628. Hosea - Chapter 3 - So I bought Her for Myself - August 28, 2024

[00:00:06] Welcome to Wisdom Today. My name is Bill Kelley and I'll be your host. In this podcast we will be exploring the book of Proverbs.

[00:00:21] Prayer. Father God, I thank you for anyone listening to this podcast today. Lord, I pray that you would open their ears to hear and their heart to receive everything in store for them today.

[00:00:33] In addition, I pray that everyone listening will be blessed and that they will leave this podcast feeling better about their relationship with God and that their faith would increase by hearing the Word of God today.

[00:00:48] I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

[00:00:52] This is Proverbs 28 beginning in verse 1.

[00:00:56] The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion. Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes. But by a man of understanding and knowledge, right will be prolonged.

[00:01:14] A poor man who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain which leaves no food. Those who forsake the law contend with them.

[00:01:25] Evil men do not understand justice. But those who seek the Lord understand all.

[00:01:33] Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.

[00:01:42] Whoever keeps the law is a discerning son, but a companion of gluttons shames his father.

[00:01:50] One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion gathers it for him who will pity the poor.

[00:01:59] One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.

[00:02:07] Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way, he himself will fall into his own pit.

[00:02:17] But the blameless will inherit good.

[00:02:20] The rich man is wise in his own eyes, but the poor who has understanding searches him out.

[00:02:29] When the righteous rejoice, there is great glory.

[00:02:32] But when the wicked arise, men hide themselves.

[00:02:37] He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.

[00:02:46] Happy is the man who is always reverent.

[00:02:51] But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

[00:02:56] Like a roaring lion and a charging bear is a wicked ruler over poor people.

[00:03:02] A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor.

[00:03:07] But he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.

[00:03:13] A man burdened with bloodshed will flee into a pit.

[00:03:18] Let no one help him.

[00:03:21] Whoever walks blamelessly will be saved.

[00:03:24] But he who is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.

[00:03:29] He who tills his land will have plenty of bread.

[00:03:34] But he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough.

[00:03:39] A faithful man will abound with blessings.

[00:03:43] But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.

[00:03:48] To show partiality is not good.

[00:03:51] Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.

[00:03:56] A man with an evil eye hastens after riches.

[00:04:01] And does not consider that poverty will come upon him.

[00:04:06] He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward than he who flatters with the tongue.

[00:04:14] Whoever robs his father or his mother and says,

[00:04:19] It is no transgression.

[00:04:21] The same is companion to a destroyer.

[00:04:25] He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife.

[00:04:30] But he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered.

[00:04:35] He who trusts in his own heart is a fool.

[00:04:39] But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.

[00:04:43] He who gives to the poor will not lack.

[00:04:47] But he who hides his eyes will have many curses.

[00:04:51] When the wicked arise, men hide themselves.

[00:04:56] But when they perish, the righteous increase.

[00:05:00] Friends, today I'd like to go over verse 13.

[00:05:05] And Proverb 28 verse 13 says this.

[00:05:10] He who covers his sins will not prosper.

[00:05:14] But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.

[00:05:20] Friends, this is your host, Bill Kelly.

[00:05:24] And I am going to spend a few minutes today because I feel, and I'm not really sure why,

[00:05:32] but I am sensing that there may be someone listening to this podcast for the very first time today.

[00:05:39] And what I'd like to do is introduce myself.

[00:05:43] I am Bill Kelly.

[00:05:45] And I began this podcast way back in April of 2022.

[00:05:53] And at the time, my wife and I were attending Karis Bible College near Pikes Peak, Colorado.

[00:06:02] The campus was actually about 8,600 feet high, meaning that it snowed quite often.

[00:06:10] And actually, it could snow basically any day of the year.

[00:06:14] But in March of that year, we were finishing our first year.

[00:06:20] And the Holy Spirit woke me up in the middle of the night and said,

[00:06:24] I know that you've been thinking about a national radio ministry,

[00:06:30] but I want you to scrap that plan.

[00:06:33] And I want you to begin a podcast.

[00:06:36] Now, friends, at the time, I had no idea what a podcast was.

[00:06:42] I had never listened to one.

