Because | Hosea
From Hosea Chapter 1
3 So he married Gomer, daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. 4 Then the Lord said to Hosea, “Call him Jezreel, because I will soon punish the house of Jehu for the massacre at Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel. 5 In that day I will break Israel’s bow in the Valley of Jezreel.” 6 Gomer conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. Then the Lord said to Hosea, “Call her Lo-Ruhamah (which means “not loved”), for I will no longer show love to Israel, that I should at all forgive them. 7 Yet I will show love to Judah; and I will save them—not by bow, sword or battle, or by horses and horsemen, but I, the Lord their God, will save them.” 8 After she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, Gomer had another son. 9 Then the Lord said, “Call him Lo-Ammi (which means “not my people”), for you are not my people, and I am not your God
Today I want us to reflect on Hosea 1: 3-9. I entitled this passage “Because” and if you read on, you’ll see why. The word ‘because’ appears in this passage several times.
- The first time is in the fourth verse – “Then the Lord said to Hosea, “Call him Jezreel, because I will soon punish the house of Jehu for the massacre at Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel.”
- The second time is in verse 6, “Gomer conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. Then the Lord said to Hosea, “Call her Lo-Ruhamah (which means “not loved”), for I will no longer show love to Israel, that I should at all forgive them.”
- The third time is in verse 9, “Then the Lord said, “Call him Lo-Ammi (which means “not my people”), for you are not my people, and I am not your God.”
We saw from the earlier verses that the Lord wanted the prophet Hosea to marry a woman who has a tendency to be promiscuous. God knew that such a woman would commit adultery, but He ordered the prophet to take Gomer as his wife and to accept her children even if they were born out of promiscuity. The Lord’s purpose was to demonstrate His love to a sinful Israel.
But the Lord is also a just God and justice requires the punishment of sins. Hosea’s first child was named Jezreel, because God wanted to punish the house of Jehu for the massacre at Jezreel. Hosea’s second child was named Lo-Ruhamah (meaning no mercy) because the Lord meant to convey the message that He would no longer have mercy on the house of Israel. Hosea’s third child was named Lo-Ammi (which means “not my people”) because His message to Israel was `you are not my people, and I will not be your God.’ God is a righteous God and He is also a just God. He never does anything casually. All three statements use the word “because” to explain the reasons for His judgments.
Everything has a cause and effect. The Lord will repay each person according to what he has done. We must be careful about everything we do for every word and action has consequences.
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因為 | 何西亞書 1:3-9
張國強牧師
何西亞書 1
3 於是何西阿去娶了滴拉音的女兒歌篾, 這婦人懷孕, 給他生了一個兒子。4 耶和華對何西阿說: 給他起名叫耶斯列, 因為再過片時,我必討耶戶家在耶斯列殺人流血的罪, 也必使以色列家的國滅絕。5 到那日, 我必在耶斯列平原折斷以色列的弓。6 歌篾又懷孕生了一個女兒, 耶和華對何西阿說: 給他起名叫羅路哈瑪〔就是不蒙憐憫的意思〕因為我必不再憐憫以色列家, 決不赦免他們; 7 我卻要憐憫猶大家, 使他們靠耶和華他們的神得救, 不使他們靠弓、刀、爭戰、馬匹、與馬兵得救。8 歌篾給羅路哈瑪斷奶以後, 又懷孕生了一個兒子。9 耶和華說: 給他起名叫羅阿米〔就是非我民的意思〕因為你們不作我的子民, 我也不作你們的神。
今天我要與你們思想的是何西亞書 1:3-9, 我給這段經文的題目是: 因為。這段文裡次出現了因為:
- 第一次是在第四節, 耶和華對何西阿說: 給他起名叫耶斯列, 因為再過片時,我必討耶戶家在耶斯列殺人流血的罪, 也必使以色列家的國滅絕。
- 第二次是在第六節, 歌篾又懷孕生了一個女兒, 耶和華對何西阿說: 給他起名叫羅路哈瑪〔就是不蒙憐憫的意思〕因為我必不再憐憫以色列家, 決不赦免他們。
- 第三次是在第九節, 耶和華說: 給他起名叫羅阿米〔就是非我民的意思〕因為你們不作我的子民, 我也不作你們的神。
神要先知去娶一個淫婦, 但更準確的意思是一個有淫亂傾向的淫婦, 神知道這個女人一定會犯淫亂的罪, 但神卻命令先知去娶她為妻, 也要收納從淫亂所生的兒女, 可見這三個孩子, 其中有的不是先知所生的, 但神要先知收納他, 目的是要向犯罪的以色列人顯明神的慈愛。
但是神也是公義的, 神要追討我們所犯的罪, 第一個孩子起名耶斯列, 因為神要追討耶戶家在耶斯列殺人流血的罪; 第二個孩子起名為羅路哈瑪〔不蒙憐憫的意思〕因為我必不再憐憫以色列家; 第三個孩子起名給他起名叫羅阿米〔非我民的意思〕因為你們不作我的子民, 我也不作你們的神。神是公義的但也是公平的, 祂不會隨著行事, 三次的因為正說明神審判之因。
有因必有果, 神會照人所作的來報應我們, 我們要謹慎我們所作的, 我們的一言一行必會有後果。