Verse of the Day: V4 “Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.”
1. He Is Our Saviour (V1-4)
V1 “When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died.”
The Almighty God exalted Ephraim when he trembled and feared God, and taught the people of Israel to trust and obey Him. However when Ephraim started to stray from God and worshipped Baal, the Devil, God struck him dead because he had offended Him. Indeed, let us fear God as He is the only God who can truly save our souls from the fiery pits of hell to the pearly portals of heaven, and there is no other Saviour beside Him.
V4 “Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.”
2. He Is Our Help (V5-13)
V6 “According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me.”
Even though time and again the people of Israel sinned against the Lord yet God not only helped them out of their troubles, but He blessed them abundantly. However, as soon as they were filled with abundance, they forgot the Lord, and returned to sin against Him, and subsequently they destroyed themselves as they failed to call upon the Lord for help.
V9 “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.”
3. He Is Our Redeemer (V14-16)
V14 “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.”
The Almighty God through Prophet Hosea warned the people of Israel that He would completely destroy them if they continued to sin and rebel against Him. However, if they would repent of their sins and rebellion, He would be their Redeemer. Indeed, when we believe in the true and living God, He shall be our Redeemer, and we shall not perish but have everlasting life with Him in heaven. However, when we reject God, He shall condemn us to the fiery pits of hell because of our sins and rebellion. The choice is yours!
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You for being my Saviour, my Help and my Redeemer.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 01:19 am
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Verse of the Day: V6 “Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.”
1. Israel Failed To Wait Upon The Lord (V1-2)
V1 “Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.”
Both Ephraim (also known as Israel or Jacob) and Judah failed to wait continually upon the Lord to deliver them out of the attacks of Assyria, Egypt and all their enemies, but instead they compromised with them. Hence the Almighty God pronounced severe judgment and punishment upon them as their efforts of compromising with their enemies were like chasing after the east wind which would come to nothing and were all in vain.
V2 “The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.”
2. Israel Failed To Wait In The Womb (V3-6)
V3 “He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God:”
Even when Israel was in the womb he was already fighting with his brother to be the first one out of their mother’s womb. Jacob was so competitive that he even fought with God thinking that he had the power to overcome God. In the end God injured and humbled him and made him realised that he could never win God but to wait continually upon Him.
V6 “Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.”
3. Israel Failed To Wait And Give Thanks (V7-14)
V13 “And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.”
Time and again the people of Israel failed to wait continually upon God’s leadership and direction and to give thanks to Him for all that He had done for them. When the Almighty God sent His prophet to deliver them out of their bondage under the mighty Egyptians, they were unthankful and ungrateful to Him, and instead rebelled against Him. Hence God severely judged and punished them for their ingratitude and rebellion against Him.
V14 “Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall he leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to wait continually upon You.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 10:12 pm
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Verse of the Day: V1 "When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt."
1. God’s Preservation (V1-2)
V1 “When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.”
God has preserved the nation of Israel since the beginning when He commanded Abram to get out of his country and establish Israel because of His unconditional love for the people of Israel whom He had chosen as His nation and people. However time and again the nation of Israel sinned against God, and God allowed Egypt and many of the enemies of Israel to attack and humble them so that they would return to Him and trust in Him.
“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:” (Genesis 12:1)
2. God’s Presence (V3)
V3 “I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.”
Though the people of Israel time and again refused to believe and trust in God, yet God kept reminding them that He would always be with them, taking them by their arms, teaching them to walk, and healing them when they were sick and unwell. Indeed, God’s presence is always with His unfaithful people because of His great unconditional love.
“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” (Joshua 1:9)
3. God’s Providence (V4-12)
V4 “I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.”
Even though the people of Israel time and again strayed from their God, yet God continued to extend His unconditional love toward them and provided them with food wherever they went. God never forces His people to trust and obey Him but by His bands of love or unconditional love He patiently draws them to return to Him and to trust and obey Him. Indeed, God never forsakes the righteous or His people including their children but He always provide all their needs because of His great unconditional love.
“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” (Psalms 37:25)
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to love all unconditionally as You have loved me.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 07:54 am
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Verse of the Day: V2 “Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.”
1. The Divide (V1-7)
V2 "Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images."
