Hopewell ARP Church is a Biblical, Reformed, Presbyterian church, serving the Lord in Culleoka, TN, since 1820. Lord's Day Morning, set your gps to arrive by 11a.m. at 3886 Hopewell Road, Culleoka, TN 38451
Read Hosea 9:1–10:2
Questions from the Scripture text: What isn’t Israel to do (Hosea 9:1)? Why not—what have they done? What will the Lord debilitate (Hosea 9:2)? Where won’t they dwell (Hosea 9:3)? Where will they go instead? What won’t they be permitted to do with their wine and grain (Hosea 9:4a–b)? What effect will this have on the rest of their consuming of grain (verse 4c–f)? What rhetorical question does Hosea 9:5 ask? Why is this such a question (Hosea 9:6)? What days have come (Hosea 9:7, Hosea 9:8)? What help don’t they have? Why not? How will God deal with them, and why (Hosea 9:9)? In what condition was Israel before the Lord adopted them (Hosea 9:10a–b)? But how did the Lord receive them (verse 10c–d)? And still how did they treat Him (verse 10e–g)? What is another way that the Lord will chasten them (Hosea 9:11-14, Hosea 9:16)? Even by making them to be like whom (Hosea 9:13)? What is the Lord’s disposition toward them (Hosea 9:15)? Why? Now what will He do? Why (Hosea 9:17)? For whom had Israel used their material blessings (Hosea 10:1)? And what did they multiply, as their blessings multiplied? How will God respond (Hosea 10:2)?
How did God respond to Israel’s sin? Hosea 9:1–10:2 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these nineteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God responded to Israel’s sin by removing from him all the blessings of the covenant.
This passage consists of declaring Israel’s sentencing for breaking the covenant. The Lord will remove the blessings of their prosperity (Hosea 9:1-2), their holiness for worship (Hosea 9:3-6), their responsiveness to the Word of God (Hosea 9:7-9), and their fruitfulness to produce holy generations (Hosea 9:10-16). As they would not give Him their whole self, He will reject them, hold them guilty, and destroy the remnants of their wicked works (Hosea 9:17–10:2).
The Lord will remove their prosperity, Hosea 9:1-2. They thought that they were bringing forth fruit from themselves and for themselves (Hosea 10:1a–b), and therefore they have committed the adultery (Hosea 9:1) of attributing their prosperity to “God” as they imagine Him, and devoting it unto Him in their own way (Hosea 10:1c–e)—which Scripture repeatedly teaches us is to worship another god altogether. So the Lord will take away that prosperity (Hosea 9:2) that they neither enjoyed as from Him nor employed as for Him. What a blessing it is to receive everything as from the Lord and for the Lord. And if we do not, let us hope that the Lord will treat us like true children and afflict us in our material things.
The Lord will remove their holiness for worship, Hosea 9:3-6. They were a consecrated people, eating consecrated food, in a consecrated land. They offered to the Lord all of their first-fruits. From the same fields and vineyards came offerings for the Lord and food for their tables. Clean animals could only be slaughtered as sacrifices, with all of the blood and the fat being offered to God, and whatever meat they enjoyed coming from the portion that God “shared” with them in their offerings. But, they are now being removed from the consecrated land to the lands of the nations (Hosea 9:3a–b, Hosea 9:6). And they will eat from portions not consecrated to the Lord. In Assyria (Hosea 9:3c), even those things that come from clean animals will not have been consecrated as they were in the land. Their eating is going to be divorced from worship (Hosea 9:4). They will be unable to be a people consecrated unto the Lord’s worship (Hosea 9:5).
What a blessing it is to live as worshipers of God! To know that the whole of our life flows into and out of drawing near to Him in the public worship on the Lord’s Day, so that whether we eat or drink or whatever we do, that too is consecrated unto Him (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:31). And what a curse it is when we cannot attend public worship, when we do not attend public worship, or when we do not either come to public worship in the right mindset or carry that devotion back home with us.
The Lord will remove their responsiveness to His Word, Hosea 9:7-9. Hosea 9:7 can mean either that their preachers and spiritual shepherds have fallen into the folly and insanity of false doctrine, or that they continue to have faithful preachers and shepherds, but they refuse to listen to them. Either one would be consistent with judgments that we see elsewhere in Scripture, but it is probably the first one. For, “Israel knows.” They know that the days of punishment have come, and the days of recompense have come. But as is often the case when a faithful preacher sounds the solemn warning, the people treat him as if he is a fool or a madman. Their “enmity” enters the house of God (Hosea 9:8c), and because of their response, the faithful preaching (verse v8a) becomes to them not a help but a snare (verse 8b). Isaiah and Hosea were preaching that if the Lord were not leaving them a remnant, they would be altogether destroyed. But the people rejected their, and the other latter prophets’, preaching. May the Lord ever give us submissiveness to the “strange” preaching of His Word, so that we are corrected and grown by it—rather than concluding that the preacher is stupid or crazy.
