Hosea 12

“The Lord has a charge to bring against Judah ...” (2). Through Hosea, God reminded the people of Judah that their troubled ancestor Jacob wrestled with the angel of God. After years of dishonesty, he “wept and begged for his favor” (3-4), and he encountered God at Bethel. But now, instead of seeking God, Jacob’s descendants were enamored with “lies and violence” and prideful about their wealth (1,8). Hosea urged them to repent and seek God, like Jacob did, and to “maintai

Hosea 11

“It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them” (3). Hosea used tender, familial language to describe how God had treated Ephraim/Israel with a father’s love: “When Israel was a child, I loved him” (1). God brought them out of Egypt and “raised” them, yet they sacrificed and burned incense to idols (2). Deeply attached, God grieved over them: “How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel?”

Revelation 5

“I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside” (4). John wept because no one on earth was good enough to open the book of God’s great promises; all humanity had failed and forfeited God’s blessings. But one of the elders said “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah ... triumphed” (5). The Lamb, Jesus Christ, can open the scroll because His death “purchased for God” people from all nations (9). 

“You have made them to be

Revelation 4

“Day and night, they never stop saying, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come” (8). John’s vision gave courage to believers who had seen their friends jailed and martyred. He saw “a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it” (2). This Someone was blazing with color, surrounded by a rainbow, and worshipped by 24 elders on thrones and spectacular creatures. John heard thunder and saw lightning, punctuated by songs of praise.

“You are w

Psalm 143

“For your name’s sake, Lord, preserve my life” (11). The psalmist’s cry for help was not only about his own desire to be rescued from trouble. He asked for mercy and God’s powerful intervention in the face of an enemy who was crushing him, so that he could live and follow God. He prayed, “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,” and then, “Show me the way I should go” (8). His prayer, “Rescue me” (9), was accompanied by “Teach me to do your will” (10).

“May yo

Hosea 9,10

“Do not rejoice, O Israel… .”  Rather than facing their history and decline, Israel wanted to live in denial. Hosea reminded them of two national scandals. In verse 9, he reminded them of the record in Judges 19 of a gang rape by “the men of the city.”  In verse 10, he referenced the events of “Baal-peor” from Numbers 25. Their wealth had deceived them (Hos 10:1,2). What hope could Hosea offer the nation?

“Sow with a view to righteousness, reap in accordance with kindness;

Hosea 7,8

Hosea used a series of metaphors and similes to awaken Israel to their sins. Adultery was compared to dough that was rising (7:3-12), the burning in their hearts for sin, as an oven.  Ephraim (v8) was called “a cake not turned,” because the opportunities for change, turning over, were past.  She was set in her ways.  When Israel looked to change, they looked in every way but upward (7:16).

The pillars of society -- government, law, finance and religion -- were corrupt (8:4-

Hosea 4-6

Hosea was a contemporary of Isaiah (Hos. 1:1; Is. 1:1). Both were trying to prevent the dissolution and disintegration of Israel that would result from their intentional wickedness. God’s case against Israel included their lack of faithfulness, kindness and knowledge.  In the place of these was violence in all its expressions (4:2-4). Idolatry was pervasive; justice was perverted (4:11-14).  God finally told Hosea, “Ephraim is joined to her idols, let her alone (v17).  Yet

Revelation 3:14-22

“You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing” (17). The Laodiceans were “lukewarm” (16) and had settled into a comfortable life. Satisfied with their physical comforts and earthly security, they had traded away abundant life with Christ and unknowingly made themselves “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked” (17).  Sadly, they didn’t realize it. Jesus exposed their emptiness because, “those whom I love, I rebuke” (19). 

“I counsel you to buy from m

Revelation 3:1-13

“You have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead” (1). John throws cold water in the face of the church of Sardis. He admonishes the complacent people to “wake up, remember, and repent” (v2-3), warning them that a day of reckoning will come when Jesus shows up unexpectedly, “like a thief” (3).  John’s warning is that spiritual entropy and apathy are real; we must stay on our guard and awake. 

“The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white” (4-5). Go

Revelation 2

“I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance ...” (18). John’s prophetic words to the seven churches included encouragement and warnings. The Ephesian believers hated wickedness (2), but they had forgotten the point – love for Jesus Himself (4). Those in Smyrna faced terrible pressure, and their faith remained strong – even to the point of death (10). Those in Pergamum were faithful, but they followed some mistaken teachings (14-15), and others to

Psalm 142

“When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who watch over my way” (3). The psalmist knew what it felt like to be burdened by troubles and isolation, to the point of hopelessness. At times, whether or not it was true, he felt like he had “no refuge” and no one who cared for him; no one was concerned that he was near the breaking point (4). But he poured out his complaint before the One who always hears and always responds (1-2).

“You are my refuge, my portion in the la

Hosea 2-3

Israel, in spite of God’s love and faithfulness to her, was insistently unfaithful to God -- tantamount to a wife’s being openly and brazenly unfaithful to her husband (2:1-7). She only returned to God when she had needs (v7). God determined to punish her according to her sins. She despised every act of kindness, selling herself to the highest bidder, yet God determined to redeem her. Hosea’s marriage was a mirror of Israel’s behavior; his wife had sold herself. Yet God, t

Hosea 1

Hosea, contemporary of Isaiah, prophesied during the darkest days of the “northern kingdom,” Israel. His ministry was not only with words, but like Isaiah’s, his family was a living message that demonstrated the heart of God (Hosea 1:2). Ahaz, king of Judah (Isaiah 7), had not listened to Isaiah’s  warning and had invited Assyria into the promised land to be allied with Judah It was an act of rebellion, but God allowed it as a lesson against unfaithfulness. The cost was th

Daniel 11-12

Though a captive, Daniel accepted the role that God was giving to him, to be an encourager and protector to Darius, the Mede king (11:1). Perhaps the ensuing prophesies were shared first with the king. Daniel’s first insight was to see Darius as one in a long line of kings to come (11:2ff). Whatever he was like, he was not the final. Daniel saw a king’s pride would cost tens of thousands to die, (11:12). Nations would rise and fall. Evil would continue to plague people, go