We're really digging to find spiritual gems?

[Israeli Bar Avaddhon]

This week we will study the Chapters 8 through 14 Hosea * (see footnote)

 

What gems have we found?

 

 

You did you learn?

This question presupposes that behind the study should be a personal effort and that's what everyone is encouraged to do regularly.

Is it not true that virtually every week we are encouraged to study, to meditate, to do research and to pray for the right understanding?

Without wishing to be too argumentative some may wonder how do you dig and draw their own conclusions if the answers are turn into with the indicated study material.

This means certainly study it also means digging?

Repeat what others have written, in itself, does not mean digging (the maximum you can share what was written); if anything, it means taking from where others have dug for us.

Let me be clear: in this there is nothing wrong and we just have to thank if the efforts of many willing brothers have enabled us to achieve a greater understanding Bible - Matthew 24:45

Become something wrong if this prevents us from digging personally , to draw their own conclusions (which may be the same as the previous conclusions not coincide) and to be free to be able to express their conclusions even if they do not meet the approval of the majority (or those who "count").

This means do so without the risk of receiving some form of discipline - Romans 14: 5, 10

It Granted, asserting that if we believe the Bible as it truthfully is, that the Word of God, our research, and therefore our conclusions, must be in harmony with It respecting the text and the meaning - 1 Thessalonians 2:13

So let us pretend to be in the congregation of Berea, where everyone is free to examine every single elder affirmation or the shift supervisor not critically or to find every mistake but because of genuine love for the scriptures.

The book of Hosea will be treated in the future so this article is not intended as a detailed examination of the text.

The message inherent in the post is to be understood as an encouragement to dig really, to be men made in the faculties of understanding and also to make a honest self-examination and ask what we are consistent with what they claim to be - 1 Corinthians 14:20; 2 Corinthians 13: 5

For we are the ones who "through heaven and earth" to teach the Bible to all the people we meet and often the "resume" (openly or in us) for their indifference to the Word of God or for their inability to do self-criticism - Romans 2: 19-24

When the object of the matter is we ... we're really digging to find spiritual gems?

 

 

Reading the chapters 8 through 14 Hosea we can not but note that all of these chapters mention a judgment, a condemnation of Ephraim, Judah and Samaria.

Just read the overwritten on each page of the NWT (overwritten will not find in the electronic device - the pages are those that go from 1116 to 1121) to understand "the juice" of the speech, even for those who do not really want to read (in Bible italian edition)

In fact, they reported below:

 

Efaraim not escape; He broke the pact

 

Attention will be given to Ephraim errors

 

Screw degenerated. shall reap injustice

 

Ephraim provoked God; again

 

Ephraim has turned to idols. guilty Samaria

 

Given the overriding theme of these chapters of Hosea, the question that should be a person who really wanted to dig it should be ... "Because of all these verses, which outline a coherent framework and a strong message, we chose only 10:12 , 11: 1, 14: 2, 4 and 9? "

It 'true that everyone chooses a little' verse they want but is consistent with the message presented by Hosea choose ...

 

Hos 14: 2 - Jehovah gives great value to the praise that we offer our lips

Hos 14: 4 - Jehovah granted his forgiveness, approval, and friendship to those who offer their best

Hos 14: 9 - Walking in the streets of Jehovah is for our own good

Os 10:12 - What should we do to 'harvest' the loyal love of Jehovah?

Hos 11: 1 - As these words were fulfilled in Jesus?

 

It is true that we have to be positive and encouraging but should not understand the problem before to see how great the love of the Most Almighty?

We should do this because they "walk in the ways of Jehovah is for our own good" (point 3 of the list mentioned above).

We should see what we have to do us to hope to obtain God's forgiveness?

The following is an excerpt from the 2015 Watchtower indicated for "digging" of Hosea 10:12 (there is also brought back the next paragraph).

 

If we worship Jehovah without hypocrisy, and we will rightly object of his loving-kindness, or loyal love. At the stubborn Israelites he was told: "Sow seed for yourselves in righteousness; reap in accord with loving-kindness. Coltivatevi arable land, when there is time for searching for Jehovah until he comes and give you instruction in righteousness. " - Hosea 10:12.

8 If only the Israelites they repented and sought Jehovah! He would have been happy to give them "instruction in righteousness." If we have committed a serious sin we seek Jehovah, please ask to be forgiven and spiritual help to the Christian elders . (James 5: 13-16) We also request the guidance of the Holy Spirit of God, for "he who sows with a view to his flesh will reap corruption from his flesh, but he who sows view to the spirit will reap everlasting life from the spirit." (Galatians 6: 8) If you 'sow with a view to the spirit' we will continue to be the loyal love of God.

 

Bold text is used to show how the whole issue is placed on the individual Christian who sins, nor is it seen as a possibility that this verse (like the whole book of Hosea) may apply to us as an organization.

Conversely, if the sinner is urged to ask for help "Christian elders", meaning you do not even lontamente conceivable that the problem starts from the head.

Hosea, in this verse as elsewhere, was referring to the individual Christian?

We try to be honest with ourselves.

If we had "chosen" as soon as the next verse we read ...

"" You have plowed wickedness. You have reaped injustice. You have eaten the fruit of deception, because you have trusted in thy way, in the multitude of thy strength "- Hosea 10:13

And if we had instead chosen the above verse we read ...

