In a prayer and worship meeting tonight with about 150 young people, I was meditating on the Goodness of the Lord, His lovingkindness and endurance towards His people. I started thinking about the story of Hosea who – as a prophet of God for Israel started declaring the restoration of Israel in chapter 14. However – earlier on, he was instructed by Yahweh to marry a prostitute and be faithful to her in the midst of her returning to unfaithfulness and show love towards her in order to bring her to the place of living within the covenant God had for them.
Now – this is not an example we would necessarily want to see happen in life today – but the Father was using Hosea to display Israel’s unfaithfulness, harlotry, and indifference to the love, covenant, and blessings He wanted for His people – and how much He wanted to see them live under the Chuppah and setting of his glory and blessing as a bride.
In chapter 14, after describing the journey of Israel’s unfaithfulness, there is a restoration, and it is here I wish to land for a moment and examine this passage and how it pertains to the season of where I believe many in the Body of Messiah exist today. We must realize that Scripture was not written TO us directly – however it was written FOR us as we are joint heirs, adopted into the family of God and engrafted into the root of His Kingdom.
Let’s examine this and travel through the verses to look at the parallel of where Israel was mid-eighth century (along with Isaiah), and how their prophesied return to the Lord would look.
Verse 1 and 2 begin with – “Israel, return to Yahweh your God; for you have fallen because of your sin. Take words with you and return to Yahweh. Tell him, “Forgive all our sins, and accept that which is good: so we offer our lips like bulls.”
Two points jump out from this passage – returning to the Lord requires there to be some type of verbal proclamation/declaration of repentance – and then Hosea say that they should, “offer their lips like bulls.” – What in the world does that mean? Well – Israel was in exile at this time – with no temple and no way to offer animal sacrifices – so he is ostensibly saying that offer the fruit of their lips instead of bulls or calves…which means from the heart – worship and declarations of His Kingship/rulership/authority/power/dominion and majesty.
- It would be of the religious persuasion to attempt to manufacture some type of animal sacrifice OR not worship at all because the only identity of worship ever known was to offer animal sacrifices – so feelings of complete incapability could have been present and Yahweh tells the people – I don’t care about the activities of your worship – I want your heart! So, show me by making your declarations of repentance and worship together. The Church in America has programmed their services, excised the time for Yahweh to move in their meetings, and relegated a relationship to the routine of attendance. In latter years this has become so prevalent, and as a result, a lack of Scriptural understanding has arisen, repentance is not stressed any longer and the Presence of God has been diluted by man’s agenda.
Verses 3 and 4 say this: “Assyria can’t save us. We won’t ride on horses; neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, ‘Our gods!’ for in you the fatherless finds mercy. ” will heal their waywardness. I will love them freely; for my anger is turned away from him.”
- These two verses describe three sins Israel repents from – Trust in the strategy of man by counting on another nation’s government to help save them; the calvary of Egypt to somehow be a way for them to overcome their inability to be redeemed from exile; and simple idolatry. The Body today has started looking to government to provide answers to comfort our lives, when the Father is looking to have us seek Him instead of creating our own strategies to see blessings and righteousness abound. We have also remained in our idolatry to man’s devices, distractions, screens, entertainment, and so much more than that in all honesty – the time a Believer gives daily to the Father is extremely less than 15 years ago. – ask yourself, “Why?”
Moving on to verses 5 through 7: “I will be like the dew to Israel. He will blossom like the lily and send down his roots like Lebanon. His branches will spread, and his beauty will be like the olive tree, and his fragrance like Lebanon. Men will dwell in his shade. They will revive like the grain, and blossom like the vine. Their fragrance will be like the wine of Lebanon.”
- Dew waters the ground – Yahweh is saying He will not be like regular morning dew – but what is needed to water the soil for them to grow – He then goes on to describe His beauty and radiance like the Lily of the Valley which blooms are absolutely stunning. Yahweh then declares He will be like the cedars of Lebanon – the costliest trees in the region – they have a sweet fragrance, keep pests away, and are stately and used by the wealthy to build the best homes – the Temple was filled with them at one time. He reiterates His majesty again by describing the olive tree and the very fragrance of Lebanon. He follows with describing the effect of this by saying others will find shade in Israel – be fed again by the land – and the grapes will grow again producing the best wine – the wine of Lebanon. It is time for the Body for Christ to arise from mediocrity, stagnancy, apathy and ritual – to the place of vibrance and that which displays the presence of God in ways which has not been seen in ages – this means His Glory is returning to those who are seeking it. Truth will abound in the streets, maturity in Believers will arise – the sting of pain, hurt, and abuse will be destroyed, and the healing of the nations will begin.
Lastly verses 8 and 9 declare: “Ephraim, what have I to do any more with idols? I answer, and will take care of him. I am like a green cypress tree; from me your fruit is found. Who is wise, that he may understand these things? Who is prudent, that he may know them? For the ways of Yahweh are right, and the righteous walk in them; But the rebellious stumble in them.”
- Yahweh says that He is a Green Cypress Tree – this is where I got so excited. Cypress trees are a hard wood mainly used by the masses. Besides building structures, and firewood, one of the main things Cypress was used for after it was cut down was to create household idols – engraved and enshrined somewhere in the home. The wood is dead, the idol is dead, it does not answer prayer or any religious ritual (remember Elijah on Mt. Carmel? – Prophets of Baal?) – Yet – Yahweh says He is a GREEN – LIVING CYPRESS ROOTED tree providing fruit and shade by the healthy foliage it has. He declares this to Ephraim – the tribe which became the nations – the one who assimilated into the peoples of the earth the most – Father God makes a declaration about them here as a unifying promise that would come in Ephesians 2 in the New Testament – with the One New Man in Messiah – Jew and Gentile worshipping together in community. He then says the one who is wise is the one who walks in this…
This describes the promise which is coming soon today! I believe those who are seeking the Presence and the Truth are going to see the works of Yahweh through the power of the Holy Spirt in the Covenant of His Son Yeshua/Jesus. We are at this point. Where do you need to change/repent in order to see this in your family, your home, your community, and your city?
I will end with this correlating Scripture: The last book of the Bible with the last promise of the Father. Revelation 22:1-5 – “He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will be no curse anymore. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no night, and they need no lamp light; for the Lord God will illuminate them. They will reign forever and ever. “
If this is the endgame – the final description of where we will be – why not see this happen and be the precursor to His coming again – Even So – Yeshua Come!
Shalom