[00:06:44] And keep in mind, this was early in 2022.

[00:06:49] Now, COVID had ended and we were starting to get the country back on track.

[00:06:54] But podcasts were basically just coming into their popularity.

[00:07:00] Now, people listen to podcasts right and left.

[00:07:03] Some people listen to several podcasts every day.

[00:07:06] But when I began this podcast back on April 1st, 2022,

[00:07:12] the Lord told me this is to be a daily podcast.

[00:07:16] So as we are speaking, this is actually podcast number 628.

[00:07:23] And that can seem a bit overwhelming,

[00:07:26] considering you are just listening for the first time.

[00:07:30] But what I've done is I've numbered every single one of the podcasts

[00:07:35] and I have gone back and labeled every one of them.

[00:07:40] So as you search through the archives, you can see what my topic is.

[00:07:46] Now, I have gone over a number of books in the Bible.

[00:07:50] I've gone over Genesis.

[00:07:52] I've gone over Exodus.

[00:07:54] I've gone over Job.

[00:07:56] I spent about four months on the Gospel of Matthew.

[00:08:00] I recently studied half of the Gospel of Luke.

[00:08:05] And that took about four months.

[00:08:07] So I have been in the Bible.

[00:08:10] So if you are not all that familiar with the Bible,

[00:08:15] I would encourage you to go back through the archives and try to select,

[00:08:20] you know, a certain place to start and, you know, just check it out.

[00:08:25] But after I started the podcast, way back in April of 22,

[00:08:30] about three weeks after I began the podcast, the Holy Spirit woke me up again.

[00:08:35] And he said, I want you to do testimonies on Tuesday.

[00:08:39] And I'm sitting there thinking, wow, well, what does that look like?

[00:08:44] And I was hoping to receive an answer.

[00:08:47] I didn't know if I was supposed to do it once a month or twice a month.

[00:08:53] And about two or three days later, I said, well, I don't think he's going to answer me.

[00:08:59] So I'm guessing he wants me to do it every week.

[00:09:01] And friends, ever since then, ever since I believe the first week of May of 2022,

[00:09:08] I have had a weekly testimony on Tuesdays.

[00:09:13] So once again, let me just recap a little bit of exactly what all I am doing.

[00:09:21] Now, I have regular daily teachings and my daily teaching entails going over the proverb of the day.

[00:09:31] So example, today is August 28th.

[00:09:34] I will read that proverb, Proverb 28.

[00:09:38] And what I'll do is select one verse that I hopefully can tie in to the lesson that I'm going to be teaching that day.

[00:09:50] So regular teachings are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

[00:09:55] Now, Friday, I have a separate teaching.

[00:09:59] And usually I just go off on a broad topic.

[00:10:04] I, you know, God might be talking to me and, you know, some things are just think of it as a potpourri day.

[00:10:11] So Friday, you're not quite sure what you're going to get, but you will get a lesson.

[00:10:16] And always remember, Tuesdays are always going to be testimonies.

[00:10:21] Now, for those of you who really have a desire to listen to a lesson every day.

[00:10:27] On Saturday, I have a different podcast entitled Lessons from the Psalms.

[00:10:36] So right now, I have currently been through 65 of the 150 Psalms.

[00:10:44] So I'm almost halfway through this study on Psalms.

[00:10:48] And finally, on Sunday, if you would like to simply have a Bible chapter read to you, I have one that I select that I think everyone will enjoy on Sunday.

[00:11:05] In addition, I also have a YouTube channel.

[00:11:09] So you're saying, wow, you have a YouTube channel?

[00:11:13] And the answer is yes, I do.

[00:11:16] And the YouTube channel is the same name as this podcast.

[00:11:22] So if you are interested, I ask that you consider subscribing to my YouTube channel, which is Wisdom Today with Bill Kelly.

[00:11:38] And my last name is spelled K-E-L-L-E-Y.

[00:11:43] In addition, I have a website entitled Wisdom Today BK.

[00:11:51] Those are my initials.com.

[00:11:55] And if you should want to contact me, you can go on there.

[00:11:59] There is a contact tab and you can give me your information and I will get back with you.

[00:12:05] So friends, I hope you have enjoyed this.

