Category: Old Testament

Isaiah 30:15 – Quietly Rest In The Lord

Thomas Less,

Child-Praying15This is what the Sovereign Lord,

the Holy One of Israel, says:
“Only in returning to me
and resting in me will you be fsaved.
In quietness and confidence is your strength.
But you would have none of it.
When Isaiah received these words from the Lord, Jerusalem was obviously going to be attacked by the Assyrians.  The king of Judah decided to send a large caravan to
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Isaiah 18 – The Lord is Not Excited

Thomas Less,

Isaiah 18: 4
4For the Lord has told me this:

“I will watch quietly from my dwelling place—
as quietly as the heat rises on a summer day,
or as the morning dew forms during the harvest.”
God, I can be so emotional, both up and down.  I am excited and hopeful, then depressed and afraid.  But You know You are in control and things will work out exactly
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Isaiah 17 – What Will It Take To Bring Me Back

Thomas Less,

Isaiah 17:6-10

6Only a few of its people will be left,
like stray olives left on a tree after the harvest.
Only two or three remain in the highest branches,
four or five scattered here and there on the limbs,”
declares the Lord, the God of Israel.
7Then at last the people will look to their Creator
and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel.
…

Hosea 14

Thomas Less,

Hosea 14

Healing for the Repentant

 1 Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God,
      for your sins have brought you down.
 2 Bring your confessions, and return to the Lord.
      Say to him,
   “Forgive all our sins and graciously receive us,
      so that we may offer you our praises.
 3 Assyria cannot save us,
      nor can our warhorses.
   Never again will we say to the idols …

Hosea 13

Thomas Less,

Hosea 13

The Lord’s Anger against Israel

 1 When the tribe of Ephraim spoke,
      the people shook with fear,
      for that tribe was important in Israel.
   But the people of Ephraim sinned by worshiping Baal
      and thus sealed their destruction.
 2 Now they continue to sin by making silver idols,
      images shaped skillfully with human hands.
   “Sacrifice to these,” they cry,
      “and kiss the calf idols!”
 3 Therefore, …

Hosea 12

Thomas Less,

Hosea 12 1 The people of Israel feed on the wind;
      they chase after the east wind all day long.
   They pile up lies and violence;
      they are making an alliance with Assyria
      while sending olive oil to buy support from Egypt.

 2 Now the Lord is bringing charges against Judah.
      He is about to punish Jacob for all his deceitful ways,
      and pay him back for all he …

Hosea 11

Thomas Less,

Hosea 11

The Lord’s Love for Israel

 1 “When Israel was a child, I loved him,
      and I called my son out of Egypt.
 2 But the more I called to him,
      the farther he moved from me,
   offering sacrifices to the images of Baal
      and burning incense to idols.
 3 I myself taught Israel how to walk,
      leading him along by the hand.
   But he doesn’t know …

Hosea 10

Thomas Less,

Hosea 10

The Lord’s Judgment against Israel

 1 How prosperous Israel is—
      a luxuriant vine loaded with fruit.
   But the richer the people get,
      the more pagan altars they build.
   The more bountiful their harvests,
      the more beautiful their sacred pillars.

Father, I know this is true even for me today.  The more blessed I am, the nicer my house and my cars and my vacations.  I tell …

Hosea 9

Thomas Less,

Hosea 9

Hosea Announces Israel’s Punishment

 1 O people of Israel,
      do not rejoice as other nations do.
   For you have been unfaithful to your God,
      hiring yourselves out like prostitutes,
      worshiping other gods on every threshing floor.
 2 So now your harvests will be too small to feed you.
      There will be no grapes for making new wine.
 3 You may no longer stay here in the Lord…

Hosea 8

Thomas Less,

Hosea 8

Israel Harvests the Whirlwind

 1 “Sound the alarm!
      The enemy descends like an eagle on the people of the Lord,
   for they have broken my covenant
      and revolted against my law.
 2 Now Israel pleads with me,
      ‘Help us, for you are our God!’
 3 But it is too late.
   The people of Israel have rejected what is good,
      and now their enemies will chase after …