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Post by Josh on Sept 22, 2008 20:06:32 GMT -8
Post your comments/ questions/ discussion starters on Hosea chapter 11 as replies here:
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Post by Josh on Sept 22, 2008 20:18:43 GMT -8
This has got to be one of the most beautiful passage in the Bible.
1 "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. 2 But the more I called Israel, the further they went from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images.
3 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them.
4 I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them.
As if the husband/ wife, jilted lover metaphors weren't heart wrenching enough, now we have parent-child metaphor that really strike a deep chord.
This passage hits me because as a parent I see glimpses of the paradox of intimacy and rejection inherent within human love.
I love that God likens his early relationship with Israel like teaching a child to walk.
But the "they did not realize it was I who healed them" is so familiar from a parent's perspective. Kids just don't have a clue how much their parents sacrifice for them, how much more their parents know what they need than they do, etc..
8 "How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.
9 I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim. For I am God, and not man— the Holy One among you. I will not come in wrath.
10 They will follow the LORD; he will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west.
11 They will come trembling like birds from Egypt, like doves from Assyria. I will settle them in their homes," declares the LORD.
Man, verses 10 and 11 are probably the best picture of the tenderness of the fear of God.
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aimee
Advanced Member
Posts: 136
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Post by aimee on Sept 23, 2008 7:38:57 GMT -8
My sentiments exactly.
I love how God says "I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love;"...
As if he's saying, though not being human, I showed you love in a human way, so you could relate and understand. That deep care of stopping everything, and showing love to someone in a way they can feel it.
I also like the metaphor of the doves all a tremble. Sometimes I feel just like that. It is comforting to know He doesn't let his people fly off everywhere in that panic, but settles them in their homes when they come to him.
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Post by michelle on Sept 28, 2008 21:33:13 GMT -8
Hosea 11:4b in my version (NLTV) says, "I lifted the yoke from his neck and I myslef stooped to feed him". When I hear the word "stooped", I think of it as lowering oneself to a lower level. This verse seems like a foreshadow for Christ. Christ was God stooping down to our level to feed us the bread of life.
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