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First Reading: Hosea Chapter 7 and 8Hosea 7
1 When I would heal Israel, then is the iniquity of Ephraim uncovered, and the wickedness of Samaria; for they commit falsehood, and the thief entereth in, and the troop of robbers ravageth without.
2 And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now have their own doings beset them about; they are before my face.
3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
4 They are all adulterers; they are as an oven heated by the baker; he ceaseth to stir `the fire', from the kneading of the dough, until it be leavened.
5 On the day of our king the princes made themselves sick with the heat of wine; he stretched out his hand with scoffers.
6 For they have made ready their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.
7 They are all hot as an oven, and devour their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.
8 Ephraim, he mixeth himself among the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned.
9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth `it' not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, and he knoweth `it' not.
10 And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: yet they have not returned unto Jehovah their God, nor sought him, for all this.
11 And Ephraim is like a silly dove, without understanding: they call unto Egypt, they go to Assyria.
12 When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the birds of the heavens; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard.
13 Woe unto them! for they have wandered from me; destruction unto them! for they have trespassed against me: though I would redeem them, yet they have spoken lies against me.
14 And they have not cried unto me with their heart, but they howl upon their beds: they assemble themselves for grain and new wine; they rebel against me.
15 Though I have taught and strengthened their arms, yet do they devise mischief against me.
16 They return, but not to `him that is' on high; they are like a deceitful bow; their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.
Hosea 8
1 `Set' the trumpet to thy mouth. As an eagle `he cometh' against the house of Jehovah, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.
2 They shall cry unto me, My God, we Israel know thee.
3 Israel hath cast off that which is good: the enemy shall pursue him.
4 They have set up kings, but not by me; they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.
5 He hath cast off thy calf, O Samaria; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?
6 For from Israel is even this; the workman made it, and it is no God; yea, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
7 For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: he hath no standing grain; the blade shall yield no meal; if so be it yield, strangers shall swallow it up.
8 Israel is swallowed up: now are they among the nations as a vessel wherein none delighteth.
9 For they are gone up to Assyria, `like' a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.
10 Yea, though they hire among the nations, now will I gather them; and they begin to be diminished by reason of the burden of the king of princes.
11 Because Ephraim hath multiplied altars for sinning, altars have been unto him for sinning.
12 I wrote for him the ten thousand things of my law; but they are counted as a strange thing.
13 As for the sacrifices of mine offerings, they sacrifice flesh and eat it; but Jehovah accepteth them not: now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins; they shall return to Egypt.
14 For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and builded palaces; and Judah hath multiplied fortified cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the castles thereof.
Second Reading: Psalms Chapter 108
Psalms 108
1 My heart is fixed, O God; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises, even with my glory.
2 Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake right early.
3 I will give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah, among the peoples; And I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.
4 For thy lovingkindness is great above the heavens; And thy truth `reacheth' unto the skies.
5 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens, And thy glory above all the earth.
6 That thy beloved may be delivered, Save with thy right hand, and answer us.
7 God hath spoken in his holiness: I will exult; I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.
8 Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the defence of my head; Judah is my sceptre.
9 Moab is my washpot; Upon Edom will I cast my shoe; Over Philistia will I shout.
10 Who will bring me into the fortified city? Who hath led me unto Edom?
11 Hast not thou cast us off, O God? And thou goest not forth, O God, with our hosts.
12 Give us help against the adversary; For vain is the help of man.
13 Through God we shall do valiantly: For he it is that will tread down our adversaries. Psalm 109 For the Chief Musicion. A Psalm of David.
THEMES OF THE BIBLE
GRACE
What is grace?
Ephesians 1:7-8 (NIV) In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
Ephesians 2:4-9 (NIV) But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.
John 1:16-17 (NIV) From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
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