God's Unchangeable Love by Ron Brubacher

God’s Unchangeable Love Translated from Portuguese with permission of Editora Árvore da Vida

All rights reserved by Jasper Life Publications Inc. Jasper Life Publications Inc. 725 Viscount Road London, Ontario, Canada N6J 4G9 Phone: (519) 472-6620 www.jasperlife.com info@jasperlife.com ISBN 978-1-926970-04-2 All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Bible text from the New King James Version® is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attn: Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000.

Contents Preface................................................................... 7 1 Introduction.......................................................... 9 2 Hosea................................................................... 19 3 The Symbol of a Wife of Harlotry....................... 29 4 Jealous Husband.................................................. 39 5 God’s Forbearance............................................... 51 6 The Conversion of Israel..................................... 59 7 Out of Egypt I Called My Son............................. 69 8 Ephraim’s Idolatry................................................ 81 9 The Prophet Joel................................................. 91 10 The Day of the Lord Has Drawn Near!.............. 99 11 The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord........... 109 12 The Time is Now............................................... 117

PREFACE The books of the Minor Prophets are difficult for those who study signs and prophecies to interpret, especially the writings that relate to the end times. No doubt, this eschatological element is present in the Minor Prophets, but it is not the most important element. More than eschatology, the prophets whose books are smaller (this is the reason they are called Minor Prophets) show who God is with His divine, practical and sweet attributes. Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Unchangeable Love reveals God to us based on messages on the books of Hosea and Joel ministered by Dong Yu Lan in September of 1992. We desire that this book would help each one who seeks God to know Him more. The Editors February, 2010

God’s Unchangeable Love—Books of Hosea and Joel

HOSEA “For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Pet. 1:21) Not all of us are qualified to be Major Prophets, but when we study the Minor Prophets we feel God’s encouragement that each of His children can speak for Him…

Chapter One INTRODUCTION God is a God who speaks (Heb. 1:1). He is the Word (John 1:1). Since the beginning of time God has spoken in many ways, especially through His prophets. What are prophets? Prophets are those who speak for God, manifest God in their speaking, and speak God into people. The speaking of the prophets transmits and manifests God’s burden, will and purpose to all those who listen to such a speaking. From the beginning of mankind, God has had His prophets. We can say that Adam was someone who spoke for God, for he and his descendants began the practice of calling on the name 9

God’s Unchangeable Love—Books of Hosea and Joel

of the Lord (Gen. 4:26). Enoch, besides walking with God, also spoke for God (Jude 14-15). Noah was another prophet, known as the preacher of righteousness (2 Pet. 2:5). Moses was considered the greatest prophet of Israel (Deut. 34:10). There are also many other prophets in the Old Testament. However, being a prophet isn’t a privilege only for the people of the Old Testament. In the New Testament, God Himself, the Word, became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1, 14) as a man named Jesus. After living as a perfect man, Jesus died and resurrected, becoming a life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45). As Spirit, Jesus, who is the Word, entered into all those who believe in Him. Thus, we who previously were dumb because we were carried away to dumb idols (1 Cor. 12:2), can now speak for God, for the God who speaks is in us. That is why each child of God can be a prophet of God! In 1 Corinthians 14:31, we are told that all of us can prophesy one by one. Perhaps many consider themselves incapable of prophesying when they compare themselves to Moses, Isaiah, Daniel or any other prophet. However, we need to realize that prophesying does not require being able to give long messages. Simply by calling on the name of the Lord, and even saying “Amen” or “Hallelujah” is also prophesying, speaking for God. Not all of us are qualified to be Major Prophets such s Isaiah, Jeremiah or Daniel, but all of us are qualified to be Minor Prophets. But when we study the Minor Prophets, we feel God’s encouragement that each of His children can speak for Him. As Minor Prophets, we can preach the gospel and share the word of God with other people at home, at school, at work or in the church meetings. We are prophets at God’s service everywhere and at every moment. Each one of us can declare with conviction and certainty, “I am a minor prophet! I can 10

Introduction

speak for God because God Himself Who is the Word is in me. He enables me to speak for Him!” THE PROPHET MOSES

Moses has a prominent position among the prophets. In the Bible, he is called “the prophet”. Deuteronomy 34:10 tells us that there never was another prophet like Moses in Israel, with whom God spoke face to face. When the people of Israel suffered captivity in Egypt, God raised Moses to speak to the people for Him. However, God had to prepare Moses for this function. You need to go through a preparation process to be a prophet. No one becomes a prophet of God merely because they have a natural ability, capacity or eloquence. All of this is useless and has no value to God. That is why Moses had to be worked on by God. He went through three periods of forty years in his life. In the first period, he was raised as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter and educated with all the culture and science of the Egyptians, becoming mighty in words and deeds (Acts 7:22). However, all this education that he received was natural and could not be used by God for His purpose. So God allowed circumstances to rise that forced Moses to escape to the land of Midian (Exo. 2:11-22; Acts 7:23-29). In the land of Midian, Moses went through the second period of forty years. There, he became slow of speech and slow of tongue (Exo. 4:10). All his ability to express himself faded; his eloquence was lost. It was exactly in this condition that God called him to serve Him. It is interesting to note that only after Moses lost his natural ability, could God use him. If we desire to serve God and speak for Him, we have to 11

