Bible Reading Plan

Month: March 2022

  • Ruth 3

    Ruth 3

    Read Ruth 3

    Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor

    3 One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home for you, where you will be well provided for. 2 Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. 3 Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.”

    5 “I will do whatever you say,” Ruth answered. 6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.

    7 When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned—and there was a woman lying at his feet!

    9 “Who are you?” he asked.

    “I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family.”

    10 “The Lord bless you, my daughter,” he replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. 11 And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character. 12 Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I. 13 Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives I will do it. Lie here until morning.”

    14 So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, “No one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor.”

    15 He also said, “Bring me the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and placed the bundle on her. Then he went back to town.

    16 When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “How did it go, my daughter?”

    Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her 17 and added, “He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”

    18 Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.”

    Go Deeper

    Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law, shares with Ruth that she wants to find a home for her. Naomi knew that Ruth could be best taken care of if she was married. She wishes for Ruth to claim her right to marriage soon. Ruth and Boaz were not “dating” as we would think of in modern-day culture. Rather, they would spend their time in the context of a group. However, this is a great way for Ruth and Boaz to truly get to know each other’s character. Dating can be a superficial way to get to know someone. People tend to put a “mask” on their true personality in hopes of gaining the attraction of the other person. What we see unfold in Ruth 3 is counter to our twenty-first century approach, but there is much for us to learn from it.

    After seeing Boaz interact in a group, Naomi instructs Ruth to spend time with Boaz one-on-one. Once Boaz is finished eating, Naomi tells Ruth that she should uncover his feet and lie down near Boaz’s feet. Some may find Naomi’s advice inappropriately forward, but Naomi’s suggestion is rooted in a particular custom from Ancient Israel known as “goel.” The goel, which is sometimes translated as “kinsman redeemer,” had a role in Israel’s family life. The goel, in this context, was responsible to safeguard the persons, the property and the prosperity of the family. Naomi instructs Ruth very specifically so Boaz can exercise his responsibilities as her goel. When Boaz sees Ruth, he responds in a way of humility and patience. He was kind enough to wait to act as goel towards Ruth until she desired it. In the morning, Boaz sends Ruth home and gives her six measures of barley. He acted as a gentleman in making sure Ruth would not leave empty-handed.

    In sum, Boaz displays love to Ruth in multiple ways in their first time together. He shows humility and patience. He affirms Ruth as a woman of noble character (v. 11) and is in no rush to take action (v. 13). We see Boaz be considerate of Ruth first, then to Naomi by giving Ruth the barley as a gift to bring back to Ruth (v. 17). Boaz offers an excellent example of love for us to consider.

    Questions

    1. What does this chapter teach you about God’s character? What does it teach you about humanity? 
    2. In chapter 3, Ruth makes an appeal for marriage to Boaz at the community threshing floor. Have you ever had to ask someone to do something significant for you without knowing the outcome?
    3. As Ruth leaves the threshing floor the next morning, Boaz gives her a gift. What does this gift tell us about the extent to which Boaz continues to take care of Ruth and Naomi?

    Try This

    Ruth showed obedience, boldness, and humility in her actions, and was praised by Boaz for her virtue. What qualities of Ruth do you most see in yourself? Make a list today and ask God to help you steward those qualities well.

    Help Us Brainstorm

    We are trying to figure out what would make the BRP’s Rest Day (Sunday) entries more helpful and engaging. Maybe it’s a video, a podcast, a personal reflection…the options are endless!

    Do you have an idea? If so, e-mail us at [email protected]. Thanks for helping us think!

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  • Ruth 2

    Ruth 2

    Read Ruth 2

    Ruth Meets Boaz in the Grain Field

    2 Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, a man of standing from the clan of Elimelek, whose name was Boaz.

    2 And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.”

    Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.” 3 So she went out, entered a field and began to glean behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek.

    4 Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, “The Lord be with you!”

    “The Lord bless you!” they answered.

    5 Boaz asked the overseer of his harvesters, “Who does that young woman belong to?”

    6 The overseer replied, “She is the Moabite who came back from Moab with Naomi. 7 She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters.’ She came into the field and has remained here from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter.”

    8 So Boaz said to Ruth, “My daughter, listen to me. Don’t go and glean in another field and don’t go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me. 9 Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the women. I have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.”

    10 At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?”

    11 Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. 12 May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”

    13 “May I continue to find favor in your eyes, my lord,” she said. “You have put me at ease by speaking kindly to your servant—though I do not have the standing of one of your servants.”

    14 At mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come over here. Have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar.”

    When she sat down with the harvesters, he offered her some roasted grain. She ate all she wanted and had some left over. 15 As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, “Let her gather among the sheaves and don’t reprimand her. 16 Even pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don’t rebuke her.”

    17 So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah. 18 She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over after she had eaten enough.

    19 Her mother-in-law asked her, “Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!”

    Then Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been working. “The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz,” she said.

    20 “The Lord bless him!” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. “He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.” She added, “That man is our close relative; he is one of our guardian-redeemers.”

    21 Then Ruth the Moabite said, “He even said to me, ‘Stay with my workers until they finish harvesting all my grain.’”

    22 Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with the women who work for him, because in someone else’s field you might be harmed.”

