Daily Bible Devotionals

“For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, because they have despised the law of the Lord, and have not kept His commandments. Their lies lead them astray, lies their fathers followed. But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.” Amos 2:4-5 (NKJV)

There are phrases in the Bible that seem like throw-away references, ones like, “He acted in the ways of his father…”, “He was the son of…” or “His mother was….” Often, we get so caught up in the Biblical storyline that we forget those (above) phrases that give us foundational information as to why the narrative is occurring and how we are to predict the outcome of an instance. In short, the Lord is telling us that “apples don’t fall far from the tree.” If something unnatural is going to happen (a person from an idolatrous family who defies their upbringing and chooses to live righteously), it must be the Lord intervening. In today’s chapter, both Judah and Israel are being judged because of their idolatry. But God, in His grace, reveals the source of idolatry: Fathers believed lies and taught them to their children, and worldliness polluted God’s Word. Lies built upon lies led to a generation that believed they were worshipping God, yet in opposition to His true desire for His people to live. That scenario was against God’s instruction to fathers.

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NKJV)

“…the father shall make known Your truth to the children.” (Isaiah 38:19b)

The idea of restoring a generation to the proper father/son discipleship relationship is the intent of Jesus’s words to His disciples. It is what He modeled to them and charged them to impart in the Great Commission. (Matthew 28:18-20)

“Jesus said to him (Thomas), ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.’ Philip said to Him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.  Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.’” John 14:6-18 (NKJV)

“The words of Amos who was one of the sheep breeders from Tekoa – what he saw regarding Israel in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, and Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. He said: the Lord roars from Zion and raises His voice from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds dry up, and the summit of Carmel withers.” Amos 1:1-2 (HCSB)

Concerning Amos, we have much more biographical information than we had of Joel (or any of the other “minor” prophets). Amos gives us several autobiographical notes of deep interest. Amos was a prophet, but he probably was not a contemporary of Joel and Isaiah. He was not a prophet by trade nor a member of the “company of prophets.”  Amos was a sheep breeder, a businessman who prophesied.

This mere fact should encourage every layman: prophecy is not exclusively a calling for the “professionals.”  As a matter of fact, the apostle Paul said that the ability to prophesy was something every believer should petition the Lord for.

“Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, and above all that you may prophesy.” 1 Corinthians 14:1 (HCSB)

Paul goes on to say the reason that believers prophesy is to speak to people for edification, encouragement, and consolation, building up the community of believers. (1 Corinthians 14:3-4) Simply put, we should seek God and ask that He reveal His Word (the Bible) to us, with the intent that we would share that revelation with others. That’s how an everyday person like you and me (and Amos) prophesies. God reveals the Truth of His Word, so we will share it, which is precisely what I am doing right now!

Amos was not just any businessman; he was a shepherd. (In chapter 7, we will find that he was also a gatherer of figs, which I will discuss when we reach that chapter.)  God is partial to shepherds. David was a shepherd. When Jesus was born, the angels appeared first to shepherds; Jesus called Himself the “Good Shepherd.”  Whenever the prophets railed against Israel’s spiritual and political leaders, they were always compared to evil, wicked shepherds. Do you have a shepherd’s heart? Then, you should be inclined to alter your life’s plans to rescue and care for God’s “sheep.”  Remember: Jesus’ last exhortation to Peter was a three-time command to “Feed My sheep.”

Not only was Amos a regular guy and a shepherd, but he was also from Tekoa, about 12 miles outside of Jerusalem. Joab sent a “wise woman” from Tekoa to persuade David to permit Absalom to return to him, in plain violation of the Torah. (2 Samuel 14:2). Ira, the son of Ikkesh, one of David’s mighty men, was born in Tekoa. (2 Samuel 23:26). The zeal of the men of Tekoa is spoken of, but their nobles were reproved in connection with the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 3:5, 27) Tekoa was a desert town, isolated and surrounded by large hills, a humble place from which God separated Amos and called him to be a prophet. Sometimes, as believers, it can feel like we are alone in the World. But that is the perfect place from which the Lord can call you!

“Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the Day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will cease their shining. The Lord will roar from Zion and raise His voice from Jerusalem; heaven and earth will shake. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the Israelites. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God who dwells from Zion; My holy mountain. Jerusalem will be holy and foreigners will never overrun it again.” Joel 3:14-17 (HCSB)

I recall being in Israel one summer, and a young man I was traveling with was overcome with grief over the idea that God would send anyone to Hell. He said, ‘I believe that when each person stands before the Lord, He will give them one last chance to choose Jesus, and the evidence will be so overwhelming that everyone will choose Him.’  I wish that were so, but the Bible clearly discloses an opposite future for the unbeliever.

