Hosts Introduce The Program And Begin Exploring Hosea Together
Jeff Chamblee The Bible. It's the word of God. Sharper than any two edged sword. This sacred book is living and active and contains all that's needed for life and godliness. Stay with American Family Radio for the next hour as we study God's word and take your Bible questions. Welcome to Exploring the Word
Bert Harper in the Book of Hosea. you get a lot of similes and metaphors and you get a lot of allusions to. I, would say, natural cause effects that affects in a different way in chapter 12 of Hosea. I love this phrase. Ephraim, feeds on the wind. Now I think you'd go malnourished if that's the case. This is Bert harper along with Dr. Jon Bowler. yeah, Alex is not here today. He'll be traveling for the next few days. And Jon, thank you for setting in, brother.
John Boler Thank you brother Bert. It's always a joy to be with you. Looking forward to studying Hosea with you today.
Bert Harper Well, amen, brother. We've enjoyed the times you've been with us and we had some folks say, when are you going to have Jon back? Well, we're going to have him back this week for sure, but we appreciate that.
Hosea Warns Israel Against Trusting Empty Political Alliances
But chapter 12, it's an awesome book. You said you preach through the Book of Hosea and there's so many. Tell us about that time. The theme of it. You told me in the office where's meeting. The first time you preached through Hosea, you kind of got a title for it.
John Boler I did. So Hosea. It's a wonderful book. And one of the things about, it seems like, and this is just the Bible, it's the wonderful truth of the Bible that as you preach through it, oh, this is so relevant for today. And as you read through Hosea, but my favorite chapter is chapter three and to see what God told Hosea to go and to buy back his bride who was off in sin and to purchase her back. I think that's the second greatest story in the Bible because it's a picture of the greatest story in the Bible and what God did to us and how he bought us back from sin. He had every right, every desire to let us go in our sin, but praise God for that. And I know we're not in chapter three, but I know you guys covered it and there's just so many past, so many verses, including chapter 12. And as we get a little bit further, we'll see how long, how far we get today. But don't, neglect the minor prophets, they're Wonderful.
Bert Harper They are matter of fact, as he is pronouncing judgment. And you'll find it here in chapter 12. Right in the middle of it, he'll say, but come back to him at the end. Get right with him. He is the last prophet to the Northern Kingdomnomics before the fall. Destruction. Yes, sir. And, so his pleading is so real. But chapter 12, verse one, I just could not. Ephraim feeds on the wind, malnourished, you know, and it says and pursues the east wind. And he daily increases lies and desolation also. Now listen to this. They made a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried to Egypt. They were trusted in things that would not, feed them, that would not help them, that would not strengthen them. And they were relying on treaties, you know, to. In place of God, weren't they?
John Boler They were feeding the east wind. Everybody could feel the wind. You feel it when it's coming Middle, East. the eastern wind was a disastrous, wind. It would take care of crops, vegetation, but it does not fill the soul. And that's what they were relying on. The covenant with the Assyrians, the oil to Egypt. They were trying to make ends meet from every direction except the only one who can provide bread, and that's the Lord.
God Provides Every Good Gift And Calls His People Back
Bert Harper Let's stop in there a minute and talk to some people who may be listening. they may be depending completely on their job, their bank account, their medical insurance, but that can be taken away real quick. Can you tell?
John Boler It can and you cannot neglect. There's nothing wrong with provisions, but you have to understand where those come from. And all of Hosea, for the Northern Kingdomnomics, judgment is coming, and it's borderline whether it's too late. Hosea is the last prophet, and he is preaching in the same century as when the Assyrians came. But you have to understand that every, every good. And the Bible says every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of Lights. Everything we have comes from the Lord. And you can go any direction you want to. Like you said, starting out the similes and the metaphors of verse one is so true. It is so true.
Bert Harper Verse two. And I, want to read verse two and then we'll get the rest of it. Kind of two through six go together. But I want to stop in verse two.
Hosea Brings Judah Into The Charge And Recalls Jacob
The Lord also brings a charge against Judah. Now, I'm just going to stop there a minute. That, happened in chapter six as well. It's like a courtroom. And now later on he says, hey, he still has a charge against you. And it is severe. And it's against Judah. And will punish Jacob according to his ways, according to his deeds, he will recompense him. Hm. Again, God, keeps these records, and he knows those. But it's according to his deeds. they have built up, the crimes, and they're just overpowering. And he's going to start later on. He's going to list a lot of them. But here it's a general charge. He's against you, and he will punish Jacob. Now, Jacob, this is unusual, using Jacob.
John Boler It is, it is. So Judah is southern kingdom. Hosea is a prophet to the Northern kingdom. Since chapter four, it's been mostly all northern kingdom, Ephraim, Samaria. But now he comes to the southern kingdom. But what's interesting is the northern kingdom was judged by the Assyrians, 722 BC. It's not till 586 with the Babylonians. For the southern kingdom, it's almost as if northern kingdom, you're done. Southern kingdom, you better waken up. You better wake up, because let
Bert Harper this be a.
John Boler Let this be a lesson. I can't help but look at where we're at in America and look around the world where it's too late for some countries. Now, God can do anything. He can send revival. He certainly can. We believe all that. But these countries that are borderline, where judgments, where the Lord is showing much grace, we better wake up. And it's a perfect example. And he brings in Jacob, who is a common ancestor. You can't say, oh, that's Northern Kingdomnomics. Jacob is the grandson of Abraham, and he's just right there in the middle. But he tells this story, or these episodes in Jacob's life over the next couple of verses as a picture of what's happening to these kingdoms and the example of Jacob's life. And
Bert Harper when preachers do that, I say, man, that's good preaching. It
John Boler is.
Bert Harper In
John Boler other
Bert Harper words, here it is. They take the issue, but they go back and they say, this is what happened here, this is what happened here, and this is what's happening to you. And that's what he does. Let's look at that.
Jacob's Struggle Shows That Blessing Comes Through Surrender
and will punish Jacob according to his ways, according to his deeds, he will recompense him. And now listen to this. Does this sound familiar? He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and in his strength he struggled with God. Yes, he struggled with the angel and prevailed. He wept and sought favor from him. He found him in Bethel, and there he spoke to us. That is the Lord God. Of hosts. That means God of armies. That's when you say that the Lord is his memorial. So you, by the help of your God, return, observe mercy and justice, and wait on your God. Continue. There's verse six, what I was saying, the middle of it, he says, hey, you don't have to. You can change. Return. But go back and let's talk about the struggle, even being born twins, Esau and
John Boler Jacob. So there's three pictures here. The first one there in verse number three, where it says he took his brother by the heel in the womb. Jacob and his twin brother, Esau. Jacob was second born, the heel grabber. That's what the word Jacob. That's where the name comes from. Even in his life, he. He desired to be first, and he was not the firstborn. That's a picture of really a lot about our life, how we come into this world. We desire to do something more than we were created to be. We want to be something more. And it comes down to the second picture that is here where the Bible says, and in his strength, he struggled with God. Yes, he struggled with angel. This goes back to, the, middle part of Genesis where he wrestles with. It's a powerful text. Genesis 32, if I'm not mistaken. Taken powerful, ah, text where he's at. the Bible calls it the Ford of Jabbok. And he sends everybody away, and it's just him at night. And the Bible says even his wife, everybody's away. And he wrestles with an angel. He struggles, but he overcomes and he's blessed because he surrendered. Now here it is. Blessings come to a surrendered life when the northern kingdom, their desire to be wealthy. Their desire, as verse one says, the lies, the desolation, their desire to do it all. Yet they want the blessings from God. The blessings come when you surrender.
Bethel Reminds God's People To Return And Surrender Fully
And after the struggle with the angel and the marks, that Jacob, in his own life, he comes down to verse number four, where the Bible says, and he found him at Bethel. Who named Bethel? Jacob did. And Bethel means house of God, where we get the word Bethlehem, comes from that word. Jacob goes back to a place called Bethel, where he was 20 years earlier. But he's a different man. He's a whole different man this second time. And at that place of Bethel. This is what Hosea is saying, you need to come back to Bethel. You need to come back to the place where you are surrendered.
John Boler what a powerful and as a preacher it
Bert Harper is.
John Boler Hey, there is a sermon in here. There is a sermon in here.
Bert Harper And got one finger pointing out and three pointing to her.
John Boler That's right.
Bert Harper Dr. Bobby Moore, he's in heaven now. He was a, mentor of mine. Just a great, great man of God. And he would to different places and preach. He went to Romania to preach. And of course he had to have an interpreter. And he was preaching and he used the word commit. And the interpreter looked at him. Anyway, so he changed it up. And after it was over, Dr. Bobby was talking to him and said, what about that? And he said, in the Christian life there's no commit. And said, what is it? He said, it's surrender. He said, when we come to commit, you retain ownership. But when you surrender, you give up ownership.
John Boler You let go.
Bert Harper You let go. You
John Boler let
Bert Harper go. And what you just said, he surrendered. So we're saying to those who are listening today, surrender, your life to Christ.
