The Red Cloud chief. [volume] (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923, 1915-12-09
LESSON FOR DECEMBER II
JEHOVAH YgARNs 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 fig
urative. Israel is Jehovah's adulter.
Gus wife, repudiated, but finally to be
purified and restored. This lesson Is
q part of the second section Of the
book (4:1.13:S), which is a descrip-
ton OF the sinful people.
I. 1.-THE Perverse Child" w. ~.
The remnant" (ch. 6:1.3) had cried
out for relief. (See lisa. 1:9; Rom.
2:5). Jehovahs reply (begins 6:4) is
a severe arraignment Of lsrael's back
sliding as 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. 7:O
he called them ont 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-
demption 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
1872; I. John 3:1.2). Matthew's 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 son Is
or should be verse gives picture
of Israel's wandering. The whole his
tory Of the nation is one of going after
false gods. q. 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 a tender Fa.
Their. had watched over, taught. guild.
ed and healed (Ex. 1914; lisa. 1873;
G3:9). Even SO. In this present age
God is a God of mercy and long SUI.
| ACtihS NANo"s ySS thO hioSo va
men know not" what God Is doing
for them. In verse the child has
grown older and as mothers often
tether a 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 1899. 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. 11:2830) and ia for US the
Bread Of Life John 635, 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 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 serve him none would
exalt him"
u. The Pleading Parent, w. s-12
None can fathom the depths Of the
. cry. "How shall give thee up. How
shall deliver thee" ". 81. Israe
would persist and still Jehovah pleads
, that perchance they would heed his
, cry (Jer. 9:7; Lam. $3.50. Admaf
and Zeboim were irretrievably over
thrown with Sodom and Gomorrai
(Deut. 1888, shall Israel likewise
perish! No! ". 81 for II am God, no
man." God does not. like man
change-his covenants are not scraps
Of paper" his love is everlasting (Nu
23:19). Il is not God but man who 4
responsible for his destruction. Tn
|. "Holy One in the midst of thee"
there to save, not as an avenger. Co
:, has not como into our midst in wrat
Gods passionate desire Is to saw
= not to destroy. His purposes ar
those OF love and redemption and a
= with Israel of old, so in this age,
= will carry out these purposes In spit
= of our backsliding from. 11:2S-29
Verses 10 and II are prophetic Of tn
ultimate repentance and restoration {
acknowledgement shall pass upon the
= foes (Joei 3:16) and those of the di
- persion (see parallel lisa. 11:11-1f
shall gather, az doves to their vii
dows," and be once more 'in the
houses" l. e., set up as a nation
their God.given land. Ephraim ". 1:
sought to rule without or by castir
% of Jehovah Il. Cor. 4:8).
:. In judah was the legal priesthoc
~ and the legitimate king, but the apo
~ tasy of Israel was more culpable b
:" cause of the example OF Judah whit
~ he had set at nought.
III. Promised Oeliverance. In
= most striking way Hosea flashes
:. note OF hope and love through Il
80 cloud of gloom which hung over Il
- nation as 1t drew closer to its dool
~ because the psople refused to roper
Amos delivered his warning and !
turned to Judah.
Hosea was a part of the natl,
'S' which emphasizes such verses of b
-. prophecy as the following: 6:l, 1:
III ne ga o. o-a N, ,