[00:12:09] And I'd like to thank anyone who is on today.

[00:12:12] And I took a little bit of time today because our lesson is going to be a little brief today.

[00:12:18] We are going over the third chapter of Hosea and it's only four verses.

[00:12:25] So I do have three points that I will bring up, but it's not going to take long to go over today's lesson.

[00:12:35] So the title for Hosea chapter 3 is Israel Will Return to God.

[00:12:43] Let's pick up beginning in verse 1.

[00:12:46] Then the Lord said to me,

[00:13:08] Now friends, my first point for today's lesson is love a woman who is loved by a lover.

[00:13:18] So in other words, God is telling Hosea that he wants Hosea to be restored to his wife Gomer.

[00:13:32] Now over the course of the first two chapters, Gomer has been unfaithful to Hosea.

[00:13:39] And let's just quickly recap the first two chapters.

[00:13:43] In the last two chapters, she has given him three children.

[00:13:46] And she's named each of them a certain name.

[00:13:50] And there is symbolism in each one of the names.

[00:13:54] And it's basically that the children represent the country of Israel and how Israel has been unfaithful to God.

[00:14:04] And basically the entire message is that the people have turned to paganism and the worship of the god Baal.

[00:14:15] And so we're going to find out about that today.

[00:14:18] But anyway, and you know, let's just listen to the ending of verse 1.

[00:14:23] And it says, and love the raisin cakes of the pagans.

[00:14:26] So basically here, pagans are people who are not following God.

[00:14:35] But they are following their own desires.

[00:14:38] They are basically living life according to their flesh.

[00:14:43] And if we go to Romans chapter 8 verse 6, it says to be carnally minded is death.

[00:14:49] But to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

[00:14:53] And Israel at this time is definitely being led by the flesh.

[00:15:00] And they have nothing at all to do with God at this time.

[00:15:04] But as the title for chapter 3 says, Israel will eventually return to God.

[00:15:11] Let's go to verse 2.

[00:15:12] So I bought her for myself for 15 shekels of silver and one and a half homers of barley.

[00:15:23] So the second point I'd like to do today is, so I bought her for myself.

[00:15:31] I want you to think about that.

[00:15:33] Now his wife had been unfaithful to him.

[00:15:36] And she went and actually shacked up with another man.

[00:15:42] But she has taken residence in this man's house.

[00:15:48] And so if he were to try to go over there and say, I want my wife back.

[00:15:52] He's going to say, no way buddy.

[00:15:55] So he literally has to purchase her back.

[00:16:00] I want you to think about that.

[00:16:04] Most of us wouldn't even think about doing that if our spouse had been unfaithful to us.

[00:16:11] You just sit there and say, let's just cut ties.

[00:16:14] We're just going to cut all ties together.

[00:16:16] You've been unfaithful to me.

[00:16:18] You go ahead and stay.

[00:16:20] You know, but I mean, I know that hurts.

[00:16:22] But it's so hard when someone has been unfaithful to you.

[00:16:28] Because the primary thing that relationships are based on is trust.

[00:16:34] And if you break that bond of fidelity, it's hard to reestablish trust in a relationship.

[00:16:45] Let's go to verse 3.

[00:17:03] Now, friends, I want to be perfectly clear.

[00:17:06] What Hosea is saying, you're going to come back to my house.

[00:17:11] But basically, it's almost going to be like you're under house arrest.

[00:17:17] You're not allowed to leave the house.

[00:17:20] You're not allowed to be with a man, including me.

[00:17:25] I want you to get that point.

[00:17:27] Hosea wanted her basically to detox on men.

[00:17:33] He didn't want her to have anything at all to do with men, including him.

[00:17:40] So he's going to take a break as well.

[00:17:43] Let's go to verse 4.

[00:17:46] For the children of Israel shall abide many days without king or prince,

[00:17:53] without sacrifice or sacred pillar, without ephod or teraphim.

[00:17:59] Now, friends, I am reading out of the Nelson Study Bible, and I haven't gone over any commentary yet.

[00:18:07] First, I'd like to begin with a commentary for verses 1 and 2.