John Boler That's right.
The Invitation To Return Leads Into A Program Break
Bert Harper The best. I grew up in the 60s, okay, when Westerns ruled TV, Jon. I mean Bonanza, and you've heard that before. But when somebody got the draw on you, you held up your hands. Okay, we need to hold up our hands and surrender open handed, don't we?
John Boler You know, I don't know, going back to salvation. And you say, do you have to have a moment when this is the moment you got saved? I'll tell you this, there has to be a Bethel. Where was the place that you surrendered? It may not be the exact moment, but where was the place? And for Jacob it was Bethel. And this is a picture that Hosea is trying to say, you know who Jacob is, you know who Esau and father Abraham. Look at his life. This is the message I'm trying to get to you. To not only the northern kingdom, but here specifically to Judah, the southern kingdom.
Bert Harper So with that short sermon, filled with history. Okay, here's the challenge, the invitation. Verse 6. I already read it. I want to read it again. So you, by the help of your God, return. Observe mercy and justice and wait on your God continually.
John Boler Yeah,
Bert Harper this is it. That is true today.
John Boler If you come back to Bethel, guess who's waiting?
Bert Harper He's there, isn't he? There's an old song that started I think is in the 70s. He was there all the time. God is there. He's ready. He's desiring the song that we sing now. The goodness of God. He's running after you.
John Boler That's right.
Bert Harper That's the God that we. If you don't know him, I pray you'd surrender to him. Well, this is Exploring the Word. And we're in the book of Hosea. We're going to return and look. Probably finish chapter 12 today. That's our goal. We'll see how far we get. But we want you to continue following as we share from the Word of God here on Exploring the Word. Hello, I'm, Bert Harper. Did you know that this content is listener supported? Without people like you, this podcast would not exist. That's why we need you. A generous monthly gift of any amount will sustain American Family Radio and specifically this podcast. Please consider becoming a monthly financial partner today by visiting afr.netgive that's afr.net give.
Dr. Jessica Peck Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus Just to take him at his word. Just to rest upon his promise, Just to know. Thus saith the Lord.
Dishonest Scales Reveal Israel's Pride And False Security
John Boler And welcome back to Exploring the Word. Thank you so much for joining us today. I am Jon Bowler filling in for Alex McFarland. Brother Bert, welcome back. We are in Hosea, chapter number 12. We just walked through verses 12, two through six, which is God's judgment to, Judah, Southern kingdom. The majority of the book is about the northern kingdom. Ephraim is what he calls, Israel. interesting. Isaiah calls the northern kingdom, Ephraim as well. But we come back to verse seven and we transition right back to the northern kingdom. And we left off, in two through, really verse six, almost in an invitation, as you said. I wish the invitation continued. It does somehow. But you got to go back. He comes back to. I
Bert Harper think there's one more time he pleads with us.
John Boler That's right. That's right. What about. If I
Bert Harper remember right,
John Boler what about how verse seven starts out? tell us about those words. Interesting terminology.
Bert Harper It is here. It is a, cunning Canaanite. Now, man. Cc.
John Boler Yeah.
Bert Harper he's a preacher. Okay.
John Boler Got to make them all start with the same letter. That's right.
Bert Harper Deceitful scales are in his hand. He loves to oppress. And Ephraim said, surely I've become rich. I have found wealth for myself in all my labors. They shall find in me no iniquity that is sin. There it is. Here it is. He is proud of how, or they are proud of how they got well by deceiving. And, one of the things, Jon, that I find amazing over when Jesus is telling them, or God was telling them to go into the land, one thing was on his scales, you know. And again, I think this is really important and I want you to take it away, with your thoughts here. But God had placed them at a strategic place there where three continents meet. people that listen all the time get tired of me saying this, but I love geography. And you had Europe up here, Asia here, in Africa here. And when they started going from one place to the other, guess what area they would go through? The land that God had said, I want you to occupy. They would go through that area. And while they're going through, while the strangers are going through, they're going to find you doing things honestly and doing it right.
John Boler That's right.
Bert Harper And then they'll say, hey, there's something different about these people. But that's not the case. They use dishonest scales.
John Boler Dishonest. They do. In, verse seven, a lot of us grew up on the. I was fixing to say the original King James, but we didn't grow up on the original King James, but the King James, a, cunning merchant is what he calls it. And it's just, a description of the deceitful scales. I love what the last part of verse eight says. it's just. Is so real. He says, they shall find in me no iniquity. That is sin. Hey, we're not doing anything wrong. We're good. We've got wealth. We've got prosperity. Our armies are large. We've got everything that we need. We're not doing anything. And it's almost as if. Was there somebody in the Bible, like in a fisherman towards the end of the NewSong Testament, like in First Jon, chapter one, verse, around verse seven, if you say you have no sin,
Bert Harper you're a liar.
John Boler A liar. And the truth is not in you. It's almost as if the apostle Jon may have been reading Hosea and saying, hey, let me write that down.
Bert Harper Since you mentioned Jon, let's go back to a letter he wrote in the book of Revelation to Laodicea.
John Boler That's right.
Bert Harper He tells them that they're rich and have no need of nothing.
John Boler Nothing.
Bert Harper There it is in the Old Testament. Here it is in the NewSong Testament.
Bert Harper and I have no need of nothing.
John Boler I have found wealth for myself and all my labors. God in his grace. Okay, you don't need me. I'll back up. And he will let us have it. He will let us have it. And it's a sombre. And it can be a nation. We're talking about a nation here, but it could be a church as well.
Bert Harper And the bottom line of that is pride. I know. You know, we know sin, and we're. We're bad to say, oh, this sin is worse and there are sins that have greater consequences and there's sins that are greater down the road as you go down a downward spiral. If you don't believe that, read chapter Jon. Jon chapter one. That's right. They go, yeah, sin greater. But guess what all of them stem from is pride. Every one of them, go with Lucifer. I'm going to make my throne. Pride goes here.
Bert Harper so here it is. You have a deceitful, dishonest business and they got their wealth and it brought pride into their life.
God Recalls His Deliverance While Israel Turns To Idolatry
And verse nine and ten is kind of a break here for a moment before he goes on to the next charge. Would you mind reading 9 and 10?
John Boler It's the Lord saying, let me just remind you what all I've done. Verse 9 says, But I am the Lord your God. Ever since the land of Egypt, I will again make you dwell in tents, dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the appointed feast. I have also spoken by the prophets, have multiplied visions. I've given symbols through the witness of the prophets. All of this that God has done. I was with you in the land of Egypt when you were in slavery. I sent my prophet there to rescue you and to take you to a land flowing with milk and honey. I've done so much for you through the time. I will again make you dwell in tabernacle. I can do more if you'll just let, if you will just surrender.
Bert Harper Here they are. They have received the blessing. They're receiving blessing and worshiping baal. Because that's the next thing they do. They go into idolatry. And that, you know, that it's not just hypocritical, that's an abomination to. Okay, God is giving it to us, but we're going to shove you aside and we're going to worship Baal. We're going to worship idols. Verse 11.
Worthless Idols Contrast With The One True God
Though Gilead has idols, surely they are vanity. Though they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal, indeed their altar shall be heaps in the furrows of the field. Idolatry are there now. Surely they are vanity. It means they're worthless. That's
John Boler right. Like the east wind.
Bert Harper That's good. Every time I see idols, I can't help but remember, when they got the Ark of the Covenant and they put it in the temple, of Dagon. The next morning when they came in, Dagon had fallen off his pedestal. And here's the line. They had to put their God back on the pedestal when you have to put your God back on the pedestal, you know it's a false God.
John Boler Yeah. And I, mean Gilead. There's a wonderful, history there. Is there any balm in Gilead? Is there any healing in Gilead? It was a place where people would go to be healed. And he says that's vanity. Though they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal, these are just places there. The Northern Kingdomnomics. And indeed your altars shall be heaps of the furrows of the field. Anybody but God Almighty is a false God. But, it's a terrible God because you either have to put it back on the altar. And that's why in Isaiah, God is not one of many. There is none like you. there is none that can compare to Lord God Almighty. So when I hear, well, I don't worship the way y' all worship. I worship. There's only one. And it's not our way. Is not. Jesus said, I'm the way. And there's not any other way to come to the Lord. So if you're not worshiping the God of the Bible, Jehovah, Jesus Christ, it is a false dead God. And there's nothing else like it. It's not one of many. We don't have different ways and different gods. We have different religions, just like in the Bible. But in the Bible, there is only one way, and that is through the Lord. And I don't know why we can't, through the history of especially the Old Testament and even the NewSong Testament, the Book of Acts and other places, and see that, surrender to Jesus, get back to Bethel. There is only one way.
Bert Harper Only one way. After the elections and seeing what many Islam Muslims were elected, and, again, revealing and wanting. In Dearborn, Michigan, they took the streets marching with, you know, jihad, wanting that Christianity, following Christ. I tell folks we want to reach the world, not rule the world.
John Boler Yeah.
