Old Testament: Hosea (1:2-10)
When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take for yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.” So he went and took Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. And the Lord said to him, “Name him Jezreel; for in a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.” She conceived again and bore a daughter. Then the Lord said to him, “Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer have pity on the house of Israel or forgive them. But I will have pity on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the Lord their God; I will not save them by bow, or by sword, or by war, or by horses, or by horsemen.” When she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. Then the Lord said, “Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not my people and I am not your God.” Yet the number of the people of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which can be neither measured nor numbered; and in the place where it was said to them, “You are not my people,” it shall be said to them, “Children of the living God.” it.
- This was written about the same time as Amos in the northern Kingdom.
- In his early days as a prophet, Amos was young and single.
- Israel is being compared here to an unfaithful wife.
- God will reject them at first but then restore them and forgive them.
- These verses were written after Israel (northern half) was killed or destroyed.
- The children’s names have significant meanings when translated.
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The Response: Psalm 85
1 You have been gracious to your land, O Lord, *
you have restored the good fortune of Jacob.
2 You have forgiven the iniquity of your people *
and blotted out all their sins.
3 You have withdrawn all your fury *
and turned yourself from your wrathful indignation.
4 Restore us then, O God our Savior; *
let your anger depart from us.
5 Will you be displeased with us for ever? *
will you prolong your anger from age to age?
6 Will you not give us life again, *
that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your mercy, O Lord, *
and grant us your salvation.
8 I will listen to what the Lord God is saying, *
for he is speaking peace to his faithful people
and to those who turn their hearts to him.
9 Truly, his salvation is very near to those who fear him, *
that his glory may dwell in our land.
10 Mercy and truth have met together; *
righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11 Truth shall spring up from the earth, *
and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
12 The Lord will indeed grant prosperity, *
and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before him, *
and peace shall be a pathway for his feet.
- The writing of these verses most likely takes place after the exile in Babylon.
- Things are going badly for Israel and the people look back at what God has done in the past.
- They ask God if he is going to rescue them again in the future.
- Some of these verses are similar to what is found in the second chapter of Isaiah.
- These verses contain the ideas of forgiveness and restoration.
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The Epistle: Colossians (2:6-15)
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ; when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it.
- These verses were most likely written by one of Paul’s followers (deuteo-Paul).
- With Paul, faith was active and linked to God.
- In these verses it is now a body of teaching.
- With Paul, he noted that one day we will be raised up with Jesus.
- In these verses the resurrection has already taken place.
- This is the only place in the Bible where the word “philosophy” is used.
- There is emphasis of a spiritual circumcision and not a physical one.
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The Gospel: Luke (11:1-13)
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.’” And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.’ And he answers from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs. “So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
- These are a collection of sayings also found in Matthew.
- The Lord’s Prayer comes from the sermon on the mount.
- There a number of variations on the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew, Luke, Didache).
- They all exhibit a basic call for God’s kingdom to come.
- Who will do this… no one! How much more God will do!
The following show the differences in the Lord’s Prayer from different sources.
Matthew 6:9-13
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our
debtors.
And do not bring us to the time of
trial,
but rescue us from the evil one.
Luke 11:2-4
Father,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive
everyone indebted to us.
And do not bring us to the time of
trial.
The Didache 8:4-9
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our debts
as we also forgive our debtors.
And do not bring us to the time of
trial,
but deliver us from the evil one
for yours is the power and the glory for
ever ..
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