“And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment— so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.” Hebrews 9:27-28 (HCSB)

Verse 14 of Joel’s third chapter is a graphic depiction of a very solemn scene: The Judgment of God. It is a verse which is often misunderstood. To be clear, it is the Lord who is doing the deciding, not a time when men are called upon to decide to follow Messiah, Jesus. It is common knowledge among believers that Jesus paid the penalty for our sins, and that atonement is offered to all who would accept it. But, examining the eye-witness accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion, notice how exactly His punishment (on the cross) fits Joel’s description of God’s judgment in the “Valley of Decision” - literally, in Hebrew: The valley of YHWH’s judgment)

“From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice,“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.” Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.” And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, ‘Surely he was the Son of God!’” Matthew 27:45-54 (NIV)

Jesus suffered the exact penalty for our sins so that we can stand boldly (not proudly) before God, fully justified. (Romans 8:32-39) Run to the refuge while it is still offered!

“After this I will pour out My Spirit on all humanity; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will have dreams, and your young men will see visions. I will even pour out My Spirit on the male and female slaves in those days. I will display wonders in the heavens and on the earth: blood, fire, and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and awe-inspiring Day of the Lord comes. Then everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be saved, for there will be an escape for those on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, as the Lord promised, among the survivors the Lord calls.” Joel 2:28-32 (HCSB)

As I mentioned in yesterday’s devotional of Joel 1, prophecy in the TANAKH (Old Testament) speaks to three measures of time: 1.) The somewhat immediate future, 2.) The first coming of Jesus/His earthly ministry, and 3.) the 2nd coming of Jesus/the establishment of His Heavenly Kingdom. In today’s chapter, the images are clear enough for the average Bible student to decipher because they speak of events that we are familiar with: 1.) The Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem (Joel’s extended generation), 2.) the Roman destruction of Jerusalem (After Jesus’ resurrection in 70A.D.), and 3.) the coming Day of the Lord as depicted in The Revelation.

As in all three periods, a call has gone out for the people to return to the Lord wholeheartedly.  

“‘Even now—this is the Lord’s declaration— turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your clothes, and return to the Lord your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in faithful love, and He relents from sending disaster. Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him, so you can offer grain and wine to the Lord your God.” Joel 2:12-14 (HCSB)

There are false notions about God in the Church at large. One false assumption is that the God of the Old Testament is different from the New Testament God. Some people believe God used to be angry all of the time, judging sin more frequently than in our time. They also think the New Testament God is loving and kind, not so hasty to judge sin, more like a cosmic grandfather. In today’s chapter, Joel tells us that, even in the days of Uzziah, God was merciful, compassionate, and slow to anger.

Another false notion is that the Old Testament was written to the Jewish people alone. Today’s passage (from the Old Testament) reveals that God has always planned to pour out His Spirit on “all humanity.” In fact, that happened when the Holy Spirit was given on the Day of Shavuot (Pentecost) in Acts 2. Important to note is that “all humanity” does not mean “everybody.” It refers to the fact that people from every nation and tongue will believe in Messiah Jesus, and God will give His Spirit to all who place their faith in His Son’s atoning work. Also, among the survivors are “those who are called,” i.e., Jewish believers are seen mixed with the Gentile believers, yet still distinguished as Jews in the New Jerusalem, as they are, even today.

“Woe because of that day! For the Day of the Lord is near and will come as a devastation from the Almighty. Hasn’t the food been cut off from our eyes, joy and gladness from the house of our God?” Joel 1:15-16 (HCSB)

We don’t know a lot about ol’ Joel. All that one could ever understand about him is gleaned from the three chapters that form his message to Israel. Jewish tradition places him in the days of Uzziah, about 750-795 B.C. For a point of reference, Isaiah began prophesying during the reign of King Uzziah. Uzziah was a prosperous king, guided by the prophet Zechariah, but his pride led to his eventual downfall. As a result of his pride, Uzziah developed leprosy. Because of the nation’s sin (during Uzziah’s reign), there was a great earthquake and a famine resulting from locust infestation. Considering Joel’s account of the locust plague and his description of the earthquake (in chapter 2), we can rightly place Joel toward the end of Uzziah’s reign.

As I have mentioned before (when we have studied other prophets), prophecy is generally commenting on three stages of time: 1) Present-day/immediate future, 2) Jesus’ first coming/earthly ministry, and 3) End Times/Jesus’ return and fully established Kingdom. All three stages have the same message: Return to the Lord!  

