Fireflies Nursery Ministry Update

by Brenda Hom

Dictionary.com has two definitions of the word “nursery”.

  1. A room or place set apart for young children.
  2. Any place in which something is bred, nourished, or fostered.

Here at Lighthouse Bible Church, the Fireflies Nursery Ministry seeks to apply our mission, vision, and passion statement by fusing these two definitions of the word “nursery” together. We recognize the nursery ministry as a beginning foundation where we as God’s workers can help build and foster a foundational knowledge of God’s character and Jesus Christ. This is the reason why every Sunday, the Fireflies nursery ministry focuses on teaching a five-minute truth lesson to the toddlers and babies. Each truth lesson focuses on different aspects of God’s character, such as “God is everywhere” and “God knows everything”. Although toddlers and babies cannot understand deep truths, they are able understand these simple truths about God. By teaching them simple truths about God, we seek to pass on the greatness of God to young children who may not be able to verbalize what they are thinking.

Through words, prayers, songs, and stories about God and Jesus Christ, we as nursery workers pray with our lips and hearts that one day these little children will be saved. The nursery ministry here at Lighthouse Bible Church is not just “glorified babysitting”. Our chief function is not only changing diapers but also as prayer warriors and ministers to the babies and toddlers. We take seriously our ministry of planting and building a solid foundation of God and Jesus Christ. I would like to encourage the parents of babies and toddlers to continue to be faithful in nurturing your child at home, and realize the spiritual influence you can have even before your child begins to walk or talk.

“In constructing a building, the labor of digging holes and pouring footings may look unimportant to the untrained eye, but without a sure foundation, the building will not stand the test of time and the stress of adverse conditions.” (Sally Michael, A Sure Foundation Curriculum for Infant Nursery Ministry, 2005)

We as nursery workers and parents are ministering to the souls of these little ones. However, we must remember that ultimately it is God who works in their hearts and souls, and that He is the one who saves. God is the only sure foundation for salvation.

“…therefore thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’” (Isaiah 28:16)

BOB – Joel

by Stephen Rodgers

JOEL IN 10 WORDS OR LESS

“Locust plague pictures God’s judgment on His sinful people.”

TITLE

Like almost all the other prophetic books, the book of Joel takes its name from the prophet respon­si­ble for its con­tent.

AUTHOR & AUDIENCE

While we certainly know the author to be Joel (Joel 1:1), we know very little about him.

Per the MSB:

The author identified himself only as “Joel the son of Pethuel” (Joel 1:1). The prophecy provides little else about the man. Even the name of his father is not mentioned elsewhere in the OT. Although he displayed a profound zeal for the temple sacrifices (Joel 1:9; 2:13–16), his familiarity with pastoral and agricultural life and his separation from the priests (Joel 1:13,14; 2:17) suggest he was not a Levite. Extrabiblical tradition records that he was from the tribe of Reuben, from the town of Bethom or Bethharam, located NE of the Dead Sea on the border of Reuben and Gad. The context of the prophecy, however, hints that he was a Judean from the Jerusalem vicinity, since the tone of a stranger is absent.

Furthermore, Joel is a fairly common name in the OT writings (1 Sam. 8:2; 1 Chron. 4:35; 5:4; 7:3; 11:38; 15:7; 26:22; 27:20; 2 Chron. 29:12; Ezra 10:43; Neh. 11:9).

DATE

See INTERPRETIVE CHALLENGES.

Yes, really…it gets its own section. It’s complicated.

BACKGROUND & SETTING

See INTERPRETIVE CHALLENGES.

Depending on WHEN you think Joel was written is going to determine WHAT was happening at that time.

HISTORICAL & THEOLOGICAL THEMES

There are two major themes running through the book of Joel:

  • Judgment. Joel compares and contrasts two different judgments: the more-immediate judgment of Israel (Joel 2:31), and the more-future judgment of Israel’s enemies (Joel 3:2-16, 19).
  • Repentance and Salvation. The book of Joel is actually a great study on the characteristics and need for repentance. Joel calls on everyone to repent, regardless of age (Joel 1:2-3; 2:16), sin (Joel 1:5), or profession (Joel 1:11; 1:13; 2:17). External repentance is not enough (Joel 2:12); God requires sincerity, and trust in Him (Joel 2:13). Then and only then will God forgive and restore (Joel 2:18-32), pour out His Spirit (Joel 2:28-29), and give salvation to everyone who calls on His name (Joel 2:32).

