Daily Bible Devotionals

“At the appointed time he will come again to the South, but this time will not be like the first. Ships of Kittim will come against him, and being intimidated, he will withdraw. Then he will rage against the holy covenant and take action. On his return, he will favor those who abandon the holy covenant. His forces will rise up and desecrate the temple fortress. They will abolish the daily sacrifice and set up the abomination of desolation.” Daniel 11:29-31 (HCSB)

I was 14 when I got my first job, working for a country club. We used to videotape important tennis matches and re-ran them throughout the day on the big screen TV in the men’s locker room. Once, during the U.S. Open, I watched a club member win hundreds of dollars off another club member, betting on the outcome of a match he had seen the end of earlier in the day. That’s what we call “cheating.”

There are theological skeptics who try to late-date Daniel’s prophecies. That is, they claim the prophecies were written after the events prophesied had unfolded and then attributed them to Daniel. The reason they give for their allegations is purely the fact that Daniel’s prophecies are so accurate. Basically, they accuse the Bible’s compilers of cheating, knowing the outcome, and then writing the prophecy.

Prophecies yet to unfold, can be trusted because of prophecy fulfilled. Of course, that is exactly what irks the skeptics! Not only were Daniel’s prophecies accurate for the events close to his day & age, but they are also predicting apocalyptic events of the end times. Daniel’s prophecy about the coming of the Greek king, Antiochus Epiphanes, was also predicting the coming of the anti-messiah (aka antichrist) and is echoed in Revelation, Matthew’s gospel, and other places in the Bible.  

“So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that leads to desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel – let the reader understand…” Matthew 24:15 (NIV)

“And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?’ And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.” Revelation 13:3b-6 (NKJV)

“Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help; but many shall join with them by intrigue. And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time.” Daniel 11:32-35 (NKJV)

“For I am like a lion to Ephraim and like a young lion to the house of Judah. Yes I will tear them to pieces and depart. I will carry them off, and no one can rescue them. I will depart and return to My place until they recognize their guilt and seek My face; they will search for Me in their distress.” Hosea 5:14-15 (HCSB)

Upon first reading today’s passage, my initial reaction was focused on the severity of Adonai’s judgment. He describes Himself as a lion, even a “young” lion eager to destroy and devour without restraint. There is an image of God put forth by many congregation leaders these days that He is a giant, all-loving “Grandfather” type of God. To those who hold to this view of God, He is the type who will never judge wrongdoing and who has infinite lap space for us to crawl up into. Perhaps those folks would read these verses and ask, “Where is the all-loving, all-accepting God we believe in? How could He do such a thing to His grandchildren?

I once heard a new Grandfather say he liked to spoil his grandchildren with gifts, fill them with sugar, and give them back to the parents, like “Top that!”. Grandfathers are supposed to be generous and more gracious than our parents. Grandfathers are always pardoning offenses because their age-honored wisdom has taught them that not every hill is worth “dying on” and because discipline is the Father’s job. Let’s face it: Grandfathers are pushovers, and we take advantage of them! And they like it that way. I can see why this image of God is popular. Because kids don’t have to live with Grandfathers all of the time, they get a distorted view of what it would be like to be that Grandfather’s child. But if a child were to ask their parents to describe growing up under the (now) Grandfather’s authority, the parents would recite a similar situation as every child/parent relationship.

But the truth is, God is never described in Scripture as a “Grandfather.”  He is our Father in heaven. (Matthew 6:9)  While He is gracious and merciful, He will not be taken advantage of. Anyone who holds to a passive view of God’s judgment will be caught unaware when that judgment comes. We know He will judge sin because He has promised to. The fact that His judgment does not come immediately should not be taken as if He doesn’t see, care, or have the ability to levy rebuke.

“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (NASB)

Let’s shift focus now from God’s judgment to His redemption. God’s love for His people is displayed through His rebuke, in that He hopes Israel would whole-heartedly turn to Him in their distress. His rebuke is intended not to destroy His people but to align them with His righteousness. If you have sinned against the Lord and you are feeling the pain of His rebuke, do not continue to rebel. Recognize your guilt and repent by turning back to Him, seeking His face. Only He can deliver you, and He desires your return to fellowship with Him.

“Then again, the one having the likeness of a man touched me and strengthened me. And he said, ‘O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!’ So when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, ‘Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.’ Then he said, ‘Do you know why I have come to you? And now I must return to fight with the prince of Persia; and when I have gone forth, indeed the prince of Greece will come. But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth. (No one upholds me against these, except Michael your prince.’” Daniel 10:18-21 (NKJV)

In today’s passage, the angel Gabriel comes to deliver a message of comfort to Daniel. To better understand what is going on, it is essential to know a little background concerning the two angels mentioned: Gabriel and Michael. Based on Biblical understanding, Gabriel is a messenger of God, and Michael is the commander of the Lord’s army.