Considering these three stages, we can see that Joel spoke of things happening in his own time. There was an actual famine caused by locusts and a real earthquake. Within 150 years, a whole other sort of “three-fold plague of locusts” would swarm Judah and destroy her completely: The Babylonians. Joel’s message was both timely and prophetic. Joel’s prophecy reminds us of the turbulent political and religious condition of Israel when Jesus was born, and it reminds us of Jesus’ words concerning a time yet to come:

“Then they will hand you over for persecution, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of My name. Then many will take offense, betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be delivered. This good news of the Kingdom will be proclaimed in the entire world as a testimony to all nations. And then the end will come.” Matthew 24:9-14 (HCSB)

In one sense, Jesus spoke of the immediate future concerning the persecution of the early believers. But He also spoke directly of the end times, which I believe we are living in now. Still, the prophetic message is the same: Return to the Lord! As was the case with King Josiah in 2 Kings 22, so it may be in our time. The Judgment of the Lord was inevitable, but because King Josiah humbled himself (and the people followed suit), God relented His judgment against that generation. Based on God’s Word, what is His message for our generation? Return to the Lord, and bring as many people to His salvation as He allows you to!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Hosea 14. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“O Israel, you are destroyed, but your help is from Me. I will be your King; where is any other, that he may save you in all your cities? And your judges to whom you said, ‘Give me a king and princes’? I gave you a king in My anger, and took him away in My wrath.” Hosea 13:9-11 (NKJV)

God’s utmost desire is to save sinners rather than punish them. (Ezekiel 18:23; 2 Peter 3:9)  Yet, He is a God of justice and will, ultimately, “…by no means, clear the guilty”. (Exodus 34:7; Numbers 14:8)  In a world that seeks to elect “kings” to make nations great, the “God who elects” also runs as a candidate for election. It helps us to remember the leadership drought before Israel sought their first king.

“Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba.  But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.  Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, ‘Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.’ But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to judge us.’ So Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.  According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day - with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods - so they are doing to you also. Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the King who will reign over them.’” 1 Samuel 8:1-9 (NKJV)

We must remember that God is not against kings, only kings who refuse to make Him King of their own lives. **Messiah Jesus is the “King of Kings” and “Lord of Lords.”

“When you come to the land which the Lord your God is giving you, and possess it and dwell in it, and say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me,’ you shall surely set a king over you whom the Lord your God chooses; one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again.’ Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself. Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel.” Deuteronomy 17:14-20 (NKJV)

“But I am the Lord your God, ever since the land of Egypt; I will again make you dwell in tents, as in the days of the appointed feast.” Hosea 12:9 (NKJV)

I love to watch documentaries, especially the ones about rock bands. My favorite part of every documentary is “the early years.” I like knowing how bands got together, how they struggled to make it, and how they overcame the odds to become successful. Once a band reaches success, I’m really not interested in most of their stories, nor am I particularly interested in their music. I would rather watch VH1’s “Behind The Music” than MTV’s “Cribs.”

Somehow, I relate more to a person’s struggle than their achievement. Perhaps that early era resonates with me because I learned most of my important life lessons during hard times.

I get the same feeling when I read the story of Israel. When they were wandering the desert, living in tents, God taught them to RELY on Him. When He miraculously provided for their needs, He taught them TRUST. Then, as He brought more challenges, they began to respond in FAITH.

Once Israel was settled into Canaan, their story took on a more unappealing perspective. Everyone cheers for the underdog long shot. Nobody has sympathy or empathy for the unappreciative kid who was born into blessing. The Lord recognized that the spiritual condition of Israel could not be cured with more “abundance.” If Israel was going to amount to anything, as a “nation of priests,” God was going to have to take them back to their roots.  

Israel would have to wander again as a people. If the Hebrews were bent on forsaking God’s festivals, He would make them suffer those same conditions of Egyptian-style oppression again. If they were to undergo the same oppressive conditions, perhaps the children of Israel would again cry out to God for deliverance.  

There was one exception:  Israel would not wander as a nation, as in the Exodus. This time, they would be in small communities, families, and individuals. God was sending a message that Israel’s sin was not so much at the national level but rather the personal one.

God cares as much about the process of our faith as He does the product of it. Do not despise the day of small things, those initial faithful attempts to return to God. (Zechariah 4:10) From our humbled states, meekness sprouts roots. When we have been rebuked for our rebellion, God graciously allows us to repent and submit again to His Lordship. We learn our greatest lessons amid our most difficult hardships. And by virtue of His holiness and great love for His children, the Lord will ordain hardship so we can reach the end of ourselves, realize the futility of rebellion, and return with the remembrance of how bad sin feels and how wonderfully restoration resounds.