INTERPRETIVE CHALLENGES

There are really two issues that need to be settled in order to interpret Joel. The minor issue is the locust plague, which is informed by (and in turn informs) the major issue, the dating of the book.

There is some controversy among scholars and theologians as to exactly how to interpret the locust plague in Joel: literal, symbolic, and/or metaphorical. Combinations and variations of these are possible as well, for example, the ESVSB gives the following helpful outline of the four major interpretive views:

  • IF chapter 1 describes an actual locust infestation, THEN chapter 2 presents a heightened description of the same invasion.
  • IF chapter 1 describes an actual locust infestation, THEN chapter 2 issues a warning about a coming military offensive.
  • IF chapter 1 describes an actual locust infestation functioning as a prophetic forerunner, THEN chapter 2 uses that imagery to portray a human army in terms of a decisive conflict on the day of the Lord.
  • IF chapter 1 describes a military attack in terms of the metaphor of a locust invasion, THEN chapter 2 represents the coming of an enemy usually viewed as the Assyrians or Babylonians.

One’s interpretation of the locust plague is also going to factor heavily into how one dates the book, which is probably the most significant and oft-disputed element of Joel. I’m going to actually quote Constable at considerable length, simply because I think he does a stellar job of summarizing the various positions:

The date of Joel is its largest introductory problem, as is the case with Obadiah. There are four most likely possibilities. First, some scholars advocate an early pre-exilic date during the reign of King Jehoshaphat (872-848 B.C.) or possibly his grandson, King Joash (835-796 B.C.). Arguments in favor of this period include the position of Joel in the Hebrew canon; it appears among other prophetic writings of this period. Also the enemies of Israel that Joel named (Tyre, Sidon, Philistia [cf. 2 Chron. 21:16-17], Egypt [cf. 1 Kings 14:25-26], and Edom [cf. 2 Kings 8:20-22; 3:2-7, 19]) were enemies of Israel during this time. The prominence Joel gave to Judah’s priests and elders rather than to her king—Joash was a boy king under the influence of Jehoiada, the high priest, early in his reign—is a further argument for this view. However, all these conclusions are open to other interpretations. [Advocates of this view include Hobart E. Freeman, An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophets, p. 148; Gleason A. Archer Jr., A Survey of Old Testament Introduction, p. 305; E. J. Young, An Introduction to the Old Testament, pp. 271-72; C. F. Keil, The Twelve Minor Prophets, 1:169-70; Walter C. Kaiser Jr., Toward an Old Testament Theology, p. 188; Charles H. Dyer, The Old Testament Explorer, p. 737; Warren W. Wiersbe, “Joel,” in The Bible Exposition Commentary/Prophets, p. 333; and Leon J. Wood, The Prophets of Israel, p. 268.]

Second, some authorities believe a mid-pre-exilic date of composition, probably during the reign of Joash’s grandson, King Uzziah (792-740 B.C.), fits the evidence best. Supporters of this view also claim the first two arguments cited in favor of the early pre-exilic view above. They argue, in addition, that the absence of references to Assyria, Babylonia, and Persia make a later date, when these nations were the major ancient Near Eastern superpowers, unlikely. Joel’s reference to Greece in Joel 3:6 may fit this period since the Ionian Greeks were at this time expanding their commercial influence in Asia Minor. Joel’s reference to the Sabeans in Joel 3:8 is appropriate for this period as well. Internal references and linguistic characteristics may also reflect Uzziah’s times and are similar to the writings of the other eighth-century prophets (i.e., Amos, Hosea, Micah, and Isaiah). However, again, much of the same evidence can fit other periods of Judah’s history.[Advocates include Richard D. Patterson, “Joel,” in Daniel-Malachi, vol. 7 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, pp. 231-33.]

Third, some interpreters opt for a late pre-exilic date. Statements in Joel could fit this period, and some of his statements are similar to those of Jeremiah and Ezekiel and may reflect conditions before the destruction of Jerusalem, perhaps between 597 and 587 B.C. If true, Joel would have been a contemporary of Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah. Yet Joel 2:18-19 seems to imply that God had been merciful to Joel’s generation, suggesting that the people had repented, but there is no record of this happening during this period.[Advocates include Wilhelm Rudolph, Joel-Amos-Obadja-Jona, pp. 14-15; and Arvid S. Kapelrud, Joel Studies, pp. 154-58.]

