THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
The Greatest Act of Service
Mark 12 – 16
1. Loving God and loving your neighbor (12:28-34);
2. Preparing others for what will come (13:5-13);
3. Receives the blessing of others who recognize who He is (14:1-11);
4. Gives the ultimate gift – His life for others (15:15-21);
5. Rises victorious over sin, death, hell, the grave; and justifies all who will believe (16:1-8).
-Tim A. Blankenship
THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
I Do Not Like the Old Testament, Especially Leviticus
(Reading Exodus 38 – Leviticus 18) Exodus 39:30-32; 40:34-38; Leviticus 13:1-3
I just recently realized that I do not like Leviticus. It is painful to read. It is hard to understand. It is judgmental about human life and living. It condemns me.
Even if I do not like Leviticus there are some things I can learn from it. Then I need to apply that to my life.
1. We are continually reminded that God is Holy, and that He is the LORD.
2. We are reminded again and again that we are unholy and unclean.
3. We are reminded again and again that there must be a sacrifice, or there is no approaching God.
4. We are reminded that that the most basic sacrifice is the blood of a Lamb.
-Tim A. Blankenship
God’s Controversy With His People 3
This will be the final study for chapter 4.
“Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.” Hosea 4:11-12 (KJV)
The Amplified Bible says of verse eleven, “Harlotry and wine and new wine take away the heart and the mind and the spiritual understanding.” The Living Bible paraphrases, “Wine, women and song have robbed My people of her brains.”
Does anything ever really change? It does not seem so. The problem of Israel is a problem within the United States of America today. Alcohol and the use of alcohol; maybe I should say abuse of alcohol; drug consumption. The over active, perverse and uncontrolled sex drives of humanity; along with the abuse of alcohol and other drugs robbing the mind of control, influencing the decision making process, having people doing things they would not normally do. With a clear mind – clear of drugs at least – one can be expected to make rational decisions. Under the influence of beverage alcohol no one wants to take responsibility; and no one wants to point out the blame, or take blame for their actions.
This is how verse twelve reads in The Living Bible, “For they are asking a piece of wood to tell them what to do. ‘Divine Truth’ comes to them through tea leaves! Longing after idols has made them foolish. For they have played the harlot, serving other gods, deserting Me.”
Instead of taking their heart ache to God they seek a bottle. Instead of a lasting, fulfilling, and meaningful relationship through marriage (One man, one woman), God’s way they follow their own lust, and go to destruction. It is not only destruction of the person, it destroys the family, the State, the Nation and the World.
“They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery. I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.” Hosea 4:13-14
Men need to learn that their wives and children soon follow their example. In this way wives and daughters of Israel became polluted. The fathers had not taken their God-given leadership roles in leading their families to righteousness; instead they led them to perversion, and their immorality would be their judgment.
“Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, ‘The LORD liveth.’ For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place. Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone. Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, ‘Give ye.’ The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.” Hosea 4:15-19
“Listen up Judah.” Hosea probably sees some of the Judeans in the crowd at the gates, and warns them of the plight of Israel. For clarity “Ephraim” is another name for the Northern kingdom of Israel.
Bethel is now called “Bethaven”. The place had gone from “The house of God”, to the decadence of “The house of deception”. Gilgal and Bethaven were places of calf worship. To go to these places of idolatry, and declare, “The LORD liveth” was an evil act of hypocrisy, and was despised by God.
They loved their shame rather than the glory of God. Their glory is God. They refuse the way of God, thus, they incur the wrath of God upon themselves.
Paul the apostle writes to Timothy; a young pastor, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” Let those today who claim “I am a disciple of Christ” or “I am a Christian” depart from this iniquitous society. How can we do that? By not participating in the wicked, mind killing, mind stealing acts of the world and society.
If you have been in this way of life there is hope for all who will trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross – His death, His burial and His resurrection. He has promised also to come again.
-Tim A. Blankenship
God’s Controversy With His People 2
“Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest. Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to Me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against Me: therefore will I change their glory into shame. They eat up the sin of My people, and they set their heart on their iniquity. And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings. For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD.” Hosea 4:4-10 (KJV)
Verses 4 through 6 as well as the following four verses are directed toward the priests and prophets.
