“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead.” Luke 24: 44-46
One of these scriptures, a prophecy found in Hosea the prophet who lived in the Northern Kingdom (Israel) in the eight century B.C. His ministry overlapped that of Amos, Isaiah and Micah. All four prophets were calling the Kings of Judah and Israel to ‘repent and turn away from apostacy and be restored back to the God of Abraham, Jacob, Moses and King David. 2 Kings 15: 1, 4,17,18. 17: 5,6,9,21,22.18-20. Amos 9: 11,12. Isaiah 52: 7-10. Micah 7: 18-20.
“Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn, that he may heal us; he has stricken, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord; his going forth is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” Hosea 6: 1-3.
“The NIV Theological Dictionary of New Testament Words.” Editor Verlyn D Brugge Page 120 Zondervan 2000 “The historical background of this passage is the Syro-Ephraimite War (735-734 B.C 2 Kings 15: 18; Isaiah 7: 8) and the passage constitutes a call to national repentance in faith in Yahweh for restoration, using the language of healing after being stricken for apostasy. Perhaps Hosea is consciously using the language and idioms of Baal worship polemically against the Baals. If so, Hosea’s point is that it is Yahweh, not the Baals or their cults, who will restore Israel to health and vitality.”
Jesus, the Messiah, the Saviour of Israel and the Universe, the world, fulfilled Hosea’s prophecy.
“Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn, that he may heal us; he has stricken, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord; his going forth is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” Hosea 6: 1-3.
Day 1. “Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn, that he may heal us; he has stricken, and he will bind us up.”
“Israel’s prophets Hosea, Amos, Isaiah and Micah called their Kings to turn back to God, but because of the influence of the powers of darkness they continued to follow Baal.
“18And Azari’ah king of Judah did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart all his days from all the sins of Jerobo’am the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin.” Israel had fallen into the snares of the devil by continuing to worship Baal on the high places. 2 Kings 15: 18.
Israel had fallen into the snares of the devil by continuing to worship Baal on the high places.
“In the second year of Pekah the son of Remali’ah, king of Israel, Jotham the son of Uzzi’ah, king of Judah, began to reign. 33He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jeru’sha the daughter of Zadok. 34And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzzi’ah had done. 35Nevertheless the high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.” 2 Kings 15: 32-35.
The supreme moment in the history of the universe and world that Jesus accomplished, when he personally fought and won the greatest battle against Satan, (the devil) and his principalities and powers. The battle took place when Jesus wrestled with his willingness to die. He was betrayed by Judas to the authorities. After his arrest and while Jesus was on the cross and when he was dead in the tomb.
Jesus suffered whilst praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, he asked his Father God if it were possible for this cup to taken from him, the cup of suffering and death. Jesus was betrayed by Judas to the authorities for money. His betrayal by Judas led to his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. Afterwards, he was taken to Caiaphas, the high priest’s house where he stood trial before the council. Jesus, was condemned by the council accused of blasphemy and making himself a king. He was brought before Pilate to pass sentence upon him. Pilate questioned Jesus and then sent him to Herod, where the soldiers mocked him and they put on him a robe, and sent him back to Pilate.
Pilate could not decide, so he asked the crowd to release Barabbas or Jesus? The crowd responded to crucify Jesus. The Roman soldiers took Jesus to the Praetorium, where the soldiers mocked him, and they placed upon him in a scarlet robe and put on his head a crown of thorns and a reed in his hand. After the soldiers had ridiculed him, they took off the robe and put on him his own clothes and led him away to be crucified. Jesus carried the cross until he was too weak. Jesus’ death on the cross took place on the Day of Preparation, the day before the Passover, when the lamb sacrifices were killed. Jesus the Lamb of God was slain, he bore on the cross the entire sins of humanity and the causes of sin. Matthew 13: 41. Mark 9: 41-47.
Including Moses’ story of creation, where Adam and Eve were in fellowship with God in the Garden of Eden, They were tempted by the serpent (the devil) to become like God knowing good and evil. But God had warned them not to eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Eve succumbed to the serpent’s temptation, and she gave some of the fruit to Adam. After eating the fruit, they became aware of the presence of evil and their relationship with God changed from being in fellowship with God to knowing about God. They were sent out of the garden to work and live in the world. Genesis 3: 1-7,23,24.