    23 So Ruth stayed close to the women of Boaz to glean until the barley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

    Go Deeper

    In today’s reading, we see the Lord’s sovereignty already all over Ruth and Naomi. What was once despair and bitterness as we see in Ruth 1, the Lord has beautifully turned into provision and hope. There is nothing we go through that has not sifted through God’s sovereign hands (Proverbs 16:33). His sovereignty and brilliancy are on display when he leads Ruth not only to the field of Naomi’s relatives, but also to a potential Redeemer for them. Is that so thoughtful or what?!

    Boaz allows Ruth to glean extra barley, protects her, and also provides her with water and food “until she was satisfied and had some left over” (vs. 14.) This is what the Lord does with us. He meets our needs and then brilliantly goes beyond what we could ask or imagine so that we are satisfied with some left over. What we can trust about the Lord is not only that He provides, but he provides in abundance. He gives in a way that only He can–in ways that when we look back on our life, we see those creative and thoughtful details in which we say “only God”. 

    Another thing that stands out about this chapter is that Boaz is clearly a wealthy man. Whereas he could have easily taken all of the harvest that was rightfully owed to him, he opted to let Ruth not only glean the scraps, but also told his men to leave her extra. The Lord blessed Boaz with a fertile field, many workers and plentiful harvest, and in turn, Boaz gives generously. He allows himself to be used by God, the origination of all of his blessings, to bless someone in need. So often in our own lives we harbor what the Lord has given us, whether that be giftings, resources, finances, etc., and we use it for selfish gains. However, when we look at Boaz, we see a man who has been entrusted with much and submits his resources to the Lord to be used by Him. We can observe from the way Boaz treats Ruth (and even his servants) that he understands the weight of what the Lord has blessed him with. May this be true of us as well.

    Praise God for His sovereignty, His abundant provision in our lives, and for the ways He has equipped us to bless others. Let us have a heart to acknowledge His sufficiency and the way He sustains us on a daily basis. Let us have eyes to see those around us that the Lord has providentially placed in our path to bless with whatever means that have been entrusted to us. 

    Questions

    1. How does this chapter reveal the character of God?
    2. Where do you see the Lord’s provision in your own life? 
    3. In what ways have you been blessed (talents, finances, giftings) by the Lord to be a blessing to others? What is one practical way you can walk in that today (think about who is in your circle of influence that you can impact)? 

    Did You Know?

    This is the first time that we see the term “redeemer” (v. 20) used in this book. This is in reference to a kinsman-redeemer, which is a person who “under the Mosaic Law, was a male relative who had the responsibility to act on behalf of a relative who was in trouble, danger, or need” (for more information, check out this article from GotQuestions.org). This will make more sense as we continue to read Ruth, but already we can see the parallels in this book to Christ being our Redeemer—acting on our behalf when we were desperately in need.

    Help Us Brainstorm

    We are trying to figure out what would make the BRP’s Rest Day (Sunday) entries more helpful and engaging. Maybe it’s a video, a podcast, a personal reflection…the options are endless!

    Do you have an idea? If so, e-mail us at [email protected]. Thanks for helping us think!

    Leave a Comment Below

    Did you learn something today? Share it with our Bible Reading Plan community by commenting below.

    Join the Team

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  • Ruth 1

    Ruth 1

    Ruth Preview

    The story of Ruth begins in Moab, a pagan country. A famine forces Elimelech and his wife, Naomi from their Israelite home to Moab. Their sons marry Moabite women who worship other gods. Elimelech dies and so do his sons leaving Naomi and her two daughters in law vulnerable and without means to provide for themselves. When the famine in Israel is over, Naomi packs up to head for home and urges Ruth and Orpah to go back to Moab and begin again. 

    With remarkable faith and loyalty, Ruth decides to journey with Naomi back to Bethlehem. Through tragedy, loyalty, courage, obedience, and generosity Ruth meets Boaz, her kinsman-redeemer. The role of kinsman-redeemer (or family redeemer) was a cultural practice to redeem an impoverished relative from his or her circumstances. Ruth and Boaz marry and later Ruth bears a son, Obed, who is the grandfather of King David, the ancestor of Jesus. 

    The book of Ruth is a beautiful story of redemption, loyalty, and God’s providential will. Ruth teaches us that genuine love requires sacrifice and loyalty. God uses a Gentile woman and her kinsman-redeemer as an illustration of God’s love for all people. Through the book of Ruth, we witness that even in the dark days and difficult experiences, God is working in and through the hearts and lives of people. He is our provider. He is our way-maker. He is our Redeemer. As we read Ruth, look for the foreshadowing of Jesus, our kinsman-redeemer.

    Read Ruth 1

    Naomi Loses Her Husband and Sons

    1 In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. 2 The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.

    3 Now Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years, 5 both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.

    Naomi and Ruth Return to Bethlehem

    6 When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there. 7 With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.

    8 Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the Lord show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me. 9 May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.”

    Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud 10 and said to her, “We will go back with you to your people.”

    11 But Naomi said, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? 12 Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons— 13 would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me!”

    14 At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.

    15 “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.”

