The Dolores star. [volume] (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.) 1901-current, 1915-12-10
LESSON FOR DECEMBER II
JEHOVAH vEAKNs OVER ISRAEL

LESScN TENT-Hosea Hill
GOLDEN TENT drew them with
CORDS OF man, with bands Of love-
Hosea II:i
A contemporary Of Isaiah and Amos,
Hosea continued to prophesy after
the hrst captivity OF the northern
kingdom. His style is abrupt and fig.
urative. Israel is Jehovah's adulter-
Gus wife. repudiated. but finally to be
purihed and restored. This lesson is
part OF the second section of the
book t;1-l3:&l. which is a descrip-
ton Of the sinful people
!. "The perverse Child" w. ~.
The remnant" ,ch. GLIB had cried
out for relief (See lisa. 10: Rom.
2:5). JehoVah's reply (begins 6:i) is
severe arrangement OF Israel's back
sliding as contrasted with his grace.
10 understand this lesson read the
entire book repeatedly. In verse ! OF
the lesson Jehovah recalls to the ma
tion the days of its childhood. Be-
cause OF his great love (Deut. I'D
he called them out of Egypt. the land
OF bondage. into Canaan, the land OF
blessing and liberty. Yet Israel sensed
not its duty nor its obligation of graft
tude. We are living under a greater
obligation because Of the greater re-
demptior God has provided for us in
the person OF his Son. God here calls
Israel my son" lex. 4:22); we have
the right to call ourselves sons John
1:12; l. John 3:1-2). Matthews COS.
pei applies these words to him who
alone was fully and In the true sense
Gods son. Jesus is the summary Of
the whole nation in that he alone fully
realized Gods purpose in Israel Matt
2:15).
As contrasted with what a son is
or should be verse gives a picture
Of Israels wandering. Tho whole his
tory Of the nation is one OF going after
false gods. q. Sam: S:7-9 and many
other references.) In those childhood
days ". 81 Jehovah taught them how
to walk. and healed their hurts, but
they knew not"-God, as q tender Fa.
ther. had watched over. taught, guild
ed and healed lex. 1914: lisa. 1873:
$3.50. Even SO, in this present age
God Is a God of mercy and long SUI
fering (Rom. 2:D, yet the mass Of
men KNOW not" what God Is, doing
for them. In verse the child has
grown older and as mothers often
tether q child lest 1t run away, so Je-
hovah endeavors to draw Israel to
him with cords of love-" His cord
Of love now is the mighty power OF
Calvary (John 1889. Jehovah not
only drew but even sought to entice,
| for he laid meat unto them"-Jesus
will deliver us, for no bore our yoke
| Matt. 11:28-30) and Is for us the
| Bread Of Life (John c:35, 5s). Love
does not mean that the backslider
shall be free from punishment BE
cause they refused to return .
the sword shall abide" ". SO and Heb.
1870. Even so God did not permit
them to go back to Egyptian bond
age ". 81. Israel was bent tc back
sliding" In spite of the constant call
to worship and serve him none would
exalt him."
u. The Pleading Parent, w. 8-12.
None can fathom tho depths of the
cry, How shall l give thee up, How
| shall | deliver thee" ". 81. Israel
would persist and still.Jehovah pleads
! that perchance they would heed his
! cry tJer. 81: Lam. 3:33). Admah
and Zeboim were irrctrievably over
thrown with Sodom and Gomorrah
! Deut. 1898, shall Israel likewise
! perish? No! ". 81 for Il ara God, not
! man" God does not, like man,
! chanGe-his covenants arc rot scraps
! CT paper his love is everlasting Gnu.
23:15). 1t is not God but man who is
! responsible for his destruction. The
J Holy One in the midst of thee" is
| there to save, not as an avenger. God
| has net come into our midst in wrath
Gods passionate desire is to save
not to destroy. His purposes arc
those of love and redemption and as
with Israel Of old, so in this age, he
! will carry out these purposes in spite
! Of our backsliding from. 11:2S-29).
Verses 10 and II are prophetic of the
! ultimate repentance and restoration OF
! acknowledgement shall pass upon their
foes joel 3:16) and those of the dis
persion tsee parallel lisa. 11:11-16)
| shall gather, as doves to their win.
dows," and be once more lin their
houses" I. e., set up as a nation in
their God-given land. Ephraim ". 12)
sought to rule without or by casting
of Jehovah Il. Cor. 4:3).
In Judah was the legal priesthood
and the legitimate king. but the apos.
tasy Of Israel was more culpable be.
cause Of the example of Judah which
he had set at nought.
III. Promised DeIiveranee. In q
most striking way Hosea flashes a
note Of hope and love through the
cloud Of gloom which hung over the
nation as it drew closer to it's doom.
because the people refused to repent.
Amos delivered his warning and re-
turned to Judah.
Hosea was q part of the, nation
which emphasizes such verses Of his