THE NEVER-ENDING LOVE OF HOSEA ( 8 ) – GOD’S LOVE NEVER CHANGES
“For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore, you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob” (Mal 3:6). “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (Jam 2:17). “God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?” (Nu 23:19). God does not change. He is immutable, incapable of being changed, altered, or modified over time. The immutability of God is a central Biblical doctrine and a great source of comfort and assurance for believers. It says that God’s character, His Love and His Promises remain constant. God’s character is fixed; He is today exactly who He has always been. His covenant faithfulness stands independent of man’s behaviour. Both Judgment and Mercy are administered from a steady, righteous core, and not from shifting emotions. Isreal was often rebellious, but God’s love, patience, mercy and grace stayed constant and sustained them. Our security for the future lies not in our own strength but in God’s unchanging nature. This revelation leads to repentance and a renewed commitment to live according to His will.

God’s Word does not change. “The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever” (Isa 40:8). The knowledge that God does not change helps us especially during times of trial. It gives us stability in Chaos. Circumstances may be wild, but God does not shake. Trials may feel like earthquakes, but God is the Unmovable Rock of Ages and the Ancient of Days! God’s promise is solid even when we do not see immediate good. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28). God’s Love never gets tired. “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end. they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (Lam 3:22,23; ESV). God loved you yesterday, loves you today and will love you tomorrow, exactly in the same way. He cannot love you more because His love is perfect. God’s purpose outlives your pain. What He planned for you still holds; your suffering cannot change His design. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jer 29:11; NIV)! “Love never fails” (1 Cor 13:8). Amen!

God Himself does not change. But He reveals different aspects of His character at different moments in His redemptive plan. In the Old Testament, by His law, God establishes His holiness and justice to Isreal. In the New Testament, He fulfills His Law revealing His mercy in redemption through the person of Christ. From Genesis to Revelation, we are watching one unified story unfold, and through it all, we encounter the same God that has the same heart. From the very beginning, God was forming a people to reflect His character in a violent, idolatrous world. Because God is perfectly holy, He did not—and could not—ignore evil. He confronted it with righteous judgment. We read of the flood, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the fall of Jericho. This is not divine erratic anger, but expressions of God’s unshakable justice. It reveals the pain of God, the terrible cost of sin and why men desperately need a Savior to reconcile them with God.

When we turn to the New Testament, we meet Jesus—God in the flesh (John 1:14). Jesus is full of compassion. He welcomes the outcast, touches the unclean, feeds the hungry, heals the sick, and forgives the guilty. He moves toward sinners, not away from them. We may think that Jesus is more kind than God the Father. But that is not true. God is the same. This same Jesus also confronts sin. He rebukes the self-righteous, clears the temple with His righteous anger and often speaks about judgment, hell, and the urgency of repentance. He weeps over Jerusalem even as He warns of its coming judgment. Then we come to the Cross, the place where God’s justice and mercy collide in breathtaking harmony. At the cross, God does not overlook sin. He deals with it fully. But instead of placing His judgment on us, He places it on Christ. Jesus absorbs the wrath we deserve so we can receive the mercy we don’t deserve. That is Love! It is the only way a holy God can save sinful people without compromising who He is. It is the climax of the one-story the Bible has always been telling. God is Love!

The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New. He has always been just and always been merciful. In the Old Testament, we see God’s mercy in the ark that spares Noah’s family, in His forgiveness of David after adultery and murder, in His long-suffering patience with Israel’s rebellion. Likewise, we see His Justice in the New Testament when Ananias and Sapphira are struck down and when Revelation ends with the final judgment and the renewal of all things. The Bible is not the story of two gods. We meet the same God, uncompromising in holiness, unstoppable in love, one consistent, covenant-keeping God whose justice and mercy are perfectly united in Christ. Glory to God!
What about God is unchanging? His Essential Attributes, Character, Sovereign Will by which He rules the universe, His Word, His Revelation Truth, and His covenant faithfulness. In these ways, God always remains the same. Creatures change, but God does not. God does not increase in knowledge or power. He is supremely perfect in all His attributes and utterly trustworthy in all that He promises. Immutability refers to everything that God fully is. That means if God is love, God is fully love. If God is holy, He is fully holy. If God is good, He is the fullness of goodness. And if He’s the fullness of those things, any change in Him would be to reduce Him. God cannot change His character but in relations to men, because men change, He changes His response to them. God says: If you obey me, I will bless you! If you disobey me, I will punish you. “With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless; With the pure You will show Yourself pure; And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd” (Ps 18:25,26). Therefore, God changes His response to men according to the way men behave. But God’s character is always the same. God is forever faithful to Himself. Halleluiah!