Bert Harper And there's a difference. There
John Boler is. And
Bert Harper the Book of James says, pure religion is that you feed the orphans and the widows, take care of them, and keep yourself unspotted from the world. it's a giving, it's sharing in the Book of Acts. Communism, was not taught, but it sure was taught that charity is taught, generosity is taught, and it's a free will. So when God comes in that freedom, it is free. It's liberty, isn't it?
John Boler Just right off the elections. Government is a terrible God. And we look to government. I'm looking here. We've got money, we got wealth, we got all. Ah, we're Looking, they need to save us. It's a lot easier to live when you have a godly government. But they're not the answer.
Bert Harper Not the answer. Never have been, never will be. Never
John Boler will
Bert Harper be. That's exactly right.
Hosea Closes The Chapter With Consequences And Redemption
We're going to continue here. And this is powerful. Verse 12, 13 and 14, Jacob fled to the country of Syria. Israel served for a spouse and for a wife. He tended sheep. Now we've gone back to the real Jacob here, the old Jacob. Yeah. Given what he did in doing that by a prophet, the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt. He's already said some things like that. And by prophet he has preserved. Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly. Therefore, now. This is horrible. Will leave on him his blood guilt and return his reproach upon him. Have you ever heard you get in what you deserve?
John Boler That's right.
Bert Harper And that's the bottom line here. You have sown to the wind and reaped the whirlwind. That's in Hosea too. So you've served these gods. Let these gods deliver you if they can. That's
John Boler right. Sin can be forgiven, but there's always consequences to sin. And there's the invitation, repent, come back. But even in the midst of that, there's consequences. And as we see there in these three verses, as we close out chapter 12, the bloodshed, verse 14. Into that, therefore, the Lord will leave the guilt of his bloodshed upon him and upon his reproach. upon him. I'm thinking, I said, I wish I know exactly the exact date of how this lines up. And you can, you can go back to the first part of Hosea and get very close. were the Assyrians right at the doorstep?
Bert Harper They were.
John Boler And just to see, hey, one month from now, you know, there's no more Northern kingdom.
Bert Harper And Hosea is pleading with his heart. And it comes not only from his words, but from his life. As you said, redeeming his wife as, I can imagine her on the slave market.
John Boler Yeah.
Bert Harper And he's out there. Possibly. We don't know. It doesn't tell exactly how he did it, but bidding for her.
John Boler That's right.
Bert Harper And there's. I'll give that. No, he was going to. He was going to get her back. And God is saying, I want you back. Turn.
John Boler You know, it's a powerful, powerful testimony of Jesus and what he did for us on the cross and, and the salvation that only comes through him. But it's a powerful lesson as we listen and as we read about. Just think about as we wrap this up, the two kingdoms for the northern kingdom, they're about done. Southern kingdom, you better listen.
Bert Harper Isn't it about 150 more years
John Boler from 722 to 586 for the Babylonians on the southern kingdom. This is. This is. If you don't listen, this is what's coming.
Bert Harper Yeah.
John Boler And, go, Back to verse 6:12, 6, so you, by the help of your God, return. That's what Jacob had to do.
Bert Harper He had to.
Hosts Warn Against Political Dependence And Promote Outreach
Let's do one more thing before we go to chapter 13. And you've already done it. Let's do it a little bit more. What we have seen in France every weekend for, I guess last year, two or three, maybe three months. This, this hardness, this, and they've joined forces with, Muslims, the communists, wanting to get. And what they had done, they had let government completely take over. And now that they've run out of other people's money, Seriously. And they're saying, we can't give you that. You can't have that. And now they're, you know, if we turn to government and want answers, that's. Yes, the election was important, but government is not our salvation. The Senate's not our salvation. The House representative is not our salvation. It is God.
John Boler That's right.
Bert Harper and I tell this, yes, I want America to thrive and survive or survive and thrive. I want them to go forward, for several reasons. one, mainly my children and grandkids. Okay. Be honest. But also missions.
John Boler Yeah.
Bert Harper You know, where does missions take place best? In freedom and prosperity.
John Boler Right.
Bert Harper look at the church when it was birthed. Jesus came in the fullness of time. Okay? The Roman Empire. One language, you know, one government. Paul, a Roman citizen. God called out on the road, you know, to Damascus and set him m. Free. And he was able to go all the way to Spain. Yeah, I mean, you know, from. I mean, he covered that continent, and that was in the freedom of the. Of the freedom that he had as a Roman citizen. That's right. So in Prosperity Church at Philippi, the church at Antioch, they continued to give to him because God is blessing them. We need to keep doing missions regardless of what happens in the government. Don't. You can
John Boler either have the power of man or the power of God.
Bert Harper Amen.
John Boler You can't have them both.
Bert Harper Hey. That number, if you've got questions, is 888-5898-8408-8858-9840. Give us a call here on exploring the word $28 may not sound like much, but to a scared mother, consider an abortion. It can help provide something incredibly important. A real opportunity to pause and see her baby for the first time. Today, a woman facing an unexpected pregnancy can reach for her phone, search for an abortion pill, connect with a provider online and have the pills delivered directly to her home. She can move from fear toward abortion incredibly quickly. But your gift can help create another opportunity. For just $28, you can help provide a free ultrasound through a preborn network clinic. There, a woman can see her m baby, talk with the people who will listen to what she's facing, receive compassionate support, and consider another choice before abortion becomes her answer. And women see their babies through an ultrasound at a PreBorn Network clinic, 80% choose life. $28 can provide one ultrasound. $280 can help provide 10. Reach her before the pills do. With your strongest gift today, dial pound 250 and say the key word baby. That's pound 250. Or visit preborn.com afr that's preborn.com afr all gifts are tax deductible and PreBorn is a five star rated charity.
A Worship Song Leads Into Listener Calls And Questions
Dr. Jessica Peck Lord of all creation. Of water, earth and sky. The heavens are your tabernacle. The glory to the Lord on high. God of wonders beyond our galaxy. You are holy. Holy.
Bert Harper Amen. Jon, it's so hard for me to interrupt some of these songs.
John Boler that's. Hey, God of wonders, that's a wonderful song.
Bert Harper That's who he is. But we do have lines that are open and Jon and I would love to talk with you. It is 888-589-8840. If you have a question, we would love to hear it today, but we have some people that have called in already and we're going to go to them and it's Roger in Oklahoma. Roger, thank you for calling today.
Caroline Hello. How are y' all guys doing?
Bert Harper Doing great today.
John Boler Hey, Roger.
Caller Seeks Guidance About Separate English And Spanish Services
Caroline Okay, like I was telling your, your predicate, whatever you call that person to answer the phone for you, I got some questions are pretty hard and I've been trying to find the answers for the last few years, but I can't find the answers for what I'm looking for. And this is my, I kind of wrote them down here and they're kind of rough drafts, but this is what I'm trying to say. Me and my wife and I have been in this church for 20 years and been full members of the church for 18 years. And we have two services with two different preachers. We had six preachers in the 20 years we've been there and the last three has been semi racist towards our second service. Now what can I do for about that? Because me and my wife like going to both services.
Bert Harper Semi racist.
Caroline Yeah.
Bert Harper I don't want to put you on the spot, but I need a little qualifier, there. What. How's that being demonstrated? Let me just say it that way maybe. Right.
Caroline What it is, they tried to say. Okay, they say we have two churches. Well, we have one church. And I think it's just two services. We don't think it's two churches. Me and my wife likes both services. So we try to go to both of them if we can. And instead of.
Bert Harper Okay,
Caroline last few days, in the last few weeks, it's been pretty rough on us.
John Boler Yeah. When you. I guess. Roger, let me ask some, just some clarification on the term racist. Are you talking about like the color of skin or you.
Caroline Well, I don't know if it's the skin or the attitudes or what. They're just, they're just.
John Boler Okay.
Caroline Well, our second service is Hispanic. And I feel I was raised in a one horse town in Arkansas and it was a prejudiced town and I could smell that stuff a mile off. And it just. I was raised with it. I didn't like it then and I don't like it now.
Bert Harper Okay, we're getting a little bit of. There's a. Here's you. When you were at Calvary Baptist Church, y' all had two services going on and now y' all have combined and have one.
John Boler We have
Bert Harper the church where I was at West Jackson street, we had two services and ours was simply because of space. It wasn't because of just convenience. It wasn't that or anything. they're going to be different. But if you have a dominant group of people that come to one, that is, ethnicity.
John Boler Yes.
Bert Harper the only way it would become racist if nobody else was welcome.
John Boler Roger, Having two services with two different preachers, is one of them English and one of them Spanish?
Caroline yes, sir.
