"D-Day" June 6, 1944, one hundred and fifty-six thousand men landed on the Normandy coast of France. It was the largest invasion force in history. General Dwight Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander, had issued the order: "You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade…. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you…. Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely." General Eisenhower concluded: "Let us all beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking."

Federer, B. (2003). American minute. St. Louis, MO.: Amerisearch, Inc.

Some people talk about finding God
- as if He could get lost.
--- Author Unknown


... from here, there and everywhere

22 He who finds a wife finds a great good; he has won the favor of ADONAI. 23 The poor man speaks beseechingly, the rich man's answer is blunt. 24 Some "friends" pretend to be friends, but a true friend sticks closer than a brother.

Stern, D. H. (1998). Complete Jewish Bible-OE
: An English version of the Tanakh (OT) and
B'rit Hadashah (NT) (1st ed.). Clarksville, Md.: Jewish
New Testament Publications.

Work out what God works in

     Work out your own salvation. --- Phil. 2:12–13.

     Your will agrees with God, but in your flesh there is a disposition which renders you powerless to do what you know you ought to do. When the Lord is presented to the conscience, the first thing conscience does is to rouse the will, and the will always agrees with God. You say—'But I do not know whether my will is in agreement with God.' Look to Jesus and you will find that your will and your conscience are in agreement with Him every time. The thing in you which makes you say 'I shan't' is something less profound than your will; it is perversity, or obstinacy, and they are never in agreement with God. The profound thing in man is his will, not sin. Will is the essential element in God's creation of man: sin is a perverse disposition which entered into man. In a regenerated man the source of will is almighty, "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." You have to work out with concentration and care what God works in; not work your own salvation, but work it out, while you base resolutely in unshaken faith on the complete and perfect Redemption of the Lord. As you do this, you do not bring an opposed will to God's will, God's will is your will, and your natural choices are along the line of God's will, and the life is as natural as breathing. God is the source of your will, therefore you are able to work out His will. Obstinacy is an unintelligent 'wadge' that refuses to be enlightened; the only thing is for it to be blown up with dynamite, and the dynamite is obedience to the Holy Spirit.

      Do I believe that Almighty God is the source of my will? God not only expects me to do His will, but He is in me to do it.

Chambers, O. (1993). My Utmost for His Highest

and one said
speak to us of love
and the preacher opened
his mouth and the word God
fell out so they tried
again speak to us
of God then but the preacher
was silent reaching
his arms out but the little
children the ones with
big bellies and bow
legs that were like
a razor shell
were too weak to come

R.S. Thomas H'm

     We can imagine what Akiva, the 40-year-old novice student, must have felt like, some eighteen centuries ago. We can visualize how, as Akiva began his first lesson, he must have felt overwhelmed! He may have said to himself: "I don't belong here. Maybe I made a terrible mistake. I don't know what any of this means, I certainly don't know how it applies to me!" It took a great deal of commitment for him to decide that study was important, just as it required tremendous courage to actually go and learn.

     We can't know what Akiva's study began with, but we can imagine that Akiva's teacher anticipated his student's fears and chose a very special instruction for that day. Perhaps the lesson came from the words of Yehoshua ben Peraḥiah, two centuries earlier:

     Select for yourself a rav/teacher;
     Acquire for yourself a ḥaver/colleague. (Pirkei Avot 1:6)

     A wise yet caring teacher would have been concerned that Akiva have both a teacher and a friend; these two needs are very much our essentials as well.

     The rav or rabbi is a teacher who explains the text to us. Often, a page of Talmud is incomprehensible without a rabbi, even if we understand all of the words. (How much more so when we do not understand the words, or when we read the work in translation!) Our focus is generally limited to the particular chapter or issue we are dealing with, while the teacher sees the totality of the Talmud and helps us understand broader concepts, ideas, and approaches as they apply to this text.

     A teacher cites traditional interpretations, linking us with the Jewish past. Before we can bring our own interpretations and insights to the page, we should appreciate and understand the traditional Jewish readings of the Talmud text. Only then can we disagree with them and, perhaps, even expand upon them.

     For some of us, the need for a teacher may not be obvious. After all, we Americans are used to "rugged individualism," doing something on our own and without help. We live in a culture of "do-it-yourself" books and "self-actualization." Relying on others is often seen as a sign of weakness. Jewish tradition takes a radically different approach. We do not have to "go it alone." "Doing it yourself" may be unhealthy and may lead us to err in our interpretation of the text. We may find ourselves in totally over our heads, unable to comprehend.

