A Call To Return

Israel’s Punishment For Their Unfaithfulness

Imagery: Tearing/struck down

Their sin? : Forsaking the Lord

Israel’s Sin is that they had left God, the God of her covenant. It wasn’t that they had merely broken God’s law, but they had broken his covenant which was the foundation of their relationship. They were unfaithful, they weren’t true to their creator and covenant God. (Pictured by hosea’s wife.)

God’s judgment on their sins.

God brings judgment on men’s sins. Not all discipline is because of sin, but we see that God does bring judgment on sin. All sin will be punished. God holds the power of life and death.

It is God who holds the power of life and death over every circumstance. We are in his hands and under his control.

Deuteronomy 32:39 ESV

39 “ ‘See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.

1 Samuel 2:6–7 ESV

6 The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. 7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts.

Psalm 139:16 ESV

16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

Israel’s Hope for The Future

-No security in Assyria?

Only the Lord can heal the sinful state that man is in.

-God intends good for his people even in their discipline.

It teaches them to turn back to him.

Job 5:17–18 ESV

17 “Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty. 18 For he wounds, but he binds up; he shatters, but his hands heal.

Romans 8:28 ESV

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

(Joseph, Jesus)

(Joseph, Jesus)

-Christ’s sufferings restore us and teach us how to think of suffering.

Jesus was broken, so that we could be raising in him.

Israel’s Invitation to True Relationship w/God.

The Need to Turn

All humanity is in a similar state. You have been untrue to your God.

Application

Looking to other things to give you security. (Finances, resource, people, government) All of us fall into this trap, secret idols of the heart. So His invitation is for you, turn back to the Lord.

Jeremiah 2:13 ESV

13 for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.

Coming to a true knowledge of Christ

vs. 6 Not accomplished by merely putting on religious duties. (Eli’s sons/ vs david)

This imagery is of a real revival, a recovering of the knowledge of God. A seeking to know him from the heart. An enthusiastic and unremitting pursuit of the Lord. Let’s turn back to live in fellowship and harmony with the lord.

This only comes through believing in Jesus Christ. We come to know God THROUGH CHRIST.

Accomplished by Christ’s spirit.

Don’t waste the opportunity to know Christ better.