Why God’s Immutability matters to us? It increases our faith in God! When we pray, we trust the God of the whole Bible. The God of the Old Testament is the same as the God of the New Testament. Jehovah God and Jesus are one! The same God who answered Elijah listens to us. All the promises and moral standards of the Bible remain constant. Because God does not change, we have the assurance of salvation. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb 13:8). For example, the promise Jesus gave 2000 years ago, stands unchanged up till now and forever. “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one” (Jn 10:28,29). God’s immutability turns fear of judgment into hope and assurance for mercy. We encourage others with God’s historic faithfulness. We share testimonies of past provision as evidence of future reliability. We maintain long-term commitments (marriage, church, integrity at work) as reflections of the Lord’s steadfast nature. Because He cannot drift, His people are not “consumed”. They are preserved forever and carried by Him to fulfill destiny! This is an amazing assurance for us! Glory to God!

HOSEA, THE BROKEN-HEARTED PROPHET OF GOD
As we read the story of Hosea (Hosea 1-3) we feel his pain. He obeyed God and married Gomer. But his heart was broken because of his adulterous wife. Strangely, that was what God wanted. He felt God’s pain when His people, Isreal, abandoned Him and went to serve idols. Because of his pain, Hosea understood the deep things of God. Gomer left her husband to follow lovers. At a time, Gomer, felt some guilt about her sinful ways. She wanted to go back to her husband “as at first” but she did not go. She had remorse but did not repent!

True repentance is not just some feeling of regret. In the Bible, the word repent means “to change your mind” resulting in a change of actions. You totally turn away from sin and turn towards God! Paul declares, “I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds” (Acts 26:20). Concerning salvation, repentance means to change your mind regarding sin and Jesus Christ. It involves recognizing that you have thought wrongly in the past and now, you chose to think rightly in the future. The repentant person has “second thoughts” about the mindset he formerly embraced. There is a new way of thinking about God, about sin, about holiness, and about doing God’s will. True repentance is prompted by “godly sorrow,” and it “leads to salvation” (2 Cor 7:10). Selah!

Love is an action word. It is a Verb. Love responds not only with words, but with actions. The word “therefore” appears 3 times in chapter 2 (Hosea 2:6,9,14). “Therefore”, how does a loving holy God reacts to Isreal’s sin? By showing Mercy in Judgement!

1-Love judges and punishes rebellious Isreal. Sin always takes you farther than you want to go; it keeps you longer than you want to stay and will charge you higher than you want to pay.
2-Love shows mercy and starts doing good to Isreal again. Love gives Isreal another chance. “At that time, you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (Eph 2:12,13). As sinners, we were without hope. Now, in the valley of Achor (trouble) God opens a Door of Hope. Jesus is that Door of Hope. Jesus said: “Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep” (Jn 10:7). As the good Shepherd, Jesus sleeps in the Door of the sheepfold to block the way so that wild animals do not enter to kill the sheep. Jesus lay down His life and shared His Blood to save us from sin, eternal death and hell. He is our only door of Hope! God alone changes Trouble into Testimony!
God gives Isreal another chance, by declaring “I will marry you forever”! God wants to renew His vows to His people. He wants to say again: “I love you!” “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me, In righteousness and justice, In lovingkindness and mercy; 20 I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, And you shall know the Lord” (Hos 2:19,20). God pours on Isreal new blessings. He changes the meaning of the name Jezreel, from “scattered” to Blessings! God promises Isreal His Protection, Provision and His Presence. What manner of Man is Jesus? Halleluiah! You can defy the Love of God, but you can’t defeat the Love of God! Glory to God!

Hosea was turned between two loves: the Love for righteousness and the love for his wife. She is wicked, unfaithful but Hosea still loves her. God commanded Hosea: Go and LOVE that woman again!!! Love responds! Love pays the price. Love Redeems! God tells Hosea to go and buy Gomer for 15 shekels of silver and 1,5 homers of barely (the food she ate while she was a slave). Love pays the price to Love! Hosea bought Gomer with money. Jesus redeemed us from the slavery of sin and death with His Blood. “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1Cor 6:19,20). Christ paid the highest conceivable price for you. Every heartbeat, breath, and movement can echo gratitude when deliberately directed to glorify the One who owns you. Honor Him today in your mind, emotions, deeds and words, by allowing Christ to shine thru you, a living proof of His redeeming love.

“And I said to her, “You shall stay with me for many days. You shall not play the prostitute nor shall you have a man; so I will also be toward you [until you have proved your faithfulness]” (Hos 3:3; AMP). Hosea speaks clearly, as a man of God, not just emotionally. He tells Gomer that from now on, there shall be no other man between them. They belong to one another. They must stay faithful to one another. This commitment to faithfulness will last “for many days”. In other words, marriage faithfulness is “until death do us part”. Faithfulness in marriage is Single-hearted devotion to one partner. No physical, emotional or spiritual adultery allowed. Reject all rival thrones. Love restores to a position of purity. Hosea said you live with me, but you do not sleep with any man, not even with me, for now. This is so that you learn how to be pure, how to love again. This is a probation period for Gomer to prove her true repentance and faithfulness to Hosea. Despite Israel’s unfaithfulness, God remains committed to His covenant, just as Hosea remains committed to Gomer. See the depth of God’s love and His willingness to restore us. God’s desires a faithful relationship with His people. This discipline is the place of grace. Grace not only but saves trains unto sanctification. Grace can save anyone, no matter how sinful. But you must repent of sin! Gomer, Israel, you must see meditate at how much God has wasted and sacrificed because of you, the price He paid for you to be redeemed!!!