     In addition, some of us—especially those who are knowledgeable and used to instructing others—may find it difficult to rely on others. Letting a teacher guide us means admitting that while we may know a great deal about medicine, law, stocks, soybean futures, plumbing fixtures, or any other topic—there is still much that we do not know about the Talmud. It requires the ego strength to let others instruct us and a willingness to admit that even if we know a little, someone else knows a little more.

     A mentor challenges us to see the text from another viewpoint. He or she questions whether our outlook is justified based on the material we are studying. Yet, this teacher knows not only text, but also us. The rabbi or rav understands that the challenge is not only to the subject taught, but also to a human being, a student with mind, habits, and personality. Thus, the teacher understands how far to push us—when we are being lazy and falling back on pat answers, and when we have stretched our minds to their limit and need time to assimilate the material. He or she knows how and when to criticize us, as well as how and when to encourage.

     An effective teacher knows whether to respond to specific questions or to broader and more general issues. Our ideal teacher realizes that the student's question may have to deal solely with the text at hand; yet, the inquiry may reflect other concerns and necessitate answers that go far beyond this page of Talmud (though not beyond the purview of the Talmud as a whole). Hence, this teacher can put the subject-at-hand into a context, bringing the text to bear on all of life itself.

     A rabbi helps us to grow—and to continue growing. Thus, even a teacher needs a rav; even one with knowledge requires his or her own guide for all the very same mentoring and growth reasons as the less knowledgeable student.

     The Hebrew phrase "Aseh lekha rav," "Select for yourself a teacher," could also be translated "Make for yourself a teacher." It is clear from the Hebrew that the teacher referred to is not found overnight or stumbled upon accidentally; he or she is made. The teacher may be the rabbi at the local synagogue, a Jewish studies professor at a nearby university, or a friend with a good traditional Jewish education. Making a teacher implies an ongoing process of give-and-take, as well as effort on behalf of the student. It is not only the teacher who must push the student; the student has to respectfully challenge the rav. Hopefully, this will result in a warm, lasting and developing relationship.

     The second half of the equation is K'neh lekha ḥaver, or "acquire a colleague for yourself." The word ḥaver/ḥavera, a friend, colleague, or study partner, comes from a Hebrew root meaning "joined together." With a friend, there is a coming together of concerns for each other and a joining together of each other's strengths. This is why traditional Jewish study is often in ḥavruta (from the same root), a pair of students learning together. Ḥavruta provides for give-and-take with a peer. While a student cannot give that much to a teacher, one peer can give tremendously to another. They can also receive from each other on a social, as well as an intellectual, level.

     In a ḥavruta, one ḥaver will see the other outside the formal boundaries of classroom study. The concerns of a ḥaver will thus extend beyond the fixed curriculum to all of life itself. One traditional source asks: "Why do we need a ḥaver?" The answer is: "He is the one who corrects your halakhah" (Avot derabbi Natan 8). Many understand the word from the root halakh, meaning "walk" or "go," and referring not only to Jewish law but also a person's practice or actions. There are certain necessary criticisms and suggestions that are embarrassing when coming from a teacher, but more tolerable when coming from a peer. The ḥaver, being an equal, shares similar experiences and similar feelings. Each partner in a study group or ḥavruta brings his or her own strengths and personal perspectives. Each challenges the other with a fresh outlook and a different approach. Thus, it is considered healthy to study with a colleague. A ḥaver assures us that we will be in touch with other Jews, both for a sense of community and for a periodic "reality check." In a famous talmudic story, Ḥoni ha-Me'agel returns home after seventy years of sleep. To his chagrin, the new generation of Rabbis in the study house do not recognize him. Despondent, he prays for his own death. Rava comments: "This is why people say: 'Either companionship [ḥavruta] or death [mituta]' " (Ta'anit 23a). While this may be an exaggeration, it gives us a sense of the difficulty of trying to study alone.

