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THEBOOKOFHOSEA
Lesson24,Chapters14END
TodayweconcludeourstudyoftheBookofHosea.Hoseapreachedandwarned
Israelabouttheirconsistentdouble-mindednessandunfaithfulnesstoYehoveh
andthismainlybymeansofdisobediencetothetermsoftheCovenantofMoses.
Usingprimarilythemetaphorofhumanmaritalunfaithfulness(adultery)Hosea
convictsIsraelofthesametypeofunfaithfulnesstoGod,whichinthespiritual
realmisidolatry.
Hosea’smessage,whichwaswrittenandgivenoverabouta35-yearspanof
time,tookplaceastheNorthernKingdomofEphraim/Israel’sprosperityand
securitywasdecliningatanever-acceleratingpace.Israel’sconstantwarswith
theirbrotherkingdomtotheirsouth,Judah,ledIsrael’skingstodothewrong
thinginseekingpoliticalallianceswiththeregion’stwosuperpowers:Assyria
andEgypt.
For13chaptersofhisbook,wehavewitnessedHoseabringGod’smessageof
condemnationtoIsraelfortheiridolatryanddisobediencetothecovenant.That
condemnationincludedthefactthatGodwouldnolongerblessIsraelwith
prosperityandsecurity,andinfacthasbecomeIsrael’senemy.Further,even
thoughthecallwastorepentandtochangetheirbehavior,itwasthatIsrael
neededtoprepareforthecatastrophethatwassooncoming…andwhatwas
coming(judgment)wouldnotbedelayedormodifiednomatterhowmuchIsrael
mightsincerelybeseechGodforHismercy.
Inresponse,Israeldoubled-downintheireffortstosecurefavorfromtheirpagan
neighbors,especiallyfromAssyria.Godcalledthisanactoftreacheryandmade
itclearthatnomatterwhoIsraelmightultimatelymakeatreatywith,itdidn’t
matterbecauseYehovehwasIsrael’sGodandthereforenoonecouldoppose
whatHehaddeterminedtodo.Israelcouldnotsaveitself,andtheonlymeans
oftheirsalvation(Yehoveh)wasblockedshut.Theirdoomwascertain.
However,nowinthe14
th
chapterofHosea,Israelreceivesamessageofloveand
hope.Rescueandrestorationwouldindeedhappenforthem…butonlyinthe
future…manygenerationsremovedfromHosea’sera.Therecipientsofthat

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mercywouldcometothedistantdescendantsofEphraim/Israelanditwould
happenintheEndTimes.
Let’sre-readHoseachapter14.
RE-READHOSEACHAPTER14all
Westudiedtheopeningversesofthischapterlasttime.Theseversesare
essentiallyintroducingaprayerthattheexiledEnd-Times10tribesofthe
NorthernKingdomwillpray,andnextcomesthegoodnewsthatGodwillanswer
andacceptthemback.
Verse3openswiththeawkwardinstructionforIsraelto“Takewordswithyou”
(atleastthisisawkwardtomodernWesternears).TheHebrewwordthatis
beingtranslatedto“words”isdebarim.Debarimindeedcorrectlytranslatesto
words.WhatwordsisitthatIsraelistobring?First,wemustbeinformedthat
whenIsraelbroughttheirsacrificestotheLordattheTemple,theynecessarily
hadtobeaccompaniedwithobedience,acontriteheart,andprayer.Thatis,
fromthenegativeviewpoint,sacrificesareworthlesswithoutobedienceand
contrition.Yetfromanothermorepositiveangle,ifIsraeliteswereobedientin
thefirstplace,therewouldbenoneedforsacrificesofatonementinthesecond
place.Thiswasnotanewthought.
CJB
1Samuel15:22Sh'mu'elsaid,"DoesADONAItakeasmuchpleasurein
burntofferingsandsacrificesasinobeyingwhatADONAIsays?Surelyobeyingis
betterthansacrifice,andheedingordersthanthefatoframs.
Thissamethoughtpatternofvoluntaryobediencebeingbetterthanthe
consequentsacrificeswasentrenchedinIsraelitesocietyaswesee
demonstratedintheGospelofMark,whereaTorah-teacherisrespondingto
Yeshua.
