| Day 64 |
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The reading for day 64 was Daniel 9:1-Hosea 14:9.
The last few chapters of Daniel are a mystery to me. I would be glad for one who is wiser than I to enlighten me. I can see some of these things being fulfilled during the intertestamental period and some things being fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem, but I admit that I am lost trying to figure out what goes where.
I will say that chapter 9 is another good prayer model for corporate confession in the church and for personal confession on behalf of the church.
In chapter 9 verse 23 Gabriel tells Daniel that he is "highly esteemed' (NASB). Wow!!! Its amazing to me that God would say something like that about a man. 9:23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew [thee]; for thou [art] greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.
 I like the even better on this one!
Hosea begins with God telling Hosea to go get a wife that will be unfaithful to him. How many of you guys out there would sign up for that willingly? Hosea prophesied before Israel and Judah went into captivity. So we're going backwards in time a little bit now.
The names that God tells Hosea to give his children are: God Scatters, She has not Obtained Compassion, and Not My People. They are very descriptive names that fit very well with what God was going to do, which is why He told Hosea to name them those things :) The last child's name was probably the worst 1:9 Then said [God], Call his name Loammi: for ye [are] not my people, and I will not be your [God].
Ouch! how terrible must it have been to hear God say "You are not mine and I am not yours?"
In chapter 2 God condemns Israel for their unfaithfulness, their harlotry, their adultery. 2:1 Say ye unto your brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ruhamah. 2:2 Plead with your mother, plead: for she [is] not my wife, neither [am] I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts; 2:3 Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst. 2:4 And I will not have mercy upon her children; for they [be] the children of whoredoms.
God is angry with His bride for committing adultery with foreign nations and gods. He uses the picture of husband and wife to show us how deeply offensive their sins were to HIm. In verse 14-20 of chapter 2 God is so gracious and merciful and says He will "allure" his bride and that she will reutrn to Him. God is amazing in His love for His people. How many of us could continue to love so deeply a bride/groom who is constantly unfaithful to us? 2:23 And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to [them which were] not my people, Thou [art] my people; and they shall say, [Thou art] my God. Amen! Praise God! Weep for joy all of His saints! God loves us when we don't deserve anything but death! He says to His church "You are my people!" and we shout back to Him "You are our God!" Our husband who loves us more than we can imagine even in our wretched unfaithfulness.
The rest of Hosea is a pronouncement of judgement against the house of Israel interspersed with moments of tenderness from God who restores His people. 6:1 Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. 6:2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. 6:3 Then shall we know, [if] we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter [and] former rain unto the earth.
Reading through Hosea is such a beautiful/horrible experience. Horrible because I know the depth of sin that I am capable of is by no means less than what He punished Israel for. Beautiful because I know that Christ paid the penalty for me. He endured the wrath that my sinfulness deserved. Even in my constant unfaithfulness He says "I will heal their apostasy, I will love them freely, for My anger has turned away from them." 14:4 (NASB). Praise God! Amen! I am in awe of His amazing grace! |
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