Title: Let us Return to the Lord
In the days of Hosea, they looked for a success not from God but from politics and diplomacy. As the hegemony of the world moved from Assyria to Egypt, and to Babylon, Israel tried to survive and have a success by giving them tribute. However, it didn’t make their situation any better but hopeless.
God ordered Hosea to get married with a prostitute. This shows that the condition of Israel was like a prostitute, they claimed they are the people of God, yet their heart goes everywhere. God through Prophet Hosea urged them to return to the Lord. This phase “Return to the Lord” sounds really good and used by many Christians and churches. However, what does it mean?
- To know the Word of God is to return to the Lord
Hosea 6:1 says that let’s return to the Lord and Hosea 6:3 says that we should press on to know the Lord. So, we can understand that in the eyes of God, to return to the Lord and to know the Lord is the same thing.
Hosea 4:6 says that My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. Because the people of Israel rejected knowledge, God also reject them from being His priest. Hosea 4:14 says that the people without understanding are ruined.
Hos 7:8-9 Ephraim mixes himself with the nations; Ephraim has become a cake not turned. 9 Strangers devour his strength, Yet he does not know (it), Gray hairs also are sprinkled on him, Yet he does not know (it).
Hebrew word for ‘a cake’ refers to some sort of pancake on a heated stone. So, in order to cook it evenly, we have to turn it around. If we leave the pancake without turning over, it burns below. Cake not turned means that a cake looked uncooked or maybe ok outside but inside it is spoilt and burned. Then, again God says that gray hairs also are sprinkled on him, Yet he does not know it. It means a cake not turn means those who become elderly yet still not do understand the Word of God.
As we grow as a Christians, we should understand the Word of God more and more. All the troubles will be resolved when we return to the Lord. However, if we don’t have a desire to return, then we will be ruined and fall.
There is one promise that God made with us: Eternal life. How can we get the eternal life?
John 17:3 This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
So, becoming a true Christian, receiving eternal life, returning to the Lord means the same. How can we get there? By knowing and understanding the Word of God.
- To know God in history and to return to the Lord
Hosea 6:3 “So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord. His going forth is as certain as the dawn;
And He will come to us like the rain,
Like the spring rain watering the earth.”
When it comes to knowledge, there are two slightly different understandings: the first is Hellenistic, understanding that is to understand God in theory, doctrine, theology and philosophy, like ‘God is omnipresent, omniscience, almighty’.
However, the Hebraic understanding of knowledge means an experience.
1 Cor 1:22 For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom
To know God by experience means that we know the God of history. If we experienced God who intervened into our life, that is a historical event.
So, to know God experience means we know the God who intervened in the history. Therefore, knowing the history is important. The Bible, especially the Old Testament, is filled with Jewish history, thus many ignore the Old Testament saying that we don’t need to study the Jewish history.
The Redemptive History series pay a lot of attention to study the history part of the Bible. The reason is because by studying the history we can understand how He will work with us in the end, and how He will intervene into our time.
Let’s know God by experiencing Him. Let’s return to the Lord by studying the history that He intervened.
Conclusion: God will bring early and late rain when we love the Word of God
Deu 11:13-14 “It shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the Lord your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul, 14 that He will give the rain for your land in its season, the early and late rain, that you may gather in your grain and your new wine and your oil.
The success of farming depends on early and late rains. God will take care of our life and business if we return to the Lord.
The Lord's Covenant Church Malaysia 