The fourth view is that Joel wrote at a postexilic date, perhaps 515-500 B.C. or even as late as sometime in the 400s B.C. Interpreters who see Joel 3:1-2 and 17 as references to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian captivity take the references to the temple in Joel 1:9, 13 and 2:17 as applying to the second temple (completed in 515 B.C.). Yet all these texts could apply to earlier periods. Generally scholars who view apocalyptic writing as a late development in Judaism tend to date Joel quite late. [Advocates include Robert B. Chisholm Jr., “Joel,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament, p. 1410; idem, “A Theology of the Minor Prophets,” in A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, p. 387; idem, Handbook on the Prophets, p. 368; Raymond B. Dillard, “Joel,” in The Minor Prophets, pp. 240-42 (though see pp. 301-2); David A. Hubbard, Joel and Amos, p. 27; and John Bright, A History of Israel, p. 417.]

For those of you keeping score at home, the sources that I typically refer to you in constructing these articles are also divided along the following lines:

  • Early Pre-Exilic: MacArthur Study Bible, NET Study Bible (first choice)
  • Mid Pre-Exilic: Archaeological Study Bible, NET Study Bible (second choice)
  • Late Pre-Exilic: Baker Illustrated Bible Handbook
  • Post-Exilic: Apologetics Study Bible, ESV Study Bible, Reformation Study Bible
From what little I can tell in my survey of additional sources, the most frequent opinions tend to be early pre-exilic, post-exilic, and agnostic.

LITERARY FEATURES

Per the ESVSB:

As a work of prophecy, the book of Joel relies on the staples of the oracle of judgment and the oracle of salvation. Poetry counts for a lot in the book of Joel, whose author is particularly adept at description. By the time Joel’s imagination amplifies the killer locusts into more-than-literal creatures, the book of Joel emerges as almost a horror story. The technique of apostrophe (direct address to entities that are literally absent but treated as though they can hear and respond) is prominent in the first two chapters. Even though the writer is a prophet rather than a nature writer, there are so many pictures of nature in the book that it does rank as nature writing, in a prophetic mode.

OBJECTIONS

There are no significant objections to Joel that I am aware of; the vast bulk of the issues are interpretive, and scholars tend to agree the Joel contains certain timeless messages regardless of what dating scheme is subscribed to.

NOTABLE QUOTABLES

  • Joel 2:32
  • Joel 3:14

DID YOU KNOW?

  •  Unlike the other prophets, Joel almost never mentions the particular sins he is calling the Israelites to repent of, rather he focuses on calling them to repentence. The one exception to this would be the sin of drunkenness (Joel 1:5).
  • Remember that “trumpets” (Joel 2:1) in the OT (and the NT for that matter), actually refer to more generic horns (often made from actual horns in the ANE), since the modern trumpet requires tubular valves, which have only existed for the last couple centuries.

Other Works Referenced

  • Apologetics Study Bible, “Joel”
  • Archaeological Study Bible, “Introduction to Joel”
  • ESV Study Bible, “Introduction to Joel”
  • MacArthur Study Bible, “Joel”
  • NET Bible, Joel
  • NIV Study Bible, Joel
  • Reformation Study Bible, “Joel”
  • The Baker Illustrated Bible Handbook, “Joel”
  • Know Your Bible
  • Dever, The Message of the Old Testament
  • Driscoll, A Book You’ll Actually Read On the Old Testament
  • Knight, The Layman’s Bible Handbook

I Will Never Leave Thee

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From Hebrews 13:5

No promise is of private interpretation. Whatever God has said to any one saint, He has said to all. When He opens a well for one, it is that all may drink. When He openeth a granary-door to give out food, there may be some one starving man who is the occasion of its being opened, but all hungry saints may come and feed too. Whether He gave the word to Abraham or to Moses, matters not, O believer; He has given it to thee as one of the covenanted seed. There is not a high blessing too lofty for thee, nor a wide mercy too extensive for thee.

Lift up now thine eyes to the north and to the south, to the east and to the west, for all this is thine. Climb to Pisgah’s top, and view the utmost limit of the divine promise, for the land is all thine own. There is not a brook of living water of which thou mayst not drink. If the land floweth with milk and honey, eat the honey and drink the milk, for both are thine. Be thou bold to believe, for He hath said, ‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.’