God’s Unchangeable Love—Books of Hosea and Joel

realize that our natural capacity has no value whatsoever. In the world, these things are very valued, but in the church they are useless. God will only work in us and through us when we are totally terminated, that is, when we consider ourselves useless. He knows that at that moment, our dependence on Him will be complete and absolute. This is what happened to Moses and should occur to each one of us. Thus, we will be making a way for the Lord to use us in resurrection. Then our words will build up and benefit those who hear for they will have spiritual weight. Everything that has not yet gone through death and resurrection is useless to God. We can fully believe the word God said to Moses: “Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say” (Exo. 4:12). Also, we should not utter any word that was not given to us by God. This way, when we speak for God, we will transmit the revelation of His economy. Deuteronomy 18:15-22 shows us the type of prophet that Moses was. To God, he was a special prophet according to His heart. In verse 19, we read that God would require it from all those who did not listen to the His words spoken by the Prophet like Moses. This means that the words spoken by him were the word of God. The people should hear them and also convey them to others. The following verses speak of the false prophets. Those who spoke in God’s name without being commanded to by God or who spoke in the name of other gods, would die. Moses always spoke to the people what God commanded him to, for he dealt with God face to face (Deut. 34:10). In His intimate relationship with Moses, God would make known to Moses His purpose and goals. This is the secret of every prophet who speaks for God. Real prophets speak only what 12

Introduction

God speaks to them. We should never speak anything based on our feelings or opinions or anything that is not based on the revelation of the whole Bible. We should seek to be more intimate with God in our fellowship with Him, so that we can know Him more, and thus prophesy for Him for the fulfilling of His plan. Otherwise, if we say anything loosely in the Lord’s name, we run a great risk of being punished by Him. THE PROPHET JESUS

The prophet that is mentioned in Deuteronomy 18 actually refers to Christ, of whom Moses was only a shadow. Christ is the Prophet (John 7:40). There was no one, there is no one, and there will never be anyone like Him. More than simply speaking God and God’s words to people, Christ is the Word, God Himself (1:1). Neither Moses nor Elijah can compare to Him, and all of us shall listen only to Him (Matt. 17:5). PROPHESYING BUILDS UP THE CHURCH

There are many prophets in the church. All of them should speak according to the Prophet, that is Christ. These prophets, when speaking for God, speak words of wisdom and this builds up the church. On one hand, the church is built up on Christ as the foundation (1 Cor. 3:11). On the other hand, it is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Eph. 2:20). To be sent as an apostle, a Christian firstly needs to be a prophet as Paul and Barnabas were in Acts 13. An apostle has the gift and the function of a prophet to take God’s word to the places where he is sent. Thus, we see that the church needs the speaking of the prophets to be built up. 13

God’s Unchangeable Love—Books of Hosea and Joel

In 1 Corinthians 14, we are told that prophesying edifies, exhorts and comforts the church (vv. 3-4). Verse 31 tells us that all of us can prophesy. The gift of prophesying, of speaking for God, was not given to only a few, but to all the members of the body. This is clearly described in 1 Corinthians 12. Many of the gifts mentioned there are related to speaking. Moreover, in describing the functioning of the body (vv. 12-21), the apostle Paul shows us that all the members speak. On the day of Pentecost, the one hundred and twenty Galilean disciples who were mostly illiterate, received the outpouring of the Spirit. Tongues as of fire were distributed and sat on each one of them. What is the use of tongues? To speak. From that moment on, those despised Galileans who had no eloquence started speaking for God, declaring His wonderful works and astounding all who were there (Acts 2:513). As a result of this and of Peter’s speaking, thousands were saved, and thus the church in Jerusalem came to existence. The speaking of the prophets builds up the church. However, our prophesying needs to constantly be perfected so that there is more building up. That is why God constituted a group of gifted men, in other words, people who have prophecy as one of their ministries, to perfect others for the building up of the church (Eph. 4:11-12). If we have a clear and correct vision of the building up of the church, we will have an inward desire to be perfected in our prophesying, and will not waste opportunities to be perfected. THE PROPHETIC BOOKS

The prophetic books of the Old Testament are divided into two groups: the Major Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, 14

Introduction

and Daniel) and the Minor Prophets (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi). THE CONTENT

The books of the Major Prophets and the Minor Prophets do not differ in their content—they all describe God’s economy and what God is. However, the Major Prophets emphasize the revelation of God’s economy, and the Minor Prophets emphasize God’s being, what God is. Isaiah speaks of God’s economy revealed in Christ. Jeremiah shows us Christ as God’s righteousness and His economy. Ezekiel describes God’s moving in His economy. Daniel speaks of the destiny of human government in God’s economy. The Minor Prophets, in turn, speak in a general way concerning God’s unchangeable love, concerning His mercy, compassion and great kindness, concerning the rebuilding of David’s fallen tabernacle, concerning brotherly love, and concerning God’s love to the world, among other issues. THE TARGET

