Hosea 8 “Israel Shall Cry Unto God”

"Israel shall cry unto Me, My God, we knew thee." (Hosea 8:2)

Israel will discover here in chapter 8 when faced with their moment of judgment, like those who will stand before Jesus in the “day of judgment,” that going through the motions of serving Him will not be enough.  For God will say to them, after much long-suffering and warning to repent, “I never knew you.” And they would receive their punishment, as a nation, for their idolatry.

Nations can't be punished in the next world for their sins, so they must suffer in this one, something this nation should keep in mind. It was the leadership of Israel that determined the fate of Israel and it’s people. For the very ones who were to keep the nation focused on God, allowed it to fall into idolatry. And so the LORD said, “For they who sow to the wind, shall reap the whirlwind” (v.7).

While it will seem to Israel that the judgment they received is worse than the sin they committed, this isn’t true. God is not being worse to them than their sin deserved, it’s just how judgment feels. This is usually because our sin is sown over a long period of time, but judgment is often reaped in a smaller period, and in some cases even immediate. And even though Israel would face the conquering Assyrians and exile as judgment, God promised that He would one day gather them again (v.10).

Israel forgot its Maker, built temples to other gods and practiced outright idolatry. Judah forgot its protector, built fortified cities, took pride in its bigness and facilities, which could not save them when the Assyrians came and burned down their cities and palaces (v.10). My prayer is that God would bring this country back to its knees, to its Christian roots, before His judgment is brought to bear on us as well.

The Truth: “If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and forgive their sin, and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Hosea 7 “Israel’s Heart Is Half-Baked”

“Ephraim has mixed himself among the peoples, and is a cake unturned. Aliens have devoured his strength, but he does not know it - Yes, gray hairs are here and there on him, yet he does not know it. And the pride of Israel testifies to his face, but they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek Him for all this.” (vv.8-10)

The prophet Hosea used the tribe of Ephraim as a representation of the northern kingdom of Israel. And in our text he wrote that Ephraim had become, "a cake unturned" (v.8).

In today's terminology, the prophet might have said that Ephraim was "half-baked." In that day, bread was often prepared as a cake that was cooked in a hot brick oven on both sides, something like a pancake, but it had to be turned. In thinking they could serve both the Lord and idols, Israel became like an unturned pancake – burned on one side, uncooked on the other, or half-baked.

The prophet goes on to say of Ephraim that, "Aliens have devoured his strength, but he does not know it.” This makes the tragedy of Israel’s ruin worse. The nation is being ravaged by sin but does not know it, even though the pride of Israel (Hosea) testifies to his face – yet in their blind ignorance they did not return to the LORD their God.

Man has an amazing ability to deceive himself when he is in sin. Jeremiah said, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9). Considering how easily we all deceive ourself, and how our sin can be apparent to everyone but us, Israel’s condition isn’t that unusual. Just turn on the news. You’ll see people deceived committing acts of violence, destruction of private property, theft, arson, acts of brutality, even murder. And they do not consider their actions as evil or sinful, but justified. Even going so far as to claim, "it is their right to do so." Deception is powerful!

It was said of Samson after Deliliah cut his hair that, “he did not know that the strength of the LORD had departed from him”  (Judges 16:20). This is where the people of Israel – and some followers of God today – were/are, so far from God and already suffering the effects, yet they don't even know it. Israel became as foolish as an old man who thinks and acts like he is still young, “Yes, gray hairs are here and there on him, yet he does not know it.” So Israel began to decline and decay through sin, and by turning away from God, became a half-baked nation.

My prayer for this country is that we can somehow turn from our current deplorable actions, and become a nation that is not half-baked, but one who's heart is grounded in the righteousness of God.  

The Truth: “If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and forgive their sin, and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Hosea 6 “A Call to Return”

“Come, and let us return to the LORD; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight.” (vv.1-2)

Here Hosea leads Israel in a humble prayer, with the right heart, in response to the chastening hand of God. Instead of arguing with God, or resenting His correction, Hosea turns to prayer.

This is a prayer that trusts the love of God, and sees His loving hand even in correction. Often, a rebellious child will complain that their parents do not love them. Of course, the parents do love the child, but in their rebellion and lack of submission, they can’t receive or respond to that love.

In verse two we read, “After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up,” Hosea prayed this full of confidence in God’s love and power to restore. In the prayer, we see a shadowy prophecy of Jesus’ resurrection on the third day. The context supports this wonderfully; on the cross Jesus was torn and stricken for our sake, yet He was also gloriously raised up on the third day.