    16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

    19 So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”

    20 “Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. 21 I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”

    22 So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning.

    Go Deeper

    The author of this Old Testament book is unknown, but scholars generally agree it was written after the time of the judges. Judges 17:6 reveals this was a dark time in Israel’s history, where “everyone did whatever they wanted.” In this time period, the Book of Ruth introduces the reader to a beautiful narrative of one of the greatest love stories of all time. Set against the backdrop of Bethlehem and Moab, we discover the family of Elimelech, Naomi, and their two sons. Caught in the midst of a famine, they uproot to find sustenance in the land of Moab (a nation that had oppressed Israel during the period of the judges). Within ten years, the sons took Moabite wives; however, tragedy strikes as Naomi buries both her husband and sons. One could easily make a connection between Naomi and Job.

    Naomi is now found in a dangerous, desperate, and destitute situation, as a widow in a foreign land with no relatives to lean on. Broken and bitter, Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem. She encourages her two daughters-in-law to remain in Moab and start their lives over, even though this will mean more hardship for her.  While Orpah remains with her people, Ruth recognizes Naomi’s selfless attitude and decides to follow her example. In v. 16 Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” 

    Ruth was a Moabitess, an outsider, but one who was willing to be inconvenienced by uprooting her life to follow her convictions. She felt compelled to show loyalty to Naomi, return with her to Bethlehem, and worship the God of Israel, the one true God. Her faith would soon be richly rewarded by the love and kindness of a kinsman-redeemer. As the rest of the book will reveal, God accepts her worship and her name will one day be recorded in the lineage of Christ in Matthew 1:5. God takes a foreigner, one who was not Jewish, and weaves a lovely, unforgettable redemption story of her life. Hebrews 13:8 declares “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” We can rest assured that our God is unchanging and can do the same for us as we conduct ourselves in a way that reflects His superiority.

    Questions

    1. How have you experienced the loyalty of another in your life?  Take a moment and write them a note expressing your gratitude.
    2. Do you believe God unconditionally loves you and can create beauty out of hardships and brokenness like He did for Naomi?  
    3. What is one thing you could do this week that would bring hope to someone suffering?

    Pray This

    Father,

    In the tough times, may my unwavering trust in You draw others to do the same. Deliver me from compromising as I place my full allegiance in You as the God who sees me, is for me, and with me. You are fair and just, completely capable of taking the fragments of my lives and turning them into beauty. Thank you for redeeming me, one moment at a time.

    Help Us Brainstorm

    We are trying to figure out what would make the BRP’s Rest Day (Sunday) entries more helpful and engaging. Maybe it’s a video, a podcast, a personal reflection…the options are endless!

    Do you have an idea? If so, e-mail us at [email protected]. Thanks for helping us think!

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  • Hosea 14

    Hosea 14

    Read Hosea 14

    Repentance to Bring Blessing

    14 Return, Israel, to the Lord your God.
        Your sins have been your downfall!
    2 Take words with you
        and return to the Lord.
    Say to him:
        “Forgive all our sins
    and receive us graciously,
        that we may offer the fruit of our lips.
    3 Assyria cannot save us;
        we will not mount warhorses.
    We will never again say ‘Our gods’
        to what our own hands have made,
        for in you the fatherless find compassion.”

    4 “I will heal their waywardness
        and love them freely,
        for my anger has turned away from them.
    5 I will be like the dew to Israel;
        he will blossom like a lily.
    Like a cedar of Lebanon
        he will send down his roots;
    6     his young shoots will grow.
    His splendor will be like an olive tree,
        his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.
    7 People will dwell again in his shade;
        they will flourish like the grain,
    they will blossom like the vine—
        Israel’s fame will be like the wine of Lebanon.
    8 Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols?
        I will answer him and care for him.
    I am like a flourishing juniper;
        your fruitfulness comes from me.”

    9 Who is wise? Let them realize these things.
        Who is discerning? Let them understand.
    The ways of the Lord are right;
        the righteous walk in them,
        but the rebellious stumble in them.

    Go Deeper

    Hosea 14 begins with a call for Israel to repent and return to the Lord God. The text says, “Return, Israel, to the Lord your God,” (v. 1), but it could very well say, “Return, Waco/Texas/Atlanta/London/New Zealand, to the Lord your God.” The same call applies today, to every one of us, to repent and return to the Lord. Every day, due to our sin, we receive countless opportunities to repent and return to God. This means we turn to the Lord, confess where we fall short, and then move forward with a commitment to walk closely with Him.

    The whole book of Hosea provides us with a picture of God’s relationship with Israel. Despite her sin and rebellion, God never tires of showing Gomer grace and mercy. While providing an example of a husband and wife, the book of Hosea illustrates a parallel in God’s relationship with Israel. The message continues in a similar way, in that in spite of our sin, the Father will still take us back into relationship with Himself. Mercy can be defined as not getting something we deserve, and while we certainly deserve eternal punishment, God shows us mercy through His Son, Jesus.

    We see the same promise in Proverbs 28:13: “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” Out of fear and pride, our tendency is to try to conceal our sins. When we do so, we do not prosper. But God makes it very clear that when we confess and renounce our sins, we find mercy. Hosea declares this very same truth over the people of Israel. Confess and renounce your sin and you will find mercy. From God we find compassion (v.3), healing, love, and relief from God’s anger (v.4).