“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son. As they called them, so they went from them; they sacrificed to the Baals, and burned incense to carved images. I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by their arms; but they did not know that I healed them.  I drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love, and I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them.” Hosea 11:1-4 (NKJV)

It is important to note that the name “Ephriam” is used in the Bible in three senses. First, Ephriam was one of Joseph’s boys (along with his brother Manasseh) fathered with his Egyptian (not Jewish) bride. (A foreshadowing of spiritual intimacy) Still, Jacob blessed them as if they were his own sons.

“And now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.” Genesis 48:5 (NKJV)

Secondly, “Ephriam” is associated with the land of Ephriam, a territory given to the tribe of Ephriam by the Lord when Israel crossed the Jordan 40 years after leaving Egypt. We must also remember that the only two faithful reports about the Promised Land (from the 12 tribal spies) came from Caleb (the tribe of Judah) and Joshua (the tribe of Ephriam). (Joshua 16-17)

Thirdly, “Ephriam” is synonymous with apostasy and idolatry (spiritual adultery). After the death of King Solomon, his son, Rehoboam, acted foolishly, and an Ephraimite named Jeroboam arose and persuaded 10 of the 12 Israelite tribes to follow him. To keep the people from uniting in worship (in Jerusalem) with their Israelite brothers of the tribes of Judah & Benjamin, Jeroboam set up two golden calves for the people to worship in Dan & Bethel. Henceforth, in Old Testament Scripture, the Jewish people are a divided kingdom known as “Israel” (aka Northern Kingdom/Ephriam) and “Judah” (Southern Kingdom), collectively. (1 Kings 12)

Hopefully, understanding “Ephriam” in its proper Biblical context (and specifically God’s continuing love for them in Hosea 11) helps you understand this often passed-over passage in the Christmas story “Wise Men” narrative.

“Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, ‘Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.’ When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, ‘Out of Egypt I called My Son.’” Matthew 2:13-15 (NKJV)

Of the tribe of Judah, Jesus’ Egyptian “exodus” signaled a firm faithfulness (conquering death and sin) that Caleb’s heroism only partly showed. Yet, He gracefully redeems the idolatrous route Joshua’s tribe (Ephraim/Israel) eventually pursued.

“Ephraim is a well-trained calf that loves to thresh, but I will place a yoke on her fine neck. I will harness Ephraim; Judah will plow; Jacob will do the final plowing. Sow righteousness for yourselves and reap faithful love; break up your unplowed ground. It is time to seek the Lord until He comes and sends righteousness on you like the rain.”  Hosea 10:11-12 (HCSB)

As we move into the latter half of the Tanakh (Old Testament), the name “Ephraim” is used frequently among the prophets. “Ephraim” is synonymous with idolatry, primarily because Jeroboam, the Ephraimite, led Israel astray. He did so by dividing the kingdom politically and spiritually.  

Jeroboam set up two golden calves: One in Bethel and the other in Dan. The fashioning of these idols was intended to prevent the people from worshipping in Jerusalem. In doing so, Jeroboam significantly diminished the chances of the people’s hearts returning to the Lord.  

Eventually, idolatry spread throughout the whole nation, hardening hearts. This is the generation that Hosea is primarily writing to. This generation was about to be crushed and expelled from the land, dispersed among the nations.

Hosea’s comparison of Ephraim to a cow is possibly an allusion to their calf idol worship. The largest Israelite tribe, Ephraim, prided itself on treading upon Israel with what they believed was more open-minded and enlightened worship (because of its worldliness), crushing and dividing the Hebrew nation as a farm animal would tread out grain.  

God is telling Ephraim (aka Israel in the divided kingdom) that He is about to re-purpose their “bull-headedness,” as it were. God will make them disciplined and meek by subjecting them to the yoke of His rebuke. Eventually, Ephraim will be “broken,” as a horse must learn to obey its rider.

Today’s passage contains some beautifully simple agrarian imagery. With Ephraim harnessed and out of the way, Judah takes the leadership role in Hebrew restoration. Judah was more accustomed to challenging works of faith, so they plowed the hardened land. The rest of Israel follows Judah’s example by further breaking up the clods that Judah broke up.

In simple terms, Israel’s national heart was like hardened earth. By driving Israel out to live among (and be subject to) the Gentiles, God maximized their potential to turn back to Him. They would have no other choice but to turn to Him eventually. Like the turning of soil, God was softening their hearts to receive someday the chosen “seed” of Abraham, Messiah Jesus. Have you chosen the God who has chosen you? Or are you continuing to rebel against Him, hardening your heart toward Messiah Yeshua, like Pharaoh, Korah, Ephraim, and a host of others who suffered the Lord’s rebuke?