The target of the word spoken by the prophets was the kingdom of Judah. It is interesting to highlight two aspects of this fact. Firstly, although some prophets were from the kingdom of Israel, their prophecies addressed the kingdom of Judah. Secondly, the writings of the prophets that prophesied concerning Judah constitute the main part of the Minor Prophets. Why did God give little importance to the kingdom of Israel and so much concern to the kingdom of Judah? This 15

God’s Unchangeable Love—Books of Hosea and Joel

was because the kingdom of Israel’s base was division (we will see more about this later), and the kingdom of Judah kept itself on the base of oneness. God’s eyes were always upon the kingdom of Judah because Judah kept the place that God had chosen for them to worship Him (Deut. 12:5; 1 Kings 11:32). Although the kingdom of Judah also had weaknesses, sins and rebelled against God, God still watched over Judah. Judah’s condition was not normal, but their position was correct. This gave God a base to deal with His people and bring them back to a normal and healthy condition. May the Lord continue restoring His church (the Judah of today), bringing those who are still in desolation to the place He has chosen, a place where the oneness of His people is expressed. THE PLACE CHOSEN BY GOD

The prophecies referring to the kingdom of Israel were not emphasized in the record of the Bible because this kingdom was the result of the division caused by Jeroboam. God gave ten tribes to Jeroboam, taking them away from Rehoboam according to what he had said to Solomon, his father, for he forsook the Lord to follow strange gods (1 Kings 11:31, 33, 35). However, Jeroboam did not trust God, and was afraid that the people of Israel would turn their hearts to Rehoboam when they went to Jerusalem to worship God. So he established two centres of worship: one in Dan and another in Bethel, and put a golden calf in each one of them for the people to worship (12:25-33). This divided the people. Division and idolatry are serious sins, extremely serious in God’s eyes. Jeroboam and his entire household suffered severe 16

Introduction

punishment because of this (1 Kings 14). From that time, God abandoned the kingdom of Israel to their own fate. Although He was no longer caring for the kingdom of Israel, God still kept waiting for them to repent and return to Jerusalem. Only in this way would the oneness between His people be restored. Later on, King Hezekiah from Judah was also concerned about this. He made a proclamation to all the ten tribes of Israel and sent them letters so that they would come to Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover together with the two tribes of Judah (2 Chron. 30). Some tribes mocked the messengers. Nevertheless, some humbled themselves and went to Jerusalem (vv. 10-11). All of those who were there in oneness rejoiced greatly (vv. 25-26). Today, the situation of the sons of God is similar. Many still remain in many divisions of the Body of Christ, far off from the reality that God desires, the oneness of His people. Today God needs people like Hezekiah who make a proclamation everywhere to promote the return of God’s children to the place that He determined, His church. Everyone needs to clearly realize that the situation of division today among God’s sons is shameful in His eyes. God longs for the oneness of His people. May we abandon our differences, deny ourselves, take up the cross, and worship God in the place He has chosen. Even if only a minority heeds to God’s calling, we should be faithful to Him as Hezekiah was. We believe, however, that one day all will come back to the place chosen by God. There, together they will worship God, call His name, and enjoy the best portion, the first fruits of all offerings. For the oneness, we should pay whatever price is necessary. We prophesy for “Jerusalem”, for the oneness, and cooperate in the fulfilment of God’s purpose in this way. 17

God’s Unchangeable Love—Books of Hosea and Joel

GOD’S CARE FOR JERUSALEM

It is important to point out that the kingdom of Israel and the kingdom of Judah had different ends. While the first was taken captive to Assyria and scattered through many cities (2 Kings 17:6), the second was taken captive to Babylon. Pagan people who were brought from various regions by the king of Assyria, dwelt in Samaria, capital of the kingdom of Israel, (v. 24). This prevented the restoration of the kingdom of Israel, for there was no other place for the people to settle as their own land. However, although Judah had been taken captive to Babylon under the discipline of God, according to the Lord’s sovereignty, Jerusalem remained deserted during the seventy years of captivity. God left the land resting so that, after the accomplishment of the seventy years, it would again be restored. By decree of the King Cyrus, all who desired could return to Jerusalem. This decree was for both the ten tribes of the kingdom of Israel and the two tribes of the kingdom of Judah, for the two kingdoms were under the domination of the Medo-Persian Empire. Cyrus was God’s prophet in proclaiming this decree (Isa. 45:1-7). God today needs many “Cyrus’”, many prophets who promote the return of those who are in “Egypt”, in “Edom”, in “Moab”, in “Assyria”, and in “Babylon”. Ultimately, everywhere the prophets need to encourage the people of God to come back to “Jerusalem” in order to rebuild God’s temple, the church! May we open our mouths to speak for God, transmitting His will and His purpose to people. May we be increasingly willing to be perfected in prophesying. May we trust the Lord so that, in Him, we are bold to speak as we ought to speak (Eph. 6:20).