“Hear this word, you cows of Bashan,
who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to your husbands, ‘Bring, that we may drink!’ 2 The Lord God has sworn by his holiness that, behold, the days are coming upon you, when they shall take you away with hooks, even the last of you with fishhooks. 3 And you shall go out through the breaches, each one straight ahead; and you shall be cast out into Harmon,” declares the Lord. 4 “Come to Bethel, and transgress; to Gilgal, and multiply transgression; bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days; 5 offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them; for so you love to do, O people of Israel!” declares the Lord God. Israel Has Not Returned to the Lord 6 “I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and lack of bread in all your places, yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. 7 “I also withheld the rain from you when there were yet three months to the harvest; I would send rain on one city, and send no rain on another city; one field would have rain, and the field on which it did not rain would wither; 8 so two or three cities would wander to another city to drink water, and would not be satisfied; yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. 9 “I struck you with blight and mildew; your many gardens and your vineyards, your fig trees and your olive trees the locust devoured; yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. 10 “I sent among you a pestilence after the manner of Egypt; I killed your young men with the sword, and carried away your horses, and I made the stench of your camp go up into your nostrils; yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. 11 “I overthrew some of you, as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were as a brand plucked out of the burning; yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. 12 “Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” 13 For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth-- the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name! Meditation God’s heart is for His people to return home. Illustrating God’s heart for intimate relationship, the prophet Hosea purchased Ghomer to return “and dwell” with him (Hosea 3). The Father in the prodigal son story (Luke 15) waited for his wayward son to walk home, eager to lavish him with unconditional love. God’s word reveals God’s heart for His people to return home. Today’s reading is the other side of the coin, God’s anger when His people reject the invitation. “…yet you did not return to me” is the repeated phrase throughout this refrain (6, 8, 9, 10, 11). Israel did not hear the cries of the poor and were going to be taken into captivity (1-3). Their worship had been hypocritical (4-5) and they had ignored God’s repeated efforts to get them to come to their senses and return to Him (6-11). The roaring lion was poised to pounce on the rebellious people (12-13). To help Israel come to their senses and return home God had taken away food, rain, produce, human and animal life, and had overthrown people like Sodom and Gomorrah. The discipline was designed to lead the people to repentance (Deuteronomy 30:1-10) but they would not listen. Israel did not return. God’s love is lavish, willing to be torn to pieces by death so we can be forgiven and restored in our lives. Jesus was sent by the Father so we can return to the Father as sons and daughters, the family of God. God’s love calls you today: “Return to Me!” Richly Dwelling -What stands out to you about God’s lavish love, eager to welcome and celebrate all who return to Him? -Why do people reject His invitation, not listening to the discipline He sends to help us come to our senses? -Where do you need to return to the love of our Father. Coming to your senses to be celebrated in His grace? Key verse(s) 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 “…yet you did not return to me.” Comments are closed.
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AuthorPastor Mitchell celebrates twenty-five years of marriage with Lisa and together they have four adventurous children. |