Day 2. “After two days he will revive us.”
When Jesus died he was taken down from the cross by Joseph and Nicodemus, they carried his dead body to the tomb. The two of them wrapped his body with the spices and strips of linen cloth. From there he descended to Hades, to the departed dead and preached the gospel of redemption through faith in him and revived those who believed in him. We read that the graves were opened and they witnessed in Jerusalem, Matthew records, “The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.” Matthew 27: 52,53. Peter wrote in his first letter, “For Christ also died[ for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit; in which he went and preached to the spirits in prison.” 1 Peter 3: 18,19. The Psalmist prophesied, “O Lord, thou hast brought my soul from Sheol,(hell) restored me to life from among those gone down to the pit.” Psalm 30: 3
Day 3. “On the third day, he will raise us up, that we may live before him; let us know, let us press on to know the Lord; his going forth is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”
Day 3. On the third day, he will raise us up, that we may live before him.
Jesus told his disciples that he would suffer death and rise on the third day. “And taking the twelve, he said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written of the Son of man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon; they will scourge him and kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” But they understood none of these things; this saying was hid from them, and they did not grasp what was said.” Luke 18: 31-34.
The apostles witnessed those three days that Hosea prophesied, but they did not understand until the evening of the third day, that Jesus had won the battle over Satan’s power over death until after they received the Holy Spirit from Jesus.
Apostle John writes, “On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” The disciples were taken by surprise and their fears were stilled by his words. During the conversation Jesus breathed on his disciples the Holy Spirit, And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit,” John 20: 19-23. Jesus had fulfilled Hosea’s prophecy the disciples were raised on the third day when they received the Holy Spirit from Jesus. The indwelling presence of God, Hosea’ prophecy “Coming into God’s presence living before him.”
Hosea prophesied the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. “The showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”
At Pentecost Hosea’s, John the Baptist’ and Joel’s prophecy were fulfilled, Hosea’s – “The showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” Hosea 6: 3 John the Baptist – He (Jesus) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Matthew 3: 11. Joel’s – “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.” Joel 2: 28,29.”
The Apostles and followers where gathered at the house in Jerusalem, when they heard the sound of a rushing strong wind filling the house. Luke records from eyewitness accounts that everyone present received the Holy Spirit and they saw tongues of fire upon their heads, and they spoke in a language that was given to them by the Holy Spirit. Acts 2: 1-4.
Through repentance the forgiveness of sin for all who come to God seeking forgiveness and healing.
“Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord; his going forth is sure as the dawn.”
Jesus rose from the dead and in his resurrection attained reconciliation between humanity and God, from knowing about God to personally knowing God. When a person seeks God, they find in the Old Testament Hebrew prophesies in the Scriptures have been fulfilled by Jesus. Isaiah writes of one man’s suffering and death and resurrection.
Isaiah’s prophecy of suffering and death, “4Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. “ 5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities…. he shall see the fruit of the travail of his soul and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous; and he shall bear their iniquities. 12Therefore I will divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Isaiah 53:4,5,11,12. God allowed Jesus to suffer because of his love for us. Jesus was willing to lay down his life for our sin, to die a horrible death on the cross and through it redeem us from the devil’s power over sin and death. “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil.” Hebrews 2: 14.
Isaiah’s prophecy of the resurrection of the dead, “Thy dead shall live, their bodies shall rise. “O dwellers in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For thy dew is a dew of light, and on the land of the shades thou wilt let it fall. Isaiah 26: 19.
Without the resurrection no one can be saved from eternal darkness and without the warmth of God’s love. God’s promise to those who seek God. John writes, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3: 16
Today, a person can receive from God the Father, through faith in Jesus forgiveness of sin and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
If you would like to begin a personal relationship with Jesus today, please say this prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, I am sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. I ask your forgiveness. Thank you, for dying on the cross for me to set me free from my sins. sins. Please come into my life and fill me with your Holy Spirit and be with me forever. Thank you, Lord Jesus, Amen
Worldwide. UCB’s Prayer ucb@contactforchrist.org.uk