March 25, 2009 6:38 AM
Sam wrote:
Rough Chapter......I just think it goes to show......oh, but first, yesterday, I hope my blog about staying in/rereading this book, was not taken as harsh as it sounded when I re-read it. I was being facicious (sp) at first, but later on, thought it was intended, but poorly written, to encourage, not demean. I apologize if it sounded mean....well, I'll write about 9 later.
March 25, 2009 8:24 AM
Johnbob wrote:
I think I understand what Rich was saying about Hosea. It is an overwhelming book so far in terms of repeating the same theme over and over - that the Israelites are stubborn and won't repent - they are clinging to their sin and their idols. This is probably the most 'depressing' chapter so far - that God "hates them there" (in Gilgal), and "I will love them no more", and "I will slay their cherished offspring", etc. Not sure what to do with all that except to take the warning and never let my heart get that hard. I believe there are other parts in the Bible that refer to God 'hating' His people. What do you make of that? Could I ever 'hate' my son? Is this just a place where the language used is extreme? If my son ever really turned to the dark side and committed terrible crimes, then would I 'hate' him? I get the feeling that this is more a 'reactionary' language when it says 'hate' here - that God is so hurt by their actions, that 'hate' is His reaction - a just reaction I assume.
Another interesting verse is "the prophet is considered a fool, the inspired man a maniac."
I think that sometimes we need to be careful how we judge people, especially those that are leaders. I have seen too many people have attitudes or cast judgment on people who were inspired to do great things - I think that God really admires that trait (being inspired) quite a bit.
Lastly, glimpses of God's true feelings about His people can be seen in verse 10:
"When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your fathers, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree..."
Wow - God has feelings when he sees us - like grapes in the desert, like early fruit on a tree - his is moved, excited, overjoyed even, when he sees his children as long as we are not doing what the people were doing in this chapter, which I don't think we are - I believe this chapter refers to a consistent state of the people vs. slipping up every now and then.
Those are my thoughts. Have a great day. Reply to this
March 25, 2009 9:26 AM
rik wrote:
From yesterday- tony and rich do not be to hard on yourselves. I am reminded of the parable of the two people in the synagogue, the one in the back is the one who is justified, the one who knows he is a sinner. we all know we are sinners, we all know only God is good, we all have peaks and valleys. together we can keep the valleys short and the peaks longer. I am also reminded of the scripture that speaks of Godly sorrow and worldly sorrow. I know for me when my character really changes it is when I have an indignation for my sin, I stop feeling bad about it and have a longing to do it Gods way. Remember, only God can grant us repentance. Ask Him to give you repentance from your self reliance and to be able to let Him be in control. Lastly I am reminded of a movie the Lion King. when the Monkey hits simba on the head and he says "OUCH, that hurt" and the monkey says something like "yes, but it is in the past." we only hurt ourselves if we allow the hurts in the past to slow us down. For the most part I believe those who hurt us are not thinking about it and letting it have a negative affect on them so it really only hurts us to let it dwell in our thought process. Learn from it, yes. Allow it to slow us down spiritually NO! Reply to this
March 25, 2009 10:03 AM
rik wrote:
If i could put in a book request for the next book, not saying Hosea is not worth repeating, maybe not back to back. It can be a tad overwhelming to some. any who, the book I would like to read together is the book of acts. I think it would inspire us to help our churches to live as the first century brothers and sisters did. Reply to this
March 25, 2009 12:18 PM
Sam wrote:
Just joking about back-to-back. Acts it is. For the first 28 days, that is, then something else for the last two. Reply to this
March 25, 2009 2:02 PM
Dustin wrote:
9 days in to hosea and i still dont have anything to say about this book. But so you know i have been here everyday, just dont know what to say. I think its all about how much hate God can have against the people but i dont know. Anyway, i may not post but i am here and i am reading. Kind of like someone else thats here reading and not posting (you know who you are).
Anyway Bowling is cool and i look forward to Acts. Reply to this
March 25, 2009 9:40 PM
Tony wrote:
God doesn't hate the people so much as what they have done and are doing. If your son was to do something wrong would you hate him or what he has done? We still love our children no matter what they do but we do get disapointed allot. God just wants us (his children) to do it His way, the same thing we want our children to do. Reply to this
Anyway, I see a lot of stuff in here, mostly about God's (uncontrollable???) anger. "They will not remain in the Lord's land." Wow....God was definitely angry. Hard to imagine this type of anger. JB mentioned above that 'hate' was a pretty strong word. And I agree. But so is 'anger'. We all know the Scripture that says, 'in your anger, do not sin'; so we know it is 'permissible' to get angry. It is what we do with that anger that should set us aside from non-Christian behaving people. I'm not sure if God was following His own advice (given through Paul to the Ephesians) here. He was threatening to kill offspring, send everyone to be slaves of other nations and have women miscarry babies. (God killing Babie!!!!??? - is that the 'normal' image we get of Him? No. Certainly not, but it is indicative of what anger can lead to.
So, I guess one of the lessons we can take from this 'boring, hard, difficult, confusing' book, at least this chapter of it, is to control our anger. Anger is not good--Paul, nor God, said that---and of course any sinning that results from anger is not good either. Are you having difficulty with (controlling?) anger? Do you punch walls? Yell at loved ones? Swear? We all do, to a certain degree. Let's not get to any point anywhere near where God was in this chapter where he threatened to kill innocent babies to punish parents!!!!!