A beautiful “call to return” to the LORD, to walk in confidence and wait on Him, with the promise that He will come like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth (v.3). In Israel, the only way crops were watered was by rain. So the farmer waited for the rain with great anticipation.

When we anticipate and wait for God with this kind of earnest expectation, He answers and will come to us.

The Truth: “But those who wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not grow weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

Hosea 5 “The Leaders Rebuked”

“Hear this, O priests! Take heed, O house of Israel! Give ear, O house of the king! For yours is the judgment, because you have been a snare to Mizpah and a net spread on Tabor. The revolters are deeply involved in slaughter, though I rebuke them all. I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me; For now, O Ephraim, you commit harlotry; Israel is defiled.” (vv.1-3)

When God saw the sinful state of the nation of Israel, He saw that it was because the leaders did not lead in a godly way. It would be tempting for the priests to blame the people, but it was really the fault of the spiritual leadership (priests) and political leadership (house of Israel) of the nation. They were corrupt cheaters. The kind of men who would change property boundaries to their advantage if they thought they could get away with it.

Ephraim’s sinned by living by man’s standards and opinions, instead of God’s. We can’t walk by human precept unless we first reject God’s precepts, and that was exactly what Israel did - being foolish enough to trust in man (her eventual conqueror) instead of trusting in God. Choosing a King Jareb instead of the LORD, was never going to end well for them.

The real tragedy of Israel’s sin wasn’t so much that they stumbled. It was more so that they did not respond to God’s rebuke when they did stumble. If a man knows how to humbly respond to God’s correction, He will always work with him.

The Truth: “If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and to cleans us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

Hosea 4 “Israel’s Sin, God’s Judgment”

Hear the word of the LORD, You children of Israel, for the LORD brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land, “There is no truth or mercy 
Or knowledge of God in the land.
 By swearing and lying,
 killing and stealing and committing adultery,
 they break all restraint,
 with bloodshed upon bloodshed.
 Therefore the land will mourn;
 and everyone who dwells there will waste away
 with the beasts of the field
 and the birds of the air;
 even the fish of the sea will be taken away.” (vv.1-3)

Here God levels His charges against Israel as if in a court of law. God is the plaintiff, and the Israelites the defendants. The charges being, “There is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land.” Each of these three points is connected. When people forsake the knowledge of God, soon truth and mercy are both gone. Truth must be rooted in something more than personal opinion, and mercy means going beyond self-interest. True wisdom and understanding always begins with the knowledge of God. Proverbs 9:10 says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."

In our text, God goes on to say, “They break all restraint.” It all connects back to leaving the knowledge of God. For by doing so, truth and mercy become things of the past, and people no longer practice restraint. When man will not (or can not) restrain himself, bloodshed and destruction soon follow, as we've seen on national television in many states around this country. Then, “Everyone who dwells there will waste away.” This is the tragic fruit of forsaking the knowledge of God; truth, mercy, and restraint all disappear. Then, enter a new thought, that casting these things away is a doorway to freedom – when in reality it is only a pathway to destruction.

God’s judgment promised in verse 9 goes to leadership as well, “And it shall be: like people, like priest, so I will punish them for their ways, and reward them for their deeds.” This means the priests, the religious leaders, who may have thought they would be immune from the judgment coming upon Israel, will find themselves held responsible for allowing the decay of their city, and the degrading of it’s people. For God promises that when it comes to judgment, like people, like priest (Leadership). No one shall escape it.

The Truth: “For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.” (2 Corinthians 5:10)

Hosea 3 "Unconditional Love"

Then the LORD said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery, just like the love of the LORD for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love the raisin cakes of the pagans.” (v.1)

Here God directed Hosea to go back to his wife, even though she was committing adultery. It wasn’t in the past; it was in the present; yet he was commanded to go back to her and to love her.

Why did God command Hosea to go back to his still-unfaithful wife? Not only for the sake of Hosea and his wife Gomer, but also so that they would become a living lesson of the LORD’s relationship with His people. They were still steeped in spiritual adultery, yet the LORD still loved them.

So Hosea bought her for fifteen shekels of silver out of prostitution (vv.2-3). The point of paying for Gomer wasn’t just to get her to give up her trade as a prostitute. It was to bring her back into a relationship with Hosea, her husband, to abide with him. Thus signifying God’s desire to bring Israel back into relationship with Him, and for them to abide once again with Him.