Lastly, God restores completely! “Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days” (Hosea 3:5). In Christ, our future is better than our past. By His Word and the Holy Spirit, God gives us all that we need to stay faithful and have godly, happy and successful marriages. No matter how great our sins, God’s grace is greater, and He is ready to forgive and cleanse us when we come to Him in repentance. Religion says: we can change the God who loves us. The Gospel says: God’s Love changes us, forever! What a Love!!! Worship the Lord!!!

THE NEVER-ENDING LOVE OF HOSEA (7) – LET ME SING TO MY BELOVED

Prophet Isaiah wrote a prophetic love song, a poetic expression of God’s love and care for His chosen people (Isa 5:1-12). The song is about His expectations for Isreal, His wife. It is a lament for her failure to produce good fruit. God is called “The Beloved”. This is an intimate name of love. God is not a distant landlord but One who lovingly watches over His own property and people. The Vineyard refers to Isreal. This song shows the deep covenant relationship between God and Isreal, a nation chosen and cultivated by God. In Israel, vineyards were valuable and required much caring to produce fruits. A vineyard speaks of intentional cultivation; vines do not thrive by accident. God is the owner, keeper and judge of His people. The vineyard was planted on “a very fruitful hill”, a high place of great potential, set apart by God for His purposes. Everything was perfect. Isreal had the best rich soil, proper drainage, and abundant sun, ideal conditions. God’s blessings and opportunities for Isreal were to thrive spiritually and physically. This is another picture of The Promised Land. God had high expectations of fruitfulness. When the expectations were cut off, God’s pain and disappointment was great. You can feel God’s pain!

God is the Lover of Isreal. “The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore, with lovingkindness I have drawn you” (Jer 31:3). God is also the Owner of the vineyard. God never abandons what is His. “For the LORD will not cast off His people, Nor will He forsake His inheritance” (Ps 94:14). God, the Owner of the Vineyard, “dug it and clear out the stones”. This shows the great effort involved to plant the vines. The removal of stones means removal of obstacles, impurities, idolatry and foreign influence. God wanted Isreal to be a pure, holy nation. God planted the choicest, the best vines. God gave Isreal His Word, prophets and priests to teach them how to worship Him. God chose the best people so that they can be holy like Him, and His own special possession. God gave Isreal every blessing and advantage, to thrive spiritually and morally. He built a watch tower in the middle of the vineyard, to protect against thieves and wild animals. He then made a winepress in it. God waited and expected good grapes to produce weet wine, a symbol of joy. But He was disappointed at the harvest of wild grapes… His work was in vain…

There are at least 3 moral fruits God seeks: 1-personal holiness. “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel and say to them: ‘You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy” (Lev 19:2); 2- Social justice: “He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8). 3- Covenant faithfulness: “Moses did everything just as the LORD had commanded him” (Exo 40:16). This shows God’s desire for His people to live in obedience to His commands, to be a light to the nations. The waiting period is a time when baby Christians mature spiritually. But God was disappointed. The good vines planted by God produced sour, wild grapes. Isreal failed to live up to God’s expectations. God wanted to see righteousness and holiness in His people, to show forth His character. What He found was sin, and moral corruption. The wild fruit points to the need for redemption through Christ, who enables believers to produce the fruit of righteousness. Jesus is the Vine; we are the branches (Jn 15:1). We are supposed to produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22,23). Selah!

Like a pained husband, God is calling the inhabitants of Jerusalem to judge between Himself and His people (His wife). God wants them to examine His dealings with them, because His ways are always perfectly just. He expects an honest verdict that will expose Israel’s failure to bear good fruit, not a failure on His part to provide every blessing. Lesson: Examine God’s faithfulness against our commitment to Him!

GOD’S EXPECTATIONS FROM US:

*God expects spiritual fruit, not just empty religion. “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit” (John 15:8).

*God expects us to be responsible as stewards of His gifts to us. “But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more” (Lk 12:48). Covenant privileges never cancel accountability!

*God wants us to repent when we sin. God wants us to declare how good and just He is and how bad sin is. “He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He” (Deut 32:4). Amen!

God looked for justice but saw oppression. God’s justice means fairness, right judgments in courts, and protection of the vulnerable (the poor, widows, fatherless and the foreigners); leaders refusing bribes, business deals free of fraud or oppression, fast correction of wrongs. But God’s people practiced spiritual adultery and became morally corrupt. Righteousness means living in right relationship with God and others, doing what is right even when nobody is watching, speaking the truth in love, clean hands and a pure heart; faithful obedience to God’s commands and generosity towards the needy. But instead of righteousness, God hears “a cry for help”. This is a picture the suffering, exploitation and oppression, like the cries God heard from the Israelites in Egypt (Exodus 3:7). The failure to produce righteousness shows the people’s rebellion against God’s covenant, leading to divine judgment. This is a warning against backsliding!  

