The Family Bible Journey Podcast

We see the prayers of the saints, used by God in this chapter, to rain his wrath upon the earth. The incense reminds us of well-founded earthly worship where we participate in the eternal. May we worship and pray, aware of God's presence and power at work when we do.

Hear one of the clearest prophecies of Christ in these chapters. The prophet who loved a prostitute was blessed by God to foresee the undying love of the Savior. He prophecies Jesus's life death and resurrection over 700 years before He was born.

God's people are going to be consumed by their evil. If they don't repent, there will be nothing God can do but watch their unfortunate demise. He may forgive their sin and redeem them, but they will still suffer much needless pain because of their evil.

Where are the people of God in these visions? We see them spared from the judgment. We see them rejoicing in the victory of God over our foes!

Unfaithful. False. Corrupt. This is how God's people are. We read this description of God's Old Testament people and their ministers not to boost our sense of self. Instead, looking at the sin inside ourselves, we pray, "Save but by the grace of God, there go I..."

Hosea's wife leaves him, goes back into prostitution, and sells herself as someone else's slave. What does Hosea do? He goes and literally buys her back and brings her home. A much better person than most, he shows us how far God is willing to go to get His own people back. Christ has paid the price of our redemption, so that we can live with Him forever in Heaven.

The seven seals contain terrifying visions of the tribulations and desolations that will rock the earth when God judges. We need not be terrified because these tribulations will bring an end to suffering and all that assials us.

Hosea was a prophet who married a prostitute, to show God's people the depth of their sin and the depth of God's love. Lots of this book doesn't make sense, but sometimes love doesn't make sense.

All will rise from the dead at the end of time. Some to life. Others to death. As God's people, we live our lives in light of everlasting life, striving to shine like stars forever by filling heaven with people we bless with God's redeeming love.

Oh the dismay of St. John, when there was no one found worthy to open the scroll of God's judgement. But as he wept, the Lamb of God stepped forth to do what no one else could do. John's tears were turned to triumph as this vision unfolds. So too God will turn out tears into triumph when He brings an end to the wickedness of this world.