" Ephraim was a trained heifer that loved to thresh; and I, for my part, passed over her beautiful neck. I ride Ephraim [by someone]. Judah plows; Jacob harrows for him "- Hosea 11:11

And if, in a burst of creativity, we went to read the disclosure above the part that says "I ride Ephraim" * we would be staying in 2 Kings 17: 6, which says ...

"In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and then led Israel into exile in Assyria, and made them dwell in Ala and in Habor at the river Gozan and in the cities of the Medes."

Ephraim was captured by the king of Assyria because of the individual Christian that he should go Elder to receive spiritual help? - Compare Genesis 18:25, 26; Exodus 32: 31-33

In the writing of Hosea 11: 1 we can see a wonderful fulfillment of God's Word.

Paragraph Watchtower reported as a reference to this scripture says ...

 

Like the Israelites, the Messiah would be called out of Egypt. (Hosea 11: 1) Before Herod's giving off its murderous decree, an angel told Joseph to flee to Egypt with Mary and Jesus. They stayed there "until the death of Herod, so that might be fulfilled which was spoken by Jehovah through his prophet [Hosea], saying: 'Out of Egypt I called my son' ". (Matt. 2: 13-15) Clearly, Jesus could not steer the course of events related to his birth and his childhood.

 

This information is very beautiful and profound as stressing the precision and the infallibility of the Word of God but are also things we should know.

You do not want to belittle the importance of repetition, but we can not really say any more on this writing and its fulfillment?

The character spoken of in Hosea 11: 1 might make us think that not only that part of Hosea's prophecy would be fulfilled in the first century.

If we move in Hosea 10: 8, in fact, we find meaningful words.

"And the high places of [Bet-] Aven, the sin of Israel, will actually be annihilated. Thorns and thistles themselves up on their altars. And people will in fact say to the mountains, 'Cover us!' and to the hills, 'Fall over us!' "

This scripture was quoted by the Lord to demonstrate the fact that the words of Hosea had to be fulfilled in the future - Compare Luke 23:28, 30

Here, too, we could and should ask whether the words of Hosea had the definitive fulfillment in the first century or if we look for another - Compare Revelation 6:15, 16

So far we have been told that all times that it appears "backsliding Israel" in the scriptures, in the case of modern requirements, we have to apply it to Christianity.

Apart from this arbitrary statement creates a unique identification problems with the division of Israel (though the 10 tribes of Israel represent "Christianity", who are the other two? And if they are both "Christianity" where does the people of God in all this?) perhaps not many have noticed that the new directive that eliminates the majority of the "types and antitypes" has become a double-edged sword (and downright deadly).

If we are no longer allowed to find types and antitypes guess' who is the faithless Israel?

If there is a "type" there will still be the fulfillment of prophecy, no?

So if the prophecy ended with the conquest by Assyria, well .

We can rest easy.

If, however, the prophecy has a fulfillment in our day and backsliding Israel can not represent Christianity which is the people who will be punished by God?

Who will go into exile?

In the first century fulfillment of Hosea quoted by the Lord he led to the destruction of the temple by the Romans and all of Jerusalem and its inhabitants - Matthew 24: 2

The point to keep in mind is that they believed until the last moment, to be the people of God and to have His protection - Compare Isaiah 28: 14-16

Considering what is at stake, we are not risking a bit 'too much not even taking into account the possibility that the words of Hosea can apply to us?

In the congregation of Berea, during a hypothetical discussion "guide for the meeting," someone would comment on the matter.

Maybe they compared other scriptures like the one that makes it clear (in fact says explicitly) that the judgment begins from the house of God - 1 Peter 4:17

Maybe they also found all the scriptures that identify "the people from the north" as the executor of the judgments of God - Ezekiel 26: 7; Isaiah 41:25; Jeremiah 10:22

An honest awareness to this gathering of Berean would lead them to wonder what they could have done to prevent this terrible punishment - Joel 2: 12-14

And US?

When we have to refute the doctrines of Christianity each of us feels a Berean Berean but we are a bit 'strange.

We are the ones that compare only the pleasant writings, those that do not touch, those that always apply to other organizations, those who tell us that "everything is fulfilled, just missing the new world" - Zephaniah 1:12

We Beroeans who "dig" only if what you are is what you expect - Jeremiah 23:33

We Beroeans who love the scriptures yes ... but who knows, maybe like a little 'more those who explain to them - Hebrews 4:13; Revelation 20:13

If digging in Hosea Chapters 8 through 14, it emerged something different from what we "want" is not turning her face away that you will fulfill the prophecies.

Indeed, we are happy if the Secret detector allowed us to understand what is going to happen!

Because we consider ourselves happy?

The Beroeans, the real ones, do not wake up in a nightmare when these things begin to happen - compares Luke 21:36

So do our best to help others to wake up from this state of intoxication as we continue to dig ourselves in the Word of God because if we Beroeans today is not said that we will do tomorrow - Joel 1: 5; Luke 11:28; Romans 15: 4

We try to be cautious - Matthew 10:16; John 16: 1, 2

We pray incessantly and trust in God - 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-22

 

 

Footnote.

The discussion of "guide for the meeting" will not be made on a regular basis.

The article should be understood as an encouragement to study personally and carefully, and not as critical to the WTS.