CJB
Mark12:32-33
32
TheTorah-teachersaidtohim,"Wellsaid,Rabbi;you
speakthetruthwhenyousaythatheisone,andthatthereisnootherbesides
him;
33
andthatlovinghimwithallone'sheart,understandingandstrength,and

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lovingone'sneighborasoneself,meanmorethanalltheburntofferingsand
sacrifices."
Sojustaswemustneverbuyintothelong-heldbutfaultyChurchdoctrinethat
gracehasreplacedlaw(butrathertheyaretoworktogether,hand-in-glove),so
itisthatobedienceandsacrificearenotmutuallyexclusivebutratherthey,too,
aretoworktogetherhand-in-glove.
Butnow,secondly,whatexactlyarethewordsthataretobetakenwitheach
Israeliteastheysacrifice?WebeginbyrecallingthatthisisanEndTimes
prophecyandoccurrence.Icanonlyassumethatherethetermdebarim(words)
meansprayer,andconsideringthatverses3and4aretheEndTimesprayerto
beprayed,thenitmustsurelybethatthisisreferringtothatparticularprayer…
kindofamoreancientIsraeliteversionoftheLord’sPrayermodel.Numbers
14:20andJeremiah14:10usetheworddebarimtoindicateprayer,sothereis
precedentforit.
Thus,thefirstpartofverse3isaninstructiontoEndTimesIsraeltosacrificeand
topraythisprayermodelaspartoftheirrepentance.Wecoveredthisalittlelast
week,butitbearsrepeatingbecausetheprinciplehasnotchangedoverthe
centuries;so,itappliestowemodern-dayBelieversinYeshuajustasmuchasit
appliedtoIsrael.ItisthatforthemostpartintheBible,torepentisasmuch
aboutchangingourthoughtsasitisaboutchangingourbehavior.Ourworks,our
actions,ourdeedsarethefruitofourfaithfulnessandGoddemandsthatthis
fruitappearasevidenceofoursinceretrustinHim.Ourfruitisnotwhatwefeel
inourhearts,noristhebeliefwehaveinChrist.Rather,itisthatanactivebelief
wehaveinChristoughttoproducegoodfruit(righteousbehavior)ifthatbelief
isrealandsincere.Thus,ourbadbehaviorsaretobereplacedwithourgood(our
righteous)behaviors(badfruitreplacedwithgoodfruit).InrelationtowhatGod
isdemandingfromIsrael,itisthatIsraelmuststopsacrificingwrongly,whichis
disobedience,andinsteadmustsacrificeproperly.Propersacrificebeginswitha
properattitudeandwithproperprayer.
Butevenmore,intheHolyScripturestoreturntoGodalways,always,always
meanstoreturntothewaysoftheTorah.ThewaysoftheToraharemostly
expressedintheLawofMoses,andtheLawofMosesismostlyaGod-givencode

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ofmoralitythatinstructsusaboutouractions,deeds,andbehaviors(including
ourworshippractices)thatnecessarilycomefromachangedattitudeand
renewedmindthatdirectsourdesiretobeobedienttoGod.
Thesecondhalfofverse3presentstheprayerofrepentance;itbeginswith
“forgivealliniquityandacceptwhatisgood”.Thesewordsarealittlecrypticand
requiresomeexplanation,soI’dliketosubstituteforthesewordsthethoughtof
whattheymeantomodernears.Itis:“ForgiveusLordforourmanysins,and
seeournewrighteousbehavioraspaymentforourpastbadbehavior”.This
fallsinlinewithwhatwefindintheBookofEzekielaboutwhattruerepentance
is,andabouthowGodlooksuponourbehavior.
CJB
Ezekiel3:17-21
17
"Humanbeing,Ihaveappointedyoutobeawatchmanfor
thehouseofIsra'el.Whenyouhearawordfrommymouth,youaretowarn
themforme.
18
IfIsaytoawickedperson,'Youwillcertainlydie';andyoufailto
warnhim,tospeakandwarnthewickedpersontoleavehiswickedwayandsave
hislife;thenthatwickedpersonwilldieguilty;andIwillholdyouresponsiblefor
hisdeath.
19
Ontheotherhand,ifyouwarnthewickedperson,andhedoesn'tturnfrom
hiswickednessorhiswickedway,thenhewillstilldieguilty;butyouwillhave
savedyourownlife.
