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take way all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.”
2. Recover (V4-7)
V4 “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.”
When the people of Israel returned to God and worshipped Him, the great God, the great Physician, shall heal them of their backsliding, and they shall recover from their spiritual sickness. Indeed, it was never God’s intention to inflict sicknesses and sufferings upon man. God’s ultimate desire was to love the people of Israel freely so that they shall be like the olive tree, spiritually strong and prosperous, and like the cedar trees in Lebanon, spiritually fragrance and sweet smelling in this dark and evil world.
V6 “His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.”
3. Repent (V8-9)
V8 “Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.”
A remnant of the people of Israel repented of their sins, and refused to have anything to do with idols, but to love and serve the one and only true God. As a result, they had the fruit of God, the fruit of loving others including their enemies freely, as they sought wisely and prudently to walk in the ways of the Lord who loved them freely.
V9 “Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to love others freely as You have loved me freely.