GOD PUNISHES HIS REBELLIOUS PEOPLE

God is now ready to punish His people because of their unfruitfulness and spiritual adultery against Him. Due to unrepentant sin, God removes the hedge, His protection, leaving His people exposed and vulnerable. The enemies will trample and burn the vineyard, a sign of destruction and humiliation. God’s actions show His sovereignty and justice. God is patient but will not tolerate unfaithfulness indefinitely. In History, Assyria and Babylon conquered Isreal and Judah, burnt Jerusalem and carried God’s people into exile.

God Withdraws His blessings. This exposes how divine favour can be lost when fruit is absent! Selah!

*No Protection- God had “built a watchtower”. By removing the hedge, the field is left exposed.

*No pruning – No more loving discipline given to us so that the vine becomes more fruitful

*No cultivating – The soil of our hearts is no longer turned, softened, or enriched.

*No rain – Heaven’s refreshment is shut off; growth withers for lack of God-given supply.

*Accelerated Decay- “Briers and thorns” symbolize the curse on the ground (Gen 3:17-18). Man must work harder for his daily bread.

*Irreversible Barrenness – When God removes His favour, the vineyard cannot self-heal. Apart from God, no harvest emerges. Jesus said: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5)

Just as a vineyard requires pruning and care, our spiritual lives need regular attention through prayer, study of the Word, and fellowship with other believers to prevent backsliding. The picture of a wasteland and the absence of rain show the serious consequences of turning away from God. Spiritual barrenness results from neglecting our relationship with God. The passage speaks of judgment but it also points to the possibility of restoration. God’s discipline is meant to bring His people back to Him, offering hope for revival and fruitfulness.

LESSONS FOR US:

*God’s Word is a warning against spiritual bareness. Jesus said: “Every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down” (Matt 7:19)!!!

*God still owns the vineyard, our lives, families, churches. He still protects us with a “hedge” of grace: His Word, His Spirit, and fellowship.

*God still expects spiritual fruits from us. His detailed investment shows both His love and His right to expect fruit from us, holiness, justice and faithfulness, not just empty religion. Failure to produce fruits invites discipline and judgement. Obedience brings blessing and witness. When we are saved, God plants us in Christ, the chosen ground where we can bear fruits. The Holy Spirit supplies all we need for spiritual growth and fruitfulness. God is the Gardener. He prunes the branches thru discipline so that we become more fruitful (John 15).

*God inspects the quality of the fruits. This reminding us that grace and responsibility go together. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2Cor 5:10). Spiritual fruitfulness is very important. Christians are called to live lives that reflect God’s character and produce spiritual fruit.

*Regular self-examination prevents the drift that turned Israel’s vineyard to become wild. God has done everything necessary for us.

*Judgment begins “with the household of God” (1 Pet 4:17). Judgement is a present reality, not only a future event.

*Stay rooted in the Word. Study the Bible and pray daily. Submit to the Gardener’s care. Continually surrender to the Holy Spirit. Remove obstacles: confess sin promptly to prevent hard soil. Serve others: fruit ripens as we invest in people—acts of love, witness, generosity.

*There is hope with God, who loves to turn deserts into gardens. “The LORD will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail” (Is 58:11). Amen!

JESUS AND THE RICH YOUNG POWERFUL RELGIOUS MAN (Mark 10:17-31)

This is a story about salvation. Thers is a young, religious, rich man, a leader in the synagogue and his community. He has achieved great wealth by his wisdom. He is a self-made man, happy of his success in life. Many people who become rich and famous, become proud. Not this young man. He still desires to have a brighter future. He has achieved many of his dreams. But he has not stopped dreaming… He has been thinking, what else can I have to make myself happier? What new crown can I purchase to place on my head? Somehow, I thought of having a special place in heaven… He heard that Jesus teaches about Eternal Life. He may not have known Jesus well but he started looking for Jesus. When he saw Jesus from distance, he ran towards Him and bowed before Him. This running tells us that one of his strategies for success is to have a goal and to run towards it. He was not a lazy man. He was an achiever. He then flattered Jesus calling Him “Good teacher”. All these humble methods used to work for him in the past. No man rejected him. But Jesus corrected him saying: “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God”. Jesus corrected his idea that goodness can be achieved on earth, by becoming a teacher or a mentor. Jesus said that Goodness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit and can only be received from God alone. No sinner is good!

Jesus then directs his attention to God’s Law: “Do now commit adultery, do not murder…”. The man was proud of his religious standing and answered: “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth!” He was confident that he has impressed Jesus. If this man gave his life to Christ, he could have been a candidate to replace Apostle Paul. But Jesus saw that the idol in this man’s heart is his wealth. Jesus does not say that all people should be poor to become saved. Abraham, Joseph of Arimathea, these were wealthy men. According to the idol in his heart, Jesus let him know the cost of Eternal Life. The cost is everything he has, his wealth, fame, position in the church and society. The man did not know that price and cost are not the same. If you want to buy an item, the price is written in Naira. But some things in this world, are priceless. Love is priceless. For this man to have eternal life, it cost God everything. He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for sinners. As God gave everything, man must surrender everything. The young man must let go of all his money, power and fame. But when he calculated the cost, he decided to forget heaven. He chose money instead of Jesus. This is the worse business transaction he ever made. His mistake was to think that all things can be bought with money. He did not understand the value of Love and Grace. It is difficult for a rich man to be saved because wealth without Jesus is an idol, it is heavy bondage. It keeps man connected to the earth. The man cannot rise, cannot fly! He went away sorrowful towards hell.

