THE DIVINE REVIEW

HOSEA 11:1

A. "WHEN ISRAEL WAS A CHILD, THEN I LOVED HIM AND CALLED MY SON OUT OF EGYPT"
  1. Here Jehovah reminds His wayward people of what He had done for them:
    1. "I taught Ephraim also to go taking them by their arms" (v.3)
    2. "I drew them with the cords of men, with bands of love" (v.4)
    3. "I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them" (v.4)
  2. But all seemed in vain:
    1. They continued to serve Baalim and burned incense to graven images (v.2)
    2. "And my people are bent to backsliding from me" (v.7) B. WHAT GOD DID FOR ANCIENT ISRAEL
  3. He loved them:
    1. "When Israel was a child, then I loved him" (v.1)
    2. "I drew them with the cords of men, with bands of love" (v.4)
    3. Writes the prophet Isaiah, "Since thou was precious in my sight, thou hast been honorable and I have loved thee; therefore, will I give men for thee, and people for thy life" Is. 43:4
  4. He delivered them from the yoke of bondage:
    1. "I called my son out of Egypt" - Ex. 3:7-8
    2. Writes Paul, "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son" - Col. 1:13
    3. Paul had been called to preach the gospel of deliverance, "To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God" - Acts 26:18
  5. He taught them His great law:
    1. "I taught Ephraim also to go taking them by the arms" (v.3)
    2. No other nation on the fact of the earth had been taught as Israel; to them God had committed the lively oracles - Rom. 3:1-2; Acts 7:38
    3. The seriousness of the apostasy of Israel is increased by their sinning against the light they had bee given - Heb. 10:26
  6. He encouraged and assured them:
    1. "How shall I give thee up?" (v.8)
    2. "I will never leave or forsake thee" C. HOW THEY HAD REQUITED HIS GOODNESS
  7. They had listened to other voices:
    1. "They called them so they went" (v.2)
    2. How unstable are the human affections
    3. The worshipers of others called them and they followed their call
  8. But before we pass judgment upon ancient Israel, let us examine our own relationship with the Lord:
    1. Are there no voices in the world which call us; the lust of the flesh, the pride of life, and the lust of the eye - I John 2:15-16
    2. Are we in danger of becoming entangled in the cares of this world to a point where we break our connection with the Lord; drop out the family worship, fail to attend the services of the church and become careless in our conduct
  9. They failed to recognize His good hand as they should have:
    1. "They knew not that I healed them" (v.3) What - recipients of His great mercies and blind to the Giver?
    2. Is there any sin more common than this? The world is crowded with such sinners, and the church has those in it who are ungrateful to a loving and compassionate God - ingratitude is a mark of degeneracy - Rom. 1:21
    3. How often do we lift up our hearts in humble gratitude to our heavenly Father for the unspeakable gift of Heaven
  10. They had a tendency to backsliding:
    1. "My people are bent on backsliding from Me" (v.7)
    2. Alas, this bent is only too common among us today - Rev. 3:14-18
    3. We must pray "Uphold Thou my goings, that I slip not" - Ps. 51:12; 119:116
  11. When we view our own relationship with the Lord in the light of our subject:
    1. Can we trace God's love and compassion toward us all the days of our life?
    2. Do we recall how He has sought to teach us His holy will and how to walk in the straight narrow way
    3. Does it not make our hearts sad, that there is a tendency among us to backslide in one thing or another


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