Bible Reading

Hosea Chapter 4 - Truth, Mercy and Knowledge of God

Written by

Luke

|

2 min read

This chapter highlights the consequences of Israel’s disobedience and the depth of God’s sorrow over their actions. This chapter serves as a reminder of the importance of faithfulness, knowledge of God, and the dangers of turning away from His commandments.

As stated in Hosea 4:1, “There is no truth, no mercy, no knowledge of God in the land.” When people forsake the knowledge of God, truth and mercy vanish as well. True wisdom and understanding always begin with the fear of God and the knowledge of Him (Proverbs 9:10). The absence of these elements affects every aspect of life, leading to moral and spiritual corruption. However, turning back to God will bring healing and restoration.

Truth, mercy, and the knowledge of God are interconnected and essential for our spiritual lives. Truth without mercy can become harsh and judgmental, while mercy without truth can lead to indulgence. The knowledge of God binds them together, guiding us to live in a way that glorifies Him. 

As we reflect on this chapter, let us examine our lives and align them with God’s standards of truth, mercy, and knowledge. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations (Psalms 100:5).

May the Holy Spirit inspire us to grow in faithfulness, deepen our love for God, and increase our knowledge of Him, so we may understand The Truth of God and receive His mercy.

Related Topics

Hosea

See Also

Jonah Chapter 3 - The Generous Mercy of God

Jonah Chapter 3 - The Generous Mercy of God

“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim 2:3-4). Jonah Chapter 3 records a classic example of this exact sentiment. It records the story of prophet Jonah preaching to the people of Nineveh, and the repentance of Nineveh. When looking at the story of Nineveh’s repentance, there is a sense of comfort that we can find for ourselves. Just as God forgave the people of Nineveh when they were sincerely repentant, we also have confidence that God has the mercy to forgive us for our sins today if we repent with a sincere heart. We however should not grow complacent just because we think God will be merciful with us. Within this chapter, we see the lengths that the people went to in order to seek forgiveness from God. First, verse 6 records that the king himself mourned in sackcloth and sat in ashes. Verse 7 to 9 then record the decree made by the king, mandating fasting and mourning for all his people, driving them all to repentance before God. Take a moment to reflect on this, is this the state we want to reach before we finally turn to God? Although the people of Nineveh were ultimately spared, let us not be deceived, it was a sorry state that they were in. Furthermore, the Bible tells us in Hebrews 10:26 that “if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins”. God’s love abounds and His mercy is plentiful, but let us be careful never to take advantage of this love and mercy. Jonah’s story also teaches us about how we should treat others who we ourselves may deem as sinful. The narrative of the Book of Jonah centers around Jonah refusing to preach to Nineveh due to his hatred for the city and his skepticism that its people would change. When we read the story of Jonah, we are quick to say that Jonah’s attitude was not right. However, when we look at our peers around us, do we also unknowingly adopt Jonah’s mindset? Are we quick to judge people? To fit them into certain labels and refrain from helping them in their faith? Something we must remember is that God desires all men to be saved. Every soul is precious in the sight of God. If this is the case, as servants of God, we must fulfill his will and try to save every soul regardless of our perception of them. All in all, we have received this gift of love and mercy from God. We ought to share this wonderful gift with others.

