What earthly efforts are you putting in that just don’t seem to be working? Committing everything to our Saviour for His guidance is always the best option. Have a read as to how Israel failed to carry out this important principle.
Hosea 7:
1 When I would heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim is revealed, and the evil deeds of Samaria; for they deal falsely; the thief breaks in, and the bandits raid outside.
2 But they do not consider that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds surround them; they are before my face.
3 By their evil they make the king glad, and the princes by their treachery.
4 They are all adulterers; they are like a heated oven whose baker ceases to stir the fire, from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.
5 On the day of our king, the princes became sick with the heat of wine; he stretched out his hand with mockers.
6 For with hearts like an oven they approach their intrigue; all night their anger smolders; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.
7 All of them are hot as an oven, and they devour their rulers. All their kings have fallen, and none of them calls upon me.
8 Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned.
9 Strangers devour his strength, and he knows it not; grey hairs are sprinkled upon him, and he knows it not.
10 The pride of Israel testifies to his face; yet they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him, for all this.
11 Ephraim is like a dove, silly and without sense, calling to Egypt, going to Assyria.
12 As they go, I will spread over them my net; I will bring them down like birds of the heavens; I will discipline them according to the report made to their congregation.
13 Woe to them, for they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against me! I would redeem them, but they speak lies against me.
14 They do not cry to me from the heart, but they wail upon their beds; for grain and wine they gash themselves; they rebel against me.
15 Although I trained and strengthened their arms, yet they devise evil against me.
16 They return, but not upward; they are like a treacherous bow; their princes shall fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongue. This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.
Hosea 8: Israel Will Reap the Whirlwind
1 Set the trumpet to your lips! One like a vulture is over the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant and rebelled against my law.
2 To me they cry, "My God, we---Israel---know you."
3 Israel has spurned the good; the enemy shall pursue him.
4 They made kings, but not through me. They set up princes, but I knew it not. With their silver and gold they made idols for their own destruction.
5 I have spurned your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence?
6 For it is from Israel; a craftsman made it; it is not God. The calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces.
7 For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; it shall yield no flour; if it were to yield, strangers would devour it.
8 Israel is swallowed up; already they are among the nations as a useless vessel.
9 For they have gone up to Assyria, a wild donkey wandering alone; Ephraim has hired lovers.
10 Though they hire allies among the nations, I will soon gather them up. And the king and princes shall soon writhe because of the tribute.
11 Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they have become to him altars for sinning.
12 Were I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands, they would be regarded as a strange thing.
13 As for my sacrificial offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but the LORD does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins; they shall return to Egypt.
14 For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces, and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; so I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour her strongholds.
Things to think about…
1. Hosea 7 speaks of Israel being badly burned on one side Hos7:4, 8. The fire is not managed and the bread and the cakes are ruined, where we get the term “half baked”. In the same way the people are burned by other countries through their sin and rebellion. The inference is that they are only good to be thrown out. Hos 7:5, 7 could refer to the northern kings of Israel being assassinated in quick succession by rebels when it says, “he stretched out his hand with mockers…they devour their rulers. All their kings have fallen”. They also turn to Egypt and Assyria for help, but do not turn to the Lord, Hos 7:10,11. Have you ever been in trouble or struggling with something and you tried to solve things in your own strength? The Lord and His wisdom should always be our first choice for guidance.
2. Sin devours our strength and turns our hair grey, here is a bible reference, “grey hairs are sprinkled upon him, and he knows it not”, Hos 7:9. Doing things in our own sinful strength ages us.
3. Look at Hos 7:14. For grain and wine they gash themselves. This is what the Baal worshippers did to evoke a blessing from Baal. They cut themselves and hoped that he would bless their crops and send rain. Baal was the god of lightening after all. The God of Israel says they rebel against Him. They knew about the Lord, but didn’t follow Him. Jesus says we know true believers by their fruit (their actions), Matt 7:16. We know this is what the Baal worshippers did when Elijah taunted them, 1Kings 18. “They are like a treacherous bow”, vs 16 – unreliable, cannot be trusted and as such they shall fall in battle, and this “shall be their derision in the land of Egypt”. The Lord refines His people through suffering and discipline against sin.
4. Hosea 8:2 says they cry out “My God, we – Israel – know you”. They honoured God with their lips, but their hearts were far from him. Many Australians would acknowledge the existence of God, especially around this season of Christmas, but not act like they know Him. Israel had all their idols of gold and silver. Remember Jeroboam set up 2 gold calves, one at Dan and one at Bethel and told his people to worship them. This is the reference in Hos 8:5,6. We know later the godly king Josiah who ruled as a Judean king, would crush these calves to pieces. God was not blessing their crops, they would sow the wind and reap a whirlwind, vs 7. What efforts do we apply which seem to be lacking traction? Have you committed your path and efforts to the Lord for blessing?
5. Hosea is writing Hosea 8 after the Assyrians had taken Israel captive, Hos 8:7, 8. Israel had built palaces and Judah had built fortified cities, Hos 8:14. Both would be pulled down and burned by fire. That’s what happened around 722BC by the Assyrians to the northern tribes. Judah was also needing correction, even though Judah had Hezekiah as a godly king. “Judah has multiplied fortified cities; so I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour her strongholds”. Even though Jerusalem didn’t fall, 46 fortified Judean cities were destroyed by the Assyrians including Lachish, which was the biggest Judean city, aside from Jerusalem. Jerusalem would eventually fall in 586BC by the Babylonians. What earthly strength does the Lord want you to give up and put on the altar today? He wants your strength to come from Him, not yourself. Remember in God’s power is made perfect in our weakness, 2Cor 10:9.
Vision statement for CBC
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Prayer points
1. Pray for our leaders in Australia that they press in closer to Christ.
2. Pray for the Liberal party as they wrestle with leadership issues.
3. Pray for the people of Iran that they finally get their freedom from an oppressive regime
4. The Royal Commission that the Jewish people will feel safe in Australia.
5. One for Israel ministry.
6. Conflict zones – especially within Africa, Israel and Ukraine
7. Pray for new people to step into ministries at CBC – eg worship, café, sound/technical, giving, podcast.
8. Reform and Revival over our city and country.
9. Finances to cover our needs
10. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to increase.
Praise Points
1. Praise God for His blessing over Australia on this Australia Day.
2. Give thanks for those being honoured today in our country
3. Another day of joy on Sunday with new folks arriving.
4. Café team every week. Thankyou to all those who serve and bring food. Especially Fiona, Maddie and Suzy.
5. Admin and technical team – Brendon, AJ, Suzy, Maddie, Mathys, Doug.
6. The Lord’s faithfulness this year to CBC and all who have served in ministries
7. Joy, peace and grace we see at CBC. Thankyou Lord
Announcements
1. All ministries on break over the school holidays
2. Kids@Church starts back Sunday 1st Feb
3. Members Meeting – Sunday 22nd Feb after the service
4. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
5. Tune in again this week on our YouTube page. Subscribe to the CBC channel Chuwar Baptist YouTube channel.
Catechism questions for January...
Q. 4. What is election? A. It is God's goodness as revealed by his grace to choose certain sinners for salvation.
Bible References – Eph.1:3, 4; 1Thes.1:4; 1Pet.1:1, 2. “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known” Jer 33:3