In this promise, God gives to His people everything. ‘I will never leave thee.’ Then no attribute of God can cease to be engaged for us. Is He mighty? He will show Himself strong on the behalf of them that trust Him. Is He love? Then with lovingkindness will He have mercy upon us. Whatever attributes may compose the character of Deity, every one of them to its fullest extent shall be engaged on our side. To put everything in one, there is nothing you can want, there is nothing you can ask for, there is nothing you can need in time or in eternity, there is nothing living, nothing dying, there is nothing in this world, nothing in the next world, there is nothing now, nothing at the resurrection-morning, nothing in heaven which is not contained in this text-‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.’

2.23a

Weekly Links (8/10/2012)

To a man who lives unto God nothing is secular, everything is sacred. He puts on his workday garment and it is a vestment to him. He sits down to his meal and it is a sacrament. He goes forth to his labor, and therein exercises the office of the priesthood. His breath is incense and his life a sacrifice. He sleeps on the bosom of God, and lives and moves in the divine presence.

To draw a hard and fast line and say, “This is sacred and this is secular,” is, to my mind, diametrically opposed to the teaching of Christ and the spirit of the gospel. Paul has said, “I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself” [Romans 14:14]. Peter also saw a sheet let down from heaven in which were all manner of beasts and four-footed creatures, which he was bidden to kill and eat, and when he refused because they were unclean, he was rebuked by a voice from heaven, saying, “What God hath cleansed that call not thou common” [Acts 10:15; 11:9].

The Lord hath cleansed your houses, he has cleansed your bed chambers, your tables, your shops, he has made the bells upon your horses holiness to the Lord, he has made the common pots and pans of your kitchens to be as the bowls before the altar, if you know what you are and live according to your high calling. You housemaids, you cooks, you nurses, you ploughmen, you housewives, you traders, you sailors, your labor is holy if you serve the Lord Christ in it, by living unto him as you ought to live. The sacred has absorbed the secular. (Charles Haddon Spurgeon, “All For Jesus”)

by Stephen Rodgers

Now that the hiatus is over, we’ve got a lot of good updates for you.  So just be aware that this particular Weekly Links is a little bit longer than usual.  Still, I’m completely sure that there is something in here that will benefit everyone.

New Resources

  • As always, there’s a new free AUDIO book from christianaudio.com: The Disciplines of the Christian Life by Eric Liddell.
  • And for anyone using Logos, the free resource for the month is B.F. Westcott’s The Epistle to the Hebrews.
  • There’s a new edition of Tabletalk magazine, and this time the topic is “Eastern Spirituality.”
  • Ligonier Ministries just launched a new app called “RefNet,” which is basically broadcasting sermons and news 24/7, including Renewing Your Mind with RC Sproul, “Alistair Begg at Truth For Life, John MacArthur at Grace to You, John Piper at Desiring God, Albert Mohler with The Briefing and Thinking in Public, and many others.”
  • The latest edition of Themelios (37.2) is out. It clocks in at 263 pages, including 78 book reviews.
  • I’m afraid I’ve let my monitoring of CredoMag slip a bit, but they have a new issue out focusing on Old Princeton. (It also includes a brief interview with Mark Dever for all you 9Marks fans). They have previous issues focusing on “Chosen by Grace,” “Make Disciples of All Nations,” “In Christ Alone,” and “The Living Word.” You can hit up their archives page for those.
  • Last but not least, it’s come to my attention that there are some great resources at GTY that get overlooked. First, they’ve got a series of Q&A Sessions, and second, they’ve got a series of Study Guides. The fact that both of those have been indexed by scriptural reference make them surprisingly easy to use!

Articles and Updates of Note

  • I’ve updated a few of the BOB articles, specifically 1 & 2 Chronicles, Isaiah, and Ezekiel to include some additional resources.
  • The Cripplegate has an article congratulating Allyson Felix on her recent gold medal. Interesting trivia fact: I went to high school and did Track & Field with Allyson, and even as a freshman she was pretty much destroying almost all of us on the track. I’m happy that her discipline has paid off, and I’m even more pleased that she gives credit and glory to God in her accomplishments.
  • Peter Leithart has an absolutely brilliant book review on William Cavanaugh’s The Myth of Religious Violence.
  • Tim Challies continues his series on essential doctrines of the Christian faith on the topics of sin and righteousness.
  • I found these talks on the conservative revolution at SBTS to be particularly interesting and encouraging. If you’re under the impression that Al Mohler has had an easy life, then you need to hear these.

