The Idaho Springs siftings-news. (Idaho Springs, Colo.) 1905-19??, 1915-12-10
LESSON FOR DECEMBER II
JEHOVAH veAams OVER ISRAEL.

LESSON TEXT-Hosea Hill
GOLDEN TEXT drew them with
cords OF man. with bands Of love-
Hosea liza
A contemporary OF Isaiah and Amos.
Hosea continued to prophesy after
the first captivity of the northern
kingdom His style is abrupt and fix-
urative. Israel IL Jehovahs adulter-
Gus wife, repudiated. but finally to be
purified and restored. This lesson is
part OF the second section of the
book H:1-13:8. which is a descrip
ton Of the sinful people.
!. 1.-THE Perverss chlId,- w. ~.
The remnant" (ch. GLIB had cried
out for relief. (See lisa. lie: Rom
$3.50. Jehovah's reply (begins 6:D is
. severe arraisnment Of Israers back
sliding a. contrasted with his grace
To understand this lesson read the
entire book repeatedly. In verse / of
the lesson Jehovah recalls to the ma
ton the days OF its childhood. Be-
cause OF his great love (Deut. TED
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 arc living under a greater
obligation because Of the greater re-
demption God has provided for us in
the person OF his Son. God here calls
Israel my son" (Ex. 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 10 the summary Of
the whole nation in that he alone fully
realized Gods purpose in Israel Matt.
z:16).
As contrasted with what a son is
or should be verse gives q picture
OF Israels wandering. The whole his
tory Of the nation Is one Of going after
false gods. II. Sam: 1913 and many
other references) In those childhood
days ". - Jehovah taught them how
to walk. and healed their hurts. but
they knew not'-God. as q tender Fa-
Their, had watched over. taught. guild
ed and healed (Ex. 1874; lisa. 1873;
$3.50. Even 20. in this present age
God IL q God Of mercy and long suf-
fering from. 2:N. yet the mass of
men know not" what God il doing
for them. In verse I the child has
grown older and ~ mothers often
tether . child lest It run away. so Je-
hovah endeavors to draw Israel to
him with cords Of love-" His cord
of love now 10 the mighty power of
Calvary John 1880. Jehovah not
only drew but even sought to entice,
for he laid meat unto them"-Jesus
will deliver us, for he bore our yoke
Matt. 11:28-30) and is for US the
Bread of Life (John 6:35, 5s). Love
does not mean that the backslider
shall be free from punishment. BE
cause they refused to return
the sword shall abide ". Sc and Heb.
1850. Even 30 God did not permit
them to 90 back 20 Egyptian bond
age ". 81. Israel was " bent to back
sliding" In spite OF the constant call
to worship and serve him none would
exalt him.
u. Tho Pleading Parent, w. sig.
None can fathom the depths Of the
cry. How shall I give thee up, How
shall ! deliver thee" ". 81. Israel
would persist and still Jehovah pleads
that perchance they would heed his
cry (Jer. ST; Lam. 3:33). Admah
and Zeboim were irretrievably over
thrown with Sodom and Gomorrah
Deut. 29:33), shall Israel likewise
perish? No! ". 81 for Il am God. not
man." God does not, like man,
change-his covenants are not scraps
of paper" his love is everlasting (Nu.
23:19). It is not God but man who is
responsible for his destruction. The
Holy One in the midst Of thee" IL
there to save. not as an avenger. God
has not come into our midst in wrath
Gods passionate desire 10 to save
not to destroy. His purposes are
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 (Rom. 11:2S-29).
Verses 10 and II are prophetic Of the
ultimate repentance and restoration Of
israel-judgment shall pass upon their
foes (Joei 3:16) and those of the dis
persion (see parallel lisa. 11:11-16)
shall gather, as doves to their win
dows." and be once more Gin their
houses" I. g., set up as a nation in
their God-given land. Ephraim ". 12)
sought to rule without or by casting
o6 Jehovah II. Cor. 4:8).
In Judah was the legal priesthood
and the legitimate king. but the apoa.
tasy Of Israel was more culpable be-
cause Of the example of Judah which
he had set at nought.
Ill. Promised Dellveranes. In
most striking way Hosea flashes q
note OF hope and love through the
cloud Of gloom which hung over the
nation ~ It drew closer to its doom.
because the people refused to repent.
Amos delivered his warning and re-
turned to Judah.
Hosea ws0 part Of the nation
which embassies such vernea NJ hi~