John Boler Okay. well, first off, that's Kingdomnomics. That's reaching people in their own language. it does make it different. it does make it. There will be some challenges, having two language services. But first off, just from not knowing the details, praise God, that you're reaching people who speak English, but you're also reaching people who speak Spanish. there will be some challenges there that I think the enemy will, try to divide and make one service greater than the other, or say one group of people is more valuable than the other. That's a work of the enemy. It is, to have a campus with different languages. Praise God for that. But I would also make that, a matter of prayer. And can you imagine the spiritual warfare? Possibly
Bert Harper it is. It's real. I'm just going to do it financially. That's a lot better than trying to build another building. Using that building that way is better than if it says it's two churches. I'm familiar with two or three churches. And, the church was kind of dwindling away and they offered their facility to another group who was primarily of another ethnicity. And they came in and they've grown and bigger. And it had nothing to do with race, Roger. It has to do with facilities and using what you have. If they're using this because, hey, we're reaching these people for the glory of God, and we don't want them to have to go out and build a new building. And we want them to, work together. That is good. If they're separated, because you go here and you go here because of the ethnicity of them, that's not good. So, Roger, brother, keep praying about it and keep attending both of them. You know, if you can. I know you may not do it every Sunday, but you could do it and just rejoice with them. And so we're going to pray for Roger right now. Let's do that. Let's do it. Father, I thank you for Roger. I thank you for his concern. And, I know what it is, too, to live in an area where racism is real. And, you get that and you sense it happening. You want to take your stand against it. But reaching people of different ethnicities sometimes is different because of the language that Jon was talking about, sometimes because of the culture. So if this church is reaching them for the glory of God and, and I pray in missional purpose, I pray that you would just let it increase. Father, if there's other reasons for it that is divisive. And as, as, as Jon was talking, the warfare, spiritual warfare. Father, I pray that those that are following you would win out victoriously by staying with you in Jesus name. Amen. Roger. We hope that helps, brother.
Caller Discusses Political Division And The Need For God
Thank you. That number, if you would call, 358-98840. And we're going to Irwin in North Carolina. It's Irwin, right?
Caroline He called it Irwin. Irving.
Bert Harper Irving. Okay, Irving. Okay, I got you. Go ahead, Irving.
Caroline my question was. Well, first of all, I do appreciate you guys, I listen to you every day. Faithfully, Alex, all you guys, I just, I just thank you and I just want to commend you for your, teaching and opening up the Word. And I just got, I mean I've been preaching 40 years, but you guys still a big inspiration to me. my question, I want to say, not so much of the election, but about the parties, Democratic or Republican. And somebody's going to win Republican or Democratic every year. Either you're going to either be happy or sad, however the case may be. But my question is this isn't there. And I believe it's in the book of Mark, A, scripture about the, that the House is divided of itself. It cannot stand.
Bert Harper Yeah, we are divided. Yeah, yeah, go ahead.
Caroline Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I mean, I would, I would love to see the day that it wouldn't be Democratic or Republican, that it would just be one House.
Bert Harper Okay. That when you get to political thought, you're going to have divisions. That is just going to be a reality. I realize, and I know that, but what has happened and this has happened and I'm old enough to seen it, observed it, lived through it, preaching through it, but also observing as somebody that was interested in it, the division has grown further and further away.
John Boler It has.
Bert Harper When one group says it's all right to kill babies up all the way, way until even after they're born and one party says, okay, if a seven year old little boy thinks he's a girl and their parents say we're not going to, we reject that, he's not going to take any kind of treatment. But one party says no, that's child abuse. Not following through. that is divided. And I don't see how in the world. I don't see there's no compromise on certain things.
John Boler The moral issues, the belief in the moral issues, the gap has widened. a lot of the things going back. you know, my time doesn't go back. I start in the Reagan years as a young child, but I grew up under, under Bill Clinton and grew up under the Bush and all, you know, Republicans and Democrats. And I remember as a child and maybe I just didn't see it as much, but today the moral issues and the hatred and the divisions toward each other seems to be much, much stronger than it has been in the past. But I look at it as a moral issue, whether it's abortion or transgender or the other things that the power that we desire as a country and Looking to government for everything. That is a divided nation. And the answer is not Republicans. The answer is not Democrats. We've got to get back on our face before the Lord.
Bert Harper I want to go back way in history, at the founding the Northern states, they said slavery is evil. Jon Adams, above all of them, man, he's one of my heroes. I know he just got to serve one term. And he was the lesser of the first three presidents. You know, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Jon Adams in the middle. But when you see him and how he operated. But what was significant, yes, slavery was evil. It was wrong. And yet the Southern states, that was part of their economy. That's part of their. They tried to justify it, even biblically tried. That's misused in scripture. But they worked it where in the Constitution. They would work it out and correct those evils. Now, again, it took the Civil War to do it because, you know, hanging on to sin, no matter what it is. But there was compromise there. When it comes to what we're talking about, children and how a. Let me just say this. How a country, a generation treats their children is huge.
John Boler Yeah. yeah.
Bert Harper Jesus, let the little children come to me. And we're. We've. We've let them being killed. And so some of people were celebrating. Oh, abortion is back. And just praising it and. And mutilating children. it's inexcusable.
John Boler It is.
Bert Harper It is. I don't see how it can be but divided on those issues or. I wish it wasn't, Erwin, but that's when I think taxes. Yeah, you can look at that. But not socialism and not Islam. There are some heels that you take your stand for and die.
John Boler It certainly is, Ervin. Thank you so much. Hey, keep preaching the word, my brother.
Bert Harper How long have you been preaching, Erwin? Real quickly, Irving.
Caroline 41 years.
John Boler Amen,
Bert Harper brother. Keep on preaching. You'll catch me. 52 years for this, old boy. 52 years.
Caroline I'm, gonna stay in the race. Amen.
Bert Harper Amen.
John Boler That's right.
Caroline We're gonna get there the same time,
Bert Harper brother. Keep listening. Thank you for your spirit. appreciate it.
A Mother Requests Prayer For Her Estranged Son
Let's go to Texas and talk to Grace. Grace, go right ahead.
Caroline yes, sir. I'm calling, basically everything I were talking about with Irving Irwin or Irving.
Bert Harper Yes,
Caroline basically. I have a son that has gone woke in Every conversation we have always turns to, even a simple conversation about groceries. It goes back to, you know, talking about how, overall, with inflation, tariffs, and the corporate greed that's gone unregulated and he says, you know, and I told him that, yeah, that's true, but that's why the United States should just depend on other. Not depend on other nations and do everything here. And I suppose everybody's going to be greedy because that's what sin does and that's going to always be that way. And then he answered back and said that it goes back to the regulations of proper taxation and wage laws. If they want to be billionaires, they can afford it. And then of course I tried to say, you know, the Bible, what is the root of it all? That the Bible says, you know, it says and that the Bible has instructions for man to live and be blessed. And that's the problem is that we don't listen. And then I, he said, I disagree. While there are some useful agriculture instructions and socialist debt relief, overall, it's a book whose rules, whose rules benefit men. Trivial 1. Trivialize one people group as special and treat women and children like property and life and let and less than equal.
Bert Harper Okay. Yeah. What he's doing, he has bought the line and I would say even the lie Jesus, bring him to Jesus. anytime you're talking to anyone woke, someone is unbeliever, someone that's questioned, do everything you can to bring it to Jesus. It
John Boler is.
Bert Harper That's the whole idea.
John Boler Well, and just listening to grace and grace, thank you for the phone call. And you're not alone as parents and grandparents that may be listening that have children, that have strayed. just listening to what your comment describing, that's exactly what the media is portraying today. And it's a false, it's a lie and it's a power control and bring it back to Jesus. And let me tell you this, I've seen this as a pastor, you pray daily for him and don't think that God can't work. I've seen it time and time again where the prodigal has come home and bathe it in prayer. but Grace, thank you so much for that. Can I pray for your son right now?
Caroline Yes, I would love that because I don't understand how he, he even did that because he had Hodgkin's lymphoma stage 4 and God touched him and he had an out of body experience. He saw the Lord and he healed him
Bert Harper well. Grace, we're going to pray. Jon, lead us.
John Boler Absolutely. Lord, I pray for this young man. Lord, bring him back to you. Thank you for your grace. Every single day I pray for Ms. Grace Lord, comfort her through this time. We love you. In Jesus name, Amen.
Bert Harper Jon, thank you. Thank you, brother. Yes,
John Boler sir.
Bert Harper Appreciate you.
The Program Closes With Prayer Encouragement And A Disclaimer
Thank you for listening to Exploring the Word. Tomorrow is the day of prayer. it's just become a awesome day, the day of prayer. So, you can text, you can let us know at Word, or you can get on Facebook and Brent will share it with us. But keep on praying, and we're going to ask God to do a great work in our lives, in our country, in our churches. Again, thank you for listening to Exploring the Word here on afr. And may God bless you, and may you tell others about this program, but more importantly, tell them about Jesus.
Jeff Chamblee The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.
