The Green Forest tribune., 1915-12-10
INTERNATIONAL. SUNDNS0lOOL.
 LESSON {By F. O. SELLERS, Acting Director of Sunday School Course of Moody Bible Institute of Chicago.) Copyright 1915. Western Newspaper Union)
LESSON FOR DECEMBER 12
JEHOVAH YEARNs OVER ISRAEL.
LESSON TEXT-Hosea 11:1-11.

GOLDEN TEXT-I drew them with cords of d man, with bands of love- Hosea 11:4.
 A contemporary of Isaiah and Amos, Hosea continued to prophecy after the first captivity of the northern kingdom. His style is abrupt and fig rative. Israel Is Jehovahs adulter- ous wife, repudiated, but finally to be purified and restored. This lesson is part of the second section of the book (4;113:8), which is a descrip- tion of the sinful people.
 l. "The Perverse Child" w. 1-7. The remnant (ch. 6:1-3) had cried out for relief (See Isa 1:9; Rom. 2:5). Jehovah's reply (begins 6:4) is a severe arraignment of Israefs back sliding as entrusted with his grace To understand this lesson read the entire book repeatedly. In verse 1 of the lesson Jehovah recalls to the na- tion the days of it's childhood. Be- cause of his great love (Deut. 7:7) he called them out of Egypt, the land of bondage, into Canaan, the land of blessing and liberty. Yet Israel sensed not it's duty nor it's obligation of grati- tude. We are 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 liz; I. John 3:1-2). Matthew's EOS | pei applies these words to him who alone was fully and in the true sense 1 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 2 gives a picture of Israel's wandering. The whole his- tory of the nation is one of going after false gods. q. Sam: 8:7-9 and many other references) In those childhood days (v. 9 Jehovah taught them how to walk, and healed their hurts, but they knew not'-God as a tender Fa- ther, had watched over, taught, guid- ed and healed (Ex. 1914; Isa. 46:3; 63:9). Even So, in this present age God is a God of mercy and long suf- fering (Rom. 2:D, yet the mass of men know not" what God is c ing for them,.4 lr> verse the as i'd ha
 grown older and as mothers often tether a child lest it 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 12:32) Jehovah not only drew but even sought to entice, for he laid meat unto them"-Jesus will deliver us, for he lore our yoke
 (Matt. 11:28-30) and is for us the Bread of Life (John 6:35, 58). Love does not mean that the backslider shall be free from punishment Be cause they refused to return the sword shall abide" (v. 5-6 and Heb. 12:6). Even so God did net permit them to go back to Egyptian bond age (v. 5. Israel was bent to back sliding" In spite of the constant call to worship and serve him none would exalt him."
 II. The Pleading Parent, w. SIP. None can fathom the depths of the cry, How shall l give thee up, How shall I deliver thee" (v. 8. Israel
 would persist and still Jehovah pleads that perchance they would heed his cry (Jer. 9:7; Lam. 3:33). Admah and Zeboim were irretrievably over thrown with Sodom and Gomorrah
 (Deut. 29:33), shall Israel likewise
 perish? No! (v. 9 fer q am God, not man." God does not, like man, change-his covenants are not scraps of paper" his love is everlasting tNu.
 23:19). It is not God but man who is responsible for his destruction. The Holy One in the midst of thee" is there to save, not as an avenger. God has not come into our midst in wrath . Gods passionate desire is to save 1 not to destroy His purposes are
 those of love and redemption and as with Israel of old, so in this age, he will carry cut these purposes in spite of our backsliding (Rom. 11:28-29).
 Verses 10 and II are prophetic of the
 ultimate repentance and restoration of
 Israel-judgment shall pass upon their foes (Joel 3:16) and those of the dis ] persion (see parallel Isa. 11:11-16) , shall gather, as doves to their win . QOWS, dIu D6 OuC0 uOI6 HI IuSlI , houses" i. e.. set up as a nation in { their God-given land. Ephraim (v. 12) ] sought to rule without or by casting off Jehovah q. Cor. 4:8).
 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 Deliverance. In a 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 l because the people refused to repent. Amos delivered his warning and re- turned to Judah.
 Hosea was a part of the nation which emphasizes such verses of his
 prophecy as the following: 6:1, 4:6, 11:4, 11:6, GA, 6:6, 2:15 and 10;12.
 which sound the message of hope like bulletins from the battles front.