Old Testament - Hosea 13-14 - November 10, 2022

 11/10/2022 – Hosea 13-14

 Chapter 13: The Lord’s people are not responding to the prophet He has sent. They have been taught again and again that there is no savior beside the Lord, and that He redeems us from death. V 2 tells us that after all Hosea’s teaching they now “sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding…” They also exalt themselves, when Hosea is teaching them that humility brings true power, and a deep devotion and love of God.

The Lord reminds them of the things He did as He brought the Israelites out of Egypt, and He also speaks of the things they learned in their years of wandering in the desert. Then in v 12 He pleads with them to “sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy, break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.”  They are to get to work, for our growth will take work, and the result of our actions and efforts may not come until the end of the season.

The Lord tells them “ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies…” (v13)  He is letting them know that their decision to be unfaithful to the Lord will be the reason for their impending destruction.

Yes, they are now headed for very hard times that will last for a long time, and yet the Lord says: “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thine help. I will be thy king…” (V 9-10)  He is reminding us all that no matter what, we can always turn to the Lord, and He will hear us and help us.

He then goes on to let them know that the hard times ahead will be with them for a long time. In v 13 He tells them that these terrible times will be like “the sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him…”  He is describing wave upon wave of sorrows.

In Chapter 14 He then assures them that in the last days they shall repent and return unto the Lord. “I will heal their backsliding. I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away…I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.” (v 4-5)  

He also tells them that at that time they will see things differently: “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.” 

Hosea ends his teaching with v 9: “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.”  Even in the last days, not everyone will recognize the Lord’s power and position.

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