     Yehoshua ben Peraḥiah knew that we need both a rav/teacher and a ḥaver/colleague. Each provides something unique. The same places we found a rav, the synagogue or university or even closer to home among family or friends, may be the very areas we find a ḥaver. We may find a ḥaver in someone who is already a friend socially but not yet a study-partner. The ḥaver may be assigned to us by a teacher, or we may search out another person, unknown to us, who is simply looking for a partner to study with. Just as the relationships with teachers are made over time, colleagues become joined together through prolonged sharing. The Rabbis knew that study is difficult and that the tools for learning take both time and effort. Just as a "swimming buddy" can keep an eye on us and help us when we find ourselves in over our heads, so too a ḥaver can assist us when things get particularly difficult in the sea of Talmud.

     Occasionally, a book may have to substitute for a rav until a personal teacher can be found. A group may study together for a period of time while searching for a compatible mentor. Similarly, one may have to study alone with a teacher until a ḥaver can be found. Hopefully, while we learn, we also become more fluent in the methods of Jewish study, how and where to continue learning. We may find out that even with a weaker background, we have a great deal to offer others and to contribute to the material being studied. This reflects the sentiments of another talmudic sage, Rabbi Ḥanina, who remarked: "I have learned a great deal from my teachers, more from my colleagues than from my teachers, and even more than all from my students" (Ta'anit 7a). In other words, he learned more from his students than from anyone else. Each individual is unique and has his or her own insight and something of value to contribute.

     Having entered the sea of Talmud, we may still feel a bit frightened or overwhelmed. One way to overcome these feelings is with a ḥaver/friend or a rav/instructor. This will undoubtedly make entering the sea easier. Hopefully, this book will have served as a rav and ḥaver to you, smoothing your entry into the sea of Talmud.

Katz, M., & Schwartz, G. (1998). Swimming in the Sea of Talmud: Lessons for Everyday LIving . Philadelphia, PA: The Jewish Publication Society.

     "You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas" (which is translated, A Stone). --- John 1:42 NKJV

     When the disciples found that miraculous draught of fishes enclosed in their nets, it was only on Peter's soul that there flashed a new sense of the holiness and majesty of Christ, and of the whole apostolic company he was the only one to fall at Christ's feet and cry, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" Classic Sermons on the Apostle Peter (Kregel Classic Sermons Series) When after those hard sayings in Capernaum the crowds were deserting Jesus Christ, he turned to his disciples with the pathetic, heartbreaking question, "Do you also want to go away?" (NKJV). It was to Peter's generous and loving soul that there came the great and immortal answer, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." And when again, in Ceasarea, Christ made that wistful inquiry, "Who do you say I am?" it was the inspired Peter who made that high reply, "The Christ of God."

     Yes, when I read of the incident on the lake and the answer in Capernaum and the confession in Caesarea, I do not wonder that the first place among the Twelve was given to a man of such insight and vision and rapture as this.

     But there are other passages in the Gospels that, when I read, I marvel that Peter was among the Twelve at all. When I come across those passages in which Peter begins to boast, when I read of his presuming to correct and rebuke the Christ, when I read about his sleeping in the garden, when I read of that terrible and shameful episode in the judgment hall, I marvel that instead of coming down to us as the prince and chief of the apostles, Peter, the denier and the blasphemer, did not make his bed with Judas the betrayer in the lowest hell.

     Is it possible, you say, for one to see the glory of the Lord on the mount and then to forsake him in the garden? Is it possible for one to confess Christ in Caesarea and then forswear him in the judgment hall? Yes, it is quite possible. Gaze steadily and bravely into that awful abyss, your own heart, and you will know it is quite possible. For in your own heart you will see both heaven and hell, aspirations and desires born of God and hideous lusts of foulnesses that issue from the pit. Yes, I will be very bold to say we can parallel Peter's history by our own. Heaven and hell contended for the mastery in Peter's heart long ago; heaven and hell are contending for the mastery in our divided and distracted souls today.
--- J. D. Jones

Wallis, D. (2001). Take Heart: Daily Devotions with the Church's Great Preachers (27). Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications.

     As the jail chaplain stepped up to the prison microphone, he felt clearheaded. "The gospel, nothing but the gospel today!" he reminded himself silently, as he scanned the crowd.

     This chaplain was a tough man, a diesel mechanic before he had gone to seminary. Before that, he had spent time in prison. When he stood nose-to-nose in a cellblock, he had a single mission: to get the inmate saved. Once saved, there was another mission: to get the convert to grow.