20
Similarly,whenarighteouspersonturnsawayfromhis
righteousnessandcommitswickedness,Iwillplaceastumblingblockbefore
him-hewilldie;becauseyoufailedtowarnhim,hewilldieinhissin;his
righteousactswhichhedidwillnotberemembered;andIwillholdyou
responsibleforhisdeath.
21
Butifyouwarntherighteouspersonthatarighteous
personshouldnotsin,andhedoesn'tsin;thenhewillcertainlylive,becausehe
tookthewarning;andyoutoowillhavesavedyourlife."
Icannotreiteratestronglyenough:Goddefinessinaccordingtowhatwedo…
ourbehavior…andourbehavioristheoutwarddisplayofourinnerspiritual
condition.Therefore,torepentmeanstophysicallyandtangiblyturntotheways
oftheLord(totheTorah)…and“thewaysoftheLord”inherentlymeanourgood
behavior.Thisprinciplehas,frankly,becomeallbutlostininstitutional
ChristianityandespeciallywithintheEvangelicalbranchesthatstressgraceasa
universal,perpetualGet-Out-Of-Jail-Freecardthathasnoconnectiontoour

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behavior.And,theimplieddoctrinethatgoesalongwithitisthatour“fruit”is
howmuchorhowlittlewefeelawarmthtowardsGod,andperhapstowards
people,inourhearts.ThatisfarfromhowtheBibledescribestheprincipleof
repentance.
Therefore,whatthefinalwordsofverse3aresaying(alsoinlinewithwhat
Ezekielsaid)is:ifonechangeshisbehaviorforthebetter(inGod’seyes),the
badbehaviorthepersonformerlyhadbeenexhibitingisignoredwhenitcomes
toblessingsandcurses…rewardsandpunishments.Ontheotherhand,ifa
personwhohasbeenexhibitinggoodbehaviorturnstobadbehaviorthenhis
formergoodbehaviorisalsoignored.Ishouldn’thaveto,butletmebeclear:by
nomeansamIsuggestingthatifwebehavewellthatwehavenoneedfor
salvationinChrist.Norisoneareplacementorsubstitutefortheother.Bothare
expectedbyGod;righteousbehavioristheexpectedoutcomefromaccepting
Jesus’ssacrificeasatonementforourbadbehavior.
Essentiallytheprayerwordsattheendofverse3areanacknowledgmentthat
sacrificesarepointlessunlessthealtarisapproachedwithaproperattitudeand
intangibleobedience.I’llsaythisanotherway:theprayerbeseechesGodto
acceptgoodbehaviorandproperprayerfromacontriteheartasasubstitutefor
animalsacrifices.Itisinterestingthatburiedinthetraditionalliturgyrecitedon
theJewishDayofAtonementproceedingswehearthesewords:“Weare
permittedbyGodtoofferprayersinsteadofsacrifices”.
IwanttooffersomethingthatIcannotprove,butIthinkisso.Ibelievethose
prayerwordsareintendedtocomfortexiledIsraelwhowillbelievethatthey
mustalwaysliveintheirsin,withouthope,remedy,oratonement,becausethey
areawayfromtheTempleandAltarinJerusalemandthereforehavenomeans
torestorefellowshipwithGodthroughsacrifices.Insomanywaysthisisactually
preparingthemfortheirMessiahwhowillremedythisproblemforthemasHe
becomestheironce-for-allsacrifice.Thus,whatGodwillneedfromthemistrust
andfaithfulnessintheMessiah,andnofurthersacrificeisneeded.
Inverse4,continuingthisfutureprayerofcontrition,Israelpromisesthree
things:1)TheywillnotseekanalliancewithAssyria’sgod,2)theywillnotrely
ontheirmilitaryfordeliverance,and3)theywillnolongercreateorworshipidols

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andimages.Inthefuture,IsraelwillsaythatAshurwillnotsaveus.ItdoesNOT
saythatAssyriawillnotsaveus.Ashurisapagangod;thenationalgodof
Assyria.So,fromthe30,000-footview,themeaningisthatapagangod(afalse
god)cannotpossiblybeIsrael’sdeliverer.Promisingthatthey(Israel)willnot
rideuponhorsesisreferringtochariots.Rashioffersthattheridingonhorses
automaticallyconnectsEgypttoIsraelinthatEgyptwasthesourceofhorsesfor
Israel’smilitary.Therefore,theideabeingexpressedisthatIsraelproclaimsthat
theywillnolongerrelyonthatwhichissuppliedbyAssyriaorEgypt,andthatthe
specifichelpIsraelwashopingforwashelpfromAssyria’sgodandfromEgypt’s
provisionofhorsesforIsrael’smilitary.Whatisinterestingisthatthispracticeof
gettinghorsesfromEgypt(formilitaryuse)wasyetanothercovenantviolation.
