Hosea 13-14 Dear RTB’ers, Hosea, continued – and ended. Today, again two chapters very different from each other, with chapter 13 continuing God’s judgment on Israel and chapter 14 speaking of His deliverance. Earlier in this book we saw a lot of greed and subjugation of the poor and helpless by the wealthy and powerful. …
Monthly Archives: July 2024
July 11 / Hosea 11-12
Hosea 11-12 Dear RTB’ers, Hosea, continued. I’ve often heard that the book of Hosea is basically a love story – a story of God’s love for Israel (and for us!) in spite of their many wanderings from that love (and our own wanderings!). First we saw that in the book’s first three chapters, with Hosea …
July 10 / Hosea 9-10
Hosea 9-10 Dear RTB’ers, Hosea, continued, God’s punishment of Israel for her iniquities, both civil and spiritual: The days of punishment have come; the days of recompense have come; Israel shall know it. (9:7a) Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of My house. I will love them no more… …
July 9 / Hosea 5:15-8:14
Hosea 5:15-8:14 Dear RTB’ers, Hosea, continued. I quoted today’s first verse yesterday: I will return again to My place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face, and in their distress earnestly seek Me. (5:15) So naturally the first thing the Israelites do today is to seek Him: “Come, let’s return to the LORD. …
July 8 / Hosea 4:1-5:14
Hosea 4:1-5:14 Dear RTB’ers, Hosea, continued. God condemns Israel for their earthly sins (see Hosea 4:2) and for their worship of false gods (see Hosea 4:12-13). My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge… (4:6a), a well-known, oft-cited verse. Fundamentally, it’s what RTB is all about. From its beginning some 15 years ago RTB has …
July 7 / Hosea 2
Hosea 2 Dear RTB’ers, Hosea, the middle chapter. As I read chapter 2, especially the beginning, I don’t think I agree with the STS authors in having chapters 1 and 3 yesterday and chapter 2 today. To me chapter 2 falls nicely after chapter 1 and provides a nice lead-in for chapter 3. Yesterday I …
July 6 / Hosea 1,3
Hosea 1,3 Dear RTB’ers, Hosea. Like Amos, Hosea was prophesying to the Northern Kingdom, Israel. Unlike Amos (and unlike all the rest of the major and minor prophets), Hosea was from the north and was speaking to his kinsmen. STS has us reading chapters 1 and 3 today, skipping chapter 2 until tomorrow, which is …
July 5 / Amos 8:4-9:15
Amos 8:4-9:15 Dear RTB’ers, Amos, the end. Judgment and redemption. The whole of today’s reading is judgment, until we get to the last three verses. Amos repeats one of his central themes in today’s first three verses – greed, dishonesty, and subjugation of the poor by the wealthy, followed by the horrible extent of God’s …
July 4 / Amos 7:1-8:3
Amos 7:1-8:3 Dear RTB’ers, In contrast to previous days’ readings about judgments against Israel and Judah and their neighbors, today chapter 7 is relatively straightforward – visions of locusts (as happened to the Egyptians), fire, and a plumb line. (Of particular interest to me…) He was forming locusts when the latter growth was just beginning …
July 3 / Amos 5-6
Amos 5-6 Dear RTB’ers, The Lord continues to rail against Israel and Judah – Israel in chapter 5 and Judah in chapter 6. Actually in chapter 6 it’s difficult to see whether the Lord is speaking to Judah alone or to the combined twelve tribes of Israel. When I think of Amos, it’s 5:21-24 that …