     Everything had gone according to plan with prisoner Lester. The chaplain had met him during his first week in prison. Back then, Lester wouldn't even talk to a white man. He just stared, as if he was in a police lineup. But when the chaplain sent volunteers to deliver Christmas presents to Lester's children, his stony face softened. After that, Lester became a person. In the chaplain's mind, Lester now had a story. Sometimes he smiled, and once he even cried.

     During one of his softer times Lester trusted Christ for salvation. And for the next six months he came to about half of the Bible studies offered by the chaplain's office. It seems he was expecting God to make him a new man and to restore him someday to his wife and children.

     Then it happened. On the morning circuit the inspector found Lester dead by hanging. The denim work shirt had become his noose, his escape hatch, his exclamation mark. Friends said news of his wife's boyfriend had sent him into a downward spiral for several weeks. He never pulled out.

     As the chaplain cleared his throat, he began the funeral sermon. "Today we bury Lester's body but only God can describe the plight of his soul, that unholy place of torment, the sulfuric streets of the damned." The audience winced. "God is a God of hope and Christians are people of hope; but suicide is an act of utter hopelessness. Like his suicidal forbear, Judas, biblically known as the 'son of perdition' (John 17:12, NASB), Lester showed us last Tuesday that deep down he did not believe." The sermon went on, but its essence had been telegraphed in the first few sentences.

     Several days later a prison-ministry volunteer asked to have lunch with the chaplain. He too had been puzzled by Lester's fatal choice, but he was even more puzzled by the chaplain's all-or-nothing logic. "Didn't Lester show us some of the fruit of salvation? Didn't you know his wife said she was dumping him?"

     The chaplain barely paused. "Man, if I preached that funeral like he was a Christian, we'd have suicides here by the dozen. I can hear it now, 'Lester got saved, killed himself, and went to heaven. Anybody else want to get out of here?' "

     The volunteer thought about it, trying to appreciate the leadership dilemma the chaplain had faced in his sermon. "But what about 1 Thessalonians 5:23, which says we are made up of spirit, soul, and body, like three concentric circles?" As he talked, the volunteer quickly diagrammed his thoughts on the chaplain's white board, labeling the circles from the inside out, "spiritual … emotional … physical." "Couldn't Lester have been saved on that innermost, spiritual level, but been sad or depressed on the emotional level?"

     "Listen," the chaplain jabbed back, looking down at his watch. "You can't buy into that psychobabble, like they try and teach us at our chaplains' in-services. If a kid fell out of a tree and broke his arm, we'd take him to a doc. The doc would x-ray the break, reset his bone, and put him in a cast. But anything that isn't physical is spiritual." As the chaplain walked from his desk, he smudged out the smallest circle and the middle label, "emotional." "Spiritual and emotional, one and the same," he smiled, as if he had just won an argument.

     Though the conversation was over, the controversies it touched on were not. Just as certainly as the chaplain had lumped the emotional and spiritual dimensions of life together under one religious umbrella, some best-selling social scientists have lumped the same elements together as if they are an indivisible whole. The Road Less Travelled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth (See all Personal Transformation Books)

     The chaplain's two-dimensional model, emphasizing the physical and nonphysical, could find wide support in Christendom and Scripture (Matt. 10:28). Even the hymn writer Charles Gabriel interpreted Jesus' tears in Gethsemane as an expression of spirituality, not emotionality (26:37–39).

     For me it was in the garden
He prayed, "not my will, but Thine";
He had no tears for His own griefs
But sweat-drops of blood for mine. Praise! Our Songs and Hymns: King James Version Responsive Readings

     Though Jesus had tenderly grieved for Jerusalem (23:37) and Lazarus (John 11:35), was it beneath Him to weep for Himself? Are we sure Jesus' spirituality canceled out His emotions? "During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death" (Heb. 5:7). "An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him" (Luke 22:43). "He learned obedience from what he suffered" (Heb. 5:8). To argue that Jesus was too spiritual to cry for Himself would be like arguing that He was too spiritual to bleed for Himself. But God, in whose image we are all made (Gen. 1:26), designed the human body to bleed after certain physical injuries and the human soul to grieve after certain emotional injuries. Despite these injuries and these reactions, Jesus' spirituality led Him to pray, "Not as I will, but as You will" (Matt. 26:39). Similarly the apostle Paul reminded us (1 Thess. 4:13) that when our loved ones die (physically), even Christians grieve (emotionally), but not in a way that is hopeless (spiritually).

