Sacrifices of Our Lips

“O Israel, return to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity; 2 take words with you, and return to the LORD. Say to Him, "Take away all iniquity; receive us graciously, for we will offer the sacrifices of our lips.”

Hosea 14:1-2

I have been reading through the book of Hosea in preparation to teach it.  It is full of hard sayings because it was spoken to people hard of heart.  Because they refused to repent of their sin, severe judgment was coming from God.  God is longsuffering and patient, but the sin of Israel demanded a response of the righteous Judge of all the earth.

Israel was completely lost without hope because they forsook the LORD and went after idols.  They looked for aid from other nations who could not heal or help them.  At the same time there was hope for bent and backsliding Israel—if they would return to God and repent.  The prophet urged the people to return to the LORD their God and ask for His forgiveness.  They had sinned, but there was forgiveness and acceptance by God’s grace.

The King James Version contains an allusion to repentance from idolatry in verse 2:  “Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.”  King Jeroboam caused Israel to sin when he set up calves in Bethel and Dan.  Hosea 13:2 describes the practice in Israel when offering sacrifices to “kiss the calves.”  Instead of using their lips to kiss idols, they were urged to offer sacrifices of their lips in confessing and acknowledging their sin and to ask for forgiveness in repentance.

Confession of sin and repentance before our holy God is always in season for sinners.  Praising God when we are in unrepentant sin is abominable before God, yet confession and repentance from a contrite heart is sweet music to His ears.  We know God is gracious, but let us ask Him to receive us graciously.  Let us never approach God with a sense of entitlement because of our service or sacrifice:  should God receive us it is all of grace.  Praise God He receives and rejoices in the sacrifices of our lips.

The Most High Rules

God is willing to go to great lengths to reveal wisdom to us personally.  We are naturally senseless concerning God's wisdom, and we think all we need is for Him to say the word and it will make sense and be agreeable to us.  The fact we assume this to be true shows how blind we can be.  How many times have we been told the truth and pushed back against it because we could?  When there was nothing at stake but our pride we have resisted plain facts because we hate being wrong.

The life of King Nebuchadnezzar provides a useful example of how God is gracious and willing to go to great pains to instruct us.  Ironically Nebuchadnezzar was deprived of his sanity for 7 years, becoming in his mind as senseless as a wild beast, incapable of speech or understanding.  God warned the king of Babylon concerning his future in a troubling dream, and God also provided Daniel to interpret it for him.  God's purposes in removing the king from his throne for 7 years was also explained:  so the king would learn God rules over all and gives authority to whom He will.  It seemed Daniel saw the fulfilment of the dream as inevitable, but exhorted Nebuchadnezzar to put off his sins, walk righteously, and be merciful to the poor so a period of tranquillity would be prolonged.

A year after this divine revelation, the warning God gave was far from Nebuchadnezzar's mind as he proudly looked upon wealth and splendour of his kingdom.  Daniel 4:30-32 states, "The king spoke, saying, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honour of my majesty?" ³¹ While the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice fell from heaven: "King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! ³² And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses."  Nebuchadnezzar had been judged by words from his own mouth, and God spoke words of judgment.  For 7 years the proud king would be humbled without human dignity, yet this long season of ignorance would lead to understanding which would save his soul.

When God graciously restored King Nebuchadnezzar to the throne after 7 years, no longer do we read of him boasting in himself but praising and glorifying God.  Looking at the good results of God's patient (and to us unorthodox) plans, what fault can be found in the wonders God does?  We hope for change to occur quickly and painlessly as possible, but that is the self-confident part of us which resists all change.  Because God loves us He corrects us, and though a refining season be long and distasteful God is a Redeemer and His purposes will be accomplished.  We think we can positively change in a moment or in days, but considering examples from scripture we can affirm years and decades are often employed to this end.  This proves how patient and longsuffering God is with us.  Instead of wiping us from the earth in His displeasure, He slowly and surely sanctifies.

Swift to Listen

"He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him."

Proverbs 18:13

"Think before you speak," my dad used to say.  "You have two ears but only one mouth so you should listen twice as much as you speak."  There is great practical wisdom in these sayings.  Solomon warned his son of the folly of answering a matter before he hears it.  When people came before King Solomon for judgment, he needed to listen to both sides and also consult God's Word before a decision could be made.  We are satisfied to have knowledge and to share it, but if we answer without first listening it is folly and shame to us.