    When we repent, we receive hope for the future. God will grow our roots down deep (v. 5-6), and we will dwell in His presence and bear fruit (v.7). Gomer’s sin was atrocious and heinous. Israel’s sins of idolatry and much more deserve eternal punishment. Our sins are equally repulsive and wicked. Despite this, God shows mercy to those who return to Him. May we never get over the gospel and the fact that He forgives our sins and receives us graciously (v.2).

    Questions

    1. In verse 3, Hosea references ‘gods’ the Israelites made with their hands. What are some ‘gods’/idols that pull you away from worshiping the Lord?
    2. What are some ways that you can help ‘send down roots’ (v.5) to help you grow in your relationship with the Lord today?
    3. How have your sins been your downfall? Take a moment to thank God that a downward fall from sin is not the end of your story!

    Did You Know?

    Hosea 14:9 functions as a conclusion or epilogue to the book of Hosea, in that it summarizes who God is, how to rightly respond to Him, and what happens when we don’t return to and worship Him. Hosea provides us with an option at the end of the book—either worship the Lord and walk in His right ways, or choose to rebel and stumble.

    Help Us Brainstorm

    We are trying to figure out what would make the BRP’s Rest Day (Sunday) entries more helpful and engaging. Maybe it’s a video, a podcast, a personal reflection…the options are endless!

    Do you have an idea? If so, e-mail us at [email protected]. Thanks for helping us think!

    Leave a Comment Below

    Did you learn something today? Share it with our Bible Reading Plan community by commenting below.

    Join the Team

    Interested in writing for the Bible Reading Plan? Email [email protected].

  • Hosea 13

    Hosea 13

    Read Hosea 13

    The Lord’s Anger Against Israel

    13 When Ephraim spoke, people trembled;
        he was exalted in Israel.
        But he became guilty of Baal worship and died.
    2 Now they sin more and more;
        they make idols for themselves from their silver,
    cleverly fashioned images,
        all of them the work of craftsmen.
    It is said of these people,
        “They offer human sacrifices!
        They kiss calf-idols!”
    3 Therefore they will be like the morning mist,
        like the early dew that disappears,
        like chaff swirling from a threshing floor,
        like smoke escaping through a window.

    4 “But I have been the Lord your God
        ever since you came out of Egypt.
    You shall acknowledge no God but me,
        no Savior except me.
    5 I cared for you in the wilderness,
        in the land of burning heat.
    6 When I fed them, they were satisfied;
        when they were satisfied, they became proud;
        then they forgot me.
    7 So I will be like a lion to them,
        like a leopard I will lurk by the path.
    8 Like a bear robbed of her cubs,
        I will attack them and rip them open;
    like a lion I will devour them—
        a wild animal will tear them apart.

    9 “You are destroyed, Israel,
        because you are against me, against your helper.
    10 Where is your king, that he may save you?
        Where are your rulers in all your towns,
    of whom you said,
        ‘Give me a king and princes’?
    11 So in my anger I gave you a king,
        and in my wrath I took him away.
    12 The guilt of Ephraim is stored up,
        his sins are kept on record.
    13 Pains as of a woman in childbirth come to him,
        but he is a child without wisdom;
    when the time arrives,
        he doesn’t have the sense to come out of the womb.

    14 “I will deliver this people from the power of the grave;
        I will redeem them from death.
    Where, O death, are your plagues?
        Where, O grave, is your destruction?

    “I will have no compassion,
    15     even though he thrives among his brothers.
    An east wind from the Lord will come,
        blowing in from the desert;
    his spring will fail
        and his well dry up.
    His storehouse will be plundered
        of all its treasures.
    16 The people of Samaria must bear their guilt,
        because they have rebelled against their God.
    They will fall by the sword;
        their little ones will be dashed to the ground,
        their pregnant women ripped open.”

    Go Deeper

    In Hosea 13, we see that the Lord graciously reminds His people of His chronic provisions for them. He reminds them of their lack of solace or survival apart from Him. In His kindness, He filled their stomachs and lifted their spirits. When no longer feeling a need for Him, content in their satiation, they quickly forgot Him. Oh, how often we do this! Read what God says in Hosea 13:4-6 again:

    “But I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt; you know no God but Me, and besides Me there is no savior. It was I who knew you in the wilderness, in the land of drought; but when they had grazed, they became full, they were filled, and their heart was lifted up; therefore they forgot Me.”

    We often cry out in the face of that which is uncomfortable. We feel entitled to our own comfort, which ultimately becomes our priority. We build gods (“little g”) out of all of the earthly things we think will solve our problems, ignoring God in the process. He provides richly just what we need, and we respond with momentary praise followed by selfish fleeing and distraction.

    If we pause and take a moment to review His track of faithfulness in our lives, we will see that God consistently provides exactly what we need, when we need it.

