何西阿书［第2章］
Book of Hosea 2
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何西阿书［第2章］ |Book of Hosea 2【作神蒙爱的新妇】
27/04/2023
V1是紧接昨天的1:11，继续宣告以色列将会被神复兴。经文里提到的弟兄和姐妹代表的是北国的以色列。这里再次让我们看到，慈爱的神审判心爱的百姓，目的并不是让他们活在绝望和黑暗里，因为，当神宣告审判的同时，也预言他们将重新蒙神怜悯、重新成为神的子民。
神反反复覆，宣告审判、可是又不希望他们被审判，总希望在审判来临前，他们可以回转。明明很爱，可是又爱不下去，最后还是主动继续的去爱。 这就是神的Hesed！
弟兄姐妹，如果我们回头看自己的人生，神对我们岂不也是这样吗？处处都是祂的Hesed。审判和管教都是为了要我们回转更新，活得更自由。盼望当我们被管教的时候，要记得紧紧抓住神的Hesed，回应神使生命得转化。
二、随从己爱：淫妇自招咒诅（V5-13）
V5-13提到很多淫妇所追随、所爱的。（V 5，7，10，12，13）而这些她所追随、所爱的都有一个共同点，就是不讨神喜悦，最终为自己带来咒诅。
耳环和别样妆饰通常是丈夫在结婚时买给新娘的贵重礼物。淫妇配戴丈夫所送的首饰去随从情夫，却忘记了丈夫的存在，这是对丈夫的极大羞辱。除了像现代人说的：给丈夫戴绿帽外，以色列百姓把神的供应和所赐与他们的祝福，都归给假神巴力。因此为自己带来了咒诅：
1.处处碰壁不亨通（V5-7）
神在v 6说祂将用荆棘堵塞百姓的道，筑墙挡住使他们处处碰壁，找不到出路，做什么事都不亨通。神不但把所有的门都关了，神更是让他们对崇拜偶像的结果感到虚无、失望，藉此使他们想起有神的光景比现在更好，终于回转归向真神。
世人都把成功、财富当作自己勤奋努力的回报或人类科技文明的成就。今天，一连几间大银行接二连三的倒闭，多少家财万贯的成功人士，一场新冠病毒，多少人破了产、或染病就去世了？求神帮助我们，知道一切都出于神。其次，当我们的生活或属灵生命似乎卡着或不顺利的时候，要警醒和安静下来检视自己的生命，若有软弱要快快悔改对齐神。
2.贫穷且不得温饱（V8-9）
神以歌篾并没意识到所拥有的财富都是何西阿给她的，反而以此来追求情夫，带出以色列人好像不知道祂才是赐下五谷、新酒，油和加增的金银给他们的神。像歌篾一样，竟然任意挥霍神给的财富，用来制造并供奉假神。因此，神说祂将收回对他们的祝福。使他们贫穷，不但吃不饱，也会穿不暖。就是经文说的，把遮体的羊毛和麻夺回来。
我们是神国的好管家吗？ 求神让我们有节制的灵，并且善用祂给我们的祝福。不管是金钱、恩赐、甚至是时间等，都要成为好管家，用在属神的事上，投资在永恒的国度里。否则当神收回时，我们就要像歌蔑一样，贫穷且不得温饱。
3.丑态显露失喜乐（V10-11）
节期、月朔、安息日、一切大会，是神定下祝福百姓的欢庆日子。这些与丈夫欢庆同乐的日子，已经变质成为与情夫行淫的聚会，所以神要止息这一切。葡萄树和无花果树是巴勒斯坦地区的主要经济来源；也是以色列在住棚节前收成的重要农作物，毁坏它们不止切断未来谋生的倚靠，更是预表失去神的同在。失去了神，以色列不但会失去喜乐，神也要使他们在所爱的眼前显露自己的丑态。
我们最爱的是什么？如果神不是我们最爱的，那我们一定要小心，神会在我们最爱的人、事、物前，让我们的丑态显露出来。
三、归回爱神：新妇祝福连连（V14-23）
1.重获盼望和喜乐（V15-17）
亚割谷有代表复兴的盼望。并且经文让我们看到，神不但要在亚割谷为他们看一扇盼望之门，也要赐他们葡萄园（产业），使他们能经历，像从埃及为奴之地被拯救，得自由、喜乐的歌唱。
很多到过阿尔卑斯山旅行的人，都会被离开不远的多洛米蒂山给吸引。这地方与布满冰雪的阿尔卑斯山对比，简直是人间仙境。在属灵的经历中也是如此，如果你现在正处以亚割谷，要相信在亚割谷必有门洞为你开，重点是，你是否愿意谦卑悔改，信靠神的向前迈一步？若是，那你就一定可以到神面前来，看到多洛米蒂山，重获盼望和喜乐。
2.恢复亲密的关系（V16-20）
神说当祂挽回百姓的那日，祂要从百姓的口中彻底除掉诸巴力的名号，取而代之的是更亲近、更温馨的伊施（我丈夫）。也就是说，当神复兴北国以色列以后，百姓不但彻底离弃偶像，与神的关系将会是前所未有的亲密，就像夫妻一样。并且神是用祂自己的属性仁义、公平、慈爱、怜悯和诚实来做聘礼，让百姓来经历祂、认识祂的性情。
3.再得丰盛蒙怜悯（V21-23）
以色列是神的子民、是神的百姓，蒙神怜悯的。当百姓与神恢复了亲密的关系后，神说祂将使天、地、万物都为他们效力，他们必再得丰盛的应许，也再次蒙神怜悯。让我们继续的为神所爱的以色列代祷。也为神把曾经认识主，但现在却走迷了的弟兄姐妹找回来。让他们能再次经历神丰盛的应许和怜悯
总结：淫妇或新妇
我们是神眼中的新妇吗？神以永远的Hesed来爱我们。纵使我们软弱，祂还是不停止的用慈爱主动挽回我们的心。有一位如此深爱我们的神，我们要以爱来回应神。就像牧师星期天所分享的信息，但愿我们都只敬拜独一真神，选择做神喜悦的事，服事神、去把人带到神的面前。作神蒙爱、成为领受神源源不绝祝福的新妇。
Hosea 2: Being God's Beloved Bride
GK611 Morning Devotion
27/4/2023
The Morning Devotion Speakers: Ps Deborah
1. Undying Love: Hesed Everywhere (v1-4)