The Lord will remove their fruitfulness to produce holy generations, Hosea 9:10-16. The language of the Lord finding them in the wilderness refers back to His constituting them a church upon gathering them out of Egypt. Though they were wild/sour grapes (Hosea 9:10a–b), in His eyes (and provision), that generation were the very first sweet figs of a great harvest to come in succeeding generations (verse 10c–d). But before even the next generation could be reared, Israel’s long history of spiritual adultery had already begun (verse 10d–e, cf. Numbers 25:1–3). So the great covenant blessing of His being God to them and their children would be a place in which they would be particularly afflicted (Hosea 9:11, Hosea 9:12, Hosea 9:13, Hosea 9:14, Hosea 9:16). This same grievous chastening comes to congregations today. Either they do not bear children, or their children die young, or their children suffer the spiritual slaughter of wandering away from God, and either into “churches” with false worship/ doctrine or no church at all. When this happens, it is not time for a revamped youth program or “livelier” worship, but for repentance!
The Lord rejects them altogether, Hosea 9:17–10:2. Hosea 9:17 summarizes the sentence, and Hosea 10:1 summarizes the offense. Hosea 10:2 describes it in relational and covenantal terms. Rather than loving YHWH, their God, with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, their heart has been divided. They are guilty not merely of rule infractions, but of rejecting God Himself. And He will destroy the remnants of their sin. God give you, dear reader, to see sin not merely as a rule infraction, but as that hateful rejection of your own covenant God, which rejection you yourself hate with all your heart—just as you love Him with all your heart.
How do you view and use the good things that God has given you? How much do you value being able to gather for public worship? How does it bear out in your life that you value the faithful preaching of the Word? How does the fruit of the womb as a covenant blessing shape your desire/approach/effort to marriage and bearing/rearing children?
Sample prayer: Lord, we have treated Your good gifts as if they are from us. And we have indulged ourselves in them apart from glorifying You or enjoying You. We deserve to have all our good gifts taken away. And, we have not heeded the faithful preaching of Your Word. Forgive us, and don’t permit for our preaching to become foolish and unfaithful. Our generation has often failed to conduct ourselves as belonging to You, and we deserve for the next generation to perish, rather than belonging to You. So, forgive us, we pray! Do not reject us or cast us out of Your presence. For, Your Son has been forsaken in our place, for our sin, so that we may receive as He deserves. Give us according to Christ’s worthiness, and according to the love in which You gave Him to be ours, we ask in His Name, AMEN!
Suggested Songs: ARP51AB “God, Be Merciful to Me” or TPH433 “Amazing Grace”
Read Psalm 140
Questions from the Scripture text: To whom is this psalm addressed (superscript)? Whose is it? With what double request does it begin (Psalm 140:1)? What do these men do with their hearts (Psalm 140:2a)? With their selves (verse 2b)? With their speech (Psalm 140:3)? With what double request does Psalm 140:4 continue? What have these men done with their hearts (verse 4c)? With their activities (Psalm 140:5)? How does David identify the Lord in Psalm 140:6a? What does he ask his God to do (verse 6b)? How does he identify the Lord in Psalm 140:7a? What has the Lord done for him? What double request does he make for the Lord to prevent (Psalm 140:8a–b)? Why (verse 8c)? To what does he refer in Psalm 140:9a? What does he ask would happen to them (verse 9b)? And what other two things (Psalm 140:10)? What does he ask would not happen in Psalm 140:11a? And what does he ask that it would happen in verse 11b? What does he know (Psalm 140:12)? What will be done, by whom, in response (Psalm 140:13a)? With what final and enduring outcome (verse 13b)?
How should we pray when we are in trouble from others? Psalm 140 looks forward to the opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these thirteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that we should pray as those who belong to God, and who desire that He would display His character in His responses to others and to us.
Why the believer needs deliverance (Psalm 140:1-5). David’s requests for deliverance in the first five verses focus upon the wicked ones to whom he is asking the Lord to respond. They are wicked to the core, with evil plans in their hearts (Psalm 140:2a) and their purposes (Psalm 140:4c). In this wickedness they are collaborative (Psalm 140:2b), communicative (Psalm 140:3), and very active (Psalm 140:5). So, David needs to be delivered (Psalm 140:1a), preserved (verse 1b, Psalm 140:4b), and kept (verse 4a). He is very vulnerable, and his vulnerability is one great plea with the God Who cares for the vulnerable!
Why the wicked needs his comeuppance (Psalm 140:6-11). The focus in verses 6–11 shifts to the Lord Himself, Who is responding to the wicked. Obviously, there is much overlap in the themes of these two sections, but there is an evident shift in emphasis. As Scripture teaches us to do, the psalmist’s heart turns especially to the Lord Himself.
He focuses on his relationship to the Lord, being covenantally bound to Him (“You are my God,” Psalm 140:6a) and entirely dependent upon Him (“the Strength of my salvation,” Psalm 140:7a). You, too, should learn to address the Lord this way, as your very own covenant God.
He requests the Lord’s personal interaction with him. “Hear the voice of my supplications” (Psalm 140:6b) drives home the concrete reality of this interaction, asking YHWH to listen to the particular sounds that he is making.
He recounts the Lord’s having delivered him before: “You have covered my head in the day of battle” (Psalm 140:7b).