    There is not one moment where He has left us lacking (Luke 22:35). He has never left us without. We have always been provided just what we need to continue on, even if it hasn’t matched the way we envisioned it (and it often doesn’t). He is so worthy of praise! He never, even for a moment, loses sight of what will bring Him most glory in our lives. May we never lose our desperate dependence, even if our flesh feels it is no longer needed!

    Read this second reminder given to us in Hosea 13:14a:

    “I shall ransom them from the power of Sheol; I shall redeem them from Death. O Death, where are your plagues? O Sheol, where is your sting?”

    This is just another piece of evidence pointing to the Father’s greatest provision for us. Removing death’s power over us in the sacrifice and resurrection of His Son, Jesus (1 John 3:16). Let us never become complacent in this truth! We must maintain a renewed desire to follow Jesus each and every morning. Remind yourself today to always hold this Treasure dearly, responding with all praise and devotion to Him. His tender care and provision for us are daily reminders that God loves and cares for us.

    Questions

    1. Where have you taken His provision for granted?
    2. Do your selfish expectations get in the way of finding joy in what He gives?
    3. Do you live daily as if He is your only lifeline?

    Pray This

    “Father, remind me of all of Your provision and love for me. Humble me to know that You are the only source of life, that I would be nothing without You. Reveal to me how to best praise You. Reveal to me what you want my next step to be. Let my life be a song of Your love. Grow me in my knowledge of You and my ability to share it with others. I love you. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

    Help Us Brainstorm

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    Do you have an idea? If so, e-mail us at [email protected]. Thanks for helping us think!

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  • Rest Day

    Rest Day

    Rest Day

    Today is a Rest Day. There is no new Bible reading to do. Today, the goal is simple: rest in the presence of God. Maybe you need to use today to get caught up on the reading plan if you’re behind, maybe you want to journal what you’re learning so you don’t forget what God is teaching you, or maybe you want to spend time in concentrated prayer–do that. Above all, just spend time in God’s presence.

    Reflect on this

    We are almost through the book of Hosea. Today, catch up on any reading you fell behind on or re-read anything that you feel you need to read again. Once you’re all caught up, set aside some time to answer these questions again this week:

    1. What has surprised you about the book of Hosea so far?

    2. What have you learned about the nature of God through the book of Hosea so far?

    3. What have you learned about the nature of man through the book of Hosea so far?

    4. What are the Gospel implications for us as we read the book of Hosea?

    Worship with Us

    Join us at 9a or 11a today in person or online at harriscreek.org/live. We’d love to worship with you! We also desire to connect everyone with a local church body where they can thrive in community and use their gifts to serve. If you’re following our Bible Reading Plan from outside of Waco and are eager to get connected with a great local church, email us at [email protected].

    Help Us Brainstorm

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    Do you have an idea? If so, e-mail us at [email protected]. Thanks for helping us think!

    Leave a Comment Below
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  • Hosea 12

    Hosea 12

    Read Hosea 12

    12 1 Ephraim feeds on the wind;
        he pursues the east wind all day
        and multiplies lies and violence.
    He makes a treaty with Assyria
        and sends olive oil to Egypt.
    2 The Lord has a charge to bring against Judah;
        he will punish Jacob according to his ways
        and repay him according to his deeds.
    3 In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel;
        as a man he struggled with God.
    4 He struggled with the angel and overcame him;
        he wept and begged for his favor.
    He found him at Bethel
        and talked with him there—
    5 the Lord God Almighty,
        the Lord is his name!
    6 But you must return to your God;
        maintain love and justice,
        and wait for your God always.
    7 The merchant uses dishonest scales
        and loves to defraud.
    8 Ephraim boasts,
        “I am very rich; I have become wealthy.
    With all my wealth they will not find in me
        any iniquity or sin.”
    9 “I have been the Lord your God
        ever since you came out of Egypt;
    I will make you live in tents again,
        as in the days of your appointed festivals.
    10 I spoke to the prophets,
        gave them many visions
        and told parables through them.”
    11 Is Gilead wicked?
        Its people are worthless!
    Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal?
        Their altars will be like piles of stones
        on a plowed field.
    12 Jacob fled to the country of Aram;
        Israel served to get a wife,
        and to pay for her he tended sheep.
    13 The Lord used a prophet to bring Israel up from Egypt,
        by a prophet he cared for him.
    14 But Ephraim has aroused his bitter anger;
        his Lord will leave on him the guilt of his bloodshed
        and will repay him for his contempt.

    Go Deeper

    In the book of Hosea, we find Israel in a state of chaos. They have gone through king after king after king over the past thirty years and now they are living under one of the worst kingships in history. They were desperate and were relying on their political alliances with other nations to save them. This passage alludes back to Genesis 32:24-30 and how the people of Israel in their current circumstance need to be reminded of what Jacob did (and what God asks of His people). As we read, we find an ongoing list of the sin that has easily entangled the people in the land. They are marked by fraud, injustice, love of money, idolatry, bitterness, unfaithfulness, and self-reliance. Hosea is being purposeful in his highlighting of the stubbornness of the people of Israel in hopes to display the unconditional love, kindness, and endurance of God. . 

