Scripture Text (NRSV)
Hosea 5:15-6:6
- 5:15
- Then I will go back to my place until they admit their guilt. And they will seek
my face; in their misery they will earnestly seek me."
- 6:1
- "Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal
us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds.
- 2
- After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we
may live in his presence.
- 3
- Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as
the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring
rains that water the earth."
- 4
- "What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your love
is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears.
- 5
- Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets, I killed you with the words of
my mouth; my judgments flashed like lightning upon you.
- 6
- For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt
offerings.
Comments:
Nobody wants to preach this powerful passage?
In 6:1-3, it seems that all is going well. The people are ready to repent.
But the LORD knows their hearts and knows that their desire to turn back to Him is temporary and God is, perhaps a bit frustrated with their temporary displays of piety and repentance. In v. 6, God is calling for heart change, not outward displays.
Ravi Zacharias has said of the human condition that at times, there appears to be nothing so indomitable as the human will, and at other times there is nothing so changable as that will. Our devotion is not to be a mist, or a cloud.
JGinWI
There is a message here for America to hear. We were all joined in mutual prayer and worship just nine months ago because of the events that took place on Sept 11. What has happened? Has everyone forgotten how they were all calling on God. Have the people forgotten how they again wanted prayer in the schools? We here in America are a diverse people. We have people of various hues and ethnic backgrounds but we are one people, Americans.
Just because we have had no incidents since that tragic day people are again forgetting God and returning to their self will. We need to heed the words of Hosea 5:15 and not wait until calamity befall us to call upon the name of the Lord.
JNT
LA
JNT LA
I agree with you in part, but I think you miss the real message of this pericope when you bring up prayer in schools. Prayer in schools is just another of those "showy" sacrifices that God says He does not want. Face it, people can pray all they want in school, out of school, in their cars, in their homes, etc. What God wants is less "show" on our part and a true acknowledgement that He is God. We also cannot take this message apart from the Gospel. When we know God, we know that He loved us enough that He sent His Son to die for all of us. This is true faith, the kind of faith that Abraham "showed", the kind of faith that God wanted from the Israelites. God wants us to "let God be God" and receive the gifts He has given to us. That is best done in worship. Through the hearing of God's Word and the reception of His Sacraments, ie; Holy Communion and Holy Baptism, through which His grace continues to be poured out to mankind.
BJH CA
To BJH CA and JNT LA
I grew up a child of a public school teacher who had daily devotionals in class. When the ban on teacher led prayer came into effect she continued with quiet time and inspirational readings. Times have changed. She dealt with a rural society that expected and accepted the teachers' right to lead children spiritually. My point being; we put clothing on our kids to protect them before we send them to school, we put food before them to nurish them before we send them to school, we give them money to buy lunches before we send them to school, we don't expect[well, some do] school to provide the basic necessities for them, but why do we raise a hue and cry over teacher led prayer? Do we expect the school system to provide them with the basics of spirituality? Society has abdicated its right to teach its own and when trials come looks for the scapegoat[lack of school prayer] when we are the real culprits.
Bob the Builder
Bob the Builder;
Couldn't agree with you more. The responsibility lies with parents and with pastors and Sunday School teachers. With all of the "false" religions around today, I don't want my kids led in prayer to a false "god." They have been taught about God, the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This is the God they pray to and it doesn't need to be done in public.
BJH CA