Ezekiel Chapter 48 - The LORD Is There

Ezekiel Chapter 48 - The LORD Is There

Ezekiel 48 outlines the division of the land among the twelve tribes of Israel and the city of the Lord. The division of the land shows that in God's Kingdom there is a place for all who believe in and obey the One True God (John 14:1-6). Ezekiel 48:1-7, 23-29 details the allocation of land to the tribes of Israel. This reminds us of God's faithfulness in keeping His promises. Despite Israel's history of rebellion, God remains true to His word. So, let us continue to trust in God's faithfulness, even when circumstances seem challenging. Remember that God’s timing is perfect, and His promises are sure. Ezekiel 48:8-22 describes the holy district set apart for the Lord, including the sanctuary and the land for the priests and Levites. This highlights the importance of holiness and dedicated spaces for worship. The pressures of everyday life may cause us to lose focus and forget God. That is why worship is so important . We need to dedicate time and space in our daily lives for worship and communion with God, which includes prayer, reading the Bible and reflecting on His words. The book of Ezekiel begins by describing the holiness of God that Israel had despised and ignored. As a result, God’s presence departed from the Temple, the city and the people. The book ends with a detailed vision of the new Temple, the new city and the new people, all demonstrating God’s holiness. No matter what challenges we face today, remember that God ‘s plan is always good for us. So, let us continue to hold on to the eternal hope we have in Christ and to look forward to the fulfilment of His promises in His glorious Kingdom, where God shall dwell with us, and we will be His people, and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE (Ezekiel 48:35).

Ezekiel Chapter 21 - The Sword of God

Ezekiel Chapter 21 - The Sword of God

This chapter talks about the sword of God against His people and the Ammonites, with the word “sword” being mentioned 15 times! This sword (i.e. Babylon, v19-20) is a sword of judgement that God would use to punish these two groups of people for their sins. Here are 3 things that will happen when this sword is drawn: Why both the righteous and wicked – is God being unfair? We know from the consistent message of the Bible that this is not so. God is just, and He does not indiscriminately slay the righteous with the wicked. Even for a city as depraved as Sodom and Gomorrah, God delivered Lot and his family, the only few righteous people remaining (fewer than 5!), before destroying the city (Genesis 18:23-26). Moreover, by cutting off the righteous from the land, God not only delivers them from further physical suffering including forced labour by the Babylonians, He also delivers them from further spiritual corruption by their wicked kinsmen who were steeped in idolatry. God’s promise of delivering the righteous from their troubles is a promise we must cling to (Psalm 34:19). We must also recognise that ultimately, God wants to deliver us in a spiritual sense – from the temptations of the evil one (Matthew 6:13), the corruption of the world caused by evil desires (2 Peter 1:4), and the corruption in hell (Psalm 16:10). Therefore, let us trust in the righteousness of God, knowing His will for us is not to perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). The original meaning of Israel is “prince with God”. However, now that their scepter is despised, Israel is no longer prince with God, no longer son of the King of kings. Israel is dethroned, because of the people’s wickedness. Yet, God foretells the coming of One whom God will crown because He is the rightful Ruler (v27b) – this One is none other than our Lord Jesus, whose reign and kingdom is everlasting (Luke 1:33). Just like how Esau lost his God-given birthright because of his choice to gratify a moment’s hunger, Israel lost their precious status as prince with God, children of God, because of their choice to persist in their unfaithfulness towards Him (Ezekiel 14:13). How about us: do we make personal choices that jeopardise our precious relationship with God? What does God remember? Their sins. As a result, what will God forget? His relationship with them – in other words, an utter disowning of His people. But… did God permanently forget His people? Again, we know from the consistent message of the Bible, as well as history, that this was not so. Rather, God disowns them with the purpose of cleansing them from their sins so that He can re-own them as His people – a people with a new spirit and heart of flesh that submits to God’s laws (Ezekiel 11:19-20), who will no longer stray from God (Ezekiel 14:11). As the psalmist says: “His anger is but for a moment, His favour is for life.” (Psalm 30:5) God promises that if we repent and return to Him wholeheartedly – fearing Him, meditating on His name, and serving Him (Malachi 3:16-18) – God will remember us and bless us with His favour for the rest of our life, in this age and the age to come. By always using the sword of His word to prune away sin from our hearts (Hebrews 4:12-13). Let us daily examine our thoughts and intents to see if they align with the Bible’s standards. Remember that we are naked and open to Him, secret sins and all, and one day we must give an account to God who will judge all our thoughts, words and deeds. Amen.

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