A GOD WHO CARES

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

“I have been the Lord your God ever since you came out of Egypt; I will make you live in tents again, as in the days of your appointed festivals. I spoke to the prophets, gave them many visions and told parables through them.”

“The Lord used a prophet to bring Israel up from Egypt, by a prophet He cared for him.”

Hosea 12:9-10, 13

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

As we read the words of the prophets in the scriptures, we find lots of talk about judgment as God sought to try and get His people to turn from their sins, repent, and turn back to Him. Sometimes it worked; sometimes it didn’t and God had to send messages ensuring punishment through His appointed spokespeople.

But as we read so many words of judgment, we can’t allow ourselves to lose sight of one very important truth:

We serve a God who cares.

He cares for us today just as He has cared for His people through the ages, many accounts of which are contained in the holy scriptures. We find words affirming the compassionate, caring nature of God as we look at our final verses from Chapter 12 of Hosea today. Look again at these words here:

“I have been the Lord your God ever since you came out of Egypt; I will make you live in tents again, as in the days of your appointed festivals. I spoke to the prophets, gave them many visions and told parables through them.”

“The Lord used a prophet to bring Israel up from Egypt, by a prophet He cared for him.”  Hosea 12:9-10, 13

Note here where God speaks through His prophet to remind His people of His goodness and freeing liberation, harkening backs to the days when He rescued their ancestors from Egypt and the clutches of Pharaoh, using a prophet (Moses) to do so. In fact, God makes it clear in our passage today that He did this because He cared for the Israelites.  

Why share a story of past deliverance?

Because God was going to do it again for them.

Remember that God was sending His people into a seventy-year captivity in Babylon, the penalty for their sinful idolatry. While there in the midst of His judgment, God expected His people to reflect on their sinful unfaithfulness and abandonment of Him so that they might return with a renewed commitment to Him after their time was served.

And they would return. God said so Himself.

God told His people through Hosea that He would make them live in tents again as in the days of their appointed festivals, a direct referral to the Feast of the Tabernacles (also referred to as the Feast of Booths). This celebration was appointed by God after the Israelites were delivered from Egypt and it was one of the observances where all males were required to come to Jerusalem. Imagine the scene as a great migration of Jewish men traveled to Jerusalem for the eight day commemoration and associated feasting which always began and ended with a Sabbath day of rest. Of course, there weren’t modern lodging facilities to house such a large influx of God followers so those making the pilgrimage would reside in booths (also known as tents) fashioned out of tree branches. You can read more about God’s prescribed festival in Leviticus 23.

Indeed, God was going to discipline His people for He loved them too much to allow them to live in sin. For even in the midst of punishment, God is no less caring than He is when His people are living in His favor. He only longs for us to become the people He desires us to be like a parent will correct their child while bringing them up.

You see, God doesn’t correct us because He loves us less. Rather, He corrects us because He loves us all the more.

Won’t you praise Him today for His willingness to use whatever means He needs to get us to turn from our wrongs and back to His righteousness where we have the hope to live in a way that is pleasing and precious in His sight.

Amen

In Christ,

Mark
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