Pro Rege

Grace Life Weekender with Dr. Bob Somerville

by Stephen Rodgers

The media from the recent Grace Life Weekender has been posted and is now available for listening and downloading. The speaker was Dr. Bob Somerville, who is both a teacher at TMC and a council member at BCC.

If you know the proper names for the first, second, and 4th sermon, please drop me a line.

 

BOB – Hosea

by Stephen Rodgers

HOSEA IN 10 WORDS OR LESS

“Prophet’s marriage to prostitute reflects God’s relationship to Israel.”

TITLE

Like almost all the other prophetic books, the book of Hosea takes its name from the prophet respon­si­ble for its con­tent.

Per the MSB:

The title is derived from the main character and author of the book. The meaning of his name, “salvation,” is the same as that of Joshua (cf. Num. 13:8,16) and Jesus (Matt. 1:21). Hosea is the first of the 12 Minor Prophets. “Minor” refers to the brevity of the prophecies, as compared to the length of the works of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.

AUTHOR & AUDIENCE

While not all commentators automatically agree that Hosea personally wrote the book that bears his name (see for example, the NIVSB), Constable sees no reason to doubt it:

The prophet’s name is the title of the book. The book claims to be the word of the Lord that Hosea received (Hos. 1:1). Thus he appears to have been the writer.

The MSB gives us more background on Hosea, although honestly, there’s not much available:

The book of Hosea is the sole source of information about the author. Little is known about him, and even less about his father, Beeri (Hos. 1:1). Hosea was probably a native of the northern kingdom of Israel, since he shows familiarity with the history, circumstances, and topography of the north (cf. Hos. 4:15; 5:1,13; 6:8,9; 10:5; 12:11,12; 14:6). This would make him and Jonah the only writing prophets from the northern kingdom. Although he addressed both Israel (the northern kingdom) and Judah (the southern kingdom), he identified the king of Israel as “our king” (Hos. 7:5).

The original audience of Hosea’s oral message would have been the northern kingdom of Israel. After they were overrun, his words would have been preserved as a prophetic warning of judgment, a call to repentance, and a promise of restoration.

DATE

The MSB gives the standard conservative position on the dating of Hosea:

Hosea had a lengthy period of ministry, prophesying ca. 755–710 B.C., during the reigns of Uzziah (790–739 B.C.), Jotham (750–731 B.C.), Ahaz (735–715 B.C.), and Hezekiah (715–686 B.C.) in Judah, and Jeroboam II (793–753 B.C.) in Israel (Hos. 1:1). His long career spanned the last 6 kings of Israel from Zechariah (753–752 B.C.) to Hoshea (732–722 B.C.). The overthrow of Zechariah (the last of the dynasty of Jehu) in 752 B.C. is depicted as yet future (Hos. 1:4). Thus he followed Amos’ preaching in the north, and was a contemporary of Isaiah and Micah as well, both of whom prophesied in Judah. Second Kings 14–20 and 2 Chronicles 26–32 record the historical period of Hosea’s ministry.

Constable gives some additional information as well as illuminating a number of variant dates. Rather than expressly contradicting the traditional view, I find it interesting how consistant the overall opinion of most scholars is on this issue:

Hosea’s ministry spanned the reigns of four Judean kings (Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah; cf. Isa. 1:1) and one Israelite king (Jeroboam II; Hos. 1:1). King Uzziah (Azariah) of Judah began reigning in 792 B.C., and King Hezekiah of Judah stopped reigning in 686 B.C., spanning a period of 107 years. Probably Hosea’s ministry began near the end of Jeroboam II’s (793-753 B.C.) and Uzziah’s (792-740 B.C.) reigns and ended in the early years of Hezekiah’s sole reign (715-686 B.C.). Hezekiah evidently reigned for 14 years as co-regent with his father Ahaz (729-715 B.C.; cf. 2 Kings 18:1). This would mean that the prophet’s ministry lasted perhaps 45 years (ca. 760-715 B.C.). It also means that Hosea’s ministry extended beyond the fall of Samaria in 722 B.C. since Hezekiah began ruling in 715 B.C. Hosea did not date any of his prophecies. Other possible dates are between 760 and 753 to 715 B.C. (38 to 45 years), [Leon Wood, “Hosea,” in Daniel-Minor Prophets, vol. 7 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, p. 163, and idem, The Prophets of Israel, p. 276.] 760 to 720 B.C. (38 years), [Douglas Stuart, Hosea-Jonah, p. xliii.] 760 to sometime during Hezekiah’s reign (715-686 B.C., about 45 years), [Hobart E. Freeman, An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophets, p. 175.] and about 60 or 65 years. [C. F. Keil, “Hosea,” in The Twelve Minor Prophets, 1:15.]

