Text:       Hosea 11:9

By:          Eyiangho, Godwin 

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INTRODUCTION

In time memorial [creation and man’s existence], God has not ceased to prove Himself to man as the only One True Supreme Spirit-being who deserves man’s worship [Matthew 4:10].

However, many ascribe worship to gods and goddesses with the traditional belief that these are agents or angels through which they communicate with the living God.

Furthermore, the New Testament teaches that the man of sin, son of perdition [Satan] exalts himself and sits in the temple of God calling himself God and as such many are worshipping him ignorantly [2 Thessalonians 2:3-4].

In spite of all these, the Lord ever remains the only Holy One among all people.

The statement, the Holy One implies that God is the only Holy One who exists and there is none like Him, for He is not man [1 Samuel 2:2; Hosea 11:9].

God’s holiness, the entirety of His nature, is absolute purity without an iota of evil or sin and it depicts His love, mercy, and goodness to all and His severity to punish sin accordingly which is His divine justice [2 Peter 3:9; Romans 11:22; Hosea 14:9].

God is the Holy One among the Jews, Christians and the entire human race.

THE HOLY ONE AMONG THE JEWS

God delivered the Israelites from Egyptian bondage and led them to the promised land of Canaan.

Having settled in the land of promise, they joined the Canaanites to worship idols [baals] which God had already warned them against as covenant and holy people of God with the Holy One dwelling among them [Exodus 19:5-6; 20:3-5].

God sent series of prophets to admonish them to repent but to no avail.

During Hosea’s prophecy, the kingdom had already divided into two – Northern and Southern kingdoms with Samaria and Jerusalem as capital cities respectively.

Hosea prophesied in the northern kingdom where the Israelites were using their riches to glorify and worship idols (Hosea 10:1-5).

 Hosea asked them to repent for God was not willing to give them up [Hosea 11:8; 14:1].

They refused and went into Assyrian captivity never to return while Judah [Southern kingdom] returned from Babylonian captivity after several years.

They were punished for their sins because of the Holy One among them.

THE HOLY ONE AMONG CHRISTIANS

Those who obeyed the gospel and have been baptized are sanctified and the Holy One dwells in and among them [Acts 2:38; 1 Cor. 6:11].

They must live a holy life because they are separated from sin and have become the dwelling place of the Holy One [1 Peter 1:15;  1 Corinthians 3:16].

Sin attracts God’s divine penalty [Romans 6:23]. When Ananias and Sapphira sinned, they died instantly [Acts 5:1-10].

If we live deliberately and continuously in sin, we cannot escape God’s punishment. God executes divine penalty on sin because as the Holy One in and among us, He will not tolerate sin of any kind in the church that was purchased and cleansed with the pure and precious blood of Christ  [Acts 20:28; Ephesians 5:26,27]. 

THE HOLY ONE AMONG ALL PEOPLE

For God so loved the world….[all people on earth] (John 3:16).

Every human being is accountable to God (Exodus 19:5d; Ezekiel 18:4).

When people in Noah’s time and in Sodom and Gomorrah continued in sin, God, the Holy One among all people dealt with them using flood and rain of fire respectively (Genesis 6 -9,18,19).

When king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon became proud because of the splendor of his kingdom, God, the Holy One among all people humbled him [Daniel 4:30-34].

When De Lawrence vaunted that he would resurrect on the third day like Christ, thunder from heaven struck his grave into pieces while common ‘ice’ in the sea destroyed the Titanic ship because of the boasting of the designer against God.

When Covid-19 ravaged the entire world without immediate medical solution, people or nations who do no believe nor worship God began to call on Him for help.

Oh Lord, You are really the Holy One among all men – there is none like You.

Listens to learn are:

1. Falling away can come during prosperity, hardship or problem, if one does not take heed (1 Corinthians 10:12).
2. God will not give us up if we remain faithful (Hosea 11:8;                 Revelation 2:10;                            2 Timothy 1:12)
3. We can refuse to fuall away and be sure of eternal life (2 Timothy 4:8)
4. God is in control of creation – Despite the fall of man and unending and inclining problems on earth, God is in full control and His eternal purpose in Christ must be achieved (Ephesians 3:11 – According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord).

CONCLUSION

The Cod we serve is the only true Holy One among all people but He dwells in us (Christians).

We must therefore determine to live a holy life and be faithful for He will judge all people accordingly at the end of time                                       (Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14).

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