But this would not happen right away. Israel would abide many days in her fallen state (v.4). Yet after this time of political and spiritual ruin, Israel will return and seek the LORD again. This will mark their restoration – and there will be no restoration until they turn back to the LORD. 

This prophecy will be ultimately fulfilled in the millennial kingdom, where prince David will be the shepherd of Israel for king Jesus, who will be their God (Ezekiel 34:23-25). Thus restoring the bride, Israel, to her husband whom she left, Yahweh!  Pray for Israel brothers and sisters, for she has spent far to many days away from her true husband, Messiah king Jesus.

The Truth: “I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them—My servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken.” (Ezekiel 34:23-24)

Hosea 2 “Sin, Judgment, And Restoration”

“Therefore, behold, I will allure her, I will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her. I will give her her vineyards from there, and the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; She shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.” (vv.14-15).

Back in chapter 1 we saw Israel’s sin portrayed as an adulterous wife. And here in the beginning of chapter 2, God again paints Israel as an adulterous wife, but one who is no longer worthy to be compared to a wife. This shows that the relationship (between God and Israel), was dramatically broken.

Israel then tries to justify her harlotry (vv.4-5), but God said, “I will hedge up your path way with thorns” (vv.6-8). Meaning, every time Israel went off the correct path, God would place a “hedge of thorns” in their way, to drive them back to the path of restoration.

Despite it all, Israel enjoyed great prosperity during the time of Jeroboam II. But she used her prosperity for idolatry and the pursuit of ungodly pleasures, so God would take away her prosperity (Judgment). And, as Israel felt her need and deprivation, perhaps she would then turn back to the LORD (vv.9-13).

When our relationship with the LORD is where it is supposed to be, our needs have a way of working out. This is the same principle Jesus taught in Matthew 6:33: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Look to Him in all things brothers and sisters and your cup will never run dry.

The Truth: “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7).

Hosea 1 "The Land Is Guilty of Harlotry"

When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the Lord.” (v.2)

Let’s begin with a hypothetical question: If you found out that you were a victim of adultery, could you forgive your spouse? Imagine that the unfaithfulness was not a one-night stand, but a long affair. Imagine further that your spouse wasn’t very repentant and was even rather open about what he or she was doing. Would you still love your spouse? Would you want him or her back?

This question is asked to highlight the incredible love of God. When we–His people–are unfaithful, spurning the love of our true Husband, He continues to love us. He pursues us, wooing us back and disciplining us. That’s the picture we see in the lives of Hosea and his wife Gomer.

Hosea’s marriage and family were a living symbol of God’s message of judgment. In front of the nation, they acted out the relationship between God and Israel. Just as Gomer chased after other men, so Israel chased after other gods. Just as she dishonored the marriage covenant, so the nation dishonored its covenant with God (Jer. 3:8-9; Ezek. 16:32-34), and punishment was imminent.

But this is not the end of the story. God in His infinite mercy and love restored both the nation of Israel to Himself, and Gomer to her loving husband Hosea. What a beautiful picture this is of God’s love for us! Our loving heavenly Father, who would endure anything to reconcile His children back to Himself.

The Truth: “For you are all sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 3:26)

Ephesians 6 "Armor up"

"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." (Ephesians 6:11)

In our reading today, the Apostle Paul shows that the Christian faces spiritual forces - rulers, authorities, and powers of darkness and wickedness (vv.12-13). These spiritual forces (not of flesh and blood), are directed by an even greater power, Satan himself - intended to further his schemes. With enemies like this, only spiritual defenses will do.

Fortunately, God in His grace has provided us with a complete suit of armor that can enable us to stand against these powers of evil; the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit (vv.14-17).

Although we may seem to lose an occasional skirmish, the fact that God has already provided us with salvation guarantees that we will ultimately win the war. Satan can oppose us but he will never be able to defeat us. And though we may lose an occasional skirmish, God has already provided us with salvation which guarantees that we will ultimately win the war. Satan can oppose us, but he will never be able to defeat us.

Therefore, armor up every day in His Word and serve God and Christ as faithful soldiers in this battle, and you will become conquerors over the dark forces of evil.

The Truth
“But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39)

Ephesians 5 "Walk In Love"

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” (vv.1-2)

In our reading today Paul calls us to embody the love that God has shown us in Christ. Jesus gave His life as a fragrant offering to the Father on our behalf (v.2). As imitators of God, we are called to love one another just as God and Jesus have loved us. When we love one another, the world senses the presence of God in our lives.