CJB
Deuteronomy17:16However,heisnottoacquiremanyhorsesforhimself
orhavethepeoplereturntoEgypttoobtainmorehorses,inasmuchasADONAI
toldyounevertogobackthatwayagain.
TheNJPSversionoftheBibletranslatesthat3
rd
promisethemostliterallyandit
isthis:“NorevergainwillwecallourhandiworkGod”.Thus,thisstatement
(whileinthewidestscopecertainlyincludesidols)isreallyaboutthe
human-craftedgoldencalfimagesthatEphraim/Israelsaidwererepresentations
ofYehoveh.Onceagainremindingyouthatthisprayerofrepentancebelongsin
themouthsofEndTimesmembersofthe10NorthernTribes,thenitiseasierto
graspthatEphraim/Israelandtheseveralgenerationsthatwillbeborninexile
willbesubjecttothecursedescribedintheTorah,butthenlaterinGod’smercy,
IsraelwillobtainHisblessing.ListencarefullytothesewordsofDeuteronomy
thatwerewrittenatleast500years(probablymore)beforeHoseawaswritten.
ThesewordsareprecededbyGodwarningIsraelwhatwillhappenwhenthey
becomedisobedientandbegincommittingidolatry.
CJB
Deuteronomy4:27-31
27
ADONAIwillscatteryouamongthepeoples;and
amongthenationstowhichADONAIwillleadyouaway,youwillbeleftfewin
number.
28
Thereyouwillservegodswhicharetheproductofhumanhands,
madeofwoodandstone,whichcan'tsee,hear,eatorsmell.
29
However,from
thereyouwillseekADONAIyourGod;andyouwillfindhimifyousearchafter
himwithallyourheartandbeing.
30
Inyourdistress,whenallthesethingshave
comeuponyou,intheacharit-hayamim,youwillreturntoADONAIyourGodand

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listentowhathesays;
31
forADONAIyourGodisamercifulGod.Hewillnotfail
you,destroyyou,orforgetthecovenantwithyourancestorswhichhesworeto
them.
Noticehowinverse30itsaysthatintheacharit-hayamim(theworldtocome,
theEndTimes)thatIsraelwillreturntoYehoveh(thatis,theywillreturntothe
waysoftheTorah).ThisiswhatwearereadingaboutinthisEndTimesprayer.
Thefinalwordsofverse4speaksofitbeingonlyintheGodofIsraelthatthe
fatherless(orphans)findmercy(orpity).IntheWest,especially,wecanbea
littleblindtotherealitythatinthe1
st
centurytherewerenosuchthingsas
orphanages.Norwastheregovernmentalfostercareorwelfareorchild
protectiveagenciesoranyonetoprotecttheirrights.Orphanswereinaverybad
way,andtheirsurvivalandpossibilityofanykindofreasonablelifedependedon
thepityofsomeonesteppingforward.Thus,suchanactofmercyfroman
individualtowardsanorphanwasseenasamongthehighestvirtuesforan
Israelite.So,thisstatementattheendofverse4isphrasedinanIsraelite8
th
centuryB.C.culturalwaytoattributetoGod’scharacterthehighestofvirtuesin
thatnohumancanmatchsuchgreatmercyHesograciouslygivestoIsrael,
whichwillsoon,themselves,becomeakindoforphanbecausetheirGodis
abandoningthem.
Verse5issayingthatafterfutureIsraeloffersthisprayeroftruerepentance,
andafterYehovehgraciouslyacceptsitasactualrepentance,Israel’sformer
abundancewillbegintoreturn.Threemetaphorsofnatureareusedtodescribe
GodsettingHisangeragainstthemasideandinsteadhealingthemofalltheir
cursesfortheircovenantviolations.“Thedew”describesanabundanceofwater
thatmakesplantsgrowalmostwithoutlimitinalushenvironment.“Blossoming
likethelily”speaksofIsrael’sfloweringbeautybeforeGod.“Castingrootslike
thetreesofLebanon”speaksofthestrengthandstabilitythatwillcharacterize
thepeopleandnationofthefutureIsrael.Thisthirdmetaphorabouttherootsof
treesinLebanoncontinuesinverse6.