    In verse 6 we see the command “return.” This is a call of action to leave all idols and sin. Jacob worshiped God and cast out all idols from his family. Hosea is saying, “Now you do so too!” They have refused to hold fast and wait for the Lord and have sacrificed their knowledge of God. God desired not just intellectual knowledge of him, but a personal relationship with him. Hosea reminds Israel that this is God’s discipline and punishment on them, but if they were to surrender their own ways of life and “return” that God is waiting with a tender embrace. 

    How sweet to be reminded so many years later that our God is the same God. He has watched with patience even as we have embodied the same habits as Israel: relying on political parties to save us or our land, marking our life by fraud because we have continuously been someone we are not, and grown to be dependent on our self (or our money) to make us successful. God is not surprised–in fact, He has been here before. Yet, his posture is the same: a tender embrace waiting on us to surrender to His ways that are far better than our own (Isaiah 55:8-9).

    Questions

    1. Does your theology have room for both His discipline and tender embrace? Is that hard for you to comprehend? 
    2. What does this chapter teach you about God’s patient pursuit of you?
    3. What action can you take today to leave the idols in your life and surrender to God’s way?

    A Quote

    Tim Keller says this to combat idolatry and sin:
    “The secret to freedom from enslaving patterns of sin is worship. You need worship. You need great worship. You need weeping worship. You need glorious worship. You need to sense God’s greatness and to be moved by it—moved to tears and moved to laughter—moved by who God is and what he has done for you.”

    Help Us Brainstorm

    We are trying to figure out what would make the BRP’s Rest Day (Sunday) entries more helpful and engaging. Maybe it’s a video, a podcast, a personal reflection…the options are endless!

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  • Hosea 11

    Hosea 11

    Read Hosea 11

    God’s Love for Israel

    11 “When Israel was a child, I loved him,
        and out of Egypt I called my son.
    2 But the more they were called,
        the more they went away from me.
    They sacrificed to the Baals
        and they burned incense to images.
    3 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
        taking them by the arms;
    but they did not realize
        it was I who healed them.
    4 I led them with cords of human kindness,
        with ties of love.
    To them I was like one who lifts
        a little child to the cheek,
        and I bent down to feed them.

    5 “Will they not return to Egypt
        and will not Assyria rule over them
        because they refuse to repent?
    6 A sword will flash in their cities;
        it will devour their false prophets
        and put an end to their plans.
    7 My people are determined to turn from me.
        Even though they call me God Most High,
        I will by no means exalt them.

    8 “How can I give you up, Ephraim?
        How can I hand you over, Israel?
    How can I treat you like Admah?
        How can I make you like Zeboyim?
    My heart is changed within me;
        all my compassion is aroused.
    9 I will not carry out my fierce anger,
        nor will I devastate Ephraim again.
    For I am God, and not a man—
        the Holy One among you.
        I will not come against their cities.
    10 They will follow the Lord;
        he will roar like a lion.
    When he roars,
        his children will come trembling from the west.
    11 They will come from Egypt,
        trembling like sparrows,
        from Assyria, fluttering like doves.
    I will settle them in their homes,”
        declares the Lord.

    Israel’s Sin

    12 Ephraim has surrounded me with lies,
        Israel with deceit.
    And Judah is unruly against God,
        even against the faithful Holy One.

    Go Deeper

    NOTE: As with much poetry, Hosea uses imagery and references filled with unspoken meaning. While Hosea’s original audience, the people of Israel, would have been familiar with these references, those of us in the twenty-first century may not share the same context, so links are provided in the Dig Deeper section for more information.

    In Hosea 11, think of Israel as a rebellious teenager with the nickname “Ephraim.” God has given him life, taught him to walk, fed him, protected him, and provided for him, but Israel continues to run away, ignore warnings, demand privileges, and fall in with the wrong crowd. This is where we meet up with God in chapter 11. He is done! In verse 7, God declares “My people have made up their minds to turn away from me. Even if they call me the Most High God, I will certainly not honor them.”

    But then, in verse 8, we can hear the tenderness in God’s cry, “People of Ephraim, how can I give you up?” Though hurt at His people’s rebellion, God refuses to leave them to destruction as the cities of Admah and Zeboyim, both destroyed with Sodom and Gomorrah. We see God’s compassion heal His hurt and His perseverance power the plan for Israel’s return to Him. Despite the rebellion, God’s love surpasses His anger and fuels his forgiveness of Israel.

    Not only will God not destroy the nation of Israel, He will bring them, and us, back to Him through Jesus Christ. In verse 10, God predicts, “I will roar like a lion against my enemies. Then the Lord’s people will follow him. When he roars, his children will come home trembling with fear.” Jesus is referred to as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and this verse foretells of His coming like a lion, guarding the souls of His people, and of their remorseful return to Him. But this isn’t just about the people of Israel, this is about us, too.

    We are the rebellious teenager. We run away from Him when we see things we desire. We ignore His warnings of dangers in this world. We demand privileges born out of our own entitlement. We follow people and things for instant gratification. We are like Israel, but God was not done with them and He is not done with us. Jesus came to give us abundant life (John 10:10), to protect us from the enemy and our poor choices (2 Thessalonians 3:3), and to restore our relationship with Him through the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:12).

