Hosea 7 and Psalm 103

I'm under the assumption today that I need to blog on these two passages, because in the last 24 hours, I've taught out of them twice. Last night, in our Monday Night Bible Study in my basement, and this morning for my staff meeting. Both times, I was blessed to teach God's Word. I fall more in love with His Word each day. It is powerful, penned by His Hand, through His Spirit, to saints of old, into our hands today. I love it. Read it. Enjoy it.

Hosea is a powerful book in the Old Testament. It is the largest of the minor prophet books. It appears after Daniel (which I like to call a bridge book. Daniel serves as a bridge between the major prophets and minor prophets, Acts is another bridge book, which serves as a bridge between the major Gospels and the letters from Paul). Hosea is 14 chapters long and deals with the need for repentance and the steadfast love of God, mixed with His just wrath. Powerful book. Read it.

In Hosea 7, we see the crimes of Israel mentioned. Within the 16 verses in chapter 7, we see no evidence of a fear for God by the people. They are so caught up with their sin that they lost all awareness that God remembers their sin (7:2). They even go to lengths of seeking advice from other nations and not Him (7:11). Their sins are burning them (7:4-8). 4 times in this chapter, we see that they never turn to God. They never trust Him. Their sins are leading them, instead of God. They are lost. They are hopeless without Him.

Look at Psalm 103. I love Psalms. 150 total, 73 penned by David, Moses, Sons of Asaph, Solomon, Heman, etc.. penned some as well. It's a great book. Read it. In Psalm 103, we see the reverse from Hosea 7. I want to include these passages to show you the light we have when we fear God and turn to Him from our wicked and selfish ways. Look at these verses with me, "He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him." In this passage, the word "fear" is used. This idea is a reverent trust and submission to His authority. It shows us where our heart truly is; the worship of our Creator. When we trust in Christ; His Son, the only One that can truly save us, we are given His gift of adoption, His righteousness, His steadfast love, His forgiveness over our sins, and His compassion. This is given to us when we trust in the sacrifice of His Son for the forgiveness of our sins. Read John. Read Philippians. Read Romans. They will give you more to chew on.

So, we see in one book the consequences of a people that turned away from God. In another, we see the grace of His steadfast love for those that fear Him.

Do you fear Him?

Blessings,

Dave