Also important to acknowledge is that the mission field is a spiritual battlefield! When we seek the truth of God’s Word and share the Gospel, we are doing battle, and we must keep that truth at the forefront of our minds because, quite honestly, freaky stuff happens whenever people get serious about following the Lord!! Otherwise, why would the apostle exhort us to be prepared for such warfare?  

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:11-12 (NKJV)

When we experience persecution, for the sake of the Gospel, we must remember that the enemy is not necessarily the people who are persecuting us. Instead, the real “enemy” is the World, the Flesh, and the Devil and their influence over a particular individual or group. That is why a radical Muslim may seek to kill you, but after his/her conversion to Jesus, they love you and call you brother/sister. Paul, perhaps, understood this idea best because he sought to kill followers of Jesus. But after he was radically saved from the evil influence, Paul became the most fervent evangelist (and ardent Christian brother) in the early community of believers.

But we should not fear evil’s attempts to destroy us. As with Daniel, God is on our side!

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the World. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Messiah Jesus has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the World.” 1 John 4:1-4 (NIV)

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you (priests) have rejected knowledge, I will reject you from serving as My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your sons.” Hosea 4:6 (HCSB)

There are many different ways to do “church.” Some congregations emphasize music. Others are into drama, visual arts, or creativity. Some are very emotional, and some are quite stoic. Some want to preach the Bible in declarative terms as if motivating a football team, while others are subtle in their teaching as if trying to catch a butterfly.

While I have my preferences, none of these approaches in and of themselves are wrong. They are simply ministry models, methods designed to reach the unreached. If Christians live long enough, they will probably use varied approaches in sharing the gospel because none of them go against God’s character, as He has revealed Himself in the Bible.

God is undoubtedly dramatic, visual, and creative. Scripture informs us that Jesus displayed a wide range of emotions. Jesus quoted the Bible directly and taught with questions and parables designed to make people think.

That said, there is a way of “doing church,” which the Lord detests. That detestable way is the one that withholds the complete knowledge of God and His Word from the disciple.

Where many Christians take issue with one or more of these ministry models is when a church presents its particular way as the “only” way. According to Scripture, God is not ambiguous about the issue. Regardless of their method of presentation, church leaders are responsible for communicating the entire character of God. Those who refuse or neglect to teach the complete knowledge of God will be judged.

Consider two other Biblical examples of how God’s leaders fell short of His standard and were challenged to rise up in faith:  

1) The book of Joshua (chapters 13-24) confronts seven tribes who entered the land of Canaan yet failed to take possession of their inheritance.

2) The book of Revelation (chapters 2-3) lists seven gifted churches, yet each fails to teach the complete knowledge of God. The Lord commands them to repent.

We read the Bible every day because we are zealous to grow in the knowledge of God. And we can only share His Word to the extent that we have received and believe it! So, let’s continue reading and asking the Lord to reveal His plan and purpose for us and that He will direct us to people who need to hear it, as well!

“Then the Lord said to Me, 'Go again; show love to a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, just as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.'” Hosea 3:1 (HCSB)

Today’s passage comes with the heading, “Waiting For Restoration.” In a sense, it could be the title of this present era of world history, especially for the Jewish people. Many are truly awaiting restoration: restoration to the land of Israel, and most importantly, awaiting restoration to God through Messiah Jesus.

Upon reading modern rabbinical interpretation, there is no argument against the fact that Israel was expelled from the Promised Land because of sin and idolatry. There is very little debate among rabbis concerning the idea that the spiritual condition of the Jews will be restored through the Messiah Jesus.

The debate rages at the suggestion that Jesus is, indeed, the Messiah that Israel has been waiting for!

“Husbands, love your wives as the Messiah loved the church and gave himself for it, so that he might make it holy by cleansing it, washing it with water and the word, and might present the church to himself in all its glory, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind, but holy and without fault.” Ephesians 5:25-27 (ISV)

Consider the level of love God commanded Hosea to love his wife. Then, consider the level of passion that Messiah-following husbands are called to love their wives with. It is easy to recognize how Hosea was a “picture” of the Messiah. Hosea’s story casts an image of marital love and reconciliation that Jesus would accomplish spiritually for unfaithful Israel. Messiah’s Grace and Mercy are extended to the Church, that is, all who by faith believe He is Messiah and have committed themselves to follow Him.

