Verse of the Day: V13 “And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
1. Rend (V1-20)
V12 “Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:”
The Almighty God through Prophet Joel warned the people of Israel to turn to God with their hearts and with fasting, weeping and mourning otherwise He shall punish them for their sins and wickedness. The people of Israel had seemingly worshipped the Lord and even rend their garments in repentance yet their hearts were still evil and wicked and they did not truly repent of their sins and turn to God. However, God is gracious, merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness as He waited for the people to rend their hearts.
V13 “And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.”
2. Rejoice (V21-24)
V21 “Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things.”
God promised the people that if they would rend their hearts, fear not, be glad and rejoice in Him, He shall do great things for them, and gave them rain all year round. Indeed, when we rend our hearts, God’s blessings of rain shall always be upon us and our land.
V23 “Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.”
3. Restore (V25-32)
V25 “And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.”
The Lord shall restore the people of Israel the great blessings of His providence when they rend their hearts, rejoice in Him and call upon Him. Indeed, God never forsake His people when we call upon Him and rend our hearts and rejoice in Him always.
V32 “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to rend my heart and turn to You in joy.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 02:40 pm
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Verse of the Day: V19 “O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field.”
1. Children (V1-4)
V3 “Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.”
God through Prophet Joel commanded the people of Israel to teach their children of the great judgment of God, as God sent the mighty locusts to destroy completely the land of Israel when they rebelled against Him. This lesson shall the children of Israel teach their children, and their children would in turn teach another generation. Indeed, this is how the legacy of the Word of God has been taught and preached even in this day and age.
V4 “That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpillar eaten.”
2. Crisis (V5-13)
V5 “Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.”
The crisis of the nation of Israel during the time of Prophet Joel was the sin of drunkenness. The people of Israel including the leaders and the priests had become drinkers of wine day and night, that they had neglected their work in the farms and fields, their families and children, and in particular, the joy of serving and worshipping the Lord.
V12 “The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.”
3. Cry (V14-20)
V14 “Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD,”
Prophet Joel commanded the people of Israel to fast and cry to the Lord for His mercy and repent their sin of drunkenness as this was the only way for God to spare their land and their lives from complete destruction, and to restore the joy of the Lord in their lives.
V19 “O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to cry to You for mercy that I may have joy in You.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 04:02 pm
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Verse of the Day:V4 “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.”
1. Return (V1-3)
V1 “O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.”
The Lord through Prophet Hosea lovingly pleaded with His people, the people of Israel, to return to Him from their backsliding. The people of Israel were once a holy nation called of God to be the light in this dark and evil world. However, the people of Israel time and again sinned against God, and the loving God through Prophet Ezekiel pleaded to the people to return to Him.
V2 “Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take way all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.”
2. Recover (V4-7)
V4 “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.”
When the people of Israel returned to God and worshipped Him, the great God, the great Physician, shall heal them of their backsliding, and they shall recover from their spiritual sickness. Indeed, it was never God’s intention to inflict sicknesses and sufferings upon man. God’s ultimate desire was to love the people of Israel freely so that they shall be like the olive tree, spiritually strong and prosperous, and like the cedar trees in Lebanon, spiritually fragrance and sweet smelling in this dark and evil world.
V6 “His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.”
3. Repent (V8-9)
V8 “Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.”
A remnant of the people of Israel repented of their sins, and refused to have anything to do with idols, but to love and serve the one and only true God. As a result, they had the fruit of God, the fruit of loving others including their enemies freely, as they sought wisely and prudently to walk in the ways of the Lord who loved them freely.
V9 “Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to love others freely as You have loved me freely.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 09:35 am
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Verse of the Day: V4 “Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.”
1. He Is Our Saviour (V1-4)
V1 “When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died.”
The Almighty God exalted Ephraim when he trembled and feared God, and taught the people of Israel to trust and obey Him. However when Ephraim started to stray from God and worshipped Baal, the Devil, God struck him dead because he had offended Him. Indeed, let us fear God as He is the only God who can truly save our souls from the fiery pits of hell to the pearly portals of heaven, and there is no other Saviour beside Him.
V4 “Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.”
2. He Is Our Help (V5-13)
V6 “According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me.”
