In Hosea 5, the LORD pronounces judgment against both Israel and Judah for their “whoredom.” Again, the image that continues throughout the book of Hosea is the LORD as the faithful husband, and Israel and now Judah as the unfaithful wife, who have become prostitutes through their worship of idols. In His judgement, the LORD says at first, He will be as a moth and mold that will rot the nations, but then He turns to a much fiercer image: He will be a lion that will tear apart these nations.
In Hosea 6, we find the people of Judah and Israel do not repent. The LORD says they are like Adam who turned away from the LORD. Indeed, at one point we are all like Adam, but we must repent and turn away from our sin, because only then will we be restored. One of the most powerful statements in the chapter is this: For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offering. Hosea 6:6 (ESV) Hundreds of years later, the Apostle Paul would remind us in his letter to the Ephesian church that when we trust Jesus and grow in our maturity in His Spirit we speak the truth in love, precisely what the LORD wants from His people!
Hosea 7 continues the pronouncement against Israel for relying on other nations rather than their LORD. He compares them to a “cake half-turned,” or “half-baked.” They have no sense, they lack understanding, and they certainly lack the steadfast love the LORD requires. We see the nation is heading to destruction and continues in willful disobedience of their LORD.
As we return to Mark 9, we find one of the most incredible moments of Jesus’ life. He takes Peter, James and John up on a mountain and there, His appearance changes and He is visited by Moses and Elijah, two of the greatest men of Jewish history! Peter was so overcome by the experience, he suggested they make tents for each of the three, presumably so they could stay on the mountain top (literally) and relish the experience. But as with all of life, the mountain top experience didn’t last. They had to return to the valley. On the way down, Jesus told the three not to tell anyone about the experience until He had risen from the dead. They didn’t understand what He meant at that moment and wouldn’t understand until Jesus rose from the dead!
Once back in the valley, the four came upon the other nine disciples attempting to cast a demon out of a boy. They were unable to do so, so the father asked Jesus “if” He were able to do something. Jesus picked up on the “if,” and said all things are possible for those who believe. He then promptly healed the boy. We find Jesus disturbed, probably angry at the situation, because of the nine disciples’ inability to do such a “minor” act, and also see how powerful the Kingdom of God is when it breaks into our world. After this event, Jesus tells the disciples once again He is going to be crucified and rise from the dead. This time the twelve argue among themselves about who is the greatest. Jesus brings a child to the center of the group and points out this is the stuff of the Kingdom of God: being like a child.
As the chapter concludes, a couple of the disciples tell Jesus they found someone casting out demons in His name. They had told the man to stop, because he was not “one of them.” Jesus said not to stop anyone who does such things, because whoever is not against us if for us. This is an important principle. At times we find others whose group or theology might be different from ours, but if Jesus is their LORD and they are doing works in His name, then they are on our side. Finally, Jesus gives a warning about any who lead His “little ones” to sin. While the term “little ones” includes children, it includes all of us as we see from Jesus’ use of the word in other places. To Jesus, we are all “little ones,” and each of us is precious to Him. What a great blessing and comfort to know each of us is Jesus’ “little one.”