V1 follows yesterday's 1:11 and continues to declare that Israel will be restored by God. The brothers and sisters mentioned in the scriptures represent the northern kingdom of Israel. Here again, we see that the purpose of the loving God in judging his beloved people is not to make them live in despair and darkness because when God proclaims the judgment, he also prophesies that they will receive God’s mercy and become the sons of God again.
God has repeatedly announced the judgment, but He does not want them to be judged. He always hopes that they can turn around before the judgment comes. He obviously loves them very much, though He can't continue to love, yet ultimately, He took the initiative to continue to love. This is God's Hesed!
Brothers and sisters, if we look back at our lives, isn't God doing the same to us? Everywhere is His Hesed. Judgment and discipline are all for the purpose of turning us around and renewing our lives so that we can live more freely. I hope that when we are disciplined, we will remember to hold on to God's Hesed and respond to God to transform our lives.
2 . Follow your own love: the adulteress invites her own curse (v5-13)
V5-13 mentions what adulteress desire and love. (v5, 7, 10, 12, 13) and those she desired and loved all had one thing in common, that is, they were not pleasing to God and eventually brought a curse on themselves.
Earrings and other accessories are often expensive gifts that husbands buy for brides at their weddings. The adulteress wears the jewellery given by her husband to follow her lover yet forgets the existence of her husband. This is a great humiliation to her husband. In addition to wearing the horns of a cuckold as modern people say, the people of Israel attributed God's provision and blessings given to them to the false god Baal thus bringing upon itself a curse:
(1) Hit the wall everywhere and fail to succeed (v5-7)
God said in v 6 that He would block the way of the people with thorns, and build walls to block them everywhere, so that they could not find a way out, and they would not succeed in doing anything. God not only closed all the doors, but also made them feel emptiness and disappointment about the result of idol worship, so that they could remember that the situation with God was better than now, and finally they turned back to the true God.