The priests and the prophets were told not to accuse the people, because they, themselves were at fault. This, by no means takes any personal responsibility away from the people, for they too are guilty. The greatest fault lies with the priests and prophets, because they had failed to teach the Law of God. Why? Because they rejected God’s law. Their “Mother” [Nation] would be destroyed. Church leadership which fails to proclaim the Law of God, the Word or God with its rebukes and warnings; as well as its blessings and promises is remiss in doing the work and will of God; thus rejecting God and His Word.
The preacher/prophet may fail to meet the expectations of the people, but if he fails to proclaim God’s Word he wreaks havoc upon himself, and the people. If the priests (Every born again believer) fails to warn the lost of his/her condemnation, and fails to pray for the lost to be reconciled to God, then, we bring shame on ourselves and eternal havoc and ruin on those whom we have failed to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
In verses 7 through 10 the condemnation continues upon the priests.
It appears that as God blessed the priests (and nation) they began to be comfortable, and sin against God. It is not sin to be comfortable, or to live in comfort. The sin is while in comfort we forget, forsake, and do not praise the LORD.
The priests received offerings from the people. Possibly a sin offering is implied by verse eight. These meat offerings were to be eaten by the priests, and their families – as a means of support – and rather than rebuking the people for their sin, encouraged them to continue in sin. Maybe not with words, but in the absence of words of rebuke. So, just as the priests are condemned because they reject the law of God, the people are condemned because of their willful ignorance of God. They loved their sin too much to find out what the will of God was.
There would be no satisfaction, no fulfillment in their indulgence of sin. They would not be a fruitful people. Even though they thought that enjoying the fulfilling of their lust through hedonistic temple acts would guarantee many children and bountiful harvest; it would not be so. The reason God gives is, “Because they have left off to take heed to the LORD.”
There is much sin within the churches of the United States of America in the 21st century. Yet, we have an awesome and wondrous Saviour. His name is Jesus. He died for us because He loves us. He loves us too much to leave us the way we are. He will do whatever it takes to make us holy.
-Tim A. Blankenship
God’s Controversy With His People 1
As we begin our study of Hosea 4 we find Hosea speaking in the gates of the city. This is the place where civil and religious meetings were held. There were probably some who were from the Southern kingdom present here as well.
The LORD is presented as having a “Controversy” with the people. The MIRRIAM/WEBSTER Dictionary defines “Controversy” as being “a clash of opposing views: DISPUTE”. It must of necessity be concluded that the one who opposes God is the one who is in error. The New International Version of the Bible uses the word “Charge”. The New American Standard uses the word “Case”. These latter two imply court actions. If then this is a court scene we see GOD as the offended party; and He is also the Judge, the Prosecutor; and since there is no defense mentioned He would also be their Defense. God has a legal case against Israel. It is a case He will win. A case where the guilty will in brokenness confess their guilt, turn from their evil, and seek His face, receiving His forgiveness.
In verse one through three God says all are guilty, then the priests and prophets are responsible for rejecting the Word of God, rather than teaching it, living it, and proclaiming it (vv. 4-6). They are all condemned for leaving God to follow the harlotry of Baal (vv. 7-10). The men are then told of their responsibility for the corrupting of their wives and daughters (vv. 13-14). Judah [the Southern kingdom] is then called on to heed the Word of Go, and not to forsake God and His ways following other gods (vv. 15-19).
“Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.” Hosea 4:1-3 (KJV)
The land is greatly polluted. Sexual perversion and immorality always pollute the land of any nation.
God still contends with evil. He is contending with evil even now across the United States of America, and in all nations of the world. Sin is just as destructive today as it was in Hosea’s day; maybe more open and with greater influence; but “where sin abounds grace does much more abound”.