Hosts Introduce The Program And Begin Exploring Hosea Together
Jeff Chamblee The Bible. It's the word of God. Sharper than any two edged sword. This sacred book is living and active and contains all that's needed for life and godliness. Stay with American Family Radio for the next hour as we study God's word and take your Bible questions. Welcome to Exploring the Word
Bert Harper in the Book of Hosea. you get a lot of similes and metaphors and you get a lot of allusions to. I, would say, natural cause effects that affects in a different way in chapter 12 of Hosea. I love this phrase. Ephraim, feeds on the wind. Now I think you'd go malnourished if that's the case. This is Bert harper along with Dr. Jon Bowler. yeah, Alex is not here today. He'll be traveling for the next few days. And Jon, thank you for setting in, brother.
John Boler Thank you brother Bert. It's always a joy to be with you. Looking forward to studying Hosea with you today.
Bert Harper Well, amen, brother. We've enjoyed the times you've been with us and we had some folks say, when are you going to have Jon back? Well, we're going to have him back this week for sure, but we appreciate that.
Hosea Warns Israel Against Trusting Empty Political Alliances
But chapter 12, it's an awesome book. You said you preach through the Book of Hosea and there's so many. Tell us about that time. The theme of it. You told me in the office where's meeting. The first time you preached through Hosea, you kind of got a title for it.
John Boler I did. So Hosea. It's a wonderful book. And one of the things about, it seems like, and this is just the Bible, it's the wonderful truth of the Bible that as you preach through it, oh, this is so relevant for today. And as you read through Hosea, but my favorite chapter is chapter three and to see what God told Hosea to go and to buy back his bride who was off in sin and to purchase her back. I think that's the second greatest story in the Bible because it's a picture of the greatest story in the Bible and what God did to us and how he bought us back from sin. He had every right, every desire to let us go in our sin, but praise God for that. And I know we're not in chapter three, but I know you guys covered it and there's just so many past, so many verses, including chapter 12. And as we get a little bit further, we'll see how long, how far we get today. But don't, neglect the minor prophets, they're Wonderful.
Bert Harper They are matter of fact, as he is pronouncing judgment. And you'll find it here in chapter 12. Right in the middle of it, he'll say, but come back to him at the end. Get right with him. He is the last prophet to the Northern Kingdomnomics before the fall. Destruction. Yes, sir. And, so his pleading is so real. But chapter 12, verse one, I just could not. Ephraim feeds on the wind, malnourished, you know, and it says and pursues the east wind. And he daily increases lies and desolation also. Now listen to this. They made a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried to Egypt. They were trusted in things that would not, feed them, that would not help them, that would not strengthen them. And they were relying on treaties, you know, to. In place of God, weren't they?
John Boler They were feeding the east wind. Everybody could feel the wind. You feel it when it's coming Middle, East. the eastern wind was a disastrous, wind. It would take care of crops, vegetation, but it does not fill the soul. And that's what they were relying on. The covenant with the Assyrians, the oil to Egypt. They were trying to make ends meet from every direction except the only one who can provide bread, and that's the Lord.
God Provides Every Good Gift And Calls His People Back
Bert Harper Let's stop in there a minute and talk to some people who may be listening. they may be depending completely on their job, their bank account, their medical insurance, but that can be taken away real quick. Can you tell?
John Boler It can and you cannot neglect. There's nothing wrong with provisions, but you have to understand where those come from. And all of Hosea, for the Northern Kingdomnomics, judgment is coming, and it's borderline whether it's too late. Hosea is the last prophet, and he is preaching in the same century as when the Assyrians came. But you have to understand that every, every good. And the Bible says every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of Lights. Everything we have comes from the Lord. And you can go any direction you want to. Like you said, starting out the similes and the metaphors of verse one is so true. It is so true.
Bert Harper Verse two. And I, want to read verse two and then we'll get the rest of it. Kind of two through six go together. But I want to stop in verse two.
Hosea Brings Judah Into The Charge And Recalls Jacob
The Lord also brings a charge against Judah. Now, I'm just going to stop there a minute. That, happened in chapter six as well. It's like a courtroom. And now later on he says, hey, he still has a charge against you. And it is severe. And it's against Judah. And will punish Jacob according to his ways, according to his deeds, he will recompense him. Hm. Again, God, keeps these records, and he knows those. But it's according to his deeds. they have built up, the crimes, and they're just overpowering. And he's going to start later on. He's going to list a lot of them. But here it's a general charge. He's against you, and he will punish Jacob. Now, Jacob, this is unusual, using Jacob.
John Boler It is, it is. So Judah is southern kingdom. Hosea is a prophet to the Northern kingdom. Since chapter four, it's been mostly all northern kingdom, Ephraim, Samaria. But now he comes to the southern kingdom. But what's interesting is the northern kingdom was judged by the Assyrians, 722 BC. It's not till 586 with the Babylonians. For the southern kingdom, it's almost as if northern kingdom, you're done. Southern kingdom, you better waken up. You better wake up, because let
Bert Harper this be a.
John Boler Let this be a lesson. I can't help but look at where we're at in America and look around the world where it's too late for some countries. Now, God can do anything. He can send revival. He certainly can. We believe all that. But these countries that are borderline, where judgments, where the Lord is showing much grace, we better wake up. And it's a perfect example. And he brings in Jacob, who is a common ancestor. You can't say, oh, that's Northern Kingdomnomics. Jacob is the grandson of Abraham, and he's just right there in the middle. But he tells this story, or these episodes in Jacob's life over the next couple of verses as a picture of what's happening to these kingdoms and the example of Jacob's life. And
Bert Harper when preachers do that, I say, man, that's good preaching. It
John Boler is.
Bert Harper In
John Boler other
Bert Harper words, here it is. They take the issue, but they go back and they say, this is what happened here, this is what happened here, and this is what's happening to you. And that's what he does. Let's look at that.
Jacob's Struggle Shows That Blessing Comes Through Surrender
and will punish Jacob according to his ways, according to his deeds, he will recompense him. And now listen to this. Does this sound familiar? He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and in his strength he struggled with God. Yes, he struggled with the angel and prevailed. He wept and sought favor from him. He found him in Bethel, and there he spoke to us. That is the Lord God. Of hosts. That means God of armies. That's when you say that the Lord is his memorial. So you, by the help of your God, return, observe mercy and justice, and wait on your God. Continue. There's verse six, what I was saying, the middle of it, he says, hey, you don't have to. You can change. Return. But go back and let's talk about the struggle, even being born twins, Esau and
John Boler Jacob. So there's three pictures here. The first one there in verse number three, where it says he took his brother by the heel in the womb. Jacob and his twin brother, Esau. Jacob was second born, the heel grabber. That's what the word Jacob. That's where the name comes from. Even in his life, he. He desired to be first, and he was not the firstborn. That's a picture of really a lot about our life, how we come into this world. We desire to do something more than we were created to be. We want to be something more. And it comes down to the second picture that is here where the Bible says, and in his strength, he struggled with God. Yes, he struggled with angel. This goes back to, the, middle part of Genesis where he wrestles with. It's a powerful text. Genesis 32, if I'm not mistaken. Taken powerful, ah, text where he's at. the Bible calls it the Ford of Jabbok. And he sends everybody away, and it's just him at night. And the Bible says even his wife, everybody's away. And he wrestles with an angel. He struggles, but he overcomes and he's blessed because he surrendered. Now here it is. Blessings come to a surrendered life when the northern kingdom, their desire to be wealthy. Their desire, as verse one says, the lies, the desolation, their desire to do it all. Yet they want the blessings from God. The blessings come when you surrender.
Bethel Reminds God's People To Return And Surrender Fully
And after the struggle with the angel and the marks, that Jacob, in his own life, he comes down to verse number four, where the Bible says, and he found him at Bethel. Who named Bethel? Jacob did. And Bethel means house of God, where we get the word Bethlehem, comes from that word. Jacob goes back to a place called Bethel, where he was 20 years earlier. But he's a different man. He's a whole different man this second time. And at that place of Bethel. This is what Hosea is saying, you need to come back to Bethel. You need to come back to the place where you are surrendered.
John Boler what a powerful and as a preacher it
Bert Harper is.
John Boler Hey, there is a sermon in here. There is a sermon in here.
Bert Harper And got one finger pointing out and three pointing to her.
John Boler That's right.
Bert Harper Dr. Bobby Moore, he's in heaven now. He was a, mentor of mine. Just a great, great man of God. And he would to different places and preach. He went to Romania to preach. And of course he had to have an interpreter. And he was preaching and he used the word commit. And the interpreter looked at him. Anyway, so he changed it up. And after it was over, Dr. Bobby was talking to him and said, what about that? And he said, in the Christian life there's no commit. And said, what is it? He said, it's surrender. He said, when we come to commit, you retain ownership. But when you surrender, you give up ownership.
John Boler You let go.
Bert Harper You let go. You
John Boler let
Bert Harper go. And what you just said, he surrendered. So we're saying to those who are listening today, surrender, your life to Christ.
John Boler That's right.
The Invitation To Return Leads Into A Program Break
Bert Harper The best. I grew up in the 60s, okay, when Westerns ruled TV, Jon. I mean Bonanza, and you've heard that before. But when somebody got the draw on you, you held up your hands. Okay, we need to hold up our hands and surrender open handed, don't we?
