King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Saturday, July 20, 2024
Chapters: Hosea Chapters 8-14
Message: Bread For The Soul
Hello My Friend,
As I was reading the chapters for today I kept thinking that as slow as God is to anger how angry He had to have gotten to not only send judgment on Israel, but cast them out of the land that He had given them. Still today most of the children of Israel are scattered all over the world, a few do remain as God puts it, to keep a light shining for His sake, [1 Kings 11:36 And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.] Then I read something that caught my attention, [their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the LORD.]
Did you know that just like we need food to sustain us we also need food for our soul as well? This is why we get hungry for things like love, comfort, and security. However, it is what we feed it that will bring life or death. A lost soul is constantly hungry for that one thing that will give it life. A saved soul is constantly hungry for food to sustain it, which I believe Paul sums up for us, [Philippians 4:11-13 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.]
This is how many Christians fall in the first place, they lose contentment with what they have. Many things factor into their losing contentment, fear, pride, affliction, and impatience is to name a few, but we find that sometimes we need to take a fall so that Christ can pick us back up. Jesus, said it this way, [John 12:24-25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.]
In other words, until we die to our flesh our soul will constantly be hungry for the fruit that only Jesus can feed it. I am not going to lie, it takes a lifetime for us to die to our flesh and live through Christ completely, which is why He has so much mercy and grace on us. Salvation by grace does not mean that we are off the hook if we continually live in sin without repentance, but it does mean that we have an advocate to save our soul, [1 John 2:1-4 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.]
Wow! Those are words that ought to terrify any saved, born again Christian into repentance. As we come to the end of the reading of Hosea, God, expresses His anger toward Israel for not being totally committed to Him. The worse thing of all, they were claiming their innocence when they created their own gods, worshiping them, then proclaiming that He is their God. While this message is addressed to Israel, this also applies to every person who says they have accepted Christ, but continues to live in wicked sin.
[Hosea 8:1-6 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. 2 Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee. 3 Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him. 4 They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off. 5 Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency? 6 For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.]
[They have set up kings, but not by me:] So many people will tell you that God is the one who puts the righteous or wicked in office, and while sometimes that is true, the majority of time it is because of their own foolish decisions. The world wants leaders to give them everything they want without working for it or any kind of discipline, but what they end up doing is selling their soul to the devil because he is what they have been feeding off of, [2 Peter 2:9-10 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: 10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.]
[how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?] Unfaithful Christians are not off the hook, sadly, many are feeding their flesh with the worlds food and are more corrupt than the world. What is worse is that they call themselves justified under the blood of Christ. This is exactly why our nations are quickly falling into the hands of the wicked, and God will address them one by one. Through Hosea, God, continues to address His anger toward the one who brought sin into Israel in the first place, Ephraim.
[Hosea 8:11-14 Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin. 12 I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing. 13 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. 14 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.]
[and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.] The very first thing unfaithful Christians do when facing judgment is go straight to the world for help. Instead of repenting and turning away from their sin they find ways to embrace it, not only ruining their own testimony, but every Christian’s as well. To the world we are seen as liars, cheats, and hypocrites, and for that reason many of us are suffering, but as long as they remain faithful to God or repent, they will overcome, [Matthew 10:21-22 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. 22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.]
Seeking worldly food will only leave us impoverished, not to mention it angers God because we are seeking other means for provision instead of Him yet still expecting His blessings. As Hosea continues, God, goes on to express His anger toward Ephraim, pointing out the fact that they will never be satisfied with what they are seeking from the world and yet He will not accept their sacrifices either.
[Hosea 9:1-4 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. 2 The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her. 3 They shall not dwell in the LORD’S land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria. 4 They shall not offer wine offerings to the LORD, neither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the LORD.]
[for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the LORD.] It is a great sin to corrupt the worship of God, and those who do will be charged and held accountable for doing so. As long as they despise the truths and precepts of His Word, they are corrupting the bread and He will not accept it. However, the only bread that God will accept is His Son, who is the bred of life, [John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.]
Ephraim, was the youngest son of Joseph, before Abraham died he told Joseph that he would be a greater nation than his oldest brother, [Genesis 48]. Eighty years later, Joshua, would lead the children of Israel (Jacob) into Canaan, where they would become the nation of Israel. Centuries later, after the death of Solomon, another son of Ephraim would be in charge of the majority of tribes of Israel and that was Jeroboam. What he did was the worse thing any leader of any nation could have done, instead of leading Israel on the path of God, he had two calves of gold made, setting one in Bethel, and another in Dan, and telling Israel that these were now their gods, [I Kings 12:25-33]. This is why God is so angry with Ephraim that He not only chose to cast them out of His house and sight, but even forsake their children.
[Hosea 9:7-8,11-12,17 The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred. 8 The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God. 11 As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception. 12 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! 17 My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.]
[Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them,] Joseph and Joshua were God fearing men who led God’s people to great things through their faithfulness. Now, everything has been turned upside down to the point that God drives them away. God will not be mocked, He will drive out all who turn on Him, whether Jew or Gentile, [Romans 2:9-10 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:]
A slew of charges were drawn up against Israel, idolatry, false gods, sacrificing their own children, and immoral living. These were not just ordinary people, these were God’s people who were supposed to be the example that the rest of the world was to follow, but their heart was divided. Through Hosea, God, describes Israel as an empty vine.
