In the book of Hosea, Hosea said “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”, and in chapter nine and verse nine of Hosea, Hosea said of Israel, “they have deeply corrupted themselves” where we read,
They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah:
therefore he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.
The verse begins, “They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah:” Hosea began with the words, “they have deeply corrupted themselves” or “they, the people of Ephraim, have profoundly decayed, ruined, spoiled and destroyed their own selves”, “as in the days” which means “similar and in likeness to the divisions and periods of time” “of Gibeah” or “pertaining to Gibeah whose name means hill and was a city in the mountain district of Judah”. Hosea said the people of Ephraim ruined themselves similar to the way they did in the city called “Gibeah” long ago.
The verse continues, “therefore he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.” Hosea added the words,“therefore he will remember their iniquity” or “wherefore, then and on this account he, Jehovah God, shall recall and bring to mind their, the people of Ephraim's, perversity, depravity, fault and moral evil”, “he will visit” which means “he, Jehovah God, shall attend to, number, reckon, look after, care for and punish” “their sins” or “their, the people of Ephraim's, missing of the mark, errors, wrongs and mistakes”. Hosea shared how Jehovah God would recall the perversities and depravities of “Ephraim” and attend to their errors and wrongs.
When we mediate upon Hosea's words in this verse, we learn how he was aware of the spoil and ruin that “Ephraim”brought upon their own selves which was similar to a previous time within the city of “Gibeah”. (See Judges 20) God recalled their perversity and depravity, and therefore would attend to their sinful ways. God knows the effects of sin, and because they lead to destruction, He wants to keep us from them. He knew we have sin in our lives, and He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind. When we put our faith and trust in Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and cleanse us from all unrighteousness so He does not have to continually “visit” our “sins”.
Next time Hosea says, “I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
No comments:
Post a Comment