    Questions

    1. In what ways have you rebelled against this week? 
    2. How does God’s provision of Jesus affect your rebellion?
    3. How can we reflect God’s love and compassion in our difficult relationships?

    Keep Digging

    Check out these articles from GotQuestions.org for more information on Ephraim, Admah and Zeboyim, and the Lion of Judah.

    Help Us Brainstorm

    We are trying to figure out what would make the BRP’s Rest Day (Sunday) entries more helpful and engaging. Maybe it’s a video, a podcast, a personal reflection…the options are endless!

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  • Hosea 10

    Hosea 10

    Read Hosea 10

    10 Israel was a spreading vine;
        he brought forth fruit for himself.
    As his fruit increased,
        he built more altars;
    as his land prospered,
        he adorned his sacred stones.
    2 Their heart is deceitful,
        and now they must bear their guilt.
    The Lord will demolish their altars
        and destroy their sacred stones.

    3 Then they will say, “We have no king
        because we did not revere the Lord.
    But even if we had a king,
        what could he do for us?”
    4 They make many promises,
        take false oaths
        and make agreements;
    therefore lawsuits spring up
        like poisonous weeds in a plowed field.
    5 The people who live in Samaria fear
        for the calf-idol of Beth Aven.
    Its people will mourn over it,
        and so will its idolatrous priests,
    those who had rejoiced over its splendor,
        because it is taken from them into exile.
    6 It will be carried to Assyria
        as tribute for the great king.
    Ephraim will be disgraced;
        Israel will be ashamed of its foreign alliances.
    7 Samaria’s king will be destroyed,
        swept away like a twig on the surface of the waters.
    8 The high places of wickedness will be destroyed—
        it is the sin of Israel.
    Thorns and thistles will grow up
        and cover their altars.
    Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!”
        and to the hills, “Fall on us!”

    9 “Since the days of Gibeah, you have sinned, Israel,
        and there you have remained.
    Will not war again overtake
        the evildoers in Gibeah?
    10 When I please, I will punish them;
        nations will be gathered against them
        to put them in bonds for their double sin.
    11 Ephraim is a trained heifer
        that loves to thresh;
    so I will put a yoke
        on her fair neck.
    I will drive Ephraim,
        Judah must plow,
        and Jacob must break up the ground.
    12 Sow righteousness for yourselves,
        reap the fruit of unfailing love,
    and break up your unplowed ground;
        for it is time to seek the Lord,
    until he comes
        and showers his righteousness on you.
    13 But you have planted wickedness,
        you have reaped evil,
        you have eaten the fruit of deception.
    Because you have depended on your own strength
        and on your many warriors,
    14 the roar of battle will rise against your people,
        so that all your fortresses will be devastated—
    as Shalman devastated Beth Arbel on the day of battle,
        when mothers were dashed to the ground with their children.
    15 So will it happen to you, Bethel,
        because your wickedness is great.
    When that day dawns,
        the king of Israel will be completely destroyed.

    Go Deeper

    Today we read the continuation of Hosea’s metaphors for Israel. He uses two examples: the luxuriant vine and a trained calf (or a heifer in the NIV). The first example of a vine is a common image used for the nation of Israel (see Ps. 80:8-16; Jer. 2:21; Ezek. 15:1-8; 17:1-10). It is typically employed to call out the unfaithfulness of Israel when it does not bear the fruit it was designed to bear. That would be like a lime tree producing apples or rotten limes.

    Yet in this passage, we see that the vine is luxuriant and prosperous. That is, the more Israel gains on a worldly scorecard, the more sin it commits. They have given their worship to both the pagan gods and Yahweh. In verse eight, Hosea uses the phrase “thorns and thistle” to convey the unproductiveness of Israel as God’s people. They had continually done anything they wanted rather than follow God’s design. This theme carries on in the metaphor of the trained calf, Ephraim. Threshing was a relatively light activity compared to the other task for cattle, which was to plow. In order for cattle to plow the field, they would require a yoke. Israel abused its freedom to thresh in the field by planting wickedness. This is why God will place a yoke upon them: plowing under the yoke will lead them in paths of righteousness.

    There is a command in verse 12, and it is the key point that we should take to heart:

                “Sow righteousness for yourselves,

                  reap the fruit of unfailing love,

                and break up your unplowed ground;

                for it is time to seek the Lord,

                until he comes and showers his righteousness on you.”

    We are to sow righteousness and seek the Lord. Likewise, Matthew 6:33 tells us to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.” How often have we decided to pursue our own ways and trust in our own gifting and abilities without properly recognizing that God is the one who gives them to us for His own glory? Speaking of the yoke, let us consider Matthew 11:28-30, where Jesus teaches us that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. When we decide to surrender our desires and take up the yoke of Jesus, we find greater freedom there than we would trying to live life on our own. He is gentle and lowly in heart. By plowing with Him, we may reap His steadfast love. 

    Questions

    1. Have you been sowing righteousness or wickedness? 
    2. Why is it significant that God disciplines Israel yet provides restoration? 
    3. How has God provided restoration in your own life?

    Keep Digging

    To go deeper and gain a greater understanding of agriculture in Biblical times, consider this article.