BACKGROUND & SETTING

Hosea ministered during a very turbulent time in Israel’s history. Under Jeroboam II, Israel enjoyed economic and material prosperity until his death in 753 BC. That seemed to signal a rapid and chaotic downturn however, going through six kings is 20 years. At the end of that time, Israel (by then a vassal state of Assyria), attempted a rebellion which was subsequently crushed, with the ten tribes of the northern kingdom being carried off into exile, never to return.

HISTORICAL & THEOLOGICAL THEMES

There are three major themes running through the book of Hosea:

  • God’s Faithfulness, Mercy, and Unfailing Love. Hosea’s love for his unfaithful wife represents God’s love for Israel (Hos. 1:2; 2:9; 6:6; 10:12; 12:6).
  • Judgment for Sin. Because Israel would fail to acknowledge God and insist on their idolatry (Hos. 2:2-5; 3:3; 4:10-19; 5:3-7; 6:10; 8:9; 9:1), God would ultimately punish them with exile (Hos. 7:16; 8:14; 9:3,6,17; 11:5).
  • Repentance and Restoration. Hosea reiterates the recurring theme that repentance brings restoration (Hos. 1:10-11; 2:14-23; 3:5; 11:10-11; 14:4-7).

INTERPRETIVE CHALLENGES

There are a number of interpretive questions that have been raised regarding the book of Hosea, not surprisingly, all of them related to the person of Gomer, his “wife of harlotry:”

  • The first question is whether Gomer should be understood as a literal or an allegorical figure. Despite some of the problems that this answer raises, the vast majority of scholars tend to agree that she should be understood as a literal figure. There is nothing in the prose account of Hosea 1-3 that indicates she is not meant to be understood as a real person.
  • The second question raised is whether Gomer was a prostitute at the time Hosea married her, or if she only became an immoral woman later in their relationship. Scholars are somewhat more divided on this issue (compared to the issue of understanding her as a literal person), but the majority view seems to be that she was faithful at the time of their marriage, but became unfaithful at some later point in time. Some of the verses in Hosea (Hos. 2:15 and 9:10 vs. 11:1) seem to suggest that understanding.
  • Lastly, there is some confusion as to whether the woman in chapter 3 is the same adulterous wife from chapters 1-2, but like the literal issue, the vast majority of commentators and scholars agree that she is, and that alternative interpretations make very little sense in light of the analogy being illustrated.

LITERARY FEATURES

Per the ESVSB:

The overall genre of the book is prophecy, and most of the book consists of oracles of judgment, with only a few interspersed oracles of salvation. Its main literary form is satire (in this case, sharp and bitter). Virtually the entire book is embodied in poetry. The overall format is that of a legal or judicial indictment, as God presents a detailed case against his covenant people.

OBJECTIONS

Aside from the standard anti-supernaturalistic objections that are raised automatically when the subject of prophetic literature is raised, there aren’t any serious objections to the authenticity of Hosea. Some older stock objections (alleged issues involving the mixing of first- and third-person perspective, the juxtaposition of judgment and salvation passages) have since been discredited as ancient Israelite and ANE writings have been studied in greater depth.

NOTABLE QUOTABLES

  • Hosea 6:6
  • Hosea 8:7

DID YOU KNOW?

  • Hosea’s children had some very unusual and symbolic names: “God scatters,” “she is not loved,” and “not my people.”

Other Works Referenced

  • Apologetics Study Bible, “Hosea”
  • Archaeological Study Bible, “Introduction to Hosea”
  • ESV Study Bible, “Introduction to Hosea”
  • MacArthur Study Bible, “Hosea”
  • NET Bible, Hosea
  • NIV Study Bible, Hosea
  • Reformation Study Bible, “Hosea”
  • The Baker Illustrated Bible Handbook, “Hosea”
  • Know Your Bible
  • Dever, The Message of the Old Testament
  • Driscoll, A Book You’ll Actually Read On the Old Testament
  • Knight, The Layman’s Bible Handbook