TheforestsandplantlifeofLebanonwerelegendaryinancienttimes,akintoa
GardenofEden.WhenwethinkoftheMiddleEast,somuchofitisadry,barren
landofsand,justasitwasinBibletimes.So,it’seasytoimaginehowthepeople

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ofBibletimesinthislargeregionofinfertileandunproductivelandscapewould
besooverwhelmedbythebeautyandabundanceofLebanonthatitbecomethe
objectofmythsandpoemsasitwasseenasnearheavenonearth.What
YehovehhadpromisedtherefugeerabblecomingupoutofEgyptsolongago
wouldbealandalltheirownofmilkandhoneysolongastheywereobedientto
theCovenantofMoses.But,inthefuture,itwillbereinstatedandthepromise
madeevenmoregrand.It’snotunliketheincrediblegloryoftheEarthupon
Creationthatquicklywentintodisrepairwhenthesinofthefirstcouplesquashed
perfection,butyetwearepromisedintheProphetsthattherewillbea
re-createdUniverseandEarththatwillsurpassthemagnificenceoftheoriginal.
Andinbothcases,theLorddoesthisinHismercyforarebellioushumanitythat
hadsodisappointedHimandruinedwhatHehadfirstgiventothem…tousall…
inanunapproachableactoflove.
Verse8beginswithspeakingofIsrael(assumingthat’swhothe“they”is)as
livingunderHisshadeoralternativelyunderHisshadow.TheHebrewwordthat
isbeingtranslatedasshadeorshadowistselanditcanmeaneither.Verylikely,
though,thebettertranslationtoEnglishisshadebecausetheexpressiontobein
someone’sshadeismeantasbeingplacedundertheprotectionofsomeone
morepowerful.Usually,thisexpressionreferredtokingsoraristocraticpatrons.
Here’sanexample.
CJB
Judges9:15Thethornbushreplied,'Ifyoureallymakemekingoveryou,
thencomeandtakeshelterinmyshade.Butifnot,letfirecomeoutofthethorn
bushandburndownthecedarsoftheL'vanon!'
Here’sanotherexample.
CJB
Ezekiel31:6Initsboughsallthebirdsoftheairhadtheirnests,beneathits
branchesallthewildanimalsgavebirthtotheiryoung,andallgreatnationslived
initsshade.
Thereareotherexamples,butthisoughttosufficetomakethepoint.So,thisis
speakingofGodofferingtheultimateprotectionforHisbatteredpeople.Livingin
HisshademeansnoonecanharmthemwithoutHispermission.Considering
whatexiledIsraelhasbeenthroughforthesepast2700years,thishastobe

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suchawelcomepromiseforthoseofthe10tribeswhoare,today,asIspeak,
beingwelcomedbackhometotheLandtheywereexiledfrominthe8
th
century
B.C.
ItissaidthatIsraelwillblossomlikeavine.Exactlyhowwearetopicturethat
isn’tclearexceptthatitispartofastringofagriculturalmetaphorsthatwere
meanttostrikewondermentanddelightedaweintotheheartsoftheIsraelites.
So,inreality,nofurtherexplanationisneededforthesepoeticwords.Thesame
canbesaidforthepleasingaromathatcomesfromthewineofLebanon…with
theideabeingthatwhateveragriculturalproductcomesfromLebanonisthe
ultimateinqualityandquantity,andsothisdescribeswhatthelandofIsraelwill
alsobelike.
Verse9hasGodplacingarhetoricalquestionintoEphraim’smouth.Itis“why
wouldIhaveanymoreuseforidols?”Allthethingsthatthegodsofthepagan
idolsIsraelhadreliedonforsomanyyears…fertility,security,rain…Israelnow
realizesthatitwasactuallyYehoveh,theirnationalGod,doingtheproviding.
