Week 36 Our Decisions Reflect on the Lord
“If you leave God out of your decisions, you’re going to make foolish decisions.”
Charles F. Stanley
Passage
5Therefore I have hewn them in pieces by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth; And the judgments on you are like the light that goes forth.
6For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
7But like Adam they have transgressed the covenant; There they have dealt treacherously against Me.
Hosea 6:5–7 (NASB95)
"Waiting for the best offer ..." by kevin dooley is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Background
Quote- Charles Frazier Stanley (born 1932) is Pastor Emeritus of First Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, after serving as senior pastor for 49 years.[4] He is the founder and president of In Touch Ministries, which widely broadcasts his sermons through television and radio. He also served two one-year terms as president of the Southern Baptist Convention, from 1984 to 1986.
With regard to theology, Stanley is an evangelical,[citation needed] and in terms of eschatology (end times) views, has been described as a dispensationalist. Over the course of his ministry, Stanley developed "30 Life Principles", that have guided his life and helped him grow in his knowledge, service, and love of God, principles that he shares these often, including in books, Bibles and study guides.
Passage-The book of Hosea is a Narrative History and Prophetic Oracle. Hosea is the first book in the sections of Minor Prophets. They are called Minor Prophets not because their material is less important or insignificant, but because of the size of the book they wrote was shorter in length. The prophet Hosea wrote it at approximately 715 B.C. It records the events from 753-715 B.C. including the fall of the Northern Kingdom in 722. Its purpose was to illustrate the spiritual adultery of Israel and God’s boundless love for His sinful people. Hosea brings God’s message to the wicked Northern Kingdom.
Lesson Notes
Opening Statement
God loves us. We are told that repeated. God is love. God loves everyone. God wants everyone to be in relationship with Him. Sometimes it is difficult to take the “God loves me” and apply it to “God loves everyone” because there are people out there that don’t like me and I don’t like them. Shouldn’t God not like them too? Or maybe, it isn’t God who should change who He likes?
Ask: Are “judgments” and “decisions” the same thing?
Point: Yes (see definitions)
Ask: What does God mean when he asks Hosea to tell the wicked people of the Northern Kingdom God has “…I have hewn them in pieces by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth…?”
Point: Hewen means to chop down or leave as a very rough surface typically in wood (see definitions.)
Ask: How does God chop down the wicked people of the Northern Kingdom, and anyone else for that matter?
Point: Re-read verse 5 from today’s passage
Ask: How do “…the words of my mouth…” chop down wicked people?
Point: God’s word in the Bible says what is right and wrong. When people ignore His Word and do those things He said are bad, His words are “hewing” them.
Ask: Are God’s judgments “…like the light that goes forth?”
Point: If you turn a light on, it shines on everything around it unless something shades or shadows it.
Ask: Is verse five good or bad for us today?
Point: It holds both. Good because we know where the judgment comes from but bad because we all fall short of God’s Word somewhere.
Re-read verse 6 from today’s passage.
Ask: Where is hope for us in verse six?
Point: Let’s look at the King James Version of verse six
First Reading (Hosea 6:6 (KJV 1900)
Ask: Why does God want Mercy or Loyalty and our learning about Him over “sacrifice” or “burnt offereings?”
Point: Mercy is granting to others what we want from God and learning about Him is learning how to love others as He loves us. Both sacrifice and burnt offerings are works required by the Law that impact others not one bit.
Re-read verse 7 from today’s passage.
Ask: What actions is God refering to that have “…delt treacherously against me?”
Point: The answer lies in the first half of verse 7.
Re-read verse 7 from today’s passage.
Ask: What does God mean when He says “…like Adam they have transgressed the covenant?”
Point: They have been disobedient.
Ask: Disobedient to what?
Point: God’s Word, God’s Law, and God’s ways.
Closing Statement
God didn’t stop Adam and even from making the first bad decision even though He knew they would and He knew what it would cost them. God doesn’t stop us from making bad decisions either. Just like Adam and Eve, we bear the consequences of our bad decisions. To say “I didn’t know” is a copout that won’t stand up to the judgment. God knows the heart of people. He knows our weaknesses too. He knows our needs, and He knows our desires. He wants our mercy and our understanding of Him more than anything else, and when we truly understand Him, we understand how much He wants us to love everyone else we meet too, just like He does.
Questions for the Week
Question 1 Do you think God loves you?
Question 2 Why or why not?
Question 3 Do you think God loves everyone else?
Question 4 Why or why not?
Question 5 How are you going to demonstrate your understanding of God’s ways through Mercy and learning more about Him in the coming days?
Scripture
First Reading
6For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
Hosea 6:6 (KJV 1900)
Definitions
Judgment
juhj-muhnt
noun
An act or instance of judging.
The ability to judge, make a decision, or form an opinion objectively, authoritatively, and wisely, especially in matters affecting action; good sense; discretion: a man of sound judgment.
The demonstration or exercise of such ability or capacity: The major was decorated for the judgment he showed under fire.
The forming of an opinion, estimate, notion, or conclusion, as from circumstances presented to the mind: Our judgment as to the cause of his failure must rest on the evidence.
The opinion formed: He regretted his hasty judgment.
Law
A judicial decision given by a judge or court.
The obligation, especially a debt, arising from a judicial decision.
the certificate embodying such a decision and issued against the obligor, especially a debtor.
A misfortune regarded as inflicted by divine sentence, as for sin.
Judgment. Last Judgment.
Decision
dih-sizh-uhn
noun
The act or process of deciding; determination, as of a question or doubt, by making a judgment: They must make a decision between these two contestants.
The act of or need for making up one's mind: This is a difficult decision.
something that is decided; resolution: She made a poor decision when she dropped out of school.
A judgment, as one formally pronounced by a court: It is the decision of this court that the appeal is granted.
The quality of being decided; firmness: He spoke with decision and calm authority.
The final score in any sport or contest: The decision was 5 to 4 in favor of the home team.
Hewn
hyoon
adjective
Felled and roughly shaped by hewing:hewn logs.
Given a rough surface: hewn stone.