[00:18:12] To illustrate his intention to redeem Israel, the Lord instructed Hosea to reclaim Gomer, his unfaithful wife.

[00:18:24] I bought her.

[00:18:26] Gomer had become the property of another man.

[00:18:31] Hosea's purchase of Gomer symbolized God's great devotion,

[00:18:38] which moves him to seek reconciliation, even if it means subjecting himself to humiliation.

[00:18:48] Now, let's read the commentary for verses 3 and 4.

[00:18:53] Gomer's isolation symbolized Israel's exile when she lost her political independence and could no longer worship as she chose.

[00:19:05] Sacred pillar.

[00:19:06] These were stone pillars used by the Canaanites in their worship of Baal and other gods.

[00:19:16] And ephod was a priestly garment.

[00:19:20] Terafim were idols.

[00:19:23] Both were apparently used for divination.

[00:19:28] Now, let's go to verse 5.

[00:19:31] Afterward, the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their king.

[00:19:40] They shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days.

[00:19:45] Now, friends, my third point of today is the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God.

[00:19:54] Now, let's go to the commentary for verse 5.

[00:19:59] To seek.

[00:20:00] The word highlights the change that would occur in Israel's attitude.

[00:20:06] David.

[00:20:08] This is likely a reference to David's son, the Messiah.

[00:20:13] Other prophets also refer to the Messiah as David.

[00:20:18] Now, friends, before we close today, I'd like to go and revisit our verse of the day.

[00:20:24] Today.

[00:20:25] And we are in Proverb 28.

[00:20:28] And our verse I selected today was verse 13.

[00:20:32] He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.

[00:20:42] Now, friends, I believe this verse is relevant to our lesson today.

[00:20:48] Israel had been in sin.

[00:20:51] They had turned away from God.

[00:20:55] They were worshiping a pagan god called Baal.

[00:21:00] Let's look at the first verse.

[00:21:02] He who covers his sins will not prosper.

[00:21:06] And friends, at this time, the country of Israel is not prospering.

[00:21:12] They, it simply isn't.

[00:21:14] But whoever confesses and forsakes their sin will have mercy.

[00:21:23] And that is what God wanted from the Israelites at that time.

[00:21:30] And friends, God wants the same thing today.

[00:21:33] He wants to have mercy on you if you will turn to him.

[00:21:39] So, friends, my call to action today is very simple.

[00:21:43] Are you following any pagan gods?

[00:21:48] And I know some of you may say, of course, I'm not doing that.

[00:21:51] But friends, let's look at what the definition of God is.

[00:21:56] A God is anything that you place above your relationship with God.

[00:22:03] So, in other words, your work could be a God.

[00:22:07] The fact that you maybe eat and overeat.

[00:22:11] Eating could be a God.

[00:22:14] If you indulge in alcohol and get carried away at times,

[00:22:19] alcohol could be your God.

[00:22:22] It could be drugs.

[00:22:23] It could be sex.

[00:22:25] It could be any number of things that you place above your relationship with God.

[00:22:33] Friends, I want you to think about it.

[00:22:35] It's all relevant.

[00:22:37] God watches everything we do.

[00:22:39] He doesn't want you to place anything above him.

[00:22:44] Friends, I will never end a podcast without giving anyone an opportunity to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

[00:22:53] If there is anyone listening today and you've never taken that step,

[00:22:57] I invite you to repeat a simple prayer after me today.

[00:23:01] Jesus, thank you for forgiving me of my sin.

[00:23:05] I believe you did that when you died on the cross over 2,000 years ago.

[00:23:11] By doing that, I believe I have been reconciled to God and can now go directly to him.

[00:23:18] And I feel good.

[00:23:20] I know I'm not going to go to hell.

[00:23:23] I know I'm going to be in the presence of the Lord and be in heaven forever.

[00:23:27] However, Jesus, I still need your help.

[00:23:30] I ask that you come into my heart.

[00:23:33] I make you my Lord and Savior.

[00:23:36] Friends, if you repeated that prayer, welcome to the family of God.

[00:23:41] Now, may the Lord bless you and keep you.

[00:23:45] The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you.

[00:23:49] The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

[00:23:54] Friends, please join me again tomorrow as we further explore wisdom today.