Living out sacrificial love is one of the highest and most difficult callings that we have as children of God, especially in a culture that teaches us to demand our rights. Even in the church we can get caught up in wanting everything to revolve around our preferences. By voluntarily surrendering our own desires—even our rights—for someone else, we are imitating Christ. This has consequences beyond our own spiritual life, for God uses this kind of love to attract unbelievers to Himself. Therefore, walk in love.

The Truth
“I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.” (John 17:20-21)

Ephesians 4 "Forgive Each Other"

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (v.32)

Many people struggle with forgiveness and hold on to grudges for years. And some find it difficult to apologize, even though their words or actions have hurt others deeply. They simply can not see anything or anyone other than themselves. Even to the point of alienating family for their own self-righteousness.

While struggling with either side of this issue, it would do us all good to remember; our own sins against God were even greater, yet He forgave us. Then, having tasted His forgiveness for sin, how can we withhold our forgiveness from another person, who has inflicted such unreasonable pain against us? Love says, we can not.

Forgiveness for others reveals the extent to which we have grasped the significance of God's forgiveness in our own lives (vv. 32-35). He holds no grudges. Once we confess our sin He simply forgives and remembers our sin no more. But the key is to have a heart of love, for love conquers all. Love is gentle and kind, not rough or insensitive toward others, it does not demand its own way. Therefore brothers and sisters in all that you do, show compassion to one another and treat others as you would desire to be treated and you will cover a multitude of sin.

The Truth: “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15)

Ephesians 3 "Access Through Christ"

Through faith in Him (Jesus) we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” (v.12)

The Law no longer determines human identity. Because of Jesus' shed blood, human identity is first and foremost determined by one's relationship to Him. Instead of Jew versus Greek, the unifying power of Jesus' heavenly and earthly authority, makes the key distinction being “included in Christ” or not. All one needs to do to be counted “in Christ” is believe the gospel.

This wonderful truth means that, whereas the Law limited access to God, those who are “in Christ” may approach God with freedom and confidence (v. 12). Why? Because God loves Jesus, and this love graciously overflows to all those who are identified in Jesus (Ch.1:6).

The question then becomes, where does your identity lie? In Christ or not? If you are not yet "included in Christ" and would like to be, just pray the prayer located to the right on this page (Connect With God), and God will graciously welcome you into His family, because you have accepted in His Son.  

The Truth: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

Ephesians 2 "The Blood of Christ"

“You who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (v.13)

The presentation of the blood in Old Testament sacrifices by the high priest, provided cleansing and purity for the people of God. It provided atonement, and allowed the high priest to enter the Most Holy Place once every year. However, it had to be repeated continually. For without the shedding of the blood (bulls and goats,) their existed no other atonement for sin.

However, Jesus did what the high priests before Him could never do: He entered a better tabernacle (that was not of this earth), as a superior high priest, and He offered a superior sacrifice. The presentation of His own blood brought eternal redemption that could cleanse us spiritually, and needed to be offered only once. For He was the perfect sacrifice, the spotless lamb of God, who's innocent blood was shed for the remission of our sins..

Therefore, our eternal destination will be in a better place, because Jesus offered a better sacrifice, to pave a better way. to eternal life with Him in glory.

The Truth
“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:27-28)

Ephesians 1 “Redemption”

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” (v.7)

Redemption conveys the idea of delivering a man from a situation that he is totally powerless to liberate himself from. It is releasing someone from a penalty they could never pay. That’s the picture Paul is painting in this verse.

Jesus paid the price for our freedom with His own blood. It was a sacrifice that cost Him His life, but provided life for us – something we could never do for ourselves. Why?

Paul gives us the reason right here; it was “according to the riches of His grace.” We have redemption, forgiveness, and freedom because of the free gift of God’s GRACE – which He gives freely to all men, who do not deserve redemption.

The thing is, you must bewilling to receive it. See the prayer, “Connect With God,” to the right of this page and receive His gift of redemption today.

The Truth: “If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

Daniel 12 “Israel’s Time of Trouble”

“At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.” (vv.1-2)

Here Daniel is telling us that, “at that time,” the time of Israel’s future great trouble – referring to the calamity known as the Great Tribulation, also known as the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7), a time of such trouble that no nation has ever seen, the angel Michael (also called the archangel), shall stand up. And every one whos name is found written in the book, shall be delivered.

