Tag Archives: fear of the Lord

Hosea – Article #6

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Chapter 4

“No truth, no mercy, no knowledge of God is in the land.”

This is Hosea 4:1b. No truth, no mercy and no knowledge of God in the lands of the ten northern Tribes of Israel. ‘Emeth (truth) in the Hebrew simply means that there is no stability in whatever someone teaches or advocates. This is probably a decent example of a rumor-mill.

truth that changes like the weather

Truth that changes like the Weather.

The so-called truth changes like the weather. It takes time for knowledge to fade from the learned. Hosea 4 states that at this time of Hosea there is NO *KNOWLEDGE. He is talking about possessing knowledge of the God who lead their ancestors out of Egypt some 600 plus years earlier, is no longer wide spread. Other gods (which means priorities) have replaced the One God of Israel.

One might use the Hebrew epignosis or da’ath for translating to the English word knowledge. Both mean can mean recognition of or discernment depending on its intended use or meaning.

There is significance here when one recalls Proverbs 9:10…”Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; knowledge of the Lord God is the beginning of understanding.” Without truth, how can there be knowledge? Without knowledge how can one have a basis of even simple understand? Simple reading of the Word of God does not always equal any depth of knowledge other than the fact that one read His Word. That comes with understanding. The Kingdom of Israel had lost all of this. Now the consequences….The Kingdome of Israel had lost the knowledge of serving God therefore they no longer rose to the level of of any understanding.

Hosea’s chapters 1, 2, & 3 are all about his family situations discussed in articles 1–5 on this website.

His family is a living examination of spiritual conditions within Israel all illustrated through his marriage with Gomer. This includes the specific meaning of the names Hosea gave to his three children born of Gomer. Hosea 4:3 is specific. The lands of the Kingdom of Israel will “languish” [v3, KJV]. This includes all being: the land itself, the beasts of the field and the fish in the waters. It will become barren. History proves this to be true. It happened as prophesied remaining that way for over 2,000 years. What we call Palestine today was a sandy deserted abandoned land before 1947.

Now he (Hosea) shifts to God’s direct issues with Israel. These issues can also be applied to modern times and those who call themselves members of the church; i.e. claiming Christianity; practicing religion. In this situation Hosea was NOT even preaching to the choir. If he was, it would sound like a choir that did not know what song to sing, all sang something in any key s/he wished, in a different timing, and all at the same time with different lyrics. What a concert Hosea must have felt he was attending.

Keep in mind that Gomer represented Israel and her children the civilians of Israel. In Hosea 4:5b it reads…”…and I will destroy your mother,” then in v6 God continues… “…and I will forget your children.”  It all began with Israel losing the knowledge of God as their savior. No knowledge means that there is also no fear of God. An example in 2020 would be similar to someone ignoring or never knowing what it required to avoid the Coronavirus while continuing to walk in the midst of it. There was in Hosea’s time and will be in our modern time a thing called consequences…deadly consequences.

The Hebrew for “forgotten” is shâkêach meaning to put from one’s mind or to have never paid attention or been instructed. Even as in the CoVid 19 pandemic, the solution needed to be shoved down individual throats in the form of a ventilator and even then, over time it still didn’t work.

Verse 7: [ESV] “The more they increased, the more they sinned against me; I will change their glory into shame.”   Just as in the 2020 pandemic, the more people increased in their violation of God’s laws, the more to their shame. Almost if not actually becoming social outcasts. The glory of an individual as part of society is replaced with something similar to wearing an old fashion leprosy sign stating…UNCLEAN!

Hosea 4:10-11 “They shall eat, but not be satisfied; they shall play the whore, but not multiply, because they have forsaken the LORD to cherish whoredom, wine, and new wine, which take away the understanding.”

JIV NOTE: Up to this point this northern kingdom’s lack of knowledge is akin to simply saying “I have all the knowledge I need.” I know this Bible story and that Bible story, but they are just STORIES! What else is expected? Oh my friends. This is so true today. Even in Bible believing churches many in the flock think church attendance and perhaps a couple of bucks in tithing are GOOD ENOUGH for a Christian life. Evidence? Count those who show up for the regular church service by comparison to those who show up for the mid-week bible study…IF there is even a mid-week prayer or Bible moment.