John Boler You know, I don't know, going back to salvation. And you say, do you have to have a moment when this is the moment you got saved? I'll tell you this, there has to be a Bethel. Where was the place that you surrendered? It may not be the exact moment, but where was the place? And for Jacob it was Bethel. And this is a picture that Hosea is trying to say, you know who Jacob is, you know who Esau and father Abraham. Look at his life. This is the message I'm trying to get to you. To not only the northern kingdom, but here specifically to Judah, the southern kingdom.
Bert Harper So with that short sermon, filled with history. Okay, here's the challenge, the invitation. Verse 6. I already read it. I want to read it again. So you, by the help of your God, return. Observe mercy and justice and wait on your God continually.
John Boler Yeah,
Bert Harper this is it. That is true today.
John Boler If you come back to Bethel, guess who's waiting?
Bert Harper He's there, isn't he? There's an old song that started I think is in the 70s. He was there all the time. God is there. He's ready. He's desiring the song that we sing now. The goodness of God. He's running after you.
John Boler That's right.
Bert Harper That's the God that we. If you don't know him, I pray you'd surrender to him. Well, this is Exploring the Word. And we're in the book of Hosea. We're going to return and look. Probably finish chapter 12 today. That's our goal. We'll see how far we get. But we want you to continue following as we share from the Word of God here on Exploring the Word. Hello, I'm, Bert Harper. Did you know that this content is listener supported? Without people like you, this podcast would not exist. That's why we need you. A generous monthly gift of any amount will sustain American Family Radio and specifically this podcast. Please consider becoming a monthly financial partner today by visiting afr.netgive that's afr.net give.
Dr. Jessica Peck Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus Just to take him at his word. Just to rest upon his promise, Just to know. Thus saith the Lord.
Dishonest Scales Reveal Israel's Pride And False Security
John Boler And welcome back to Exploring the Word. Thank you so much for joining us today. I am Jon Bowler filling in for Alex McFarland. Brother Bert, welcome back. We are in Hosea, chapter number 12. We just walked through verses 12, two through six, which is God's judgment to, Judah, Southern kingdom. The majority of the book is about the northern kingdom. Ephraim is what he calls, Israel. interesting. Isaiah calls the northern kingdom, Ephraim as well. But we come back to verse seven and we transition right back to the northern kingdom. And we left off, in two through, really verse six, almost in an invitation, as you said. I wish the invitation continued. It does somehow. But you got to go back. He comes back to. I
Bert Harper think there's one more time he pleads with us.
John Boler That's right. That's right. What about. If I
Bert Harper remember right,
John Boler what about how verse seven starts out? tell us about those words. Interesting terminology.
Bert Harper It is here. It is a, cunning Canaanite. Now, man. Cc.
John Boler Yeah.
Bert Harper he's a preacher. Okay.
John Boler Got to make them all start with the same letter. That's right.
Bert Harper Deceitful scales are in his hand. He loves to oppress. And Ephraim said, surely I've become rich. I have found wealth for myself in all my labors. They shall find in me no iniquity that is sin. There it is. Here it is. He is proud of how, or they are proud of how they got well by deceiving. And, one of the things, Jon, that I find amazing over when Jesus is telling them, or God was telling them to go into the land, one thing was on his scales, you know. And again, I think this is really important and I want you to take it away, with your thoughts here. But God had placed them at a strategic place there where three continents meet. people that listen all the time get tired of me saying this, but I love geography. And you had Europe up here, Asia here, in Africa here. And when they started going from one place to the other, guess what area they would go through? The land that God had said, I want you to occupy. They would go through that area. And while they're going through, while the strangers are going through, they're going to find you doing things honestly and doing it right.
John Boler That's right.
Bert Harper And then they'll say, hey, there's something different about these people. But that's not the case. They use dishonest scales.
John Boler Dishonest. They do. In, verse seven, a lot of us grew up on the. I was fixing to say the original King James, but we didn't grow up on the original King James, but the King James, a, cunning merchant is what he calls it. And it's just, a description of the deceitful scales. I love what the last part of verse eight says. it's just. Is so real. He says, they shall find in me no iniquity. That is sin. Hey, we're not doing anything wrong. We're good. We've got wealth. We've got prosperity. Our armies are large. We've got everything that we need. We're not doing anything. And it's almost as if. Was there somebody in the Bible, like in a fisherman towards the end of the NewSong Testament, like in First Jon, chapter one, verse, around verse seven, if you say you have no sin,
Bert Harper you're a liar.
John Boler A liar. And the truth is not in you. It's almost as if the apostle Jon may have been reading Hosea and saying, hey, let me write that down.
Bert Harper Since you mentioned Jon, let's go back to a letter he wrote in the book of Revelation to Laodicea.
John Boler That's right.
Bert Harper He tells them that they're rich and have no need of nothing.
John Boler Nothing.
Bert Harper There it is in the Old Testament. Here it is in the NewSong Testament.
Bert Harper and I have no need of nothing.
John Boler I have found wealth for myself and all my labors. God in his grace. Okay, you don't need me. I'll back up. And he will let us have it. He will let us have it. And it's a sombre. And it can be a nation. We're talking about a nation here, but it could be a church as well.
Bert Harper And the bottom line of that is pride. I know. You know, we know sin, and we're. We're bad to say, oh, this sin is worse and there are sins that have greater consequences and there's sins that are greater down the road as you go down a downward spiral. If you don't believe that, read chapter Jon. Jon chapter one. That's right. They go, yeah, sin greater. But guess what all of them stem from is pride. Every one of them, go with Lucifer. I'm going to make my throne. Pride goes here.
Bert Harper so here it is. You have a deceitful, dishonest business and they got their wealth and it brought pride into their life.
God Recalls His Deliverance While Israel Turns To Idolatry
And verse nine and ten is kind of a break here for a moment before he goes on to the next charge. Would you mind reading 9 and 10?
John Boler It's the Lord saying, let me just remind you what all I've done. Verse 9 says, But I am the Lord your God. Ever since the land of Egypt, I will again make you dwell in tents, dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the appointed feast. I have also spoken by the prophets, have multiplied visions. I've given symbols through the witness of the prophets. All of this that God has done. I was with you in the land of Egypt when you were in slavery. I sent my prophet there to rescue you and to take you to a land flowing with milk and honey. I've done so much for you through the time. I will again make you dwell in tabernacle. I can do more if you'll just let, if you will just surrender.
Bert Harper Here they are. They have received the blessing. They're receiving blessing and worshiping baal. Because that's the next thing they do. They go into idolatry. And that, you know, that it's not just hypocritical, that's an abomination to. Okay, God is giving it to us, but we're going to shove you aside and we're going to worship Baal. We're going to worship idols. Verse 11.
Worthless Idols Contrast With The One True God
Though Gilead has idols, surely they are vanity. Though they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal, indeed their altar shall be heaps in the furrows of the field. Idolatry are there now. Surely they are vanity. It means they're worthless. That's
John Boler right. Like the east wind.
Bert Harper That's good. Every time I see idols, I can't help but remember, when they got the Ark of the Covenant and they put it in the temple, of Dagon. The next morning when they came in, Dagon had fallen off his pedestal. And here's the line. They had to put their God back on the pedestal when you have to put your God back on the pedestal, you know it's a false God.
John Boler Yeah. And I, mean Gilead. There's a wonderful, history there. Is there any balm in Gilead? Is there any healing in Gilead? It was a place where people would go to be healed. And he says that's vanity. Though they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal, these are just places there. The Northern Kingdomnomics. And indeed your altars shall be heaps of the furrows of the field. Anybody but God Almighty is a false God. But, it's a terrible God because you either have to put it back on the altar. And that's why in Isaiah, God is not one of many. There is none like you. there is none that can compare to Lord God Almighty. So when I hear, well, I don't worship the way y' all worship. I worship. There's only one. And it's not our way. Is not. Jesus said, I'm the way. And there's not any other way to come to the Lord. So if you're not worshiping the God of the Bible, Jehovah, Jesus Christ, it is a false dead God. And there's nothing else like it. It's not one of many. We don't have different ways and different gods. We have different religions, just like in the Bible. But in the Bible, there is only one way, and that is through the Lord. And I don't know why we can't, through the history of especially the Old Testament and even the NewSong Testament, the Book of Acts and other places, and see that, surrender to Jesus, get back to Bethel. There is only one way.
Bert Harper Only one way. After the elections and seeing what many Islam Muslims were elected, and, again, revealing and wanting. In Dearborn, Michigan, they took the streets marching with, you know, jihad, wanting that Christianity, following Christ. I tell folks we want to reach the world, not rule the world.
John Boler Yeah.
Bert Harper And there's a difference. There
John Boler is. And
Bert Harper the Book of James says, pure religion is that you feed the orphans and the widows, take care of them, and keep yourself unspotted from the world. it's a giving, it's sharing in the Book of Acts. Communism, was not taught, but it sure was taught that charity is taught, generosity is taught, and it's a free will. So when God comes in that freedom, it is free. It's liberty, isn't it?