The disciples were surprised. They asked: who then can be saved? Jesus answered: “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible”. This is the best definition of Grace Jesus gave to us. Man cannot save himself. Only God’s Grace can do it! Then Jesus told His disciples: “But many who are first will be last, and the last first”. Before the Cross, the ground is level. The rich men on earth, if they die without Jesus, are last on the list. The poor men on earth, if they become saved by Grace, they take the lead. Salvation is a mystery and God’s gift. It costs the Blood of Jesus for us to be saved. Salvation, treasures in heaven, spiritual rewards are all priceless. Can you give all you have to gain what money cannot buy? As for me: “take the world and give me Jesus! I am satisfied!” Worship the Lord!

THE NEVER-ENDING LOVE OF HOSEA (5) – DIVINE OBSTRUCTION

Here we see God blocking the path rebellious Isreal has taken, trying to run away from Him (Hosea 2:6-8). The hedge of thorns is a barrier, a painful restraint; every step toward sin meets with resistance. This is a form of discipline. Thorns symbolize pain and difficulty resulting from the curse of sin (Gen 3:18). The barrier is placed by God to prevent progress, to stop Isreal from continuing towards idolatry. The next blockage is a wall, a more permanent and difficult barrier to overcome. God is determined to stop Isreal’s backsliding. He isolates Isreal from going on her sinful paths. This caging is not to destroy Isreal, but to arrest him, so that he can repent and come back to God. This is a proof that God disciplines His children. He actively intervenes when His people backslide. Because of God’s hindrance on the path, Israel is unable to pursue her own foolish desires. The inability to “find her way” means loss of direction and purpose, a common consequence of turning away from God. All backsliders become spiritually blind and confused. “We grope for the wall like the blind, And we grope as if we had no eyes; We stumble at noonday as at twilight; We are as dead men in desolate places” (Isa 59:10). God’s blocking is an act of judgment mixed with mercy. Spiritual barriers are meant to redirect us towards God, not just to punish or frustrate us. God’s discipline is a sign of His love for our ultimate good and for God’s glory!

BACKSLIDING

Backsliding refers to the act of relapsing into bad habits, undesirable behaviours, or lower standards of morality and performance after a period of improvement or commitment to better behaviour. It means to go back, “one step front and two steps back”.  In Christianity, it refers to a believer going back into sin, falling away from faith, or ignoring spiritual habits. It is an interruption in spiritual growth. In other words, backsliding means to walk in the flesh. “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Gal 5:16). It is God’s will that all “baby Christians” walk in the faith, and pay the price to grow spiritually, becoming mothers and fathers in Christ.  Backsliding is a serious sin because it is failure to grow up spiritually, doing God’s will. Spiritually, you either grow, moving forward, or you backslide. You cannot stay neutral. It is only a child of God that can backslide. An unbeliever cannot backslide because he was always living in sin. A child of God cannot lose his salvation. God promised to chastise His children and bring the backsliders back to Him. A backslider does not lose his salvation. But a backslider always loses blessings. He loses the joy of his salvation, fellowship with God and man, opportunities for ministry, and rewards. These are serious losses, but he has not lost his identity as a child of God. If “a backslider” dies in sin, and does not repent before his death, it means that he was never saved. He was a religious unbeliever. When backsliders decide to return to Christ, they find that they do not pick up where they left off. Instead, they have slid backwards and soon discover that they are less spiritual now than when they first began to slide. Backsliding is not a sin that cannot be forgiven. The cure for backsliding is to return to Christ as Lord and reconcile with Him with all your heart. Selah!

SIGNS OF BACKSLIDING (Deut 4:25-31)

These are the gradual steps towards backsliding: internal corruption, making idols and living in open sins:

*Moral Corruption happens when departing from God’s laws. It means lowering the standard of your conscience. You know what is best in life and you aim towards that standard. Then the devil tempts you to lower that standard. Immediately you become spiritually and morally corrupted. Corruption is a decay of character and testimony. It is characterized by dishonesty, deception, selfishness, lack of remorse, rationalization of sin, and abandonment of integrity for personal gain or power. Corruption has a “Moral Numbing” Effect. Initially, immoral actions create discomfort, but over time, men become desensitized, making repeated sins easier to justify. It always negatively impacts the environment, leading to misuse of power (bribery, favouritism) for selfish gain, eroding public confidence and damaging society. Corruption connects with idolatry. Moral corruption is the opposite of Holiness. God is holy and He commanded us to be holy!

*Making idols: Anything in the heart that competes with God is an idol. A corrupted heart is an idol producing machine.