Always Seek Knowledge

In New Testament time Jesus was constantly challenging the religious traditions, customs, and personal power status of the religious leaders. They had knowledge but did not understand much if any of it. They lived in a status-quo.  Paul was highly educated but did not understand; that is until the Road to Damascus.

“Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priests for Me” [Hosea 4:6] This would be a very scary situation if during the 2020 pandemic hospitals entered each patient on the basis of whether or not a person in need was actually ignorant of the personal threat of Covid 19 or rejected it. What confronts the leadership of the Kingdom of Israel is similar. If the medical society (doctors) rejected the insights of Covid 19 and warned no one, all would be a great risk. This is the situation as stated per rejected knowledge of God’s laws in Israel.

Dr. David Guzik puts it well in comparing the Kingdom of Israel in their “wife” relationship to their “husband” God.

The picture is striking when we consider how Israel wanted to add pagan gods to their worship of the LORD. It isn’t as if Israel officially said, “We want to leave the LORD, and now serve only pagan gods.” Instead, Israel wanted to add the worship of pagan gods to their worship of the LORD. God received this the same way a husband would if his wife said, “I want you to still be my husband, I just want to take on a few more lovers also.”

Gomer did the same thing to Hosea. It didn’t end there as agreed upon between Hosea and Gomer; i.e.  God and Israel, but this is not the end of our Hosea study either.

Up to Hosea 4:14 we continue to read of God’s displeasure with Israel. At verse 15 [ESV] we see a situation and warning of something 120 years in the future of Hosea’s time. Though you play the whore, O Israel, let not Judah become guilty.  Jeremiah 3:11writes [NASB] …”And the Lord said to me, “Faithless Israel (northern Kingdom of Israel) has proved herself more righteous than treacherous Judah.” (Emphasis mine)

Hosea 4:15 to verse 19 (end of chapter) is a basic summary of the first 14 verses in Hosea 4. Let us add this thought then try in one’s own to insert it into what is going on in the Northern Kingdom of Israel long before and up to Hosea’s time.

To know of God is not the same as knowing God.

At times people wonder if there is a better way to help people understand scripture with its implications and applications. This author is one of them. I recall when standing in front of many college classes of mine that calling on another student to explain something using their own words gets the message through better than the way I put it. The attached link is just that. We defer to him to help others better understand what is going on that true believers need to know. If we don’t know or understand the signs of end time per the Bible, how can we recognize them when in front of us?    – Dr. jStark

 

 

Article #38 – Daniel 12

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Study Note: Daniel 12:1 is a precise actuality statement so often skimped or stinted in bible studies by teachers, preachers, and students.

The result in a study of chapter 12 is often a pinching out of its actual content, context, plus its very feasible identification of the unidentified figures or characters mentioned throughout this chapter. Please keep in mind and per this website’s platform…every denomination or those individuals who claim or believe in his or her mind that they are born again often ignore the signs given in Daniel 12 as to what to look for per the beginning of End Time. What is their motive to not wish to grasp this scripture?

Denominations need to examine the Book of Acts to see that the original church was a gathering place of expectant and practicing believers; those who “BE” along with “LIVE” the Word of God. The Apostle Paul warns (1 Timothy 6:3) of those wolves who were already worming their different opinions and eventual “denominational” differences into the original Christian church. We should not see this as much as singular focus(es), but too much denominational differences and emphasis is usually “at the expense of knowing and understanding the totality of the Word of God.” Denominations isolate a group and as a group, insulate that same group from other (differing denominational doctrines) believers. This was NOT the church in the Book of Acts.

Allow us to put it in very simple terms. As Christians, we are to be united without compromise in order to be a team of believers. If our concentration is on only one or a few faces on a team it divides. It does not unite or even make for a good team. Similarly, a football team has individual players and player positions, but then so does Christianity through the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Together they make a powerful team when correctly coached. No, a wide receiver coach does not advise the corner backs or offensive tackles. Christianity is a common denominator. Far too many of those who claim Christ never practice the position the Holy Spirit assigns to him or her. There is no position called the “bench.” The positions on a Christian team are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord [I Corinthians 12:4 & 5]

Daniel 12:

Right out of the chute Daniel 12:1 identifies a specific in the angel Michael. Let’s take a question and answer approach to this final chapter in Daniel.