Even though time and again the people of Israel sinned against the Lord yet God not only helped them out of their troubles, but He blessed them abundantly. However, as soon as they were filled with abundance, they forgot the Lord, and returned to sin against Him, and subsequently they destroyed themselves as they failed to call upon the Lord for help.
V9 “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.”
3. He Is Our Redeemer (V14-16)
V14 “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.”
The Almighty God through Prophet Hosea warned the people of Israel that He would completely destroy them if they continued to sin and rebel against Him. However, if they would repent of their sins and rebellion, He would be their Redeemer. Indeed, when we believe in the true and living God, He shall be our Redeemer, and we shall not perish but have everlasting life with Him in heaven. However, when we reject God, He shall condemn us to the fiery pits of hell because of our sins and rebellion. The choice is yours!
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You for being my Saviour, my Help and my Redeemer.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 01:19 am
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Verse of the Day: V6 “Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.”
1. Israel Failed To Wait Upon The Lord (V1-2)
V1 “Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.”
Both Ephraim (also known as Israel or Jacob) and Judah failed to wait continually upon the Lord to deliver them out of the attacks of Assyria, Egypt and all their enemies, but instead they compromised with them. Hence the Almighty God pronounced severe judgment and punishment upon them as their efforts of compromising with their enemies were like chasing after the east wind which would come to nothing and were all in vain.
V2 “The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.”
2. Israel Failed To Wait In The Womb (V3-6)
V3 “He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God:”
Even when Israel was in the womb he was already fighting with his brother to be the first one out of their mother’s womb. Jacob was so competitive that he even fought with God thinking that he had the power to overcome God. In the end God injured and humbled him and made him realised that he could never win God but to wait continually upon Him.
V6 “Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.”
3. Israel Failed To Wait And Give Thanks (V7-14)
V13 “And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.”
Time and again the people of Israel failed to wait continually upon God’s leadership and direction and to give thanks to Him for all that He had done for them. When the Almighty God sent His prophet to deliver them out of their bondage under the mighty Egyptians, they were unthankful and ungrateful to Him, and instead rebelled against Him. Hence God severely judged and punished them for their ingratitude and rebellion against Him.
V14 “Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall he leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to wait continually upon You.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 10:12 pm
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Verse of the Day: V1 "When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt."
1. God’s Preservation (V1-2)
V1 “When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.”
God has preserved the nation of Israel since the beginning when He commanded Abram to get out of his country and establish Israel because of His unconditional love for the people of Israel whom He had chosen as His nation and people. However time and again the nation of Israel sinned against God, and God allowed Egypt and many of the enemies of Israel to attack and humble them so that they would return to Him and trust in Him.
“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:” (Genesis 12:1)
2. God’s Presence (V3)
V3 “I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.”
Though the people of Israel time and again refused to believe and trust in God, yet God kept reminding them that He would always be with them, taking them by their arms, teaching them to walk, and healing them when they were sick and unwell. Indeed, God’s presence is always with His unfaithful people because of His great unconditional love.
“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” (Joshua 1:9)
3. God’s Providence (V4-12)
V4 “I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.”
Even though the people of Israel time and again strayed from their God, yet God continued to extend His unconditional love toward them and provided them with food wherever they went. God never forces His people to trust and obey Him but by His bands of love or unconditional love He patiently draws them to return to Him and to trust and obey Him. Indeed, God never forsakes the righteous or His people including their children but He always provide all their needs because of His great unconditional love.
“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” (Psalms 37:25)
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to love all unconditionally as You have loved me.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 07:54 am
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Verse of the Day: V2 “Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.”
1. The Divide (V1-7)
V2 "Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images."
The hearts of the people of Israel were divided; they wanted to have the best of both worlds; they wanted to serve two masters: God and money. The people of Israel worshipped God, and expected God’s spiritual blessings upon them, yet at the same time, they also worshipped idols or money, and spent all their time and energy in pursuit of material possessions. They failed to realise that only God deserved their worship, and only the spiritual blessings were eternal while their material possessions were temporal.
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24)
2. The Destruction (V8-9)
V8 “The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.”
God shall judge and destroy the divided hearts of the people of Israel because the Lord is a jealous God and He desires all to worship Him. Only the true and living God deserves man’s worship as He is the Creator and Maker of all living creatures include man.