*Sinful open behaviour without feeling of shame or guilt.  

What is the Hope for an open backslider? Repentance! Coming back to God and asking for mercy! God has promised to receive you!

EARLY WARNING SIGNS OF BACKSLIDING FROM GOMER’S STORY

*Restlessness. You become impatient, anxious. Like the waves of the sea, you can’t sit down still, can’t sleep well; you want to go out, do shopping, to have a change of scenery. You are moody and complaining. You are not grateful. You constantly chase after financial success or romantic breakthroughs, yet they never arrive. Observe these cycles: temporary highs followed by failure and emptiness.

*Secrecy. You are hiding your plans for success from mature spiritual people. You don’t want godly counsel. “Woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel far from the Lord, And their works are in the dark; They say, “Who sees us?” and “Who knows us?” (Isa 29:15). This secrecy is not a mistake, but intentional rebellion, a “deeply hidden” effort to conceal plans and actions. This is foolish for none can hide from God. It is a sign of pride. “Woe” warns of judgment upon those who hide in darkness. Adam and Eve tried to hide from God after their disobedience. Jezebel used secret meetings, false witnesses, and lies to achieve her goals, but she was seen and punished by God.

I AM ENCLOSED BY GOD

“You have enclosed me behind and before, And [You have] placed Your hand upon me. Such [infinite] knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high [above me], I cannot reach it” (Ps 139:5,6; AMP). The Believer is enclosed, encircled, surrounded behind and before, by God Himself. This shows complete protection and guidance. He is like a city surrounded by high walls of defence. God protects “behind and before” because He is eternal, knowing past, present and future. Christ is the Alpha, the Omega, the beginning and the end (Rev 22:13). God’s hand in upon the believer. This shows present personal intimate touch, imparting authority and blessing. The hand of God represents power, provision, and protection. Believers lay hands on others in prayer, healing deliverance and blessings. God surrounds on every side—past (“behind”), future (“before”), and present (“hand upon me”).

The picture of being enclosed shows God’s control over circumstances, reminding us that nothing happens outside His will. Knowing that God has “laid His hand upon us” inspires us to trust His plan, even when we cannot see the full picture, especially in times of fear and uncertainty. God’s Cage means safety (nothing reaches us without first passing thru Him). When Satan wanted to attack Job, he could not do it because God surrounded him. Satan complained to God: “Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land” (Job 1:10). God’s surrounding presence is like the mother eagle’s wings carrying his babies. It gives us stability even when we are weak. “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deut 33:27). During evil attacks, God defends us and we experience supernatural deliverance. “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him” (Ps 34:7). Praise the Lord!

Lessons: because God is “behind” we shall have no regrets. God has redeemed what we cannot change. He has covered our mistakes. Because God is “before” we are not afraid of the future. He guides our steps in paths of righteousness. Because God’s hand is upon us, He supplies strength in our present weakness. Nobody can break God’s protection from us. Jesus said: “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one” (Jn 10:28-30). Worship the Lord!

GOD IS FOREVER FAITHFUL

“If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself” (2 Tim 2:13). Because we are born sinners, we all struggle with keeping our faith in God. Peter, one of the disciples of Jesus, denied knowing Him. Thomas doubted Jesus. As Christians, we need to always depend on God’s strength, not only during the times of weakness. God is always faithful to Himself, and to His Word. For example, God promised Abraham that he and Sarah will have a son. They were both too old to have children. But God’s promise remained. After waiting 25 years, Sarah, at 90, and Abraham at 100, she delivered their son, Isaac. God is faithful. This is God’s Word: “For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore, you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob” (Mal 3:6). “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb 13:8). This assurance that God is faithful gives us strength to trust in God’s Word. God cannot be unfaithful. He cannot act contrary to His very essence. “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Nu 23:19). God’s Love endures even when we betray Him! God’s faithfulness remains even when ours fails; His covenant of love keeps the door open for return of the prodigals. Worship the Lord!

THE NEVER-ENDING LOVE OF HOSEA (4) – THE THIRST OF GOD

“Bring charges against your mother, bring charges; For she is not My wife, nor am I her Husband! Let her put away her harlotries from her sight, And her adulteries from between her breasts; 3 Lest I strip her naked And expose her, as in the day she was born, And make her like a wilderness, And set her like a dry land, And slay her with thirst” (Hos 2:2,3).

This is the sad story of unfaithful and ungrateful Israel. God brought them out from Egypt, the land of slavery. He split the Red Sea for them and drowned the Egyptians. God gave them His Laws and made a covenant of love with them at Mount Sinai. After 40 years of going in circles in the desert, they finally enter the Promised Land. Each one of them is now a free landowner. They were supposed to live there serving God alone and working the land. God has promised to bless them and give them rain from heaven. They will work less than others and have greater harvests. They will become prosperous, having time and energy to serve Jehovah God alone. God warned them against serving other gods alongside Him. Idolatry will end in poverty and death (Deut 11:10-17). But Isreal forgot God!!! Because they were inexperienced farmers, they asked the remaining Canaanites to teach them how to farm the land. They were supposed to eliminate the Canaanites and not associate with them. They thought them farming but also how to serve their idols, especially Baal, the god of fertility, and harvest. This is how Isreal fell into the terrible snare of idolatry. God took it personal, and became angry, just as a loving husband is grieved when his wife becomes unfaithful to him. The Book of Hosea is a picture of God’s pain as Isreal betrayed Him in the Promised Land.