[Hosea 10:1-4,6 Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images. 2 Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images. 3 For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the LORD; what then should a king do to us? 4 They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field. 6 It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to king Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.]
[We have no king, because we feared not the LORD;] This goes all the way back when they demanded a king because the rest of the world had kings and now their worst fears are coming to pass because they never listened to Him. While God could have destroyed them all and started another nation, He chose to chasten them in hopes that they would return to Him.
[Hosea 10:10-13 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. 11 And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods. 12 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. 13 Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.]
[It is in my desire that I should chastise them;] God, chastens His people so that they can reap His mercies to break up hardness of their hearts. Still, in the midst of Israel’s troubles as a nation, they never thought of seeking help from God, they put their trust in men, and the result of that was worshiping false gods instead of the One True God, and yet, God still never gave up on them. As God continues to stress His anger toward all of Israel, He reminds them that He loved them as a child, and for that reason He will not destroy them.
[Hosea 11:1-6 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. 2 As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images. 3 I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them. 4 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. 5 He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return.6 And the sword shall abide on his cities, and shall consume his branches, and devour them, because of their own counsels.]
[devour them, because of their own counsels.] The longer you walk with Christ the more you realize just how sinful you are, and how merciful and long suffering God is. God will not be mocked, but He is slow to anger, and it only endues for a moment, [Psalms 103:8-11 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. 10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.]
God, describes most of the people of Israel as Ephraim, which God sees as the true form of a hypocrite, they appear as though they are worshiping Him, but are not. Judah, had its fair share of sin, they too succumbed a time or two to idolatry, but ultimately were the true worshipers of God. Judah, eventually adheres to God’s holy prophets, priests, and other saints of God, who are faithful to Him, but He has not given up on Ephraim and goes on to let them know that.
[Hosea 11:8-10,12 How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. 9 I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city. 10 They shall walk after the LORD: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west. 12 Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.]
[Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.] Everyone sins, everyone stumbles, some of us backslide, but Jesus will not let one of His completely fall away from Him if they sincerely believe in Him with all of their heart. That is what God’s grace is for, when we stumble, when we backslide, He will be there for us. Those who truly know their Maker will hear the Lion of Judah roar, and will receive Him as their Saviour. The problem is not that these people are blind to that fact that what they are doing is sin, it is that they were never saved to begin with, then when affliction came they ran from Him. God is not only angry at these false religions, He is also angry at the Church in fact, He has a controversy with them. Why? They allowed the sin to creep in His Church.
[Hosea 12:2-6,14 The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him. 3 He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God: 4 Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us; 5 Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is his memorial. 6 Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually. 14 Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall he leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him.]
[keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.] Our greatest reason to remember our faith in Christ, and stay faithful to Him is the fact that He is full of mercy and judgment upon those who wait on Him. I think that the one thing that angers God most is not the ones who reject Him, it is the ones who lead double lives. They worship Him yet the world’s gods also, and for that reason He allows them to literally destroy themselves, which is what He was doing with Ephraim.
[Hosea 13:1-3,9,14 When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died. 2 And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves. 4 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. 9 O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help. 14 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.]
[but when he offended in Baal, he died.] This is in reference to the Baal worship that had overtaken Ephraim’s gods at one point. The point of this was to show them that if Baal died their false gods will die also and they will discover that [there is no saviour beside me.] It does not matter who we know Jesus Christ to be, whether it is the LORD, Lord of Hosts, Angel of the LORD, every God fearing believer understands that His is the only Saviour. Jesus, just made it permanent and eternal by giving His own flesh to save the souls of those who accept that He is their Saviour, [1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.]
[I will ransom them from the power of the grave;] Jesus, is the one how paid the ransom for our soul. How amazing is it that we who are saved by the blood of Christ can stand before God and not be condemned for every sin that we committed? Jesus, saves our souls when we receive Him as our Saviour, praise God! However, salvation does not mean that we can live in open or secret sin and not face the consequences for our actions. God encourages Israel to return to Him and He will heal them.
[Hosea 14:1-4 O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. 2 Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips. 3 Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy. 4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.]
[turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity,] True believers of Christ may get caught up in sin and dangle off the cliff or a while, but their faith in Christ will pull them back up. Finally, through Hosea, we find that Ephraim will return to God and want nothing more to do with their idols.
[Hosea 14:7-9 They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. 8 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. 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.]
[What have I to do any more with idols?] There are so many things that even faithful Christians hold on to that gives them that peace and security they feed on, but God will prove to all of us one way or another that the only one to give us peace and security is Him, [Luke 12:29-32 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.]
Jesus Christ Revealed/Magnified: [Hosea 11:9 I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city. Hosea 12:9 And I that am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the solemn feast. Hosea 13:4 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.]
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for loving me and not giving up on me, and for the day Your message of the Gospel pricked in my heart so much that I knew Your Son was the only one who could save me. Lord, There is no better feeling than accomplishing something great for You, and the thing that is great to You is merely living a Godly life with You leading us. While we strive to be the best we can be, let us not forget that our best only comes as we feed off Your Spirit. Open our hearts, help us understand, and grow us into faithful Christians living under Your grace. Give us compassion on the lost, help us learn how to talk to them, and show them that You have not only pricked their heart, but opened it to Christ as well. Let everything we do bring glory to You and reveal Your Son. I ask these things is Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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