“For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:” (Exodus 34:14)
3. The Desire (V10-15)
V10 “It is in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows.”
God chastised and disciplined the people of Israel because their hearts were divided. God’s desire was for the people of Israel to have their hearts fixed and focused on Him and Him alone. Indeed, when we fix and focus our hearts only on God and God alone, we shall never be disappointed or discouraged, and we shall sing and give praise to Him.
“My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise.” (Psalms 57:7)
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please grant me a heart that is fixed on You and You alone.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 04:28 am
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Verse of the Day:V1 "Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor."
1. Israel Loved Reward (V1-10)
V1 “Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.”
God through Prophet Hosea told the people of Israel that He would judge and punish them because they had chosen to love the material rewards instead of His spiritual rewards. Instead of feeding their souls with God’s Word and be blessed of God for all eternity, they chose to feed their flesh with material rewards that shall perish and fail.
V2 “The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.”
2. Israel Loved Reputation (V11-14)
V11 “As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.”
The people of Israel or Ephraim loved the praises from the people more than the praises of God. Instead of giving glory and praises to God, they loved themselves and their reputation. Subsequently, God not only judged and punished them, but also judged and punished their children, for their love for reputation and glory more than the love of God.
V12 “Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!”
3. Israel Loved Rebellion (V15-17)
V15 “All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters.”
Instead of loving and obeying God, the people of Israel including their princes and leaders loved rewards, reputation and rebellion. It was a sad day for the people of Israel as the holy God pronounced judgment against them, and sent their enemies to attack and destroy them. Instead of being holy examples to the people of the world, the people of Israel became stumbling blocks to them. Subsequently God judged and punished them, and dispersed and scattered them as wanderers throughout the countries of the world.
V17 “My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to love and obey You.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 12:16 am
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Verse of the Day:V13 “They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the LORD accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.”
1. Israel Forgot Their Law (V1-7)
V1 “Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.”
The LORD refused to accept the people of Israel because they had forgotten Him and His law, and had chosen to build and worship the golden calf, and enjoy the pleasures of sins.
V5 “Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?”
2. Israel Forgot Their Land (V8-12)
V8 “Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.”
The Lord refused to accept the people of Israel or Ephraim, because they had followed the ways of the Gentiles or the world. They had gone to Assyria for business and pleasures, and had forgotten their God and their land. God desired His chosen people, the people of Israel, to remain in Israel, their own land, but they had chosen to stay in Assyria.
V9 “For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.”
3. Israel Forgot Their LORD (V13-14)
V13 “They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the LORD accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.”
What hurt God most was His own people, the people of Israel and Judah, had sacrificed their precious children in worshipping the golden calf just to receive blessings of material wealth and worldly pleasures. They had failed to realise that only their true and living God could give them the real blessings of eternal joy and peace. They had totally forgotten their Lord, their Maker, and all that He had done in and through their lives.
V14 “For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please accept me and help me to remember You and obey Your law.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 09:56 pm
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Verse of the Day: V7 “They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.”
1. God Heals (V1-6)
V1 “When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.”
God would have healed the people of Israel if they had confessed and repented their sins and wickedness. However they chose to hide their sins and wickedness thinking that God could not see what they were doing. They failed to realise that God saw everything and knew everything, and there was nothing that God could not see or know.
V2 “And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.”
2. God Hates (V7-9)
V7 “They are hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.”
God hated the sins of rebellion and wickedness of the people of Israel. Instead of calling upon the Lord to confess and repent of their sins and wickedness, the people openly challenge and rebel against their judges and kings, and even sought to destroy and kill them. The people of Israel and Ephraim, God’s chosen people, who were supposed to be holy and godly people, were no different from the wicked and ungodly people of the world. They had mixed themselves with the world and had grievously sinned against God.
V8 “Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.”
3. God Humbles (V10-16)
V10 “And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.”
God had to humble the pride of Israel by allowing their enemies to attack and defeat them so that they realised that without God they could do nothing. Indeed, let us call upon the Lord and He shall answer us and show us great and mighty things which we know not.
“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” (Jeremiah 33:3)
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to call upon You in good time, bad time and all the time.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 12:42 am
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