In the ancient culture, nakedness was associated with disgrace, humiliation, the removal of protection and honour. Gomer, Hosea’s unfaithful wife, is now naked, for sale as a slave. This represents God’s severe judgment on Israel, God’s unfaithful wife. She will be as in “the day when she was born”. Like a newborn baby, Isreal will return to a state of helplessness and dependency. God warns that He will reverse the blessings of Isreal. He will withdraw the rains. From the Land of Milk and Honey, Isreal will become a wilderness, a place of bareness, and desolation. God is the source of Living Water. The consequence of Going away from God is tormenting spiritual thirst. In the Bible, deserts are often places of testing and judgment, as seen in the Israelites’ wanderings in the wilderness. This desolation can be seen as a reversal of the blessings promised to Israel. This prophetic message warns of the physical and spiritual drought that results from turning away from God. Thirst in the Bible often symbolizes a deep spiritual longing. Dying of thirst represents the ultimate consequence of Israel’s separation from God, who is the source of living water. In the New Testament Jesus Christ is the Living Water (Jn 4:10-14), offering eternal satisfaction to those who believe in Him. On the Cross, as He became sin for us, Jesus cried out: “I thirst!” (Jn 19:28). God’s judgment on the sin of spiritual adultery is mixed with mercy. It is a call to repentance, to come back to God, the only Source of Living Water. Selah!

TWO EVILS OF SPIRITUAL ADULTERY

“Be astonished, O heavens, at this, And be horribly afraid; Be very desolate,” says the Lord. “For My people have committed two evils:

They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water” (Jer2:12,13).

The heavens are called to be a witness at the terrible behaviour of Isreal, Jehovah’s unfaithful wife. God’s reaction shows the seriousness of turning away from Him. The heavens’ witness is a call to wake Isreal from the sleep of sin, to repent and come back to God. Despite the gravity of their sin, God calls them back to Him. The two evils represent a complete turning away from God, in attitude and actions. Selah!

1-First Evil – Forsaking the only Fountain of Living Water

God says: “They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living water.” God is the only Fountain of Living Water, an ever-flowing spring, with pure, fresh, and sufficient water. In ancient Israel, water was a precious resource. By forsaking God Isreal rejects the only reliable, life-giving source. This spiritual rebellion leads to death. This sin is not just neglect but an active abandonment, a personal betrayal against God.

2-Second Evil – Digging broken cisterns that cannot hold water

God says: They have “hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water”. Cisterns are man-made pits to collect rainwater. Digging cisterns is very hard. But all the effort is useless because the cisterns easily crack and leak, leaving only frustration and emptiness. It is foolish to leave an ever-flowing mountain spring of living water to collect water in cracked clay pots. Isreal’s broken cisterns stand for idols, trusting political alliances, man-made systems that can never satisfy. Turning away from God results in inevitable disappointment and spiritual drought. Modern-day “broken cisterns” are Love of money, pleasure, success, power, or anything that takes precedence over God. Despite our failures, God continually invites us back to Him, offering forgiveness and restoration.

Why are these two evils so dangerous? They reverse the created order: people are made to draw life from God not attempt to manufacture containers. These two sins are inseparable: turning away from God inevitably means turning toward idols. Spiritual adultery provokes God’s righteous judgment. Spiritual drought will follow. We also see God’s heartbroken plea for the return of the backsliders. Jesus offers living water from a well that never runs dry, offering eternal life and satisfaction to all who trust in Him (Jn 4:10-14; 7:37,38). Halleluiah!

THE SPIRIT AND THE BRIDE SAY COME AND DRINK THE LIVING WATER!

“And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev 22:17). The Holy Spirit and the Bride of Christ (the Church) are heaven and earth’s evangelistic choir. They invite everyone to freely take of the living water, fulfilling what Isreal has rejected. We see here the Unity between The Holy Spirit and the Church, the Body or the Bride of Christ. The invitation “Come!” is a call to salvation, to intimacy with God. It is also a longing for Christ’ return when the marriage of the Lamb and His Bride will be celebrated in heaven. Those who hear the call also say “Come!”. The believers invite others to come to Jesus. This is the ministry of evangelism, the great commission, when Jesus commands believers to go and make disciples of all nations (Matt 28:19,20). The call is both vertical (toward Christ’s return) and horizontal (toward lost souls). “Come” is present-tense, urgent, open to all. None is excluded. The invitation is purely based on Grace found in Christ alone!

