Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1915-12-10
LESSON FOR DECEMBER II
JEHOVAH yEAans OVER ISRAEL

LESSON TExT-Hcsca Hill.
GOLDEN TEXT drew them with
cords of a man, with bands of love-
Hosea 11:A
A contemporary Of Isaiah and Amos,
Hosea continued to prophesy after
the first captivity of the northern
Kingdom. His style is abrupt and fig-
urative. Israel Is Jehovahs adulter-
GUS wife. repudiated. but finally to be-
purified ard restored. This lesson is
part of the second section OF the
book (4:1-13:S). which is a descrip-
ticn Of the sinful people.
!. "The Perverse chlId,v w. ~.
The remnant" (ch. GLIB had cried
out for relief. (Sco lisa. 1:9; Rom.
2:5). Jehcvah's reply (bcgins $40 is
severe arraigrmcnt of Israers back
sliding as contrastcd with his grace.
To understand this lesson read the
entiro book repeatedly. In verse / CT
tho lesson Jehovah recalls 10 tho ra-
ton the days OF its childhood. Be-
cause Of his great love (Deut- I'D
he called them out CT Egypt, the land
OF bondage, into Canaan, the land OF
blessing and liberty. Yet Israel sensed
not its duty nor it's obligation Of graft
tude. We are living un3er q greater
obligation because Of the greater re-
denpticn 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 SECS (John
1:12; !. John 3:1-2). Matthews COS.
pei applies these words to him who
alone was fully ana IN the truc sense
Gods sen. Jesus is the SUMMARY Of
the whole nation in that he alore fully
realized Gods purpose in Israel Matt.
2:15).
/ As contrasted with what q son n
or should be verse 2 gives picture
of Israel's wandering. The whole his
tory of the nation Is ono OF going after
false gods. Il. Sam: 8:7-s ana many
other refercnces.) In those childhood
days ". 81 Jehovah taught them how
to walk, and healed their hurts. but
they knew not"-God. as tender Fa-
Their. had watched over, taught, guild
ed and healed eek. 1914; Isa 1885,
$500. Even SO. In this present age
| God is a God of mercy and long suf-
fering (Rom. 2:4), yet the E-ass OF
men know not" what God Is doing
for them. In verse 4 the child has
grown older and as mothers often
tether . child lest 1t run away. 80 Je-
hosah eadeavors 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 ther"-Jesus
will deliver US. for he bore our yoke
Matt. 11:2s-30) and is for US the
Bread of Life (John 6:35. 6S). Love
does not mean that the backslider
shall be free from punishment BE.
cause they refused to return
the sword shall abide" w. Sc and Heb.
1850. Even so God did not permit
them to go back to Egyptian bond
age ". 81. Israel was +" bent to back.
sliding" In spite of the constant call
to worship and servo him none would
exalt him."
u. The Pleading Parent, w. zig.
None can fathom the depths OF the
| Ciys x1OW onoAk 6lN0 tuSS up I1VW
shall deliver thee" ". 81. Israel
would persist and still Jehovah pleads
that perchance they would heed His
cry (Jer. ct: Lam. $3.50. Admah
and Zeboira were irretrieyably over
thrown with Sodcm ani Gomorrah
(Deut. 1888. shall Israel likewise
perish? Mo- ". 81 for II am God, not
man." God does not, like man.
change-his covenants are not scraps
Of paper" his love is everlasting (Nu.
23:1s). It is not God but man who IL
responsible fer his destruction. The
"Holy One In the nidst CT thee" Is
there to save, net as an avcnger. God
has not come into our midst In wrath
Gods passionate desire is to save
not to destroy. His purposes are
those Of love and redemption and as
with Israel OF old. 80 in this age, be
will carry out these purposes IN spite
Of our backsli5ing (Ron. s1.2S-2S).
Verses 10 and II are prophetic OF the
ultimate repentance and restoration Of
acknowledgement shall pass upon their
foes (Joei 3:16) and those OF the dis
persion (sce parallel Isa. 1l:11-1ey
shall gather. as "dovos to their win
dcws." and 10 once moro ''in their
houses" l. q. set up 40 . ration In
their God-given lard. Eohraim ". ~
sought to rule without or by casting
on Jehovah Il. Cor. 4:8).
In Judah was the loyal priesthood
and the legitimate king. but the apos-
tasy Of Israel was more culpable be.
cause Of the example Of Judah which
be had set at nought.
~. Promised oeliveranes. In .
most striking way Hosea flashes .
note of hops and love through the
cloud Of gloom which hung ovor the
, nation as 1t drew closer to its doom.