Return Unto The Lord - Part 1 of 2

The Baptist Bible Hour now comes to you under the direction of Elder Lacerre Bradley, Jr. O for a thousand tongues to sing, my great Redeemer's praise! The glories of my God and King, the triumphs of his grace! This is Lacerre Bradley, Jr. inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace. How I love the great Redeemer, who is doing so much for me.

With the joy I tell the story of the love that makes men free, till my earthly life is ended. I will send songs of love, then beside the crystal sea, more and more my soul shall be, praising Jesus and his love. He is everything to me. He is everything to me, and everything shall always be. I will never cease to raise a song of gladness in his praise.

Here and in the world above my soul shall sing of savings of life and life. The joyous He, the precious bread who died for me. Glory be to him forever, endless praises to Christ the Lamb. He has filled my life with sunshine, he has made me what I am. Oh, that everyone would know him. Oh, that all would adore. Oh, that all would trust the love of the mighty friends above, and be his forevermore. He is everything to me. He is everything to me, and everything shall always be. I will never cease to raise a song of gladness in his praise. Here and in the world above my soul shall sing of savings of life and life. The joyous He, the precious bread who died for me.

The joyous He, the precious bread who died for me. On this Mother's Day, we certainly should give thanks for godly mothers who are guiding their children, bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. They face many challenges in the day in which we're living. We need to pray for them and express our appreciation to them. Now I encourage you to write us and let us know that you've listened to the broadcast.

We depend on our listeners for support. Our mailing address is the Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. This is a five Sunday month, and so we especially need your help at this time. Living below in this old sinful world, hardly a comfort can afford. Striving alone to face temptation's sword, where could I go but to the Lord? Where could I go, where could I go, seeking a refuge for my soul? Needing a friend to save me in the end, where could I go but to the Lord?

My fear is grand with friends I love so dear, comfort I get from God's own Word. Yet when I face the chilling hand of death, where could I go but to the Lord? Where could I go, where could I go, seeking a refuge for my soul?

Needing a friend to save me in the end, where could I go? Where could I go, where could I go but to the Lord, to the Lord? Today we'll be bringing a message from our series on the book of Hosea. These Old Testament prophecies have so much practical instruction for us that are beneficial.

They were written so long ago. I pray the message will be a blessing to you. We come to a theme today that is prominent in the book of Hosea.

In fact, it is prominent in many of these Old Testament prophecies. Our subject, return to the Lord. We come to Hosea chapter 6, reading with the first verse. Come and let us return unto the Lord, for he hath torn and he will heal us.

He hath smitten and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us, in the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord, his going forth is prepared as the morning and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. Now the last verse of the preceding chapter. The Lord has said, I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offense, until they seek my face in their affliction, they will seek me early. The Lord says, I will withdraw my comforts.

I will hide my face from my people because of their great sin. We've read in detail some of the sins that plagued the people in this day. Not only had the people gone astray, but the priests were corrupted as well.

And so the nation was in a terrible state. Hosea comes on the scene to call them back. God had prescribed a unique object lesson for the people to see how dreadful their condition was. He told Hosea to marry a harlot. Hosea loved this woman because God told him he was to love her.

She eventually was sold into slavery and he goes and buys her back. All of this to depict the fact that Israel and Judah had been unfaithful to the God to whom they were married. God wanted the people to see the anguish of this godly man. How deeply he hurt when his wife continued to use the things that he had given her to give to her lovers and pursue her sinful lifestyle. So God is saying, this is exactly what you're doing. I am married to you, but you are unfaithful. So the Lord said, I will return to my place.

I'm going to hide my face until you repent. So as we then come to these words in the first three verses of chapter six. Some believe these are the exact words of Hosea. That he is speaking to encourage the people and leading them as to what they should say as they now approach the Lord. Now some take the position that these words were not sincere. Because we do learn that the people as a nation had not completely come back to God.