Missionaries: Unsung Heroes

by Elder Mike Chon

As our Argentina team was preparing to leave , I was reflecting on all the missionaries that are currently doing the work of spreading the gospel to parts of this world that are unreached. I am so thankful for these missionaries that have committed themselves to go into another part of this world so that the gospel can be preached and that salvation would be offered to those that would have otherwise never heard. As I sit here in San Diego, my heart and prayers are with those that are preaching the gospel and even risking their earthly lives for the sake of Christ. I have read so many articles on missionaries either injured, severely tormented, or even killed because of sharing a message about our Lord Jesus Christ. These are ordinary men who have been called by God to do an extraordinary work of sharing the gospel throughout the world. “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” (Rom. 10:15)

When we talk about heroes, we usually think about those that are well known or have done something remarkable in this world. There have been very well known men and women who have done remarkable things for our God in the past and even currently. We should applaud these men and women for what they have done and be thankful to our God for using them in this way. But let us not forget to pray and also be thankful for the missionaries who quietly serve our Lord and may be the only light and ambassador for the gospel in that part of the world. They find themselves as lambs in the midst of wolves. They find themselves with limited resources and limited comforts. They find themselves tired, hungry and thirsty. They find themselves alone and secluded. They find themselves in danger and under constant persecution. They find themselves completely dependent on God. They find themselves empowered by the Holy Spirit. They find themselves understanding what it means to die to self. They find themselves rich even though poor. They find themselves understanding joy in times of trials. They find themselves praying unceasingly. They find themselves experiencing the comfort from the God of all comfort. They find themselves in the perfect will of God. These are the heroes who cannot be forgotten. These are the heroes who we need to be sharing with our friends, our spouses, our children so that they can have real heroes in this life. These are the heroes who we must pray for so that the work of spreading the gospel can reach those that have never heard. “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” (Rom. 10:15)

Take time to remember these missionaries and pray for them today. Even though we may never hear about them or even ever know them, they are the true heroes in this world. May our prayers be heard and felt by our fellow brothers as God works through and in them to do the work of the ministry, for “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send our laborers into his harvest.” (Luke 10:2)

AR2012 – Update #4

by Eugene Park

So we started the campaign on Tuesday in a community called Amalia, which is where the church is located. Our schedule during the campaign starts with us going around door to door in the morning and sharing the gospel. At times there are contacts that the church wants us to visit. Typically these contacts are parents who send their kids to church events, but do not come themselves. So when we get the opportunity to share the gospel, the conversations can quite often last for up to an hour or more. We typically try to involve them in the conversation when sharing the gospel with them.

After the morning session we meet back at church for lunch, which has been delicious. We have had pastel de papas, milanesa, etc. Then after lunch we will typically go back to the hotel and rest up during siesta. We could go out again but most people are sleeping so it wouldn’t be worth it.

After siesta we go out again and continue to go door to door. We also spend time inviting people out to the evening program. Most people are receptive to going to some sort of program that is held in the community. And for the evening program we try to make it part fun, but also instructive. This year the evening program changed depending on what was going on. For the skit we would either do our skit based on the four soils parable or the youth of the church would do a skit called “Salti“. After the skit I would sing the song “Jesus, Thank You” both in English and Spanish. But some nights there wasn’t a guitar so if that happened, someone would share their testimony instead (we had to exhibit a lot of flexibility). Then after that one of the guys would share the gospel with the crowd. Then after the gospel presentation we would go out into the crowd and start sharing the gospel again but in small groups or a one on one context.

Each day we did the same thing but in a different barrio. On Wednesday we went to 24 de Septiembre. On Thursday we went to San Pablo. And on Friday we went to SMATA. Each of these days gave us the opportunity to glorify God through the sharing of the gospel. And even though everyone didn’t accept the message, we knew that as messengers our role was to give the message as clearly and accurately as possible. Overall the team was really blessed this week as all of us had fruitful opportunities to share the gospel.

But even though the campaign is over, the missions trip is not. We still have the opportunity to encourage the church and support the leadership these last few days so hopefully we will make the most of our time.

The tradition of Cesar losing a foot race also continued. And as a result he had to shave. So just warning you that when we return he’s gonna look different. And the orange peel fight tradition lives on, even though I find myself participating less and less each year. Must be the maturity setting in.

On Saturday we took a trip to Tafi del Valle. It is a resort area that is about a three hour drive from the church. During the summer it’s jam-packed with people. But now that it’s winter down here, it was practically deserted because it gets seriously cold there. But when we got there we saw that it was a really nice place that was next to a big lake surrounded by mountains. It was definitely cold, but it was also very picturesque and so we spent the next hour taking pictures down by the lake. Then after the picture time people split off and did different things like play volleyball, soccer, or just hang and talk.