     Perhaps the chaplain's true gift was evangelism. But even a burden for soul-winning, made rigid by a bipartite anthropology and a fear of copycat suicides, does not excuse an end-justifies-the-means rationalization. Biblical counseling is not a confusion of human emotion and spirituality.

Watson, J. A., & Swindoll, C. R. (2000). Biblical Counseling for Today A Handbook for Those Who Counsel from Scripture [HC,2000]

     Along with enthusiasm for the Scriptures, Billy Graham is likewise committed to the absolute necessity of prayer for Christian godliness and maturity. When asked what he would do if he had to live his life over again, he invariably says he would "spend more time in study and more time in prayer." He tells us, "Prayer is for every moment of our lives, not just for times of suffering." Hope for the Troubled Heart: Finding God in the Midst of Pain (See all Grief & Bereavement Books)

     Graham knows that success in God's work revolves around prayer. He has said, "If Christianity is to survive in a godless and materialistic world, we must repent of our prayerlessness. We must make prayer our priority." He fully understands that his work in evangelism is essentially the work of the Holy Spirit in and through his life and ministry. He constantly states that if he were to take any credit for himself, his lips would turn to clay. The Holy Spirit does the work; and persistent, prevailing prayer "releases" the Spirit to accomplish the task.

     Not only does Graham see this as true for his own ministry, but it stands true for the entire kingdom of God. In a message on the power of prayer, he said, "Today the world is being carried on a rushing torrent that is sweeping out of control. Only one power is available to redeem the course of events, and that is the power of prayer. . . . How can we go on unless there is a renewed emphasis on prayer?" The sin of tolerance (Hour of Decision) Billy contends we must again look to Jesus, for He set the example of a life of prevailing prayer. Graham always exalts Jesus Christ as the pattern and source of meaningful prayer. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ prayed to the point of "great drops of blood" bursting out on His forehead (Luke 22:44 KJV).

     Further, as Graham said, "So fervent and so direct were the prayers of Jesus that once when he had finished praying, his followers turned to him and said, 'Lord teach us to pray' (Luke 11:1). They knew that Jesus had been in touch with God, they wanted to have such an experience." Prayer is always to God and brings one into fellowship with Him. Jesus set the pattern, and those who have developed a life of godliness have grasped and implemented the principle of prayer.

     Backgrounds of Meaningful Prayer

     Graham points out that those who have turned the tide of history have turned it by prayer. It all begins in many great Old Testament accounts. In a message on prayer, Billy relates how King Hezekiah prayed, and as a result the entire army of the Assyrians was destroyed and the nation spared. He further points out that Elijah, a great man of prayer, lifted up his voice to God and fire from heaven fell and consumed the offering.

     In the New Testament, the evangelist cites the apostle Paul's dynamic prayer life. As a result of the apostle's fervent intercession, churches were born throughout Asia Minor and Europe. And down through the pages of history, Graham contends it was men of fervent prayer such as John Wesley, Jonathan Edwards, and others who accomplished great feats for Christ. "Time after time," Graham declares, "events have been changed because of prayer. If millions of us would avail ourselves of the privilege of prayer, we could go to our knees in believing prayer and change the course of events."

     Practical Principles Of Prayer

     Graham thus urges all believers to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess 5:17). He declares, "This should be the motto of every follower of Jesus Christ. Never stop praying no matter how dark and hopeless it may seem." Graham gives some helpful advice: "I would urge you to select a place where you can meet alone with God . . . that can be one of your greatest blessings."

     Again, in a practical manner, Graham urges the church to pray for those who do not know Jesus Christ. He stated that on one occasion, "I listened to a discussion of religious leaders on how to communicate the gospel. Not once did I hear them mention prayer. And yet I know of scores of churches that win many converts each year by prayer alone. If there is a person in our acquaintance that needs Christ in his life, then we need to start praying for him." Graham is convinced that with God nothing is impossible.

     Graham fully realizes the centrality of prayer in his crusades. Prayer preparation and prayer ministries permeate his every evangelistic effort. Prayer has been an essential part of the crusades, beginning in Los Angeles in 1949. Recall Armin Gesswein and the prayer ministry he inaugurated. The more formal prayer preparation in the crusades started worldwide with Billy Graham asking Mrs. Millie Dienert to travel to England to prepare for an upcoming crusade with prayer. Through the years, prayer preparation programs have grown tremendously. Now in the crusades a chairman and chairwoman are selected to lead out in prayer ministries for God's power to fall on the crusade. It blossoms out in ministers praying with ministers, women praying in small groups in homes, and churches using many avenues to intercede. Out of it have come what are termed "Prayer Triplets," three people joining together in concerted prayer for God's power to fall. Millie Deinert tells of women remarking, "We have learned to pray like never before."

