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何西阿书［第12章］
Book of Hosea 12

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何西阿书［第12章］ |Book of Hosea 12

【当归向等候你的神】

主讲：丘均发传道
16/05/2023

引言：

这章经文神又责备以色列，神的心意是要以色列子民回转归向祂。V6所以你当归向你的神，谨守仁爱、公平，常常等候你的神。

一、吃风追风徒劳无功 (V1-2)

以法莲为求自保，与邻近的强国埃及和亚述结盟，以为是两面讨好的外交策略。但先知指出以色列忘记了神才是最终的保护！以法莲追求自以为可靠的，却像‘吃风追风’一样，增添了虚谎和强暴，最终遭神惩罚，徒劳无功。

我们是否会四处追风，却不追求神？活得好像没有神的外邦人？

二、当效法雅各归向神 (V3-6)

以色列和犹大都是雅各的子孙。雅各一生都是用‘抓’的、‘骗’的。他在母腹中已经是抓住哥哥以扫的腳，他也骗了哥哥以扫的长子名份，他与天使较力并且得胜，而之后他哭泣恳求，要天使一定要祝福他，然后在伯特利遇见耶和华。最终他明白最重要的是神的祝福！

神在告诉以色列子民，他们的行为与祖先是一样的，然而他们的祖先会哭泣恳求神归向神。于是神呼吁以色列民‘所以你当归向你的神，谨守仁爱、公平，常常等候你的神。’

三、不可忘记神的恩典（V7-11）

1.忘记神恩再住帐棚（V7-9）

先知劝诫以色列子民不要忘记神的恩典，切记富足财宝全是来自神的恩典。可是，神的子民却自负地认为一切都是自己的劳力回报，而且他们是用诡诈欺骗来谋取利益。所以神要审判他们，使他们‘再住帐棚’，重温旷野飘流的经历，才能学会感恩，记得神的恩典。

2.忘记神恩祭拜偶像（V10-11）

神已多次晓谕众先知，也让先知们看见异象，劝诫神的子民。但是他们总是不知醒悟！忘记神的恩典去祭拜偶像！就像‘基列 和‘吉甲’这2个地方，偶像的祭坛又多又乱，如‘田间犁沟中的乱堆’，以为拜得越多就越蒙福，忘了一切都是来自神的恩典！

四、归向真神必得保存（V12-14）

雅各寄居亚兰地二十年，神仍然可以把他带回来，神对将灭亡的以法莲说：我能把雅各带回来，将来你们被掳到亚述，只要听先知的话，我也会透过先知让你们得以保存。正如以色列以前听摩西的话，经过旷野四十年仍得以保存。

神借着先知重述这段历史乃是要以色列子民归向神得保存，免陷于羞辱归还他们！

总结：

从一开始雅各是靠抓靠骗，最后到了绝境，神施恩怜悯他才知道要归向神！神提醒以色列子民只有一条出路，就是归向等候你的神！我们不需要等到绝境羞辱才哭泣回转；只有我们快些归向神，生命就快些蒙福！

Hosea 12 Return to God who waits on you
GK611 Morning Devotion
16/05/2023
The Morning Devotion Speakers: Ps. Daniel

Introduction:

In this chapter, God rebukes Israel again. God’s will is for the children of Israel to turn back to Him, ‘So you, by the help of your God, return; Observe mercy and justice, And wait on your God continually.'(V6)

1. It is futile to feed and chase the wind (V1-2)

In order to protect itself, Ephraim formed an alliance with the neighbouring powers Egypt and Assyria, thinking it was a diplomatic strategy to please both sides. But the prophet pointed out that Israel has forgotten that God is the ultimate protection! Ephraim pursued what he believed to be reliable, but like "feeding and chasing the wind", he added lies and violence and was punished by God in the end, in vain.

Are we chasing after the wind instead of God? Live like a godless Gentile?

2. Follow the example of Jacob and return to God (V3-6)

Both Israel and Judah were descendants of Jacob. Throughout his life, Jacob used "grab" and "cheat". He had already grabbed the feet of his elder brother Esau in his mother's womb, and he also lied to his elder brother Esau about his birthright. He wrestled with the angel and won, cried, begged the angel to bless him, and then met Jehovah at Bethel. Ultimately, he knew that what he wanted most was God's blessing!

God is telling the children of Israel that their behaviour is the same as that of their ancestors, but their ancestors will cry and beg God to return to God. So, God reminded the Israelites, ‘So you, by the help of your God, return; Observe mercy and justice, And wait on your God continually. '

3. Don’t Forget God’s Grace (V7-11)

(1) Forget God’s grace and live in tents again (V7-9)

The prophet exhorted the Israelites not to forget God's grace, and to remember that wealth and treasure all come from God's grace. However, God's people are conceited that everything is their own reward for their labour, and they use deceit and fraud to seek benefits. Therefore, God will judge them and make them “dwell in tents again” and revisit their experience of wandering in the wilderness, so that they can learn to be grateful and remember God's grace.

(2) Forgetting God's grace and worshiping idols (V10-11)

God has spoken to the prophets many times, and let the prophets see visions and exhort the people of God. But they always don't wake up! Forget the grace of God and worship idols! Just like the two places of ‘Gilead’ and ‘Gilgal’, the altars of idols are numerous and chaotic, like ‘heaps in the furrows of the field’, thinking that the more they worship, the more they will be blessed, forgetting that everything comes from God's grace!

4. Returning to the true God to be preserved (V12-14)

Jacob lived in Syria for 20 years, but God could still bring him back. God said to Ephraim who was about to perish: I can bring Jacob back. When you are taken captive to Assyria in the future, just listen to the prophet's words, which I will also preserve you through the prophets. Just as Israel listened to the words of Moses and survived for forty years in the wilderness.

God recounted this period of history through the prophets in order for the Israelites to return to God and be preserved, so as to avoid to be trapped in humiliation!

Conclusion：

From the very beginning, Jacob relied on grabbing and deceiving, and finally, when he was in a desperate situation, God showed grace and mercy to him before he knew he had to return to God! God reminded the Israelites that there is only one way out, which is to return to the God who waits for you! We don’t need to wait until we are desperate and humiliated then weep and turn around; as long as we return to God quickly, life will be blessed soon!