The hearts of the people of Israel were divided; they wanted to have the best of both worlds; they wanted to serve two masters: God and money. The people of Israel worshipped God, and expected God’s spiritual blessings upon them, yet at the same time, they also worshipped idols or money, and spent all their time and energy in pursuit of material possessions. They failed to realise that only God deserved their worship, and only the spiritual blessings were eternal while their material possessions were temporal.
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24)
2. The Destruction (V8-9)
V8 “The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.”
God shall judge and destroy the divided hearts of the people of Israel because the Lord is a jealous God and He desires all to worship Him. Only the true and living God deserves man’s worship as He is the Creator and Maker of all living creatures include man.
“For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:” (Exodus 34:14)
3. The Desire (V10-15)
V10 “It is in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows.”
God chastised and disciplined the people of Israel because their hearts were divided. God’s desire was for the people of Israel to have their hearts fixed and focused on Him and Him alone. Indeed, when we fix and focus our hearts only on God and God alone, we shall never be disappointed or discouraged, and we shall sing and give praise to Him.
“My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise.” (Psalms 57:7)
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please grant me a heart that is fixed on You and You alone.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 04:28 am
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Verse of the Day:V1 "Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor."
1. Israel Loved Reward (V1-10)
V1 “Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.”
God through Prophet Hosea told the people of Israel that He would judge and punish them because they had chosen to love the material rewards instead of His spiritual rewards. Instead of feeding their souls with God’s Word and be blessed of God for all eternity, they chose to feed their flesh with material rewards that shall perish and fail.
V2 “The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.”
2. Israel Loved Reputation (V11-14)
V11 “As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.”
The people of Israel or Ephraim loved the praises from the people more than the praises of God. Instead of giving glory and praises to God, they loved themselves and their reputation. Subsequently, God not only judged and punished them, but also judged and punished their children, for their love for reputation and glory more than the love of God.
V12 “Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!”
3. Israel Loved Rebellion (V15-17)
V15 “All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters.”
Instead of loving and obeying God, the people of Israel including their princes and leaders loved rewards, reputation and rebellion. It was a sad day for the people of Israel as the holy God pronounced judgment against them, and sent their enemies to attack and destroy them. Instead of being holy examples to the people of the world, the people of Israel became stumbling blocks to them. Subsequently God judged and punished them, and dispersed and scattered them as wanderers throughout the countries of the world.
V17 “My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to love and obey You.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 12:16 am
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Verse of the Day:V13 “They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the LORD accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.”
1. Israel Forgot Their Law (V1-7)
V1 “Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.”
The LORD refused to accept the people of Israel because they had forgotten Him and His law, and had chosen to build and worship the golden calf, and enjoy the pleasures of sins.
V5 “Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?”
2. Israel Forgot Their Land (V8-12)
V8 “Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.”
The Lord refused to accept the people of Israel or Ephraim, because they had followed the ways of the Gentiles or the world. They had gone to Assyria for business and pleasures, and had forgotten their God and their land. God desired His chosen people, the people of Israel, to remain in Israel, their own land, but they had chosen to stay in Assyria.
V9 “For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.”
3. Israel Forgot Their LORD (V13-14)
V13 “They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the LORD accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.”
What hurt God most was His own people, the people of Israel and Judah, had sacrificed their precious children in worshipping the golden calf just to receive blessings of material wealth and worldly pleasures. They had failed to realise that only their true and living God could give them the real blessings of eternal joy and peace. They had totally forgotten their Lord, their Maker, and all that He had done in and through their lives.
V14 “For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please accept me and help me to remember You and obey Your law.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 09:56 pm
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Verse of the Day: V7 “They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.”
1. God Heals (V1-6)
V1 “When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.”
God would have healed the people of Israel if they had confessed and repented their sins and wickedness. However they chose to hide their sins and wickedness thinking that God could not see what they were doing. They failed to realise that God saw everything and knew everything, and there was nothing that God could not see or know.
V2 “And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.”
2. God Hates (V7-9)
V7 “They are hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.”
God hated the sins of rebellion and wickedness of the people of Israel. Instead of calling upon the Lord to confess and repent of their sins and wickedness, the people openly challenge and rebel against their judges and kings, and even sought to destroy and kill them. The people of Israel and Ephraim, God’s chosen people, who were supposed to be holy and godly people, were no different from the wicked and ungodly people of the world. They had mixed themselves with the world and had grievously sinned against God.
V8 “Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.”
3. God Humbles (V10-16)
V10 “And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.”
