Transcript Lesson 2 for April 13, 2013 A. The spiritual status of the people of God. o A gullible dove. o A trained heifer. B.

Lesson 2 for April 13, 2013
A. The spiritual status of the
people of God.
o A gullible dove.
o A trained heifer.
B. God’s attitude to His people.
o Father-son relationship.
o Love and discipline.
C. God cares for His people.
“Ephraim is like a dove, easily deceived and
senseless—now calling to Egypt, now turning to
Assyria” (Hosea 7:11 NIV)
God compares His people to a gullible bird
that cannot detect the traps of the hunter.
Both Egypt and Assyria desired Palestine
because of its location.
When Israel was attacked by Egypt, they went
to Assyria for assistance.
When Israel was attacked by Assyria, they
went to Egypt for assistance.
If they went to God, they wouldn’t have to
fear Egypt nor Assyria.
“Cursed is the man who trusts in man
and makes flesh his strength, whose
heart departs from the Lord”
(Jeremiah 17:5)
ASSYRIA
ISRAEL
EGYPT
“Ephraim is a trained heifer that
loves to thresh grain; but I
harnessed her fair neck, I will
make Ephraim pull a plow. Judah
shall plow; Jacob shall break his
clods” (Hosea 10:11)
A heifer is an “adolescent” 2 or 3-year-old ox or cow.
It is working on threshing but it should be already working
hard on tilling.
it loves to thresh
I will make it pull a plow
“Israel had been placed in the Promised Land in easy,
comfortable circumstances, like a heifer threshing, that was
allowed to eat at pleasure (Deut. 25:4). Tragically, these
material comforts that should have drawn her close to her
Creator, made her sinfully self-sufficient and rebellious (see
on Deut. 32:15)”
(SDA Bible Commentary, on Hosea 10:11)
The fruit of that heifer’s work had been “wickedness…
iniquity… lies” (Hosea 10:13)
It should produce “righteousness… mercy… seeking the Lord”
(Hosea 10:12) thanks to the divine discipline (Assyria’s plow)
it shall break his clods
“Let every church member consider the breaking
up of the fallow ground, the careful cleansing of
the soil, and the depositing and harrowing of the
seed, which is the laborious work of the
husbandman. It is a rough and searching process.
The harrowing of the seed is not always pleasant
to the receiver, and sometimes disabling to him
because he does not sense the virtue of the Word
and become submissive under the tilling process
in spiritual life. The sins committed require the
sincere repentance that needeth not to be
repented of, but when the hard soil is broken up
and the stubborn clods are broken to pieces then
the precious seed can be sown and harrowed into
the soil. This represents the severe discipline of
God. Often rebellion is manifested, and the
discipline of God must continue until the
determined will is broken andE.G.W.
the(That
end
is gained”
I may know Him, October 2)
“It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the
arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them”
(Hosea 11:3 NIV)
God cares and disciplines His people just like a
father cares and disciplines His children.
“He who spares his rod hates his
son, but he who loves him disciplines
him promptly” (Proverbs 13:24)
“You should know in your heart that as
a man chastens his son, so the Lord
your God chastens you” (Deuteronomy 8:5)
Which is God’s purpose for disciplining His children?
Punishment is an “unusual act” for God (Isaiah
28:21). It is only necessary when it is essential for
man’s salvation.
God’s immense love forces Him to harshly
discipline us sometimes. That way we come back
to Him and get the salvation that has been
bought for us with a high cost.
“Trials and obstacles are the Lord’s chosen
methods of discipline and His appointed
conditions of success. He who reads the hearts of
men knows their characters better than they
themselves know them. He sees that some have
powers and susceptibilities which, rightly directed,
might be used in the advancement of His work.
In His providence He brings these persons into
different positions and varied circumstances that
they may discover in their character the defects
which have been concealed from their own
knowledge. He gives them opportunity to correct
these defects and to fit themselves for His service.
Often He permits the fires of affliction to assail
them that they may be purified”
E.G.W. (The ministry of healing, pg. 471)
The last chapter in the book of Hosea is a
calling for Israel to repentance, to abandon
their idols and to trust God’s tender care.
God promises these blessings to His
people in Hosea 14:5-8.
“O Israel, return to the Lord your
God, for you have stumbled
because of your iniquity” (Hosea 14:1)
“I will heal their backsliding”
“I will love them freely”
“I will be like the dew to Israel”
“They shall be revived like grain”
“They shall grow like a vine”
“Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon”
“I am like a green cypress tree”
“Your fruit is found in Me”
“Who is wise? Let him understand these things.
Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the
ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk
in them, but transgressors stumble in them”
(Hosea 14:9)