The Reef | Hosea
Message by Rev. Jeremiah Cheung
From Hosea Chapter 1
1 The word of the Lord that came to Hosea son of Beeri during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the reign of Jeroboam son of Jehoash, king of Israel. 2 When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord.”
Peace to you, brothers and sisters. In the coming weeks, I will be reflecting on the Book of Hosea with you. I hope you will consider using this during your personal devotion or for your meditation.
Today let us reflect on Hosea 1:1-2. I call today’s passage “The Reef” because a reef can be treacherous; many ships have sunk because they encountered reefs.
Hosea 1:1 tells us that the Lord spoke to the prophet Hosea during the reigns of four kings of Judah – Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah – and when Jeroboam, son of Jehoash, was king of Israel. The prophet Hosea was called to preach the message of God to the northern kingdom. If you are familiar with the Books of Kings, you would know that “Jeroboam, son of Jehoash” who became king of Israel was actually Jeroboam II and that the northern kingdom of Israel was at its most powerful during his reign. Its territorial expanse had become comparable to that of Solomon’s time. It was economically, politically, and militarily powerful but the whole nation was headed towards destruction because of its worsening moral corruption and the appalling practice of worshipping Baal. In verse 2, the Lord told Hosea, “…like an adulterous wife, this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord.” God was sending a warning to the Israelites through the prophet Hosea.
I call this passage “The Reef” because, too often, things look good and seem peaceful on the surface when, in fact, there is no peace at all. Today, the world is facing the disaster that is COVID-19. This could also be just one reef among many. As the Last Days draw near, disasters will come one after another. Are we ready to meet our God?
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暗礁 | 何西亞書
張國強牧師
何西亞書 1
1當烏西雅、約坦、亞哈斯、希西家、作猶大王、約阿施的兒子耶羅波安作以色列王的時候、耶和華的話臨到備利的兒子何西阿。2耶和華初次與何西阿說話、對他說、你去娶淫婦為妻、也收那從淫亂所生的兒女、因為這地大行淫亂、離棄耶和華。
弟兄姊妹平安, 我將用一段時間與你們一同思想何西亞書, 你們可以用在靈修或是個人默想之用。今天我要與你們思想的是何西亞書 1:1-2, 我給這段經文的題目是: 暗礁。暗礁是很可怕的, 很多船隻就是沉沒在大海裡就是因為遇到了暗礁。
何西亞書 1:1就是載神啟示先知的時代背境, 當烏西雅、約坦、亞哈斯、希西家、作猶大王, 約阿施的兒子耶羅波安作以色列王的時候, 耶和華的話臨到備利的兒子何西阿。先知何西亞蒙召向北國傳講神的信息, 這節經文告訴我們, 那個時候正是約阿施的兒子耶羅波安作以色列王的時候, 如果你對列王記熟悉, 你會知道那個時候正是約阿施的兒子耶羅波安作以色列王的時候, 其實這是耶羅波安二世, 這個時候是北國以色列最強盛的時候, 她的版圖可以與所羅門時代相比, 無論在經濟, 在軍事, 在政治都是非常的強盛, 但是整個國家和傾向滅亡, 因為整個國家的道德標準越來越敗壞, 而且敬拜巴比的情況也非常可怕, 在第二節神對何西阿說: 這地大行淫亂,離棄耶和華。神藉著知先何西亞向以色列人發出警告。
我稱這段經文為暗礁, 很多時候在表面上一切都好, 一切都平安, 其實根本沒有平安, 現今全世界面對Covid-19 的災難, 這也可能是暗礁中其中一個, 在未日來臨時, 世界性的災難是一個又一個的接著而來, 我們有好好預備迎見我們神嗎？