“So I bought her for 15 shekels of silver and five bushels of barley.” Hosea 3:2 (HCSB)

Can you imagine a husband who would be willing to purchase his prostitute wife just to rescue her and spend time with her? That is precisely what Jesus has done for us! We have been purchased by Jesus’ blood so that we might respond by loving Him.  Consider Hosea 3 against the backdrop of 1 Peter 1:17-21  

Hosea 3 ends with the promise that “Israel” will be restored to God, but do not assume that ALL Jews will enter His kingdom. (Romans 9:6)  Remember that “Israel” was delivered into Canaan, yet a whole generation was not allowed to enter because of sin. So it will be, for all who reject Messiah, having rejected so great a love and salvation.  

This is a “waiting for restoration” season for the whole world. There is great urgency in this season, yet also great hope, in that Messiah extends His invitation to all mankind.

“In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land.” Daniel 9:1-6 (NKJV)

There are many Biblical heroes whom we should seek to emulate, but aside from Jesus, Daniel, perhaps, displayed the most integrity.  It is rare to see followers of Jesus who will make a public stand for Him these days, much less those who repeatedly put their lives on the line for their faith.  Daniel was that kind of believer.  But how did Daniel become so faithful?  Today, we get a peek into the source of Daniel’s faith: Scripture.

Before Daniel’s great epiphany, his personal and corporate confession, today’s passage tells us he was reading the Scriptures.  He was reading the Scriptures and thinking.  That is what we call “meditating” on the Scripture.  He was not simply reading it out of duty, and he was not reading it just to hurry up and get to the end.  Daniel wanted to know God, personally, and he knew that nothing could give him such a relationship, except for time in God’s Word.  Time spent in God’s Word is time spent with God; it is time spent with Jesus because He is, after all, the “Word made flesh.” (John 1:1-2, 14)

Daniel was reading the writings of a prophet named Jeremiah, who, years earlier, had predicted the destruction of Israel and prophesied that Jerusalem’s renewal and rebuilding would act as a catalyst for Israel’s spiritual return to the Lord.  Even though the prophetic message Daniel was reading was old, Daniel understood that all Scripture is “living” hence, relevant to every generation.

“For whatever was written in earlier times, was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Romans 15:4 (NKJV)

Daniel found hope in Jeremiah’s rebuke, for wrapped in the indictment of sin was the gift of grace if the sinner would repent and follow the Lord!  As we continue to read the Bible each day, we should seek that God would reveal the truth of His Word to us, personally, as He did to Daniel. For certain, the apostle Paul esteemed such revelation above all spiritual gifts and a thing we should seek after and share with others.

“Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.” 1 Corinthians 14:1 (NIV)

“I will respond to the sky and it will respond to the earth. The earth will respond to the grain, the new wine, and the oil, and they will respond to Jezreel. I will sow Israel in the land for Myself, and I will have compassion on No Compassion; I will say to Not My People: You are My people, and he will say: You are My God.” Hosea 2:21b-23 (HCSB)

It is important to remember that the people and events in the book of Hosea are both actual and metaphorical. God was using Hosea’s life example to send a message primarily to the half of the Divided Kingdom known as Judah (which consisted of both the tribes of Judah and Benjamin and people from the other tribes who wanted to worship God in Jerusalem). Secondarily, he spoke to the other ten tribes of the Divided Kingdom, referred to as “Israel.”  He is also speaking to us today.

Hosea lived during the last 25 years of Israel’s existence as a nation. During this time, six Kings reigned through a period of near anarchy and bloodshed. Israel’s spiritual condition had deteriorated to the point where knowledge of the Lord had almost been forgotten. Canaanite religion had been mixed with the worship of the Lord until the Lord could hardly be recognized. Priests and prophets also fell into this mixed religion. Rather than speaking out against idolatry, they promoted and participated in it.

In my opinion, the Church at large is headed down a similar path. The more believers absorb secular philosophy into their worship (and pastors not only tolerate it but also endorse it themselves), I can’t help but believe we are in for very difficult days. God simply will not tolerate it. In Chapter 1, the Lord told Hosea to marry a promiscuous wife named Gomer. Gomer bore Hosea three children. It is unclear whether they were Hosea’s children or whether they were children of Gomer’s promiscuous relationships with other men. In Hebrew, the children’s names are Yzre’el (God Sows), Lo-Ruchama (No Compassion), and Lo-‘Ammi (Not My People). They represent the progression of Israel’s spiritual decline. They are reversing the process of God’s having sown them into Canaan, shown them compassion, and called them His people.