The Jewish people have known many times of trouble through their history. From the horrors at the fall of Samaria and Jerusalem to the terrors wrought by Antiochus Epiphanes, to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, to the persecutions from the church during the Dark Ages, to the pogroms of Europe, to the 20th Century Holocaust. One could say Israel’s history has often been a time of trouble. Yet this time, it will be different. Jesus described it in Matthew 24:21 saying: “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.”

However, despite the terrors of that coming time, deliverance is assured. No matter how great the attack is against the Jewish people, God promises to preserve them (a remnant). He will never break His promise to Abraham: “And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you” (Genesis 17:7).

So how will this deliverance occure? Well, we know that; 144,000 (12k from the 12 tribes) are sealed by God and protected from the plaques of the Great Tribulation, and those who flee to the wilderness – to the “rock” city of Petra as directed by Jesus (Matthew 24, Mark 13) will also be preserved by God (Isaiah 16). But, those that do not flee, the antichrist will then go and make war against the remnant of the people that stay in the land, and there will be a horrible devastation of those who remained until Jesus comes and ends it all. And Daniel tells us that exact time in verse 11, “‪From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days,” until His coming.

Then, 45 days later (v.12), He will gather together the nations for judgment and separate them as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And to those in His right hand, "Come ye blessed of the Father. Enter into the kingdom that was prepared for you from the foundations of the earth." To those on His left, "Depart from Me, workers of iniquity, into the everlasting darkness which was prepared for Satan and his angels."

"He that has ab ear to hear, let him hear."

The Truth: “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:11-15)

Daniel 11 “The Anti-Christ’s Predicted End”

“He will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain; yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.” (v.45)

Here in chapter 12, Daniel lays out details of the battles which take place before Armageddon, along with the defeat of the anti-christ and his rule. During the great tribulation, the Antichrist will be attacked in a pincer movement from both the north and the south, yet he will be successful, sweeping through like a flood (v.40).

He will also invade Israel, the beautiful land, ignoring some nations that are in alliance with him but conquering others, including Egypt, Libya, and Sudan (the Cushites) (vv.41-43). Then, reports of nations from the east and the north coming to attack will both terrify and infuriate him, leading him to pursue a course of genocidal warfare against his enemies, especially many of the Jewish people (v.44; Zech 13:8-9).

The Antichrist will then establish his military capital in Israel, pitching his royal tents between the Mediterranean Sea and the city of Jerusalem, situated on the beautiful holy mountain (v.45a). There the nations of the earth will gather (Zech 14:2) at Mount Megiddo to begin the campaign of Armageddon (Rev 16:13-16).

At that time, when the nation of Israel calls on the Messiah, Jesus will return (Mt 23:37-39) to deliver them, and the Antichrist will meet his end, with no one to help him (v.45b).

The Truth: “Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast (anti-christ) was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.” (Revelation 19:19-21)

Daniel 10 “Daniel’s Words Were Heard”

“Then he (an angel) said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.” (v.12)

Like Daniel, our prayers are heard and like him we must be both patient and persistent. We must strive, in our prayer life, to understand what God wants to accomplish in our present situation. Humbling ourselves before the creator of the universe is a good start, as God is not some genie we can summon for our three wishes. 

True revelation and understanding will come as we truly seek His will and not our own.

The Truth:

“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done.....” (Matthew 6:10)

Daniel 9 “Daniel’s Prayer”

“Then I set my face before the Lord God to make request in prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.” (v.3)

This is one of the great chapters of prayer in the Bible. Here Daniel is interceding for the nation of Israel, asking God to have mercy on them and forgiveness for their rebellion and disobedience. By all indications this prayer may have taken days, as we see in the latter part of the verse it was done with fasting.

Interestingly enough, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national fast in the midst of the Civil War. He said of this nation, “We have forgotten God, we have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, multiplied, enriched, and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, and too proud to pray to the God that made us! It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.”

Daniel did precisely that. His prayer, offered during the Exile, is one of the Bible’s great intercessory prayers. To demonstrate his humility and sorrow for the sins of the nation, he fasted and put on sackcloth and ashes. His prayer revealed; faith in Jeremiah’s prophecy that the Exile would last seventy years, it showed humility and a submissive knowledge of God’s person and Law, along with an understanding that God’s punishment was just.

Today, the most important area of service that we can do for the state of our country, is to pray – and more so as we see the Day of the Lord approaching. For His punishment will be just.

The Truth: “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:36”)