The Minor Prophets Speak to Today
What Crowd Do You Celebrate Like?
Hosea 9:1-4 NLT
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1O people of Israel,
do not rejoice as other nations do.
For you have been unfaithful to your God,
hiring yourselves out like prostitutes,
worshiping other gods on every threshing floor.
2 So now your harvests will be too small to feed you.
There will be no grapes for making new wine.
3 You may no longer stay here in the Lord’s land.
Instead, you will return to Egypt,
and in Assyria you will eat food
that is ceremonially unclean.
4 There you will make no offerings of wine to the Lord.
None of your sacrifices there will please him.
They will be unclean, like food touched by a person in mourning.
All who present such sacrifices will be defiled.
They may eat this food themselves,
but they may not offer it to the Lord.
do not rejoice as other nations do.
For you have been unfaithful to your God,
hiring yourselves out like prostitutes,
worshiping other gods on every threshing floor.
2 So now your harvests will be too small to feed you.
There will be no grapes for making new wine.
3 You may no longer stay here in the Lord’s land.
Instead, you will return to Egypt,
and in Assyria you will eat food
that is ceremonially unclean.
4 There you will make no offerings of wine to the Lord.
None of your sacrifices there will please him.
They will be unclean, like food touched by a person in mourning.
All who present such sacrifices will be defiled.
They may eat this food themselves,
but they may not offer it to the Lord.
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DO NOT REJOICE AS OTHER NATIONS DO!
WHY?
Because they do not worship the true God.
Because they answer to a different Lordship.
Because we do not share the same value system.
Because in doing so - while it may make you happy
- you have been unfaithful to your God.
IT IS NOT BECAUSE IT IS A LAW (a Command)!
It is because of a relationship you have.
THE RESULTS OF THIS UNFAITHFUL REJOICING?
1. Your harvests will be too small to feed you.i.g.- your work will not earn enough to satisfy you
2. There will not be enough grapes to make new wine.
i.g. - you will run out of new pleasures
3. You may no longer stay in the Lord's land.
i.g. - your home will no longer be your home
4. You will return to Egypt
i.g. - you will return to your way of living before Christ
changed you
5. You will eat food that is unclean
i.g. - what you feed on in life will be defiled, not holy
Your sacrifices (gifts offered to God) will be defiled. (as a community)
Those who bring them will be defiled. (as individuals)
You may eat of this food (enjoy these gifts and the churches you spend them in)
But you may not offer the gift or your worship to the Lord.
Why you ask?
Because he will reject them
Just as he will reject your acts of worship.
For you have broken fellowship with him
By rejoicing - celebrating - the way the world does.
Photo Credits:
Crowd by deadserpents @flickr.com
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