John Boler Just right off the elections. Government is a terrible God. And we look to government. I'm looking here. We've got money, we got wealth, we got all. Ah, we're Looking, they need to save us. It's a lot easier to live when you have a godly government. But they're not the answer.
Bert Harper Not the answer. Never have been, never will be. Never
John Boler will
Bert Harper be. That's exactly right.
Hosea Closes The Chapter With Consequences And Redemption
We're going to continue here. And this is powerful. Verse 12, 13 and 14, Jacob fled to the country of Syria. Israel served for a spouse and for a wife. He tended sheep. Now we've gone back to the real Jacob here, the old Jacob. Yeah. Given what he did in doing that by a prophet, the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt. He's already said some things like that. And by prophet he has preserved. Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly. Therefore, now. This is horrible. Will leave on him his blood guilt and return his reproach upon him. Have you ever heard you get in what you deserve?
John Boler That's right.
Bert Harper And that's the bottom line here. You have sown to the wind and reaped the whirlwind. That's in Hosea too. So you've served these gods. Let these gods deliver you if they can. That's
John Boler right. Sin can be forgiven, but there's always consequences to sin. And there's the invitation, repent, come back. But even in the midst of that, there's consequences. And as we see there in these three verses, as we close out chapter 12, the bloodshed, verse 14. Into that, therefore, the Lord will leave the guilt of his bloodshed upon him and upon his reproach. upon him. I'm thinking, I said, I wish I know exactly the exact date of how this lines up. And you can, you can go back to the first part of Hosea and get very close. were the Assyrians right at the doorstep?
Bert Harper They were.
John Boler And just to see, hey, one month from now, you know, there's no more Northern kingdom.
Bert Harper And Hosea is pleading with his heart. And it comes not only from his words, but from his life. As you said, redeeming his wife as, I can imagine her on the slave market.
John Boler Yeah.
Bert Harper And he's out there. Possibly. We don't know. It doesn't tell exactly how he did it, but bidding for her.
John Boler That's right.
Bert Harper And there's. I'll give that. No, he was going to. He was going to get her back. And God is saying, I want you back. Turn.
John Boler You know, it's a powerful, powerful testimony of Jesus and what he did for us on the cross and, and the salvation that only comes through him. But it's a powerful lesson as we listen and as we read about. Just think about as we wrap this up, the two kingdoms for the northern kingdom, they're about done. Southern kingdom, you better listen.
Bert Harper Isn't it about 150 more years
John Boler from 722 to 586 for the Babylonians on the southern kingdom. This is. This is. If you don't listen, this is what's coming.
Bert Harper Yeah.
John Boler And, go, Back to verse 6:12, 6, so you, by the help of your God, return. That's what Jacob had to do.
Bert Harper He had to.
Hosts Warn Against Political Dependence And Promote Outreach
Let's do one more thing before we go to chapter 13. And you've already done it. Let's do it a little bit more. What we have seen in France every weekend for, I guess last year, two or three, maybe three months. This, this hardness, this, and they've joined forces with, Muslims, the communists, wanting to get. And what they had done, they had let government completely take over. And now that they've run out of other people's money, Seriously. And they're saying, we can't give you that. You can't have that. And now they're, you know, if we turn to government and want answers, that's. Yes, the election was important, but government is not our salvation. The Senate's not our salvation. The House representative is not our salvation. It is God.
John Boler That's right.
Bert Harper and I tell this, yes, I want America to thrive and survive or survive and thrive. I want them to go forward, for several reasons. one, mainly my children and grandkids. Okay. Be honest. But also missions.
John Boler Yeah.
Bert Harper You know, where does missions take place best? In freedom and prosperity.
John Boler Right.
Bert Harper look at the church when it was birthed. Jesus came in the fullness of time. Okay? The Roman Empire. One language, you know, one government. Paul, a Roman citizen. God called out on the road, you know, to Damascus and set him m. Free. And he was able to go all the way to Spain. Yeah, I mean, you know, from. I mean, he covered that continent, and that was in the freedom of the. Of the freedom that he had as a Roman citizen. That's right. So in Prosperity Church at Philippi, the church at Antioch, they continued to give to him because God is blessing them. We need to keep doing missions regardless of what happens in the government. Don't. You can
John Boler either have the power of man or the power of God.
Bert Harper Amen.
John Boler You can't have them both.
Bert Harper Hey. That number, if you've got questions, is 888-5898-8408-8858-9840. Give us a call here on exploring the word $28 may not sound like much, but to a scared mother, consider an abortion. It can help provide something incredibly important. A real opportunity to pause and see her baby for the first time. Today, a woman facing an unexpected pregnancy can reach for her phone, search for an abortion pill, connect with a provider online and have the pills delivered directly to her home. She can move from fear toward abortion incredibly quickly. But your gift can help create another opportunity. For just $28, you can help provide a free ultrasound through a preborn network clinic. There, a woman can see her m baby, talk with the people who will listen to what she's facing, receive compassionate support, and consider another choice before abortion becomes her answer. And women see their babies through an ultrasound at a PreBorn Network clinic, 80% choose life. $28 can provide one ultrasound. $280 can help provide 10. Reach her before the pills do. With your strongest gift today, dial pound 250 and say the key word baby. That's pound 250. Or visit preborn.com afr that's preborn.com afr all gifts are tax deductible and PreBorn is a five star rated charity.
A Worship Song Leads Into Listener Calls And Questions
Dr. Jessica Peck Lord of all creation. Of water, earth and sky. The heavens are your tabernacle. The glory to the Lord on high. God of wonders beyond our galaxy. You are holy. Holy.
Bert Harper Amen. Jon, it's so hard for me to interrupt some of these songs.
John Boler that's. Hey, God of wonders, that's a wonderful song.
Bert Harper That's who he is. But we do have lines that are open and Jon and I would love to talk with you. It is 888-589-8840. If you have a question, we would love to hear it today, but we have some people that have called in already and we're going to go to them and it's Roger in Oklahoma. Roger, thank you for calling today.
Caroline Hello. How are y' all guys doing?
Bert Harper Doing great today.
John Boler Hey, Roger.
Caller Seeks Guidance About Separate English And Spanish Services
Caroline Okay, like I was telling your, your predicate, whatever you call that person to answer the phone for you, I got some questions are pretty hard and I've been trying to find the answers for the last few years, but I can't find the answers for what I'm looking for. And this is my, I kind of wrote them down here and they're kind of rough drafts, but this is what I'm trying to say. Me and my wife and I have been in this church for 20 years and been full members of the church for 18 years. And we have two services with two different preachers. We had six preachers in the 20 years we've been there and the last three has been semi racist towards our second service. Now what can I do for about that? Because me and my wife like going to both services.
Bert Harper Semi racist.
Caroline Yeah.
Bert Harper I don't want to put you on the spot, but I need a little qualifier, there. What. How's that being demonstrated? Let me just say it that way maybe. Right.
Caroline What it is, they tried to say. Okay, they say we have two churches. Well, we have one church. And I think it's just two services. We don't think it's two churches. Me and my wife likes both services. So we try to go to both of them if we can. And instead of.
Bert Harper Okay,
Caroline last few days, in the last few weeks, it's been pretty rough on us.
John Boler Yeah. When you. I guess. Roger, let me ask some, just some clarification on the term racist. Are you talking about like the color of skin or you.
Caroline Well, I don't know if it's the skin or the attitudes or what. They're just, they're just.
John Boler Okay.
Caroline Well, our second service is Hispanic. And I feel I was raised in a one horse town in Arkansas and it was a prejudiced town and I could smell that stuff a mile off. And it just. I was raised with it. I didn't like it then and I don't like it now.
Bert Harper Okay, we're getting a little bit of. There's a. Here's you. When you were at Calvary Baptist Church, y' all had two services going on and now y' all have combined and have one.
John Boler We have
Bert Harper the church where I was at West Jackson street, we had two services and ours was simply because of space. It wasn't because of just convenience. It wasn't that or anything. they're going to be different. But if you have a dominant group of people that come to one, that is, ethnicity.
John Boler Yes.
Bert Harper the only way it would become racist if nobody else was welcome.
John Boler Roger, Having two services with two different preachers, is one of them English and one of them Spanish?
Caroline yes, sir.
