Hosea 1 (résumé): Hosea's wife & children

The Book of Hosea has an unusual plot with him, his wife and family being a living parable! Hosea's wife Gomer is adulterous and so portrays the adulterous nature of Israel's sinful relationship with God. On the other hand Hosea persists in loving Gomer which also reflects God's attitude to his people.

In chapter 1 it is God who commands Hosea to marry Gomer who would be adulterous symbolizing Israel's unfaithfulness to God owing to pagan idolatry and worship. As the couple had children God gave them symbolic names too with symbolic meaning. The first was named Jezreel: "Call him Jezreel, because I will soon punish the house of Jehu for the massacre at Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel". Next they had a daughter whom they called Lo-Ruhamah meaning 'not loved' or 'no mercy', reflecting God's attitude to his people owing to their persistent rebellion. Then came another boy which was named Lo-Ammi ('not my people'). "For you are not my people and I am not your God". Then gratefully the chapter ends positively and a restored people will be called "sons of the living God and Judah and Israel will be re-united".

Daniel 12 (résumé): The end times

Daniel 12 concludes the prophet's final vision pointing to the end time, the resurrection of the dead and God's final victory. Initially Michael the princely protector of Israel arises in a time of extreme distress, but those whose names are written "in the book" will be delivered. "Multitudes who sleep in the dust will awake - some to everlasting life and others to shame and everlasting contempt". Then Daniel is told to seal the scroll for the time being. The 2 angels ask when all this will come to pass and the answer was: "It will be a time (year), times (2 years) and half a time (half a year) which adds up to 3 and a half years". Further periods of time are mentioned: 1,290 and 1,335 days, but their interpretation is not clear. Daniel is finally told that he will die but he will later arise to receive his allotted inheritance.

Daniel 11 (résumé): The Kings of the south & of the north

Daniel 11 starts saying that after 3 more Persian kings a further one would arise "far richer than all the others... (Thought to be Alexander the Great) but after his death the kingdom would be divided in 4 directions". The vision then focuses on conflict between the king of the south (Egypt) and the king of the north (Syria). Then the prophecy culminates denouncing Antiochus IV Epiphanes who will: "desecrate the temple... abolish the daily sacrifice... set up the abomination of desolation... and persecute God's people though many resisted". Finally the prophecy goes on to perhaps foresee the antichrist who "will exalt himself above every god... he will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a pagan god... he will extend his power over many countries... but eventually he will come to his end and no-one will help him". 

Daniel 10 (résumé): Daniel's vision of a man

Daniel 10 introduces the final vision of the book as laid out in chapters 10 to 12. Initially Daniel mourned, prayed and fasted for 3 weeks. Then he had a vision of a man dressed in linen and wearing a gold belt and his face was like lightning and his eyes like flaming torches and his voice was unbelievably loud. Daniel looked like he had seen a ghost and felt weak, and those with him fled even though they hadn't seen the vision. An angel touched Daniel and helped him stand, telling him not to fear and that his prayers were heard. However the angelic intervention was delayed by 21 days owing to resistance from the Persian prince. Then he told Daniel that the vision referred to "a time yet to come". He then touched Daniel and strengthened him, before leaving to fight against the prince of Persia. 

Daniel 9 (résumé): Daniel's Prayer

Daniel 9 starts with Daniel's prayer of repentance and then goes into a very significant prophecy of the seventy weeks. It was during the first year's reign of King Darius that Daniel was studying the writings of Jeremiah and realized that the 70 years exile was nearing its end so he seeks God in intense prayer and fasting. He remembers God's keeping of his covenant and confesses "we have sinned... we haven't listened to the prophets... we are covered with shame and have sinned against you... all Israel has transgressed your law... that's why you judged us... the Lord brought the disaster upon us rightly... please turn away your anger and wrath from us... give ear O God and hear... forgive!" Then comes the second part of the chapter with the arrival of the angel Gabriel who tells Daniel that "seventy sevens (weeks) are decreed for people and city to finish transgression, end sin, atone, bring everlasting righteousness, seal up vision and prophecy to anoint the most holy". The prophecy divides the 70 weeks as follows: 7 weeks (49 years) when Jerusalem will be rebuilt albeit in times of trouble + 62 weeks (434 years) building up to the coming of "the Anointed One, the ruler (the Messiah)" + 1 final week (7 years) when "he will confirm a covenant and put an end to sacrifice and offering... and he will be cut off (on the cross)".

Pastor Phil Watkins

We are thrilled to learn that Pastor Phil Watkins (Bristol Ivy Church) was released from hospital yesterday after a 2-month stay where he received a successful stem cell infusion for his Leukaemia from his compatible donor son Nathanael. Well done Nathanael! Well done Phil! Well done Shirley! Praise the Lord! (We were at Bristol Ivy Church last October 12th before all this erupted)

I have just eaten mashed cassava roots with salted meat cooked by our daughter-in-law Gylmara. Absolutely delicious. 😋

Daniel 8 (résumé): Daniel's vision of a Ram and a Goat

Daniel's vision of a ram and a goat points to God's sovereignty over history. He sees a ram with 2 horns representing Media and Persia. "No animal could resist him... he did as he pleased and became great". The goat represented Greece and the large horn probably represented Alexander the Great. Then the large horn is broken and replaced by 4 smaller horns representing the 4-way fracture of the kingdom. One of these horns, the "little horn" became arrogant, persecuting God's people and disrupting daily sacrifices. This oppression and persecution will last "2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated". Then the angel Gabriel came and explained the vision to Daniel showing that the ram represents Media and Persia and the goat represents Greece, whilst the little horn represents a deceitful ruler who opposes God, but eventually God will destroy him. The chapter ends stating how deeply perturbed was Daniel by the vision and its meaning.