Hosea 1 – The Time of the Great Shaking 何西阿书1 – 大动荡的日子
Wednesday, 26th April 2023
星期三2023年4月26日
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
潘锡安牧师
Section One V1-9 Jehovah Will Avenge 耶和华必追讨
V1 ‘The word of the Lord that came to Hosea the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.’
V1 ‘当乌西雅、约坦、亚哈斯、希西家做犹大王，约阿施的儿子耶罗波安做以色列王的时候，耶和华的话临到备利的儿子何西阿。’
We are facing the end of 100 years and the beginning of another 100 years of revival, we look forward to God’s faithfulness and His mercy to come upon us. There will be things happening in this great shaking, we must be ready and be alert in our spirit, look upon the Work of God. In the time of great shaking, through Hosea, God was talking to Israel. God did not give up on them, but did the people see what God was revealing? In the time of the great shaking, the power of Satan will be revealed, unrighteous things will happen around us, and we must see what God is doing right now.
V1-5 ‘When the Lord began to speak by Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea: “Go, take yourself a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry, for the land has committed great harlotry by departing from the Lord.” So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. Then the Lord said to him: “Call his name Jezreel, for in a little while I will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu, and bring an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. It shall come to pass in that day that I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.”’
V1-5 ‘耶和华初次与何西阿说话，对他说：你去娶淫妇为妻，也收那从淫乱所生的儿女，因为这地大行淫乱，离弃耶和华。于是，何西阿去娶了滴拉音的女儿歌篾。这妇人怀孕，给他生了一个儿子。 耶和华对何西阿说：给他起名叫耶斯列，因为再过片时，我必讨耶户家在耶斯列杀人流血的罪，也必使以色列家的国灭绝。 到那日，我必在耶斯列平原折断以色列的弓。’
Hosea was a prophet, but he had not heard from God until now. He’s been preparing all his life to hear the Word of God, but when God began to speak, it was about marrying a wife of harlotry and taking in the children of harlotry. The prophet was representing God to talk to the people, but in Hosea’s case, he had to put the Word of God in action and show how wicked the people were sinning against God. We must not limit God’s works, we thought we know God well, and we know how to be a ‘good Christian’, but if we really follow God, we will know that God only wants us to humble and obey and let Him do the work.
Hosea was born in the kingdom of Israel; God did not only ask him to speak God’s Word but to take actions. Hosea was representing God, how God was willing to take in the wicked people of Israel, Hosea was also to take in the wife and children of harlotry. God wants to reveal His love, but this is not a spoiled love, He also wants to teach us and reveal us His true love, which calls us to turn back.
God named Hosea’s son Jezreel, which means God plants. It sounded like a good name, but actually it was God telling people that His judgement was coming. Do not think that God will always bless us no matter, He is merciful but also righteous, we have to pay for what we have sinned. God said He will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu, and bring an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. The house of Jehu killed all many people to take over the throne of Israel, he thought he received victory, but God saw everything, and He would average. We are also like Jehu, we thought we are better than those who have authority over us; we despise them, we argue with them, and we try to overthrow them. But God will avenge, He sees everything and He knows what is inside our hearts.
V6-9 ‘And she conceived again and bore a daughter. Then God said to him: “Call her name Lo-Ruhamah, for I will no longer have mercy on the house of Israel, but I will utterly take them away. Yet I will have mercy on the house of Judah, will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword or battle, by horses or horsemen.” Now when she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. Then God said: “Call his name Lo-Ammi, for you are not My people, and I will not be your God.”’
V6-9 ‘歌篾又怀孕，生了一个女儿。耶和华对何西阿说：给她起名叫罗路哈玛，因为我必不再怜悯以色列家，决不赦免他们。 我却要怜悯犹大家，使他们靠耶和华他们的神得救，不使他们靠弓、刀、争战、马匹与马兵得救。” 歌篾给罗路哈玛断奶以后，又怀孕，生了一个儿子。 耶和华说：给他起名叫罗阿米，因为你们不做我的子民，我也不做你们的神。’
Gomer had another child, a daughter called Lo-Ruhamah, which means no mercy. We thought God is merciful, but when men sinned and turned away from God, God’s mercy will no longer come upon them. Through this child, God was talking to Israel, do not think the kingdom of Judah was weak, do not think the people of God were powerless. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, when we are willing to seek God, God’s salvation will come upon us. No matter how small we are in this world, when we rely on God, He will grant us victory.
The third child was called Lo-Ammi, which represented how the Israelites rejected God as their God. God never reject His people, but people first rejected God and did not see God’s salvation upon them. In Egypt, God saved His people out of slavery, provided them food and water in the wilderness, and eventually, led them into the Promised Land. But the people did not see God as their God and rejected Him instead. We must stay alert, God will repay, God will avenge, do not think that we are doing just fine.
Section Two V10-11 Jehovah is Faithful 耶和华是信实的
V10-11 ‘“Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ there it shall be said to them, ‘You are sons of the living God.’ Then the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together, and appoint for themselves one head; and they shall come up out of the land, for great will be the day of Jezreel!’
V10-11 ‘然而，以色列的人数必如海沙，不可量，不可数。从前在什么地方对他们说‘你们不是我的子民’，将来在那里必对他们说‘你们是永生神的儿子’。 犹大人和以色列人必一同聚集，为自己立一个首领，从这地上去，因为耶斯列的日子必为大日。’
God’s judgement will come upon us, but He is also faithful, His promise for Abraham is still valid. God longs for us to turn back to Him, when we seek God, when we repent our wicked ways, and God’s revival will again come to us. Are we willing to let go of ourselves, and admit we are the children of the living God? God will bring unity back to us, we will become one people, and there will be one head, who can help us to get back on our feet, and He is Jesus Christ.
We must have this heart to preach the Gospel, to share the Good News, because everyone is God’s creations, everyone is the children of Abraham, God wants us to disciple the nation, and to bring everyone to Him. He is faithful, He can bring salvation to all people. Let us fully rely on God, this is the time of great shaking, though prayers, through actions, we can experience great revival.