God had to humble the pride of Israel by allowing their enemies to attack and defeat them so that they realised that without God they could do nothing. Indeed, let us call upon the Lord and He shall answer us and show us great and mighty things which we know not.
“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” (Jeremiah 33:3)
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to call upon You in good time, bad time and all the time.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 12:42 am
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Verse of the Day: V1 “Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.”
1. God Rebuilds (V1)
V1 “Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.”
Prophet Hosea pleaded with the people of Israel not to sin against God but to repent of their sins and return to Him. Subsequently, God allowed their enemies to attack and destroy their cities, houses and lives, so that the only way they could defeat their enemies, and rebuild their cities, houses and lives, was to repent of their sins and return to Him.
“Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” (Psalms 127:1)
2. God Revives (V2)
V2 “After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.”
God promised the people that He would revive them and blessed their lives if they would repent of their sins and return to Him. However, the people refused to repent and return to God. Hosea’s message was also a prophetic one as it prophesied of the death, burial and resurrection of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, who would die on the cruel cross, and would be buried, and finally would rise again on the third day according to His Word.
“And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” (1 Corinthians 15:4)
3. God Rebukes (V3-11)
V5 “Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.”
Time and again God sent prophets like Hosea to rebuke the people of Israel to repent of their sins and wickedness, and to return to Him. However, instead of taking heed of God’s rebukes, they continued in their sins and wickedness. They thought that they could get away with their sins and wickedness by their sacrifice and burnt offerings to God. They failed to realise that God desired them to be merciful to others, and to have the thirst and knowledge of His Word more than their sacrifices and burnt offerings to Him.
V6 “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to return to You and to know You and Your Word.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 01:22 pm
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Verse of the Day: V15 “I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.”
1. God Knows (V1-5)
V3 “I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled.”
Prophet Hosea warned the priests, the king and the nation of Israel that God knew their sins of immorality and pride. Ephraim was another name of Israel, and Hosea warned the people of Ephraim or Israel that God’s judgment shall be upon them if they rebelled against Him. The people of Ephraim and Israel and even Judah were so proud of themselves that they thought they could hide their sins from God. However they failed to realise that God was omnipresent or all present, and omniscient or all knowing, and they could never hide from Him. Indeed, God knows everything and He is everywhere.
V5 “And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them.”
2. God Withdraws (V6-14)
V6 “They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from them.”
God withdrew Himself from the people of Israel because they had grievously sinned against Him, even though the people tried to seek Him. Not only had the people sinned against God, but even their children had also sinned against God. Indeed, God withdraws Himself from us and even our children if we do not confess and forsake our sins.
V7 “They have dealt treacherously against the LORD: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions.”
3. God Returns (V15)
V15 “I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.”
Prophet Hosea reminded the priests, the king and the people of Israel to seek God early in their afflictions and sufferings, and to acknowledge their offence and sins, and not to wait until God’s judgment was upon them. Indeed, God shall return to us and be with us in all our afflictions and sufferings if we acknowledge our sins and seek His face early.
“O GOD, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;” (Psalms 63:1)
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to seek You early and daily in all my sufferings.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 02:30 am
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Verse of the Day: V6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”
1. The People (V1-8)
V6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”
The people of Israel, God’s chosen people, God’s priests to all nations, had forgotten God. After all the miracles that God performed before them, such as the opening of the Red Sea and the River Jordan, the defeat of Jericho and Ai, the people soon forgot God and disobeyed His commandments. They were determined in their hearts to forget God and disobeyed His commandments, than to remember God and obeyed His commandments.
V8 “They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.”
2. The Priests (V9)
V9 “And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.”
When the priests realized that the people had forgotten God and disobeyed His commandments, they went along with them in order to please them. It was a sad day for the nation of Israel, God’s chosen nation, as the priests who were supposedly to warn the people to repent of their sins intentionally forgot God and disobeyed His commandments.
“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10)
3. The Punishment (V10-19)
V10 “For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD.”
The people and the priests shall never be satisfied with their lives because they had forgotten God. They might enjoy the fun and pleasures of the lust of their eyes, the lust of their flesh and the pride of life for a season, but soon they shall reap the consequences of their deadly sins. Just a sip will eventually lead you to drunkenness, just a puff will eventually lead you to smoking and just a flirt will eventually lead you to immorality.
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7)
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to remember You and obey Your commandments.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 08:20 pm
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