YehovehisconfirmingtoIsraelthatonlybygivinguptheiridolatrycanthe
promisedrestorationoccur…thetwothingsarelinked.Nomatterhowmany
timesGodusedprophetstoremindIsraelofthatfact,Israelcontinuedtogive
creditandglorytotheBaalsfortheirprosperity.ButinthefutureIsraelwill
acknowledgethattheyknowexactlywheretheirblessingscomefrom,andso
theyhavenoneedforpagangodsandidols.Therefore,Israelrespondstoallof
God’swonderfulpromisesofmercifulrestorationbysayingthattheywillhumbly
acceptthemandtheylikenGodtoabig,greencypresstree(thisconnectsback
toverse8andGodprovidingIsraelwithHis“shade”).
Hosea’smessageisoneofIsrael’sRedemptionHistory,andareminderofwho
theyare(descendantsofJacob).Theirhistoryisoneofblessing,thencurse,that
willbefollowedbyafutureneweraofblessing.Thisistheverydefinitionof
“restoration”.IsraelreceivedtheirwarningsfromHoseabyremindingthemwhat
thetermsoftheCovenantofMosescontained;termsforthemtobeblessed,and
thetermsforthemtobecursed.Thethingis,IsraelhasforgottentheCovenant
ofMosesandinsteadadoptedmanmadetraditionsandworshippracticessothey
knownothingofthoseblessingsandcurses.EachcurseintheTorahiscarefully

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definedastowhatitwillentail,andconnectedtoexactlywhichcovenantterm
wasbroken.
JustasnospecifictimeframehasbeenlaidoutforChristfollowerstoknowwhen
ourMessiahwillreturn,soinHoseanospecifictimeframehasbeenlaidoutto
know1)howlongthecurse/punishmentwillgoon,and2)whenthattimeof
restorationwilloccur.Thathopecanliveandsurviveonlyinthefaithandtrust
thatitwillhappeneventhoughitmaytakecenturiestocomeabout.
Ephraim/Israelwasgivennohopeorhintthattheirrestorationwouldoccurin
theirlifetime,anymorethanweBelieversaregivenanyhopeorhintthatthe
returnofourSaviorwilloccurinourlifetime.So,ifthetimeframeforthesethings
issodistantandindefinite,whywouldancientIsrael…andus…betoldabout
theminsuchanurgentmanner?Inaword:preparation.Israelwasgiven…and
wehavebeengiven…timetoprepare.Timetoprepareourminds,timetorepent,
andtimetoprepareourlifestylesandourpantries.Yet,sincewedon’tknowthe
timeframethentoassumethatitwon’tbetomorrowisquitefoolish.Wemust
prepare…now.Today.
PartoftheprocessofrepentingforIsraelwastoseektheirtrueGodandto
understandthatGod’sdivinemercyandblessingcannotbepurchasedwith
materialthings.Theywouldstillneedtocomeforwardwithsacrificesand
offerings,buttheseweretobeaccompaniedwith,orevenprecededby,sincere
wordsthatHoseadescribesasthefruitoftheirlips.DoingthisiswhatGod
acceptsasrepentance,andnothingless.Repentanceisacombinationofa
changeofmindandachangeofbehavior.Onewithouttheotherisnot
acceptabletoYehoveh….notthen,andnotnow.
ItiscriticalthatwekeepinmindthatthisrestorationforIsraelisentirelycoupled
totheEndTimesandsowhateverweunderstandabouttheEndTimesdirectly
affectsbothBelieversandIsrael.ThetermtheBibleusesforthisnewageisthe
KingdomofHeaven,somethingthatYeshuasaidwas“near”.
BelieversandfollowersofYeshua,pleasepaycloseattentiontothefinalverse
(verse10)ofthisfinalchapterofHoseabecauseitiseverybitasmuchforusas
itwasforancientEphraim/Israel.Stuartaptlycallsthisversea“Challengetothe
WiseReader”.Iwantustore-readit.

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CJB
Hosea14:10Letthewiseunderstandthesethings,andletthediscerning
knowthem.ForthewaysofADONAIarestraight,Andtherighteouswalkinthem,
butinthemsinnersstumble.
TheRSVputsitthisway:
RSV
Hosea14:9Whoeveriswise,lethimunderstandthesethings;whoeveris
discerning,lethimknowthem;forthewaysoftheLORDareright,andthe
uprightwalkinthem,buttransgressorsstumbleinthem.
