Barnabas Ministries UK

FURTHER NOTES ON THE MINOR PROPHETS

(5)

TOO LATE!

HOSEA 5

The Lord plainly tells His people that there will come a moment when it will be too late to seek Him because they have gone too far over the edge and judgment will be inevitable – v5. He was addressing the professed spiritual leaders and expressing the fact that the northern part was doomed because of the utter wickedness of all. There was no way that He could forestall judgement any further and no action on their part could stop what was to be. These are very sad words – “Too Late!” They disclose and describe a hopeless state of affairs.

(1) IT WAS SEEMINGLY TOO LATE TO AMEND THEIR WAYS

It appears from v6 that there does look as if there was some attempt to find God and make amendment but one just wonders whether it was genuine or mere outward show. Maybe it was an effort to try and prevent what they knew was going to happen and there was an absence of a true seeking of the Lord. They could now read the signs and so were driven by fear rather than a wholesome desire to know, love and worship Jehovah. The Lord could read the situation perfectly and had no time for it.

(2) IT WAS TOO LATE FOR THE LORD TO RETURN AND SHOW  GRACE

The Lord had left them to their true deserts. They had tested His grace to the utmost limit and it was now time to withdraw it. To have further demonstrated some favour may well have brought further abuse of it. It would have been senseless to have gone back because it would not have improved matters as God in His wisdom could foresee. The only way forward was to let things take their course.

(3) IT WAS TOO LATE TO PREVENT THE AWFUL CONFLICT AND SLAVERY

The Lord foretells what is to be and it does not make comfortable reading. Judgment is to fall like a waterfall – v1 O. The people will be consumed like a moth eats wool and their strength will be utterly weakened like dry rot. It is just an exposure and end as revealed in their nature and practice. They will be torn apart and finish up in bondage – v14. When it all occurs they will know that there is no escape route.

(4) IT WAS TOO LATE UNTIL THE TIME OF RENEWAL OCCURRED

Thankfully, at the concluding part of this section there is the promise of the Lord’s return and the revelation of His grace. Until that time schedule and ultimate intervention everything is in abeyance. God’s people will have to wait the Lord’s time for the restoration of His grace that will ensure a new beginning and future. Whilst the Lord says “Too Late”, Now! thankfully His covenant word and grace still exist for future unveiling.

CLIMAX

There is a major lesson to learn in all this. One must not presume upon or abuse God’s grace and favour. One should know Him and His timing.

June 24^th – 2016

Rev. E. Anderson

WELCOME TO THIS CHRISTIAN WEBSITE

Welcome to this Christian Website which has now been going for a number of years. Over 130,000 people have visited it since 2006. On the left hand side of the introductory page is a host of subjects and material that have been placed during this time and is there for your interest, study and perusal.

I feel it is time and right to change the format and to present day by day something a little simpler and trust will benefit and bless those who visit it. It will consist of A Golden Promise from the Scriptures, Wisdom that Works by Bob Stevenson, Choice Quotations and daily Meditations, working through the whole Bible, something to focus your mind on are included that can be developed more fully by you. I trust you will find such refreshing and helpful.

A GOLDEN PROMISE

“Leave your fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let your widows trust in me” – Jeremiah 49:11

In the Old Testament Hebrew culture, a child who was fatherless was considered an orphan even if they were still under the care of their mother. That is why James says that pure religion is to take care of the widows and the orphans. God’s heart is for those who are vulnerable. God’s heart is for the underdog and those who are exploited in our society.

I personally believe that this promise not only applies to those who have had their father/husband die, but all who do not have a father/husband in their home. With the divorce rates reaching the 50% mark in many Western countries, I believe that this promise that God makes to protect the fatherless and the widows is very relevant in the society in which we live.

If you are in a situation where you are (or feel) fatherless, be encouraged that our God and Father promises to protect you. If you are widowed, divorced or separated in some way from your husband, God knows your needs and He will care for you like no one else possibly could.

WISDOM THAT WORKS

 KIDS WILL BE KIDS – Rev. Bob Stevenson

“My son, how happy I will be if you turn out to be sensible! It will be a public honour to me”.

Read: Proverbs 1: 1-6

A long time ago my wife and I made the decision that whatever, or however, our children ultimately turned out to be, sensible or not so sensible, we would always be there for them if they needed us

Your children can never stop being your children and you can never stop being their mother and father. You may choose to disown your children and vice versa, but that can never break the blood bond between you and your DNA will always be identical whether you like it or not.

Children can be a blessing or an embarrassment. They can evoke pride of place in their parent’s hearts or sadness and disappointment. Either way, the reason for either response, like it or not, is our parentage. We enjoy the proud moments because we can rightly claim that we had a part in their creation and to some degree their development. We get hurt and offended at the disappointing moments for exactly the same reason. We are blessed to have children we are extremely proud of. Their mother and l can sing their praises to all our friends and associates. That does not mean that disappointments have been altogether absent. However, our decision has been set in concrete. Whatever happens, we will never revoke our privilege and responsibility of parenthood to them.

 QUOTES TO NOTE – Henry Ward Beecher

The real man is one who always finds excuses for others, but never excuses himself.

DAILY MEDITATIONS

UNNECESSARY JEALOUSY– 1 Samuel 18: 6-30

Looking at the life of Saul at this period of life, he appears to be making a rod for his own back in his treatment of David. Instead of acting with the grace of wisdom, he behaves in a very jealous manner, which was uncalled for. David was not his enemy, but he acted in envy because of a number of things that were creditable in him.  He was jealous over his success, over the fact that the Lord was with him, that he knew constant victories and that those who he led were impressed by him, also, that he conducted himself in a wise and becoming way. David never sought to gain any advantage over him but endeavoured to serve him in humility.

The king should have been glad and grateful that he had a trustworthy servant and he could have made way for him as his successor.  Instead he took the opposite stance in seeking to remove him.  This young man became a threat to his whole life and future. He allowed himself to be ravaged by a wrong mindset and attitude that robbed him of real peace and pleasure. What an opportunity for the monarch to introduce a wholesome spirit and attitude into the nation!

The apostle Peter gives some sound advice for all to heed to in 1 Peter 2:1. He says, “Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and all evil speaking.” These things must not be allowed to be birthed and developed within amongst the Christian community because they spoil character and the good that can be accomplished. Do all within your power through God’s grace to keep your inward condition holy and healthy at all times. This provides a wholesome basis from which God can work through in a greater manner and measure.