“The days of punishment have come; the days of retribution have come. Let Israel recognize it! The prophet is a fool, and the inspired man is insane, because of the magnitude of your guilt and hostility. Ephraim’s watchman is with my God. The prophet encounters a fowler’s snare on all his ways. Hostility is in the house of his God! They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah. He will remember their guilt; He will punish their sins.” Hosea 9:7-9 (HCSB)

To comprehend Israel’s moral & spiritual depravity at the time of Hosea, we must understand what the prophet means by the term “days of Gibeah.” The answer is found in Judges, chapter 19.  

A Levite living in the hill country of Ephraim, was traveling with his concubine to go and worship in Jerusalem. On their journey, the Levite and his concubine spent the night with an elderly gentleman in the city of Gibeah. Gibeah is in the territory of Benjamin.  

It was there that the following incident took place:

“While they were enjoying themselves, all of the sudden, perverted men of the city surrounded the house and beat on the door. They said to the old man who was the owner of the house, ‘Bring out the man who came to your house so that we can have sex with him!’” Judges 19: 22 (HCSB)

The older man offered his virgin daughter to the mob, and the Levite offered his concubine. This scene mirrors the one that brought judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah, except it directly involved tribes of Israel instead of pagan Gentiles. The Levite awoke the following morning to find his concubine dead in his doorway. She had been raped repeatedly. He cut her dead body into 12 pieces and sent them throughout Israel to rally the rest of Israel against the tribe of Benjamin.  

The event is known as “The Outrage in Benjamin” because the tribe of Benjamin would not admit any wrongdoing or punish those directly responsible.

Hosea tells us that Israel had corrupted themselves “as in the days of Gibeah.” Do you feel the gravity of his statement?

Consider the culture we live in today: legalized abortion, legalized homosexual marriage, liberal judges, and scandalous clergy. There is even opposition in many congregations toward Biblical preaching and anyone who holds the Bible as the infallible, authoritative Word of G_d.  Is Hosea not warning our generation, along with his own?

Let’s join together in prayer for revival: personal, corporate, national, and global.

“They have installed kings, but not through Me. They have appointed leaders, but without My approval. They make their silver and gold into idols for themselves for their own destruction. Your calf-idol is rejected, Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence? For this thing is from Israel – a craftsman has made it and it is not God. The calf of Samaria will be smashed to bits!”  Hosea 8:4-6 (HCSB)

When people hear the word “innocence,” they may have varied definitions of what that means. As a matter of fact, “innocence” in the Bible has various meanings. When the Bible was translated into English, “innocence” became a “catch-all” term for several Hebrew words. As one could imagine, each Hebrew word bears a subtle yet distinct difference in definition.

In the book of Daniel is the word “ZAKHU,” meaning “absence of guilt of disloyalty to God.”  Then, in 1 Kings 2:31, there is “CHINNAM,” denoting “undeserved or without cause,” i.e., “victims of murder.” Job 33:9 uses “CHAPH” to describe “clean, by scraping or polishing” and refers to “forgiven sin,” which leads to moral purity. In all other places, the word “NIQQAYON” is found. It means “The absence of pollution,” connected with blood, and carries the idea of divine acquittal or forgiveness. In the New Testament, it is used twice in connection with blood. (Matthew 27:4, 24)

In Hosea 8 and 10, the word “niqqayon” is used. It means. “absence of pollution.”  Hosea is referencing Israel’s pollution due to idolatry. Hence, Israel was incapable of innocence as long as they worshipped idols.

We all remember the “golden calf” that Israel had made in direct defiance of God’s command to “not make any graven images” in Exodus 32. No doubt, every Hebrew child would have been taught this story. Yet, by Hosea’s generation, the Hebrew kingdom was split (two kingdoms, two kings). The pedestrian Jewish indifference to Adonai (the Lord) had reached the point where two more “golden calves” had been forged and were being worshipped.

Today’s challenge is for us to ask God to reveal our “idols.” Where are those we ascribed power (ergo, worship) to - power and worship that belongs only to God?

In the eyes of God, Christians remain in a constant state of “CHAPH” through the enduring atonement of the Messiah. That said, we may incur severe rebuke whenever we find ourselves lacking “NIQQAYON.” Thus, we find ourselves in the crosshairs of God’s righteous rebuke due to our allowing idolatry to creep back into our lives.