There are many other things we'll see as we go on with this book about their sin, their continued disobedience and rebellion. So some draw the conclusion that the words here were not sincere. Some believe that they were the words of a faithful remnant in spite of the fact that the nation as a whole was not in the proper frame of mind or attitude in serving God. Others believe that these are the words that will be spoken by Israel in the latter days when there will be a returning to the Lord and darkness lifted from them.

But at any rate, we can certainly know that these words are valuable words for us to consider today. If these words are spoken sincerely, as I trust they would be from our hearts, it is appropriate that we come before our God as these people came. There are three things we will note in the text. First, that God smites. Secondly, God heals.

And thirdly, God hears. God smites His people. That's exactly what the text tells us. He has torn, He has smitten them, He has afflicted them, He has dealt with them because of their sins. Let's just notice some of the things that are said right here in this book itself. There are many other examples of it in the Old Testament, but Hosea chapter 2 verse 9, Therefore will I return and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax given to cover her nakedness.

I'm going to take these things away from you. My judgment is coming because of your sin. Chapter 2 verse 12, And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees. Chapter 4 verse 3, Therefore shall the land mourn. Everyone that dwelleth therein shall languish with the beast of the field and the fowls of heaven. Yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away. Severe judgments being meted out upon the people, God smiting His own. Chapter 5 verse 10, The princes of Judah were like them that removed the bound. Therefore I will pour out my wrath on them like water. I will pour out my wrath upon them. Chapter 5 verse 14, For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear and go away.

I will take away, and none shall rescue him. Now if you just look through the Old Testament, reading many of the other prophets, you find that what happened here in the time of Hosea was not unique and unusual. Over and over again, when the people turned from worshipping the true and living God, worshipping idols, wallowing in all kinds of sins, God did not ignore it. He sent judgment upon them. So it is to be recognized that trials, difficulties may come from God for a variety of reasons. Sometimes the Lord deals with His people in affliction simply to bring them to the place that they will completely depend upon Him. He's going to take them into the fiery furnace that the dross might be consumed. At other times, He is sending difficulties because of their departure and their sin.

But it's important for us that no matter what the situation may be, no matter what the cause of the trial, that we must recognize the hand of God. Job, as you know, was a wealthy man. In short order, all that he had was taken away from him, his flocks and his herds. But you know, Job was not lashing out against the robbers. He wasn't sitting there complaining about his miserable state.

He wasn't trying to gather up some of his friends to say, let's go after those who have harmed me so terribly. Job said, the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord. He recognized the sovereignty of God. And in the 19th chapter of the book of Job, verse 21, he says, the hand of God hath touched me. He recognized God was still in charge. This wasn't just a happenstance.

This wasn't just one of those things. This all came about under the direction of the God that he served. And so although he faced terrible difficulties and had questions that he could not find the answer to, he was in great distress at times, but he said, though he slay me, yet will I trust him. See, if you recognize God's hand in your trials, you won't have to be fuming about the situation from the standpoint of thinking, I've got to get even with somebody. You're not going to be spending all your time fuming over those that have harmed you. You recognize God's hand in the matter.

This doesn't excuse somebody for wrongdoing, for sinful behavior. But if you recognize God in his providence has allowed this trial to touch your life at this time, it's going to change your outlook. It's going to change your whole attitude. Your thought is going to be, Lord, help me to learn whatever lesson you have for me, whatever it may be. This is a difficult, dark time. And I know you're in charge.

Your hand has touched me. Help me to bow in humility. We think about that attitude in the experience of Aaron. We read from the book of Leviticus. Leviticus chapter 10, beginning with the first verse. And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not.

Notice the offense. The sons of Aaron are attempting to offer the proper sacrifice before God. God has obviously designated there is a particular fire that they are to use.

But they selected strange fire. And there went out fire from the Lord and devoured them. And they died for the Lord.