John Boler Okay. well, first off, that's Kingdomnomics. That's reaching people in their own language. it does make it different. it does make it. There will be some challenges, having two language services. But first off, just from not knowing the details, praise God, that you're reaching people who speak English, but you're also reaching people who speak Spanish. there will be some challenges there that I think the enemy will, try to divide and make one service greater than the other, or say one group of people is more valuable than the other. That's a work of the enemy. It is, to have a campus with different languages. Praise God for that. But I would also make that, a matter of prayer. And can you imagine the spiritual warfare? Possibly
Bert Harper it is. It's real. I'm just going to do it financially. That's a lot better than trying to build another building. Using that building that way is better than if it says it's two churches. I'm familiar with two or three churches. And, the church was kind of dwindling away and they offered their facility to another group who was primarily of another ethnicity. And they came in and they've grown and bigger. And it had nothing to do with race, Roger. It has to do with facilities and using what you have. If they're using this because, hey, we're reaching these people for the glory of God, and we don't want them to have to go out and build a new building. And we want them to, work together. That is good. If they're separated, because you go here and you go here because of the ethnicity of them, that's not good. So, Roger, brother, keep praying about it and keep attending both of them. You know, if you can. I know you may not do it every Sunday, but you could do it and just rejoice with them. And so we're going to pray for Roger right now. Let's do that. Let's do it. Father, I thank you for Roger. I thank you for his concern. And, I know what it is, too, to live in an area where racism is real. And, you get that and you sense it happening. You want to take your stand against it. But reaching people of different ethnicities sometimes is different because of the language that Jon was talking about, sometimes because of the culture. So if this church is reaching them for the glory of God and, and I pray in missional purpose, I pray that you would just let it increase. Father, if there's other reasons for it that is divisive. And as, as, as Jon was talking, the warfare, spiritual warfare. Father, I pray that those that are following you would win out victoriously by staying with you in Jesus name. Amen. Roger. We hope that helps, brother.
Caller Discusses Political Division And The Need For God
Thank you. That number, if you would call, 358-98840. And we're going to Irwin in North Carolina. It's Irwin, right?
Caroline He called it Irwin. Irving.
Bert Harper Irving. Okay, Irving. Okay, I got you. Go ahead, Irving.
Caroline my question was. Well, first of all, I do appreciate you guys, I listen to you every day. Faithfully, Alex, all you guys, I just, I just thank you and I just want to commend you for your, teaching and opening up the Word. And I just got, I mean I've been preaching 40 years, but you guys still a big inspiration to me. my question, I want to say, not so much of the election, but about the parties, Democratic or Republican. And somebody's going to win Republican or Democratic every year. Either you're going to either be happy or sad, however the case may be. But my question is this isn't there. And I believe it's in the book of Mark, A, scripture about the, that the House is divided of itself. It cannot stand.
Bert Harper Yeah, we are divided. Yeah, yeah, go ahead.
Caroline Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I mean, I would, I would love to see the day that it wouldn't be Democratic or Republican, that it would just be one House.
Bert Harper Okay. That when you get to political thought, you're going to have divisions. That is just going to be a reality. I realize, and I know that, but what has happened and this has happened and I'm old enough to seen it, observed it, lived through it, preaching through it, but also observing as somebody that was interested in it, the division has grown further and further away.
John Boler It has.
Bert Harper When one group says it's all right to kill babies up all the way, way until even after they're born and one party says, okay, if a seven year old little boy thinks he's a girl and their parents say we're not going to, we reject that, he's not going to take any kind of treatment. But one party says no, that's child abuse. Not following through. that is divided. And I don't see how in the world. I don't see there's no compromise on certain things.
John Boler The moral issues, the belief in the moral issues, the gap has widened. a lot of the things going back. you know, my time doesn't go back. I start in the Reagan years as a young child, but I grew up under, under Bill Clinton and grew up under the Bush and all, you know, Republicans and Democrats. And I remember as a child and maybe I just didn't see it as much, but today the moral issues and the hatred and the divisions toward each other seems to be much, much stronger than it has been in the past. But I look at it as a moral issue, whether it's abortion or transgender or the other things that the power that we desire as a country and Looking to government for everything. That is a divided nation. And the answer is not Republicans. The answer is not Democrats. We've got to get back on our face before the Lord.
Bert Harper I want to go back way in history, at the founding the Northern states, they said slavery is evil. Jon Adams, above all of them, man, he's one of my heroes. I know he just got to serve one term. And he was the lesser of the first three presidents. You know, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Jon Adams in the middle. But when you see him and how he operated. But what was significant, yes, slavery was evil. It was wrong. And yet the Southern states, that was part of their economy. That's part of their. They tried to justify it, even biblically tried. That's misused in scripture. But they worked it where in the Constitution. They would work it out and correct those evils. Now, again, it took the Civil War to do it because, you know, hanging on to sin, no matter what it is. But there was compromise there. When it comes to what we're talking about, children and how a. Let me just say this. How a country, a generation treats their children is huge.
John Boler Yeah. yeah.
Bert Harper Jesus, let the little children come to me. And we're. We've. We've let them being killed. And so some of people were celebrating. Oh, abortion is back. And just praising it and. And mutilating children. it's inexcusable.
John Boler It is.
Bert Harper It is. I don't see how it can be but divided on those issues or. I wish it wasn't, Erwin, but that's when I think taxes. Yeah, you can look at that. But not socialism and not Islam. There are some heels that you take your stand for and die.
John Boler It certainly is, Ervin. Thank you so much. Hey, keep preaching the word, my brother.
Bert Harper How long have you been preaching, Erwin? Real quickly, Irving.
Caroline 41 years.
John Boler Amen,
Bert Harper brother. Keep on preaching. You'll catch me. 52 years for this, old boy. 52 years.
Caroline I'm, gonna stay in the race. Amen.
Bert Harper Amen.
John Boler That's right.
Caroline We're gonna get there the same time,
Bert Harper brother. Keep listening. Thank you for your spirit. appreciate it.
A Mother Requests Prayer For Her Estranged Son
Let's go to Texas and talk to Grace. Grace, go right ahead.
Caroline yes, sir. I'm calling, basically everything I were talking about with Irving Irwin or Irving.
Bert Harper Yes,
Caroline basically. I have a son that has gone woke in Every conversation we have always turns to, even a simple conversation about groceries. It goes back to, you know, talking about how, overall, with inflation, tariffs, and the corporate greed that's gone unregulated and he says, you know, and I told him that, yeah, that's true, but that's why the United States should just depend on other. Not depend on other nations and do everything here. And I suppose everybody's going to be greedy because that's what sin does and that's going to always be that way. And then he answered back and said that it goes back to the regulations of proper taxation and wage laws. If they want to be billionaires, they can afford it. And then of course I tried to say, you know, the Bible, what is the root of it all? That the Bible says, you know, it says and that the Bible has instructions for man to live and be blessed. And that's the problem is that we don't listen. And then I, he said, I disagree. While there are some useful agriculture instructions and socialist debt relief, overall, it's a book whose rules, whose rules benefit men. Trivial 1. Trivialize one people group as special and treat women and children like property and life and let and less than equal.
Bert Harper Okay. Yeah. What he's doing, he has bought the line and I would say even the lie Jesus, bring him to Jesus. anytime you're talking to anyone woke, someone is unbeliever, someone that's questioned, do everything you can to bring it to Jesus. It
John Boler is.
Bert Harper That's the whole idea.
John Boler Well, and just listening to grace and grace, thank you for the phone call. And you're not alone as parents and grandparents that may be listening that have children, that have strayed. just listening to what your comment describing, that's exactly what the media is portraying today. And it's a false, it's a lie and it's a power control and bring it back to Jesus. And let me tell you this, I've seen this as a pastor, you pray daily for him and don't think that God can't work. I've seen it time and time again where the prodigal has come home and bathe it in prayer. but Grace, thank you so much for that. Can I pray for your son right now?
Caroline Yes, I would love that because I don't understand how he, he even did that because he had Hodgkin's lymphoma stage 4 and God touched him and he had an out of body experience. He saw the Lord and he healed him
Bert Harper well. Grace, we're going to pray. Jon, lead us.
John Boler Absolutely. Lord, I pray for this young man. Lord, bring him back to you. Thank you for your grace. Every single day I pray for Ms. Grace Lord, comfort her through this time. We love you. In Jesus name, Amen.
Bert Harper Jon, thank you. Thank you, brother. Yes,
John Boler sir.
Bert Harper Appreciate you.
The Program Closes With Prayer Encouragement And A Disclaimer
Thank you for listening to Exploring the Word. Tomorrow is the day of prayer. it's just become a awesome day, the day of prayer. So, you can text, you can let us know at Word, or you can get on Facebook and Brent will share it with us. But keep on praying, and we're going to ask God to do a great work in our lives, in our country, in our churches. Again, thank you for listening to Exploring the Word here on afr. And may God bless you, and may you tell others about this program, but more importantly, tell them about Jesus.
Jeff Chamblee The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.
Bert Harper and Dr. John Boler explore Hosea 12, tracing the prophet’s urgent message to Israel and Judah: return to God, surrender, and stop placing trust in wealth, political alliances, or anything that cannot nourish the soul. They unpack Hosea’s vivid image of Ephraim “feeding on the wind,” the warning of dishonest scales and misplaced pride, and the story of Jacob wrestling with God as a picture of blessing through surrender.
The conversation also reflects on idolatry, the consequences of sin, and the hope of returning to the Lord. In the second half, callers ask about unity in a church with English- and Spanish-language services, political division, and how to respond when a loved one drifts from faith. The hosts encourage prayer, compassion, and keeping the focus on Jesus.
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