Read: Hosea 4:1-5:15; 2 John 1:1-13; Psalm 125:1-5; Proverbs 29:9-11
Hosea rebuked the people of Israel because there was no truth, mercy or knowledge of God in the land. Because of this, the land was full of killing, stealing and committing adultery and God would have to destroy it. The more Israel increased in number and wealth, the more wicked and godless it had become. They worshipped their idols at Gilgal and Bethel (4:15). Bethel means “house of God” but they had turned it into Beth Aven which means “house of wickedness”. They had a spirit of prostitution in their heart.
When Ahaz was king, the Syrians had come against Israel. He hired the Assyrians to help him instead of asking God for help. The Assyrians could not help Israel. She didn’t need military deliverance, she needed spiritual deliverance.
Judah had not done much better than Israel in her sin. Judah would be punished also, just not as severely because her sin was not as deep. God’s judgment was not to hurt them, but to punish them so that they would repent and seek him. Then he could heal them. That is always God’s heart.
In Second John, John was dealing with teaching the people about being hospitable to the traveling teachers to the churches. Some of them were true teachers and some of them were false teachers teaching false doctrine. He wanted to teach them how to discern the difference. He wanted them to have true love, but not without discernment. A true teacher would teach that Jesus came in the flesh to the earth. If one came teaching otherwise, they were not to invite them into their houses because they were false teachers. To have Jesus is to have the Father also.
Lord, help us to learn from Israel’s mistakes and stay humble as a people and as a nation.
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