Got three for bowling so far, anyone else? Reply to this
Rough Chapter......I just think it goes to show......oh, but first, yesterday, I hope my blog about staying in/rereading this book, was not taken as harsh as it sounded when I re-read it. I was being facicious (sp) at first, but later on, thought it was intended, but poorly written, to encourage, not demean. I apologize if it sounded mean....well, I'll write about 9 later.
Bowling anyone?
Reply to this
I think I understand what Rich was saying about Hosea. It is an overwhelming book so far in terms of repeating the same theme over and over - that the Israelites are stubborn and won't repent - they are clinging to their sin and their idols. This is probably the most 'depressing' chapter so far - that God "hates them there" (in Gilgal), and "I will love them no more", and "I will slay their cherished offspring", etc. Not sure what to do with all that except to take the warning and never let my heart get that hard. I believe there are other parts in the Bible that refer to God 'hating' His people. What do you make of that? Could I ever 'hate' my son? Is this just a place where the language used is extreme? If my son ever really turned to the dark side and committed terrible crimes, then would I 'hate' him? I get the feeling that this is more a 'reactionary' language when it says 'hate' here - that God is so hurt by their actions, that 'hate' is His reaction - a just reaction I assume.
Another interesting verse is
"the prophet is considered a fool,
the inspired man a maniac."
I think that sometimes we need to be careful how we judge people, especially those that are leaders. I have seen too many people have attitudes or cast judgment on people who were inspired to do great things - I think that God really admires that trait (being inspired) quite a bit.
Lastly, glimpses of God's true feelings about His people can be seen in verse 10:
"When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert;
when I saw your fathers, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree..."
Wow - God has feelings when he sees us - like grapes in the desert, like early fruit on a tree - his is moved, excited, overjoyed even, when he sees his children as long as we are not doing what the people were doing in this chapter, which I don't think we are - I believe this chapter refers to a consistent state of the people vs. slipping up every now and then.
Those are my thoughts. Have a great day.
Reply to this
From yesterday- tony and rich do not be to hard on yourselves. I am reminded of the parable of the two people in the synagogue, the one in the back is the one who is justified, the one who knows he is a sinner. we all know we are sinners, we all know only God is good, we all have peaks and valleys. together we can keep the valleys short and the peaks longer.
I am also reminded of the scripture that speaks of Godly sorrow and worldly sorrow. I know for me when my character really changes it is when I have an indignation for my sin, I stop feeling bad about it and have a longing to do it Gods way. Remember, only God can grant us repentance. Ask Him to give you repentance from your self reliance and to be able to let Him be in control. Lastly I am reminded of a movie the Lion King. when the Monkey hits simba on the head and he says "OUCH, that hurt" and the monkey says something like "yes, but it is in the past." we only hurt ourselves if we allow the hurts in the past to slow us down. For the most part I believe those who hurt us are not thinking about it and letting it have a negative affect on them so it really only hurts us to let it dwell in our thought process. Learn from it, yes. Allow it to slow us down spiritually NO!
Reply to this
If i could put in a book request for the next book, not saying Hosea is not worth repeating, maybe not back to back. It can be a tad overwhelming to some. any who, the book I would like to read together is the book of acts. I think it would inspire us to help our churches to live as the first century brothers and sisters did.
Reply to this
Just joking about back-to-back. Acts it is. For the first 28 days, that is, then something else for the last two.
Reply to this
9 days in to hosea and i still dont have anything to say about this book. But so you know i have been here everyday, just dont know what to say. I think its all about how much hate God can have against the people but i dont know. Anyway, i may not post but i am here and i am reading. Kind of like someone else thats here reading and not posting (you know who you are).
Anyway Bowling is cool and i look forward to Acts.
Reply to this
God doesn't hate the people so much as what they have done and are doing. If your son was to do something wrong would you hate him or what he has done? We still love our children no matter what they do but we do get disapointed allot. God just wants us (his children) to do it His way, the same thing we want our children to do.
Reply to this
Hosea 9 (Told ya, I'd be back.)
Anyway, I see a lot of stuff in here, mostly about God's (uncontrollable???) anger. "They will not remain in the Lord's land." Wow....God was definitely angry. Hard to imagine this type of anger. JB mentioned above that 'hate' was a pretty strong word. And I agree. But so is 'anger'. We all know the Scripture that says, 'in your anger, do not sin'; so we know it is 'permissible' to get angry. It is what we do with that anger that should set us aside from non-Christian behaving people. I'm not sure if God was following His own advice (given through Paul to the Ephesians) here. He was threatening to kill offspring, send everyone to be slaves of other nations and have women miscarry babies. (God killing Babie!!!!??? - is that the 'normal' image we get of Him? No. Certainly not, but it is indicative of what anger can lead to.
So, I guess one of the lessons we can take from this 'boring, hard, difficult, confusing' book, at least this chapter of it, is to control our anger. Anger is not good--Paul, nor God, said that---and of course any sinning that results from anger is not good either. Are you having difficulty with (controlling?) anger? Do you punch walls? Yell at loved ones? Swear? We all do, to a certain degree. Let's not get to any point anywhere near where God was in this chapter where he threatened to kill innocent babies to punish parents!!!!!
Got three for bowling so far, anyone else?
Reply to this