ThisisafullyencapsulatedthoughtthatoperatesmuchlikewhatourBiblesput
aseitherchapter13verse16orchapter14verse1(wediscussedthisinourlast
lesson).IseeitverymuchasaProverb…aWisdomsaying.IsuspectthatHosea
hadPsalm107inmindwhenhewrotetheseinspiredwords.
CJB
Psalm107:43Letwhoeveriswiseobservethesethingsandconsider
ADONAI'slovingdeeds.
FellowBeliever,doyouconsideryourselfwise?Ifyouarenotsure,wouldyoulike
tobecomewise?ThenthesolutionistounderstandthemessageoftheProphet
Hosea.ThisentirebookisaboutIsraelturningawayfromthewaysofGodand
GodspecificallyaddresseswhatandwherethesewaysofHisaresetdownand
enumerated.
CJB
Hosea4:6Mypeoplearedestroyedforwantofknowledge.Becauseyou
rejectedknowledge,Iwillalsorejectyouascohenforme.Becauseyouforgot
theTorahofyourGod,Iwillalsoforgetyourchildren.
ThewaysofGodaresetdownintheCovenantofMoses,andsotheBookof
Hoseausesthevariouscommandmentsofthatcovenantasthereasonsfor
Israel’spunishment,thatisbanishmentfromtheirland.ThewaysofGodare
STILLtheCovenantofMoses;thathasneverchangeddespiteinstitutional
ChristianityinsistingthatJesuschangedit.JesusHimselfforcefullydeniesthat
suchachangeeveroccurredinapassagethatmostofyouarealreadyfamiliar
with.

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CJB
Matthew5:17-20
17
"Don'tthinkthatIhavecometoabolishtheTorahorthe
Prophets.Ihavecomenottoabolishbuttocomplete.
18
Yesindeed!Itellyou
thatuntilheavenandearthpassaway,notsomuchasayudorastrokewillpass
fromtheTorah-notuntileverythingthatmusthappenhashappened.
19
So
whoeverdisobeystheleastofthesemitzvotandteachesotherstodosowillbe
calledtheleastintheKingdomofHeaven.Butwhoeverobeysthemandso
teacheswillbecalledgreatintheKingdomofHeaven.
20
ForItellyouthatunless
yourrighteousnessisfargreaterthanthatoftheTorah-teachersandP'rushim,
youwillcertainlynotentertheKingdomofHeaven!
Therefore,wheninHosea14:10wenextencounterthewords“forthewaysof
theLordareright,andtheuprightwalkinthem”,knowingthat“thewaysofthe
Lord”directlymeantheTorah,thenitsimplymeansthatknowingandobeying
theTorahishowonewalksinrighteousness.DouglasStuart,theconservative
ChristianBiblescholar,completelyagreeswiththisnotion.Inhishighly
esteemedandoftenquotedcommentaryontheBookofHoseahesaysthis:
“ThewaysofYahwehareinfactcovenantstipulationsofthePentateuch.Forthe
righteoustowalkinthemisnothingotherthanforthemtokeepthem”.
Ontheotherhand(assaythefinalwordsofHosea’sbook)“buttransgressors
stumbleinthem”.TostumbleofcoursemeanstodisobeytheTorah...todisobey
thetermsoftheCovenantofMoses.Tobewisemeanstoobeythecovenant
terms,andincontrast,tobeatransgressoristodisobeythecovenantterms;it
isjustthatsimple.JustasthatprincipleappliedtoancientIsrael,italsoapplies
tomodern-dayBelieverswhohavebeenjoinedtoIsrael’scovenantbymeansof
ourtrustintheworkofourSavior,Yeshua,onthecross.
Theimplicationisthatifitiswisdomtoseek,learn,anddotheLawofMoses,
thenitisfoolishnessnotto.Whatwehavehereisnothinglessthanagoverning
dynamicofGodthatisintendedforallhumanity.TocontinuequotingStuart:
“Thewordsofverse10serveasaremindertoreadersofallgenerationsthat
Hosea’smessagecontinuesasamessageforthem.Thewordsarenotsimply
directedtohiscontemporaries,thusbeingofnomorethanarcaneinteresttous.

Lesson24-HoseaChapter14END
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Rather,thewaysofYahwehareaguidetotherighteous,andasourceof
understandingtotheintelligentofallsuccessiveperiods.”
ThisconcludesourstudyoftheBookofHosea.