Lunch was pretty awesome as we got to enjoy asado, the traditional argentine grilled steak. Just watching the guys setup the grill and cut the raw meat to pieces made me feel manly.

After lunch we boarded the buses again and started the long drive home. And that’s where I am now, in the bus as it winds its way down the mountain. I had better stop before I lose my lunch. Hope to update you again at least one more time before we head back to the US of A!

Weekly Links (7/13/2012)

For if the history of the world clearly teaches us anything, it is this: that God has a quarrel with His creature. There is disagreement, separation, conflict between God and His world. God does not agree with man, and man does not agree with God. Each goes his own way, and each has his own idea and will about things. The thoughts of God are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways (Is. 55:8). Therefore the history of the world is also a judgment of the world…

The testimony of history to the justice of God is confirmed by the fact that mankind has always looked for, and still looks for, a lost Paradise, for a lasting bliss, and for a redemption from all evil that oppresses it. There is in all men a need for, and seeking after, redemption.

No matter how much effort makes the life of a man a pleasanter and richer thing, there lives in mankind a sense that all such progress and civilization does not satisfy for the deepest human needs nor rescue them from their worst distress. (Herman Bavinck, Our Reasonable Faith)

by Stephen Rodgers

As part of the irregular updates for the month of July, I wanted to make sure that you were aware of a few time-sensitive offers, along with the regular ones that are just plain awesome.

See you Sunday!

Pro Rege

AR2012 – Update #3

by Eugene Park

So on Sunday we had service in the park as we’ve typically done these past few years. First we sang some songs together. Then I went up and introduced a new song, “Jesus Thank You.” Yes, I know we sing this song back at home but I was able to get a translated copy of the song. The people of the church really enjoyed singing that song and how the truths of the lyrics helped them to understand the reasons why we should be thanking Jesus.

After singing that song together, I gave a sermon based on 1 Timothy 4:6-9, talking about the importance of being in spiritual shape for the purpose of godliness. I told them that it wouldn’t be easy. But in the same way that getting into physical shape isn’t easy, getting into spiritual shape takes hard work.

Afterwards we enjoyed a nice lunch of hamburgers with chimichurri. Then after that it was all about soccer. A few of us played with the Argentines and we had a lot of fun. Even the ladies got a match going with Naomi and Elisabeth diving in and playing with them. I’m sure we’ll be playing a lot more soccer before this trip is done.

In the evening there was a youth event. Josh got the opportunity to share his testimony and tried to encourage the youth to do all to the glory of God, even in things like sports and studying. Jonathan then shared a message on trusting in Christ. It was a nice reminder to all of us to trust in Christ in all situations.

The next day was July 9 which is Argentina’s independence day. On that day, Tucuman becomes the capital of Argentina because their declaration of independence was signed in Tucuman. It was a huge deal as the president of the country came to Tucuman to participate in all the festivities. (On a side note, this is why those air traffic controllers went on strike last week because they knew it would affect a lot of people trying to travel to Tucuman) There was a plan to go down to the 9 de Julio park and take in the parade. But for some reason the parade was cancelled. Instead we heard a parade go by our hotel, but they were protesting something. Sheesh, it seems like that’s all they do.

So that gave us a chance to hangout with the translators and get to know them. Some had just arrived that Monday morning on a 16 hour bus ride from BA so it was important to spend some time with them. We even treated all of them to ice cream. Even when the weather is cold, ice cream is always good.

That evening there was an event in the park where the youth did some sort of skit. Afterwards Cesar shared the gospel and then we all fanned out and started talking to people one on one and continued to share the gospel with them. It was nice to meet some of the people of the barrio and share the gospel with them. Hopefully some seeds were planted!

After dinner we went out into the central square with many members of the youth group and just walked around. Then someone got the bright idea to have ice cream a second time that day. So back we went, but this time with all the youth, to enjoy some ice cream together despite the chilly weather. And you know what? It was still good!

Today we start the campaign. We are praying that God would soften the hearts of people to hear the truth of His word. I hope you can join us in praying for that as well. You can also pray for the health of our team. Some are suffering from allergies and others are suffering from head colds and headaches. Carlos says he’s handing out the Advil like it’s candy. I figure that it’s because we are still trying to recover from the lack of sleep as a result of all the delays we’ve encountered. Hopefully this won’t affect us too much during the campaign. Thanks for reading! Hope to update you again by the end of the week.