Covenanter Witness Vol. 86 - Rparchives.org

Sabbath SchoolLessonLesson Helps for the Week of May 16For May 16,1971God's Love for PeopleHosea 11:1-9; 14:1,4-6Comments bv John K. GaultWhen motoring through DeathValley, California, which in its lowestpoint is 282 feet below sea level andwhere the temperature in the summer risesto 130 degrees, we made contact with suchplaces as Devil's Golf Course, Bad Water,Dante's Point, and other places with namessuggesting the utter desolation of the areawhere many travelers perished with thirst.But at length we came to Scotty's Castlewhich was altogether out of keeping withthe whole area. There were rugs andtapestries costing as much as $50,000 andimported from Europe. A huge diningtable costing $10,000 was so large it had tobe constructed right in the room where itstood. There was a pipe organ which costmany thousands of dollars and a very largeelectric piano. In the front room a murmuringstream of water trickled over rockscontinuously. It was indeed in strikingcontrast with the utter aridity of the Devil'sGolf Course.Throughout the other places of theprophecy of Hosea and others we havebeen shown the desert of immorality suchas is expressed in 4:2, "By swearing, andlying, and killing, and stealing, andcommitting adultery, they break out andblood toucheth blood." The land of Israelhad become a spiritual desert. But in thiseleventh chapter of Hosea there is thewonderful description of the operation ofGod's love, as is presented in verses 1 and4, "When Israel was a child, then I lovedhim, and called my son out of Egypt. . . .1drew them with cords of a man, with bandsof love: and I was to them as they that takeoff the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meatunto them." This stands out in greatcontrast with the descriptions of Israel'ssins. In the world we pass many placeswhich might be likened to the Devil's GolfCourse of Death Valley and then we cometo the church where we hear about thewonderful "love of God which passethknowledge."1: God Showed His Love for Israel inDifferent Ways.Hosea said, "When Israel was a child,then I loved him." The prophet wasspeaking in behalf of God and he referredto the early history of Israel when thepeople were without a stable government.Under the leadership of Moses, God"called my son out of Egypt." God said, "Itaught Ephraim also to go, taking them bytheir arms, but they knew not that I healedthem." The figure here is that of a parenttaking a little child by the hands andhelping him up on his feet from time totime until he is able to walk by himself.When Israel had gotten more organizedGod was "to them as they that take off theyoke on their jaws." The reference here isto a young ox which because of its fractiousnesshad to have a special halter on itsjaws but afterit was broken in, the halterwas taken off. Israel lapsed into sin atdifferent times and "sacrificed untoBaalim, and burned incense to gravenimages," but God "drew them with cords ofa man, with bands of love....I laid meatbefore them."2: God Was Very Reluctant to GiveUp Israel.He said, through Hosea, "How shall Igive thee up, Ephraim? How shall I deliverthee, Israel? How shall I make thee asAdmah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim:Mine heart is turned within me; myrepentings are kindled together. I will notexecute the fierceness of mine anger, I willnot return to destroy Ephraim: for I amGod, and not man; the Holy One in themidst of thee: and I will not enter into thecity." These words of the prophet indicatethat God is "slow to anger and of greatmercy," and, as the Psalmist says in 103:9,"He will not always chide: neither will hekeep his anger forever." (Admah andZeboim were two small places which weredestroyed in the holocaust of Sodom andGomorrah. It would seem that God justcould not bring Himself to do such a thingto Israel.3: Why Did God Love Israel SoMuch?He loved Israel so much and was soreluctant to give them up because He hadchosen Israel to be a special nation inpreparation for the Savior's coming. Godloves people whom He has chosen. Goddid not love Moab, Ammon, Edom,Assyria, or Egypt, because He had notchosen any of them to share in theestablishment of His kingdom. Israel andthen Judah were eventually destroyed asnations, but many of the individual peoplewho were taken into captivity remainedtrue to God; and after about seventy yearsGod caused a "remnant" of the people toreturn to the land of their fathers andrebuild after the desolation. God madechoice of Israel and therefore He lovedthem. God has made choice of all truebelievers who make up the Israel of God.He is "angry with the wicked every day"because He has not chosen them from the"foundation of the world", as He has therighteous. Israel was to become theproving-ground of redemption and so whenJesus sent out His disciples He commandedthem, "Go not into the way of the Gentiles,and into any city of the Samaritans enter yenot: but go rather to the lost sheep of thehouse of Israel." When the Jews rejectedtheir King and put Him to death on thecross He then commanded His disciples to"go into all the world and preach thegospel."4: The Base Ingratitude of Israel.After God had shown His great lovefor Israel, Hosea said, "He shall not returninto the land of Egypt, but the Assyrianshall be his king, because they refused toreturn. And the sword shall abide on hiscities, and shall consume his branches,and devour them, because of theirown counsels. And my peopleare bent to backsliding from Me: thoughthey called them to the most High,none at all would exalt Him." This was thestupid reaction of Israel to the manybeneficent acts which God had extendedto them. All unbelievers are likewisestupid.5: Hosea's Final Plea for RepentanceIn 14:1-3 he said, "O Israel, returnunto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallenby thine iniquity. Take with you words,and turn to the Lord: say unto Him, Takeaway all iniquity, and receive usgraciously: so will we render the calves ofour lips. Asshur shall not save us; we willnot ride upon horses: neither will we sayany more to the work of our hands, ye areour gods: for in thee the fatherless findethmercy." Hosea's counsel was thatIsrael should confess her sin with hermouth. It was not right that the peopleshould offer "calves" in their sacrifices andcontinue to practice wickedness. Theprophet told them to make a sacrifice ofconfession of sin. There was no safety forthem in Assyria andit would be useless togo into Egypt and ride upon horses. Theymust admit the sin of seeking help fromeither Assyria or Egypt, and also confessthe sin of idolatry and injustice, "the workof our hands."Hosea then gave to Israel thepromise that if the nation would repent ofher sins and turn to the Lord, as God said,APRIL 21. 1971 11