Now somebody might say, I don't understand that. I thought God is a God of love. Why would God kill two men simply because they didn't use the right fire in presenting this sacrifice? You see, the reason people are prone to think that way is because we're all fallen sinners. And it's hard for us to perceive that God in His holiness does not tolerate sin. They didn't leave it up to them to make their choices about how they would present a sacrifice, or bring this incense before God. God had a specific pattern that they were to follow, and they decided they would do it another way, and God killed them. Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. God says it's my purpose that my name will be glorified. I'm going to be honored in the presence of all the people. And therefore it was necessary that I destroy these two men who had failed to follow my direction in presenting the sacrifice.

And here's a key point I want to emphasize. And Aaron held his peace. Aaron did not complain. Aaron did not say, Oh Lord, why?

Why did you do this? Could not been some better way to resolve the matter. He didn't interject any of his own thoughts if indeed he had some to the contrary. He was quiet.

He held his peace. May we indeed learn that lesson, that when trials come our way, when there are situations and circumstances around us that we cannot understand or explain, that we never fall into the sin of complaining against God, but that we hold our peace even in the most difficult of circumstances. Now God does chasten his own. Hebrews chapter 12 verse 6, You've heard it many, many times. You've read it in your own devotions. That the Lord chastens those that he loves. And that he scourges every son whom he receiveth.

And in passing over, you may not give adequate thought to what this text is really saying. What does it mean to scourge? It means to flog. It means to whip.

It means to beat. I mean, God is going to deal with people that he loves in such a manner. That's what he says. God says, I love my children enough that I will correct them. I will put the rod upon them. And if it's necessary, I will scourge them. I'm going to get their attention.

I'm going to deal with them in such a way that there is a change. There is a purpose of it. If he loves them, why does he do this? Because he wants them to change. He wants them to grow in holiness. And the fact is, when God chastens us, and we may be prone to say, Lord, why?

Why me and why now and why all of this? But we need to bow and pray, Lord, teach me in this time of chastisement. In the book of Amos chapter 3 verse 2, it says, You only have I known of all the families of the earth. Therefore, I will punish you for your iniquities. And when it says, You only have I known, does that mean that God was only acquainted with the fact that there were Israelites on the earth?

Obviously not. He knew there were Hittites, Jebusites, Hivites, all the rest of them. He was acquainted with them. But you only have I known. I have known you intimately. I have known you in love. I have known you by choice. You are my people. Therefore, because I have known you, I will punish you for all your iniquities.

Well, that sounds hard. But that makes us appreciate what he says in Psalm 103 verse 10. He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

Must we not all say, Thank God for that text? You think about the sins that you have committed. Think about the angry words that you have spoken. The lustful thoughts that you have had. The gossip of which you have been guilty. The lies that you have told.

The idols of your heart. Your pride, envy, on and on the list could go. Now God is holy and demands perfection. He said, If you have offended in one point, you are guilty of it all. Suppose you had to stand in the presence of God today, and every sin that you have ever committed, all of your actions, all of your thoughts, all of your motives, would be named off one by one.

Would that not be an unbelievably horrendous experience? But God in His mercy has not dealt with you according to your sins. If He dealt with any of us strictly on the basis of our sin, we would be in hell today. It is by grace that we are here. It is by grace that we have the hope of heaven. It is only through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, by the shedding of His blood, that these sins can be blotted out, put away, separated as far as the east is from the west, and that we would never have to stand in the presence of God in that guilty, wretched state.

But come into His presence clothed with the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ. There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel's veins, and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains, and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains. In this book of Hosea there are vivid descriptions of the terrible sins into which God's people had fallen. There are warnings of great judgments, but there's also a message of hope. How wonderful to know that when the Lord has dealt with one to bring them down and show them their sin, it is to bring them to the place that they see and appreciate His wonderful grace. If you'd like to get this complete message on CD, request it when writing, and until next week at the same time, may the Lord richly bless you all.

Till all the ransomed Church of God be saved to sin no more. The Baptist Bible Hour has come to you under the direction of Elder LeSaire Bradley, Jr. Address all mail to The Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217.

That's The Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. Heir says by faith, I saw the stream, thy flowing wounds supply. Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die. And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die. Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.