As a result, the Lord punished Israel at the hands of the Assyrians, scattering them throughout the nations. Afterward, He again “sowed” Israel back into their land; God showed them compassion and identified them as His people. Israel’s return was largely in part to the fact that they repented, having been “persuaded” and “spoken tenderly to” by the Lord, in the wilderness of the nations. ( Hosea 2:14-16)  God always honors repentance, humility, and honest worship. As a result, the “prophecies” of the meanings of the names of Hosea’s children have been reversed!  

Similarly, our spiritual conditions change when we turn from spiritual harlotry and cultural idolatry, i.e., modern-day paganism. God’s Grace, Mercy, and Forgiveness toward the repentant sinner are the hallmarks of His character. These marked the return of God’s favor for “adulterous” Israel, and they are extended to the repentant worldly believer today.

“While he was speaking, I fainted and lay there with my face to the ground. But Gabriel roused me with a touch and helped me to my feet. Then he said, ‘I am here to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath. What you have seen pertains to the very end of time. The two-horned ram represents the kings of Media and Persia. The shaggy male goat represents the king of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes represents the first king of the Greek Empire. The four prominent horns that replaced the one large horn show that the Greek Empire will break into four kingdoms, but none as great as the first. At the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause a shocking amount of destruction and succeed in everything he does. He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people. He will be a master of deception and will become arrogant; he will destroy many without warning. He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle, but he will be broken, though not by human power. This vision about the 2,300 evenings and mornings is true. But none of these things will happen for a long time, so keep this vision a secret.”  Daniel 8:18-26 (NLT)

Hanukkah is the Jewish holiday that remembers both a military victory and a miracle of light. In Hebrew, the word Hanukkah means “dedication.”  I mention Hanukkah because the events surrounding Hanukkah are prophesied (and explained by the angel Gabriel) in today’s chapter. After the untimely death of the young Greek king, Alexander the Great, four rulers (horns) arose and contended for the kingdom. The smallest “horn” was a man named Antiochus, who called himself “Epiphanes,” meaning “Manifestation of God.”  He conquered his way along the Mediterranean Sea and down to Israel. In Jerusalem, Antiochus entered the Temple, defiled it, and declared his so-called deity. An Israelite named Judah Maccabee (a “messiah” of sorts) gathered his family & friends, and believing God’s Word through the prophet Daniel, against overwhelming odds, he routed the Seleucid Greeks. Perhaps, now, you can understand the conversation with Jesus at Hanukkah.

“It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of the Festival of Dedication (Hanukkah). He was in the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon’s Colonnade. The people surrounded him and asked, ‘How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.’ Jesus replied, ‘I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name. But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.’ Once again the people picked up stones to kill him. Jesus said, ‘At my Father’s direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me?’ They replied, ‘We’re stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God.’” John 10:22-30 (NLT)

“When the Lord first spoke to Hosea, He said this to him: Go and marry a promiscuous wife and have children of promiscuity, for the land is committing blatant acts of promiscuity by abandoning the Lord.” Hosea 1:2 (HCSB)

The story of the prophet Hosea is disturbing for many followers of Jesus. The modern Messianic community has very little understanding of “Calling.” Our operational theology has almost no room for the idea that God would call righteous men and women to actions that would result in our suffering and humility. That is because it is hard for us to imagine there are times when our suffering may have nothing to do with our sin, that it may be a product of God’s Grace.  

Hosea was a prophet, so there is no indication that he was willfully sinning against the Lord. Could it be that God would call Hosea to suffer, not to punish his sinfulness, but to reward his righteousness? Had Hosea earned the trust of the Lord in that He would lead Hosea into a situation that a less-faithful person could not endure? What does that mean to us? Are we so preoccupied with protecting our reputation and trying to market God’s image in a positive light that we cannot follow God’s call into uncomfortable or unsavory situations?

God had a message for Israel, and it was going to take a special messenger to deliver it. God’s chosen venue to relay His message was through an unholy and promiscuous marriage. God’s messenger needed to trust Him through any situation. If this story has been written (at least in part) to encourage us to trust God even when it goes against social and cultural norms, then how was Hosea able to answer God’s call?

Hopefully, we are all aware of how Jesus trusted the Father, enduring even death by the cross. So, we are also familiar with how Jesus was raised from the grave and is alive today! The apostle Paul is another example of someone given a “calling” that most of us would never choose. Let’s consider some of Paul’s statements.  

“For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— you have heard, haven’t you, about the administration of God’s grace that He gave to me for you?” Ephesians 3:1-2 (HCSB)

“So then I ask you not to be discouraged over my afflictions on your behalf, for they are for your glory.” Ephesians 3:13 (HCSB)

“For it has been given to you on Christ’s behalf not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him, having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I have.” Philippians 1:29 (HCSB)

As we explore the book of Hosea, let’s pray the Lord will open our hearts to His calling wherever and however He leads.