     God's people get excited about prayer. Billy's goal is to see revival take place because of faithful prayer in the home and in the church. Prayer does change things. As the Bible states, there is no task or problem too difficult for the power and love of God to intervene and meet the need (Gen. 18:14). Thus Graham programs for prayer, earnest prayer, in all his crusades. For the evangelist, "prayer is natural. We were fashioned in the beginning to live a life of prayer." In a word, prayer is absolutely vital in one's own personal life and service. Billy emphasizes that a person is simply not godly if he or she does not pray. But there is a third discipline in a growing godliness: sharing one's faith with lost people.

     The events associated with Jesus' trials and death took place in and around Jerusalem. While there is debate concerning some of the specific locations, such as the location of Joseph's tomb, we have a great deal of information on the specific places Jesus traveled to on that fateful night.

     Jerusalem in the time of Jesus was a typical walled city. The "lower city," built along a steep hillside, was filled with crowded tenement-type structures. The upper city contained the larger city homes of the wealthy, like Caiaphas, the high priest and the beautiful palace of Herod.

     It was the temple, however, which dominated the city, and was the focus of the faith of all Jews in every land. Immediately next to the temple was the Fortress Antonia, where a Roman army contingent was stationed and Pontius Pilate held court. Directly across from the temple, separated from it by the deep Kidron Valley, and up on the side of the Mount of Olives lay the Garden of Gethsemane, an olive orchard where Jesus often stopped to rest and pray. On the other side of the city, just outside the city walls, was the public execution grounds, Golgotha—the place of the skull. Many believe that a tomb nearby, hewn into the living rock and matching perfectly the description given in the Gospels, is the very tomb which Joseph of Arimathea surrendered to the Saviour.

     This, then, was the setting for those familiar yet terrible events that we know so well as Jesus, near the end of His life on earth, approached the Cross.

     Jerusalem at the Time of Jesus

     Tuesday and Wednesday: Mark 14:1–11

     Jesus passed the two days between His confrontation with the Jewish leaders and His final day on earth with friends in Bethany. There He was anointed by a woman who poured expensive perfume on His head. This was a "beautiful thing" done in preparation "for My burial." The woman may not have understood, but she did love the Lord and expressed that love by giving.

     Judas, on the other hand, "went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them" for the promise of money.

     What a contrast. The woman gave generously because she loved Jesus: Judas betrayed Jesus because he loved money.

     Thursday: Mark 14:12–15:1

     The Passover meal (Mark 14:12–26). That Thursday Jesus and His followers met in a room in a house in Jerusalem's upper city.

     John's Gospel tells us in great detail what Jesus taught His disciples there. Mark simply tells us that Jesus, seated at the table, told the Twelve that one of them was about to betray Him. Judas then slipped away to go to the chief priests.

     Mark tells us that then Jesus broke bread and told the disciples, "This is My body." And He took the cup, saying, "This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many." After they sang a hymn, they left the house where they had eaten and went to the Mount of Olives.

     It was night, and the little party probably went down steps that still lead down the steep hillside near the house of Caiaphas into the valley. Traveling back along the Hinnom Valley into the Kidron, they moved up a path that climbed the Mount of Olives to the Garden of Gethsemane.

     Peter's denial predicted (Mark 14:27–31). On the way Jesus remarked that soon all the disciples would desert Him. Peter was incensed. "Even if I have to die with You, I will never disown You." But Jesus told Peter that that very night he would disown Christ three times—three times before the rooster crowed.

     Gethsemane (Mark 14:32–42). It was now late at night. The tired disciples could hardly stay awake. But Jesus was in anguish, so tormented by His knowledge of what was about to come that He was "overwhelmed with sorrow." Jesus needed their companionship, but the disciples' eyes were so heavy they kept nodding off.

     Finally Jesus wakened them. At the base of the hill, torches could be seen, and the sounds of a mob stumbling up the hill could be heard.

     Jesus arrested (Mark 14:43–52). Judas was leading the armed crowd that had been sent by the religious leaders to seize Jesus. He identified Christ with a kiss, and the men roughly grabbed hold of the Lord.