People all over the world regard success and wealth as the rewards of their own hard work or the achievements of human technological civilization. Today, several big banks are closing down one after another, how many wealthy and successful people, how many people have gone bankrupt or died of illness due to the new covid virus? May God help us to know that everything is from God. Secondly, when our life or spiritual life seems to be stuck or not going well, we must be vigilant and quiet to examine our own life, and if we are weak, we must quickly repent and align ourselves with God.
(2) Poor and starving (v8-9)
God based on Gomer did not realise that Hosea gave her all the wealth but used it to pursue her lover, to bring out that the Israelites did not seem to know that He was the one who gave the grain, the new wine, the oil and the gold and silver to their gods. Like Gomer, they even squandered the wealth given by God to create and worship false gods. Therefore, God said that He would withdraw His blessing from them. Make them poor, not only do not have enough to eat but also do not have warm clothes. That is what the scriptures say, take back My wool and My linen, Given to cover her nakedness.
Are we good stewards of the kingdom of God? May God allow us to have a controlled spirit and make good use of the blessings He has given us. Whether it is money, gifts, or even time, etc., they must be good stewards, used for God's things, and invested in the eternal kingdom. Otherwise, when God takes it back, we will be like Gomer, poor and starving.
(3) Ugliness reveals loss of joy (v 10-11)
Feast days, New Moons, sabbaths and all appointed feasts are days of celebration that God has set to bless the people. These days of rejoicing with the husband have turned into a party of adultery with the lover, so God wants to put an end to it all. Grape vines and fig trees are the main sources of income in Palestine. They are also important crops harvested before the Feast of Tabernacles. Destroying them not only cuts off future livelihoods but also symbolises the loss of the presence of God. Without God, Israel will not only lose their joy, but God will also make them show their ugliness in front of the eyes of their loved ones.
What is our favourite? If God is not our favourite, then we must be careful, God will show our ugliness in front of the people, things, and things we love the most.
3. Returning to the God of Love: The Bride Be Blessed Again and Again (v14-23)
(1) Regaining hope and joy (v15-17)
The Valley of Achor represents the hope of restoration. And the scriptures let us see that God will not only show them a door of hope in the Valley of Achor, but also give them a vineyard (inheritance) so that they can experience, like being rescued from the land of slavery in Egypt, and gain freedom, and sing joyfully.
Many people who have travelled to the Alps will be attracted by the Dolomites not far away. Compared with the snow-covered Alps, this place is a fairyland on Earth. The same is true in spiritual experience. If you are in the Valley of Achor right now, you must believe that there will be doors opened for you in the Valley of Achor. The point is, are you willing to humbly repent and trust God to take a step forward? If so, then you will definitely be able to come before God, see the Dolomites, and regain hope and joy.
(2) Restoring Intimacy (v16-20)
God said that on the day He restores the people, He will completely remove the name of Baal from the people’s mouths and replace it with the closer and warmer Ishi (my husband). That is to say after God restores the northern kingdom of Israel, the people will not only completely abandon their idols, but their relationship with God will be unprecedentedly intimate, just like husband and wife. Moreover, God uses His own attributes of righteousness, justice, love, mercy, and honesty as dowry, allowing the people to experience Him and know His disposition.
(3) Receiving abundance and mercy again (v21-23) Israel is God's people, receiving God's mercy. After the people regained their intimate relationship with God, God said that He would make the heavens, the earth, and all things work for them, and they would receive rich promises and God’s mercy again. Let us continue to pray for God's beloved Israel. Also, for God to find back the brothers and sisters who once knew the Lord but now have gone astray. Let them experience God's abundant promises and mercy again.
Conclusion: Adulteress or Bride
Are we the bride in God's eyes? God loves us with an eternal Hesed. Even though we are weak, He still actively restores our hearts with His loving kindness. There is a God who loves us so deeply that we need to respond to Him with love. Just like the message the pastor shared on Sunday, I hope we all only worship the one true God, choose to do what pleases God, serve God, and bring people before God. To be loved by God and to be a bride who receives endless blessings from God.
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