    Help Us Brainstorm

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  • Hosea 9

    Hosea 9

    Read Hosea 9

    Punishment for Israel

    9 Do not rejoice, Israel;
        do not be jubilant like the other nations.
    For you have been unfaithful to your God;
        you love the wages of a prostitute
        at every threshing floor.
    2 Threshing floors and winepresses will not feed the people;
        the new wine will fail them.
    3 They will not remain in the Lord’s land;
        Ephraim will return to Egypt
        and eat unclean food in Assyria.
    4 They will not pour out wine offerings to the Lord,
        nor will their sacrifices please him.
    Such sacrifices will be to them like the bread of mourners;
        all who eat them will be unclean.
    This food will be for themselves;
        it will not come into the temple of the Lord.

    5 What will you do on the day of your appointed festivals,
        on the feast days of the Lord?
    6 Even if they escape from destruction,
        Egypt will gather them,
        and Memphis will bury them.
    Their treasures of silver will be taken over by briers,
        and thorns will overrun their tents.
    7 The days of punishment are coming,
        the days of reckoning are at hand.
        Let Israel know this.
    Because your sins are so many
        and your hostility so great,
    the prophet is considered a fool,
        the inspired person a maniac.
    8 The prophet, along with my God,
        is the watchman over Ephraim,
    yet snares await him on all his paths,
        and hostility in the house of his God.
    9 They have sunk deep into corruption,
        as in the days of Gibeah.
    God will remember their wickedness
        and punish them for their sins.

    10 “When I found Israel,
        it was like finding grapes in the desert;
    when I saw your ancestors,
        it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree.
    But when they came to Baal Peor,
        they consecrated themselves to that shameful idol
        and became as vile as the thing they loved.
    11 Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird—
        no birth, no pregnancy, no conception.
    12 Even if they rear children,
        I will bereave them of every one.
    Woe to them
        when I turn away from them!
    13 I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre,
        planted in a pleasant place.
    But Ephraim will bring out
        their children to the slayer.”

    14 Give them, Lord—
        what will you give them?
    Give them wombs that miscarry
        and breasts that are dry.

    15 “Because of all their wickedness in Gilgal,
        I hated them there.
    Because of their sinful deeds,
        I will drive them out of my house.
    I will no longer love them;
        all their leaders are rebellious.
    16 Ephraim is blighted,
        their root is withered,
        they yield no fruit.
    Even if they bear children,
        I will slay their cherished offspring.”

    17 My God will reject them
        because they have not obeyed him;
        they will be wanderers among the nations.

    Go Deeper

    The opening verses of this chapter instruct the Israelites to refrain from rejoicing because they have been unfaithful to God. Disobedience is not a new trend in the time of Hosea; it has been a theme throughout Israel’s  history. The Israelites are a forgetful people. Namely, they forget over and over again the covenant made between them and God. In the book of Deuteronomy, God makes a covenant with Moses, promising the people of Israel His blessing for their obedience (which we call the Mosaic Covenant).

    The Israelites try to shortcut the promise and seek prosperity apart from God, and this leads to disastrous consequences. Throughout the prophetic book of Hosea, these consequences are described in detail. In this chapter, the Israelites experience diminished fruitfulness and exile from the land of Jerusalem. Their forgetfulness leads to rebellion and as a result, God’s judgment on them.

    “They will not pour out wine offerings to the Lord, nor will their sacrifices please him” (v. 4). God doesn’t want our offerings. He doesn’t need our external acts of obedience – He seeks repentant hearts. David’s confession to God in Psalm 51 speaks to this:

    16 “You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;

        you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

    17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;

        a broken and contrite heart

        you, God, will not despise.” (Psalm 51:16-17)

    God is gracious. He allows us to come to Him broken and in need. We don’t need to have everything tidied up in order to be in relationship with Him. He just wants us. He wants hearts that are turned toward Him. He does the restoring and the redeeming as we draw near to Him.

    Questions

    1. What do you learn about God’s character from this chapter?
    2. What do you learn about the Israelites? How are their actions similar to your own life?
    3. What promises of God do you need to remember in order to walk in obedience to His ways?

    Did You Know?

    Check out these notes on Hosea 9 from the SonicLight Commentary published by Dr. Thomas Constable, a retired seminary professor:

    “The glory of the Ephraimites, their numerous children, would fly away like a bird, quickly and irretrievably. There would be few births, or even pregnancies, or even conceptions. There is a play on the name “Ephraim” here, which sounds somewhat like the Hebrew word meaning “twice fruitful.” The Ephraimites had looked to Baal for the blessing of human fertility, but Yahweh would withhold it in judgment. Ephraim, the doubly fruitful, would become Ephraim, the completely fruitless.”

    Help Us Brainstorm

    We are trying to figure out what would make the BRP’s Rest Day (Sunday) entries more helpful and engaging. Maybe it’s a video, a podcast, a personal reflection…the options are endless!

    Do you have an idea? If so, e-mail us at [email protected]. Thanks for helping us think!

    Leave a Comment Below

    Did you learn something today? Share it with our Bible Reading Plan community by commenting below.

    Join the Team

    Interested in writing for the Bible Reading Plan? Email [email protected].