This call reveals the responsibility of believers to spread of the Gospel message. The call to “Come” is not just for the initial hearers but is meant to be passed on, creating a chain of invitation thru all generations. The repeated call to “Come!” shows the urgency of responding to God’s invitation. Today is the day of salvation, and we must not delay in coming to Christ. The people who come are those who experience spiritual thirst. This is a deep desire to know God and His righteousness, to be like Jesus, to receive what only Jesus can give. The promise is that they will be filled and fulfilled with the water of life! Eternal life is God’s gift, freely offered to all who desire it. It cannot be earned but must be received with a humble heart. Salvation is by Grace alone, thru faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone, to the glory of God alone. Amen!

Lessons for us: Preach the Gospel to anyone you can. The Holy Spirit will help you! Have hope! Christ can come back even today! Our heavenly wedding can happen today! Repent from spiritual laziness. The invitation is passionate and urgent! Be holy as God is holy! Only a Holy Bride can pay the price for faithfulness as she waits of her Bridegroom’s return! This call gives us courage to persevere during trials. Our faith and joy are not related to circumstances, but to Christ, the Lover of our souls. The invitation is not limited. No sin is too great. The verb is singular! The invitation is personal. The water of Life is eternal Life and total satisfaction. God calls people to Himself. The Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household” (Gen 7:1). Jesus said: “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28). Hear the call of both heaven and church. Receive the free-living water. Then echo the cry to a parched world while watching for your soon-appearing Bridegroom. “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev 22:20).

AS THE DEER PANTS FOR THE WATER BROOKS

“As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, “Where is your God?” (Ps 42:1-3)

In the Bible, the deer is a clean animal because she has a divided hoof, a symbol of separation from the world. The camel, for example, is an unclean animal because she has an undivided hoof (Lev 11:3,4). She stores water in her hump. The camel does not thirst after water. She represents unbelievers. The deer is thirsty and does not stop until she finds water. She will sooner die looking for water than to stop. The deer does not pant for the stagnant water, for lakes, or cisterns made by men. She pants after running water, like the clean freshwater brooks. In the same way, the Christian desires to hear the living word of God, not stagnant philosophies. It is possible that King David wrote this Psalm when he was running from his rebellious son, Absalom. David was feeling lonely, like a child who lost his father. He did not miss Jerusalem city, or his throne, his crown or his wealth in the palace. He was missing the presence of God in the temple. That is why he was thirsty like a running deer in the forest. Selah!

It is possible that David wrote this Psalm when he was running from his rebellious son, Absalom. He was panting as a deer looking for fresh water. David was not longing after Jerusalem city, after his palace or his throne, after the wives and children he left behind. He was longing after the presence of God found in the Temple, in the Holy of holies. Hunger, thirst, panting, each picture shows bodily desperation that will not be denied. They speak of an inner pain that cannot be satisfied by the material world. To pant after righteousness is to pant for God’s presence, because He alone is perfect righteousness. Come to Jesus and live! Amen!

BLESSED ARE THOSE TO HUNGER AND THIRST FOR GOD

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled” (Matt 5:6. “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (Jn 7:37,38). These words speak of a deep, spiritual longing to be like God. This desperate desire is like hunger and thirst. In biblical times, hunger and thirst were common experiences due to the scarcity of resources, making this call so powerful. In the Bible, righteousness refers to living in God’s presence, in accordance with God’s will and commands. It means to live right and to do right. This longing is not merely a desire for personal moral improvement but a longing for God’s justice and holiness to prevail in a world of sin. The promise is that those who hunger and thirst for God shall be filled. The Greek word used here for “filled” suggests an overflow, a complete and abundant satisfaction, much like a feast. This promise of being filled is a present experience and also, believers’ hope that God’s kingdom will bring righteousness and ultimate justice to all those who have suffered for Christ’ sake. “So, he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore they are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. 16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Rev 7:14-17). Amen!

To live righteously means to live a life that pleases God. God Himself created the desire, the longing, the thirst. “It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Phil 2:13). We cooperate by refusing to satisfy our souls with lesser things, with idols. This is a spiritual law: Whatever feeds me shapes me. Study your spiritual appetite and thirst. Righteousness is not a side dish; it is the main course of a life centred on Christ. Study the Bible and pray daily. Have your own little altar where you go to have your quiet time. Read the Word aloud to yourself. Faith and spiritual appetite come by hearing God’s Word. Ask God to do a deep work in you. Pray: “Create in me a clean heart, O God” (Ps 51:10). Fast as much as you can. An empty stomach makes us hungry not only for physical food, but for God. Choose your friends and mentors wisely. Learn from those who have a godly established testimony.  Join a local living church study where righteousness is the common pursuit. Serve God in your local church. Serve people. Be generous with your energy, time and money. Righteousness lived out is love in action. Praise the Lord!

Lessons for us: Learn to identify your spiritual hunger and thirst. Resist numbing it with lesser things. Turn longing to living! Turn panting into prayerful pursuit. Read Scripture daily expecting an encounter with God. Practice obedience to God’s Word. Righteousness grows as our choices submit to God’s revealed will. Attend a local living church. Corporate worship is shared longing. It sharpens individual appetite Trust the promise of fulfillment. Even in seasons of dryness, the promised stands and must be fulfilled. Worship The Lord!