Consideration of the Lord brings to mind something even more urgent than the enemies’ attacks against David: the enemies’ wickedness against the Lord Himself. It is of the utmost importance that the wicked not be exalted (Psalm 140:8), but rather that thanks be given to the name of the exalted Lord (Psalm 140:13a). God’s character as being just in His vengeance upon the wicked is on the line (Psalm 140:9-11).
And God’s character as just being just in His compassion upon the afflicted is on the line (Psalm 140:12). But He will surely have that compassion upon those afflicted ones whom He has justified. He will most certainly sanctify and glorify them; in His presence (Psalm 140:13b), they will be the ones giving thanks to His Name (verse 13a). Dear believer, learn from this psalm to tell the Lord the details of your circumstances, but to focus especially upon His character, and His glory in the display of that character in how He responds to your circumstances!
What dire circumstances have you been in, or perhaps are in even now? Concerning these circumstances, how have your prayers emphasized your covenant relation to God? How have your prayers emphasized His personal interaction with you? How have your prayers focused on seeking the glory of His character in His responses to the wicked? How have your prayers focused on seeking the glory of His character in His responses to the elect?
Sample prayer: O Lord, You see and hear everything in heaven and earth. But, since we are Yours in Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, we ask that You would give special regard to the sound of our voice and the cries of our heart. You are our God, and the strength of our salvation. Truly, You have been our help before, and we are confident that You will continue to maintain our cause, until we dwell in Your presence and give thanks to Your Name. So, give us now to enter that presence in union with Christ by faith, in dependence upon Your Holy Spirit, and be glorified in our praying, and indeed in all of our worship unto You, we ask through Christ, AMEN!
Suggested Songs: ARP140 “Save Me, O LORD” or TPH140 “O Save Me, LORD, from Evil Men”
Read Proverbs 13:12–19
Questions from the Scripture text: What does hope deferred do (Proverbs 13:12a)? What does fulfilled desire do (verse 12b)? What happens to the one who despises the Word (Proverbs 13:13a)? And to him who fears the commandment (verse 13b)? How does the law of the wise function (Proverbs 13:14a)? From what does it turn one away (verse 14b)? What does good understanding gain (Proverbs 13:15a)? What is the way of the unfaithful like (verse 15b)? With what does the prudent man act (Proverbs 13:16a)? What do a fool’s actions lay open (verse 16b)? Into what does a wicked messenger fall (Proverbs 13:17a)? What does a faithful ambassador bring (verse 17b)? What comes to him who disdains correction (Proverbs 13:18a)? And what comes to him who regards rebuke (verse 18b)? What effect does fulfilled desire have upon the soul (Proverbs 13:19a)? What do fools think of departing from evil (verse 19b)?
What is at stake in how we receive instruction? Proverbs 13:12–19 looks forward to the sermon in this week’s midweek meeting. In these eight verses of Holy Scripture ,the Holy Spirit teaches us that life, health, and joy come, in part, through the instrumentality of humility to receive the Word.
The inclusio (bookends) that marks this passage is the fulfillment of desire in Proverbs 13:12 and Proverbs 13:19. Whereas the wicked will lose all they desired (Proverbs 13:11b), the wise/righteous will have their desire fulfilled. This will have a healing effect upon them (“tree of life,” Proverbs 13:12b; cf. Revelation 22:2) and be sweet to their soul (Proverbs 13:19a).
This passage returns to theme of being instructible. The one who humbles himself under instruction is the one who will have the healing and sweetness of ultimately fulfilled desire. He “fears the commandment” (Proverbs 13:13b), drinks life from “the law of the wise” (Proverbs 13:14), “gains favor” (Proverbs 13:15a) and health (Proverbs 13:17b) by obtaining “good understanding” (Proverbs 13:15), shows knowledge in his actions (Proverbs 13:16a), and gins honor by regarding rebuke (Proverbs 13:18b). What a blessing teachability is!
By contrast, the one who insists upon his folly is responsible for his own sickness (Proverbs 13:12a) and poverty and shame (Proverbs 13:18b), because his evil is so precious to him that it would be an abomination to him to depart from it (Proverbs 13:19b). Such a fool will despise the word (Proverbs 13:13a), making his own way hard (Proverbs 13:15b). He has no knowledge to act from, so his actions broadcast his folly (Proverbs 13:16b). Instead of health (Proverbs 13:17b), he finds trouble (verse 17a).
Every time you have opportunity to receive biblical instruction from the wise and godly, there is a choice before you: life and health and the fulfillment of desire, or the sickening of the heart and poverty and shame. The Lord, Who has given His Son, into Whom we believe, also gives the spiritual life necessary for yielding to instruction. May He give it to you, dear reader.
How do you receive Scripture teaching from those whom the Lord has given you for that purpose? How do you receive instruction and rebuke from the godly and the wise?
Sample prayer: Lord, thank You for giving us Your Word and Spirit, to direct us into Your Son and conform us to Him. By Your Spirit, grant unto us the humility that we need to submit ourselves under Your Word, we ask through Christ, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP16A “Keep Me, O God” or TPH400“Gracious Spirit, Dwell with Me”