Hosea
AI is not my friend, sometimes she (is AI gender specific? IDK) says stupid things about religion or the Bible, but I am appreciating that when I Google a question these days AI instantly gives me an answer, and if it's reasonably credible, acceptable, and adequate it saves me a lot of Time digging deeper.
Research has come a long way in my lifeTime with the electronic age, in ancient Time the archaeologists had to go dig, in my Time I could look it all up in textbooks or Encylopedia Britannica, anymore I don't even need my old seminary notes and textbooks since the internet came along. And now with AI coming into his/her/its own, research is further simplified when I'm willing to accept AI's first up response.
AI is like that obnoxious showoff kid in class who always had the answer, always shot her/his hand up first, eager to answer every question the teacher asked.
As I ate my breakfast this morning after returning from the lab where they drew my blood prep to my annual doctor visit next week, I wondered what nutrition I might be getting from a large bowl of coleslaw with leftover mushrooms and a pour of Russian dressing. Well, I did throw a handful of parmesan cheese on it but I forgot to include that in my question. Anyway, AI shot his/her/its hand up with the first response, assuring me that it's a decently healthy meal. That, along with the cup of hot & black that I drew in the lab's little free coffee room on my way out the door.
My blogposts are almost never in a series or continued from the day before, but following on from what I said about Hosea yesterday, here's the rest of the Hosea reading, from our Lectionary for next Sunday. Notice that it's in poetic style:
Hosea 11:1-11
When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and out of Egypt I called my son.
The more I called them,
the more they went from me;
they kept sacrificing to the Baals,
and offering incense to idols.
Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
I took them up in my arms;
but they did not know that I healed them.
I led them with cords of human kindness,
with bands of love.
I was to them like those
who lift infants to their cheeks.
I bent down to them and fed them.
They shall return to the land of Egypt,
and Assyria shall be their king,
because they have refused to return to me.
The sword rages in their cities,
it consumes their oracle-priests,
and devours because of their schemes.
My people are bent on turning away from me.
To the Most High they call,
but he does not raise them up at all.
How can I give you up, Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, O Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart recoils within me;
my compassion grows warm and tender.
I will not execute my fierce anger;
I will not again destroy Ephraim;
for I am God and no mortal,
the Holy One in your midst,
and I will not come in wrath.
They shall go after the Lord,
who roars like a lion;
when he roars,
his children shall come trembling from the west.
They shall come trembling like birds from Egypt,
and like doves from the land of Assyria;
and I will return them to their homes, says the Lord.
More than anger, the Lord YHWH is deeply grieved that Israel, his child, his people, have strayed so far from their God. Through the prophet Hosea, who is preaching against Israel the northern kingdom, not against Judah Judea the southern kingdom, the Lord promises terrible, punishing destruction, but then, because he loves his people so much, YHWH relents and promises to save them in the end. The classical theme and agenda of "creation, sin, judgment, redemption" is at work through Hosea, the missing element being repentance (creation - - which means life as it is, sin, judgment, repentance, and redemption). Evidently it turns out that God so loves Israel that He will redeem and save a remnant even without waiting for or assuming their repentance. My usual response to that in my preaching days was, "poor Yahweh, He's such a Lamb, He never gives up on us."
With all that I see as I look at the astonishing images of reality from Hubble and JWST,
reality that reduces us Earthlings, Universe-wise, to smaller than ants to protons, electrons, neutrons in Universal insignificance, the tender mercy of our God is our confidence, our hope in things unseen.
How can it be?
RSF&PTL
T89&c