Hosea 8:1-2 Set the trumpet to your lips! One like a vulture is over the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant and rebelled against my law. To me they cry, My God, we - Israel - know you.
Using Albert Barnes' commentary - The prophets were God's watchmen giving notice of His coming judgments. God would have their voices burst in on Israel's sleep of sin. THEY (the prophets) ARE FORBIDDEN TO KEEP A COWARDLY SILENCE when God's people were violating His law.
The people draw nigh to Me and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. It was all hypocrisy and a cry of mere fear and not of love at all.
How often do we do that? Our words may sound good, even godly good, but sometimes they are not from our hearts. When we congregate, how often do we say what we know we should say, though it may not come from where we are inside? It is just habit.
Oh, Lord, if we claim the name of Christ as Savior, let us be sure to mean what we say with full assurance that it is You alone leading us and not in any way any kind of self-promotion or show. We are glory seekers at times and that tends to motivate our words as well our actions. May our walk match our talk and may You alone receive all the glory for whatever we do and say.
Israel was disobedient and in sin as God dictated the words of the prophets. The world is still in rebellion today - because we are lovers of self and pleasure seekers that are not looking for or recognizing our need of a Savior. But God gave us One anyway. He gave us exactly what we need - all we need - to be reconciled to Himself. There is no room for a cowardly silence in the life of a believer. People are waiting for some Good News. Press on and share with someone the truth about that Baby in the manger and the Good News of God's redeeming, complete, healing, and unconditional love for us. Jesus came to save sinners and the world is full of them.
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| MERRY CHRISTMAS!! |
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