     Other Gospels tell us that it was Peter who then bravely drew a sword and struck out. His blade grazed the head of a servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Again, another Gospel tells us that Jesus picked up the severed ear and replaced it. As Jesus rebuked the mob, His terrified disciples all slipped away and fled.

     Most believe that the "young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment" who was following Jesus was John Mark himself, the author of this Gospel. When the mob seized Jesus, Mark was so terrified he fled "leaving his garment behind him."

     On trial before Annas. Jesus was taken back through the Kidron Valley and up the Hinnom to the steps that led up the hill toward Caiaphas' house. John tells us that He was taken first to Annas, who is also called the high priest. In fact, Annas was high priest emeritus, and was the father-in-law of the current high priest, Caiaphas. He exerted such influence that Luke, in Acts 4, spoke of Annas as high priest.

     After a preliminary examination in which Jesus was struck in the face (John 18:22), Christ was sent on to Caiaphas.

Richards, L., & Richards, L. O. (1987). The Teacher's Commentary (323). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.

     After the death of King Solomon, his son Rehoboam pursued a course which divided the nation into two kingdoms. Rehoboam reigned over Judah, the Southern Kingdom, composed of Judah and Benjamin; and Jeroboam II ruled over the remaining ten tribes that formed the Northern Kingdom of Israel, also called Ephraim.

     Fearful that the people would go back to Jerusalem to worship, Jeroboam I put golden calves at Bethel and Dan, thus leading the ten tribes into idolatry. Along with idolatry came immorality, and soon the religion of Israel became an evil blend of Jewish ritual and pagan idolatry. The people loved it.

     The prophets were God's spokesmen to call Israel and Judah back to the covenant God had made with them at Mt. Sinai. But the people refused to listen, and both kingdoms suffered for their disobedience. Israel became an Assyrian vassal in 733 B.C.and then was conquered by Assyria in 722 B.C. The Babylonians invaded Judah in 606 B.C. and destroyed Jerusalem in 586 B.C.. Thousands of Jews died, and thousands more went into exile in Babylon.

     Hosea ministered in the Northern Kingdom from about 760 to 720 B.C. Israel was enjoying great prosperity, but Hosea could see that the nation was rotten to the core; for honest government, pure religion, godly homes, and personal integrity had vanished from the land. Judgment was inevitable. Hosea faithfully preached the Word, but the nation refused to repent and was finally swallowed up by Assyria.

     Chapter One / Hosea 1–3 / You Married a What?

     A Suggested Outline of the Book of Hosea

     Key theme: Devotion to the Lord is like faithfulness in marriage. Idolatry is like adultery. Key verse: Hosea 2:20

I. Israel's unfaithfulness described—1–3
     1.     God is gracious — 1:1–2:1
     2.     God is holy — 2:2–13
     3.     God is love — 2:14–3:5
II. Israel's sins denounced—4–7
     1.     Ignorance — 4:1–11
     2.     Idolatry — 4:12–5:15
     3.     Insincerity — 6:1–7:16
III. Israel's judgment determined—8–10
     1.     The Assyrian invasion — 8
     2.     The nation scattered — 9
     3.     Reaping what they have sown — 10
IV. Israel's restoration declared—11–14
     1.     God's past mercies — 11
     2.     God's present disciplines — 12–13
     3.     God's future promises — 14

     Prophets sometimes do strange things. For three years, Isaiah embarrassed people by walking the streets dressed like a prisoner of war. For several months, Jeremiah carried a yoke on his shoulders. The prophet Ezekiel acted like a little boy and "played war," and once he used a haircut as a theological object lesson. When his wife suddenly died, Ezekiel even turned that painful experience into a sermon. (See Isaiah 20; Jeremiah 27–28; Ezekiel 4:1–8; 5:1ff; 12:1–16; 24:15ff.)

     Why did these men do these peculiar things?

     "These peculiar things" were really acts of mercy. The people of God had become deaf to God's voice and were no longer paying attention to His covenant. The Lord called His servants to do these strange things—these "action sermons"—in hopes that the people would wake up and listen to what they had to say. Only then could the nation escape divine discipline and judgment.

     But no prophet preached a more painful "action sermon" than Hosea. He was instructed to marry a prostitute named Gomer who subsequently bore him three children, and he wasn't even sure the last two children were fathered by him. Then Gomer left him for another man, and Hosea had the humiliating responsibility of buying back his own wife.