Jesus provides a great example for us in His first public interaction with the scribes and Pharisees.  After Joseph and Mary left Jerusalem assuming He was with them, Jesus at 12 years of age remained in the Temple and conversed with the greatest elders and scholars in the land.  Luke 2:46-47 reads, "Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers."  Jesus is a unique case because He not only was the author of the Law but also knew perfectly the hearts and thoughts of men.  Though armed with such knowledge Jesus listened first and then asked questions.  I can be guilty of thinking I know where people are coming from before I bother to ask.

In the ancient tradition Jesus assumed the position of a teacher because He sat down.  He was surrounded by doctors, lawyers, and scribes who were astonished at His understanding and answers.  Instead of lecturing or trotting out arguments before those who gathered, Jesus listened.  How instructive Christ's wisdom in listening first is for us!  Questions and statements posed were met with questions from Jesus which revealed a depth of understanding which amazed those who stood around.  When we are asked a question, let us be mindful to ask questions before we rush to an answer.  We can answer a question correctly but miss the point of why the question was asked in the first place, aiming for heads and not hearts.

Better than providing our answer to a question, let us ask ourselves:  how and what has God spoken on the matter?  Are there biblical examples to consider?  The fool does not consider God in his thoughts, and for children of God to ignore what He has spoken is frankly shameful.  James 1:19-20 puts it like this:  "So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; ²⁰ for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God."  Too often we mix up the order entirely and are quick to wrath, thus rush to speak, and do not listen at all.  Praise the LORD He leads us in wisdom and provides additional opportunities to obey Him in the future.  

God Who Heals Us

Yesterday I was given the opportunity to deliver the message at Jericho Road Christian Fellowship.  The text the LORD placed on my heart was Exodus 15 which begins with the song of Moses celebrating God's power and deliverance from the  pursuing Egyptian army.  Three days after God brought the people through the Red Sea, however, they complained because they did not find fresh water.  One might imagine a series of obvious miracles and the physical presence of God before the eyes would endow people with unshakable faith and resolve, but this passage shows otherwise.  Bitter water brought out the bitterness in people towards Moses and ultimately God.

God graciously healed the waters of Marah, a picture of what He delighted to do within them.  They had been oppressed in Egypt for 400 years as slaves, and there was a lot of bitterness, resentment, and hurts.  God made a covenant with the people and said, "I am the God who heals you."  When people think about miraculous healing it is likely physical healing like Jesus or His disciples performed.  But that is not the only kind of healing God does:  He can heal us body, mind, and soul.  He delivers us from the poison of lust and greed, of bitterness and unbelief.  A withered hand is not much use for picking up objects, yet a hard heart or seared conscience has far worse long-term spiritual implications.

I am convinced God does not heal us for our convenience but out of His goodness and grace.  The mighty works Jesus and disciples did were similar to what God did in miraculously delivering the Hebrews out of Egypt:  to confirm the truth of the Gospel and covenant God makes with those who trust in Him.  Consider what Jesus said and did after the death of Lazarus.  After Jesus came to the grave of Lazarus, John 11:39-45 reads, "Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days." ⁴  Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" ⁴¹ Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. ⁴² And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me." ⁴³ Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" ⁴⁴ And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go." ⁴⁵ Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him."  It seems Lazarus was not resurrected for Lazarus' own sake, but so people could see the glory of God, believe on Jesus, and be saved.

I am blessed God has provided Exodus 15, but we do not need this passage to know beyond a doubt God's people can be bitter (sharp, angry, hurt or resentful) because the capacity and tendency is in all of us.  We have thought of the glory God would receive from miraculously healing a person physically, but isn't He also glorified when we ask to be healed from our bitterness?  Being bitter is not a personality trait but is a sin to be repented of because God has placed within believers the Living Water of the Holy Spirit who brings new life, refreshment, and comfort.  Just like the bitterness of the water was exposed when people tasted and refused to drink it, bitterness in us is distasteful to others and especially the God who knows our hearts.

Praise the LORD He is the one who offers to heal us of bitterness, filling our hearts instead with gratefulness and thanksgiving to God.  Through us He dispenses the fragrance and flavour of grace to the world that He might be glorified.