“Truth” is faithfulness. Faithful to God, His Word, and His ways. To walk in them is to walk in truth. To walk in truth is to be faithful to His Word. To depart from truth is to cease being kind. “Mercy” is kindness. When God’s people forsake His way sexual immorality increases, murders increase, all crime and criminal activities increase, and education slips into amorality. Evil becomes good, and good becomes evil. Because of this there is no knowledge of God in the land. God is seen only as non-existent, unavailable, or contained in a box to be used at our own discretion and for our own pleasures. Because of evil god is made in our own image. He is viewed as tolerating evil, and never judging it; putting Him on equal basis with the gods of men’s hearts. His Holiness, Righteousness, mercy, and grace are forgotten. What need is there of mercy and/or grace if God tolerates all kinds of evil?
When people depart from God to serve the gods of their hearts “Everyone does that which is right in their own eyes” (Judges 21:25), the land becomes “Bloody”. The commandments of God become useless, despised, and rejected; tossed aside as fables.
In verse two Hosea declares that at least five of the Ten Commandments had been severely broken.
There are also ecological consequences to sin.
The land cries out to God for mercy (Romans 8:22). The man of God’s creation willfully sinned against God. Sin causes the creation to groan. Unless God keeps His hand of mercy on the land, then the land judges us.
The environmental crises that are known today; the upheaval of weather patterns, in the USA, and around the world; are evidences of a gross spiritual problem. God’s people have forsaken Him to serve the idols of pleasure, entertainment, and the sirens of comfort. Many of the gods of our day are science, technology, money and finance. All idols of man’s own making; leading to our destruction.
The world may laugh at such a simplistic answer, but the Bible is clear on the matter, and it is right. Someone has said, “The heart of the human problem, is the problem of the human heart.” (Matthew 15:16-20). The heart of man can only be righted when man confesses his sin/departure from God, repents, and asks for, and receives God’s forgiveness.
It is not gun-control we need to stop murders, or condoms to stop STD’s and/or AIDS. It is self-control, and especially Holy Spirit initiated self-control. To make it real the world needs the grace, mercy, and love of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the forgiveness only His atoning death, burial and resurrection supplies.
-Tim A. Blankenship
No Love Like God’s Love 3
“For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their King; and shall fear the LORD and His goodness in the latter days.” Hosea 3:4-5 (KJV)
The children of Israel are still in this stage of being without a king or a prince. From the time of the return of the exiles from Babylon Israel ahs not been given to idolatry, they have not had a king or a prince; since the destruction of the temple (70 A.D.) their sacrifices have been abolished, and they have not had a Levite or a priest.
Hosea had placed Gomer in the disciplined lifestyle:
This would make it possible for Israel to respond to God’s unconditional love. While there is enjoyment in sin there is no opportunity of turning to God.
God would remove the false as well as the true. “For many days” in verses three and four, imply a long period of time. Probably as long as would be necessary to prepare them to return to God.
There is victory in God’s redemption. Each of these first three chapters speak of Israel returning to God for full and completer redemption and forgiveness. This is God’s purpose and plan for Israel and for His Church.
“Afterwards” – after the days of discipline. After days, years, centuries, even millenniums “Israel shall return.” There are not “Ifs” or “buts” about it. They shall return. They will “Seek the LORD their God”, and turn to “David their King” [fulfilled in Jesus Christ]. See Luke 1:32-33.
This prophecy has yet to take place. It will in the Lord’s appointed time come to pass just as the prophecies forth tell. When? “In the last days.”
Jesus is the King of kings; rules over all the earth. He is Lord of lords and has all things in His hands.
-Tim A. Blankenship
THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
The Destination to Worship of GOD
Exodus 19 – 37 focus 19:1-9; 37:25-29
1. God’s Direction and Man’s Good Intentions (19:1-9)
A. God commands obedience in worship.
B. Man intends worship, and fails at obedience.
2. God Provides the Law and Commandments; Man is Religious (chapter 20:1-21)
3. God Provides for Worship Through Sacrifice and the Tabernacle in the Wilderness (chapters 24-31)
4. God is Gracious Through the Disobedience of His People (chapter32)
5. God renews His Promises, and Gives Plans for the Building of the Altar of Prayer (chapter 37).
-Tim A. Blankenship
The Fire and Hammer 