Please Read Verses 1-4 of Daniel 12

Q: What does “at that time” refer to?

A: Remember that originally there were no chapter and verse markings. Chapters 10-12 should be read as a single chapter. There is no break in the conversation between the end of chapter 11 and the beginning of chapter 12. Daniel 12 begins with… “at that time” referring to what has just been described in chapter 11 as the actions of the Antichrist. The same is true between the end of chapter 10 and the beginning of chapter 11. “at that time” helps us understand these chapters are one.

Q: What might be significant about the fact that it is Michael who is specified here and not Christ the Messiah?

A: Michael is identified exclusively with and the protector of the people of Israel regardless of where one of them lives on planet earth. It indicates that the things occurring here in Daniel are specific to the literal nation (people) of Israel. If the Messiah were specified, it would speak of the church composed of both Jew and Gentile. It’s yet another indication that God is not yet done with Israel and has plans yet to be fulfilled.

Q: What is “the book” referred to here in 12:1? 12:1 states, ”At that time your people will be delivered, (whose) everyone whose name is written in the book.”

A: The Book of Life, those of God’s chosen people obtaining salvation through Christ. This statement may be a signpost that the church has already been raptured. This is not an ALL INCLUSIVE statement. First it refers to YOUR PEOPLE (Daniel’s) then it specifically refers to those from this select grouping whose names are written in the book.

Q: So what does this indicate about those of Israeli descent who will be then rescued?

A: They have experienced a spiritual revival and accepted Jesus as their Messiah. (This is spoken of through other prophets as well.) This is not an automatic inclusion of Israelis who reject Christ as Messiah.

Q: And what occurs shortly after Israel’s rescue?

A: The “time of distress” comes to a close and there is a resurrection. The Time of distress is the final 3 ½ years of the Tribulation known best as Jacob’s Trouble; Jacob, the progenitor of the 12 Israeli tribes.

Q: Is v.2 describing the final and ultimate resurrection of all people for Final Judgment?

A: No. Scripture corroborates that there is an initial resurrection timed with the beginning of Messiah’s Millennial Reign (Bema Seat Judgement), followed by the ultimate and final resurrection of everyone for final disposition (Great White Throne Judgement).

*For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. [I Thessalonians 4:16]

Rapture concept word cloud background

“Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.” (This passage is a great and multiple points discussion, study and clarification by itself) [Revelation 20:4-6]

JIV NOTE: In reality, it won’t matter whether you believe in the Rapture of the Church and whether or when it comes in relation to these events because believers are all going to be under God’s will and timing regardless. The more important factor is whether or not one’s individual name is “written in the book”; whether or not we choose Christ over everything else.

Q: Why will “those who have insight…shine brightly”? Of what is this speaking? [Daniel 12:3]

A: It’s a general reference to the role and responsibility of the teachers and preachers of the Gospel during the future end of times as described in Daniel 10-12. They are not merely preaching about the need for salvation, but fulfilling Christ’s mandates to “make disciples” (Matthew 28:19) by teaching and holding ourselves plus others who claim Christ to living according to the biblical standards of righteousness, putting into personal practice God’s Word to us.

JIV NOTE: In previous articles we define the word “believe” according to scripture as a two part word. To BE-to LIVE…be-lieve! This defines a disciple. In other words, a student of Bible who lives out his or her actions according to God’s will, not our will.

Q: What is the contrast of the personal message to Daniel in v.4 during Daniel’s time, versus that to John in Revelation 22:10?

  1. In Revelation the Apostle John was told: “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.” Daniel is told to “Seal up these words” for now. It is a future prophecy of time yet to come.

JIV NOTE: The timing and perspective given through Daniel 10-12 is one of looking at two future events yet to occur; one sooner and one at End Time. John is looking back on one fork of a dual prophecy; one portion or prong of the two-pronged prophecy as already fulfilled between 530 B.C. and the birth of Jesus. The second prong is still unfulfilled during the life of John; probably around 90 A.D. But, it has similar characteristics.