     What was this all about? It was a vivid picture of what the people of Israel had done to their God by prostituting themselves to idols and committing "spiritual adultery." Since God's people today face the same temptation (James 4:4), we need to heed what Hosea wrote for his people. Each of the persons in this drama—Hosea, Gomer, and the three children—teach us important spiritual lessons about the God whom Israel was disobeying and grieving.

     1. The Children: God Is Gracious (Hosea 1:1–2:1)

     The times (Hosea 1:1). Hosea names four kings of Judah and only one king of Israel, Jeroboam II. The kings of Judah, of course, belonged to David's dynasty, the only dynasty the Lord accepted (1 Kings 11:36; 15:4). The kings of Israel were a wicked lot who followed the sins of Israel's first king, Jeroboam I, and refused to repent and turn to God (2 Kings 13:6)

     After Jeroboam II died, his son Zechariah reigned only six months and was assassinated by his successor Shallum who himself was assassinated after reigning only one month. Menahem reigned for ten years; his son Pekahiah ruled two years before being killed by Pekah who was able to keep the throne for twenty years. He was slain by Hoshea, who reigned for ten years, the last of the kings of Israel. During his evil reign, the nation was conquered by Assyria, the Jews intermingled with the foreigners the Assyrians brought into the land, and the result was a mixed race known as the Samaritans.

     What a time to be serving the Lord! Murder, idolatry, and immorality were rampant in the land, and nobody seemed to be interested in hearing the Word of the Lord! On top of that, God told His prophet to get married and raise a family!

     The marriage (Hosea 1:2). Here we meet a bit of a problem because not every Bible student agrees on the kind of woman Hosea married. Hosea either married a pure woman who later became a prostitute, or he married a prostitute who bore him three children. (When you study the commentaries, you discover a number of different views defended: (1) Gomer was a pure woman who later became a prostitute and bore Hosea three children; (2) Gomer was a pure woman who became a prostitute and bore Hosea a son, but also gave birth to a daughter and son who were not fathered by Hosea; (3) Gomer was a prostitute from the beginning and bore Hosea three children; (4) Gomer was a prostitute from the beginning and bore Hosea his own son, but also bore two children by another man; (5) Gomer was a prostitute who already had three children, but Hosea ultimately divorced her and married another woman who was an adulteress (3:1). It's easy to lose sight of the main message God wanted to get across: He loved His people and wanted them to return that love to Him. They were committing evil by worshiping idols, just like a woman who is unfaithful to her husband. They were not only sinning against God's law, but also sinning against God's love. As to the legitimacy of the children, the fact that 1:6 and 8 don't read "and bore him a daughter … a son" does not mean Hosea wasn't the father of these children. It seems natural to assume from the context that Hosea is the father. See Genesis 30:17–24 for a similar statement.)

     In the Old Testament, prostitution is symbolic of idolatry and unfaithfulness to God (Jer. 2–3; Ezek. 16; 23). Since the Jews were idolatrous from the beginning (Josh. 24:2–3, 14), it seems likely that Gomer would have to be a prostitute when she married Hosea; for this would best symbolize Israel's relationship to the Lord. God called Israel in the idolatry; He "married" them at Mt. Sinai when they accepted His covenant (Ex. 19–21); and then He grieved over them when they forsook Him for the false gods of the land of Canaan. Like Gomer, Israel began as idolater, "married" Jehovah, and eventually returned to her idolatry.

     If Hosea had married a pure woman who later became unfaithful, "wife of whoredoms" in 1:2 has to mean "a wife prone to harlotry who will commit it later" but this seems to be a strained reading of the verse. But could God ask His faithful servant to marry a defiled woman? Why not? We might as well ask, "Could God permit Ezekiel's wife to die?" Though marrying a prostitute might not be the safest step to take, such marriages were forbidden only to priests (Lev. 21:7). Salmon married Rahab the harlot who became the great-grandmother of King David and an ancestress of Jesus Christ (Matt. 1:4–5).

     The names (Hosea 1:3–9). As with Isaiah's two sons (Isa. 7:3 and 8:3), and numerous other people in Scripture, Gomer's three children were given meaningful names selected by the Lord.

     The first child, a son, was called Jezreel (Hosea 1:4–5), which means "God sows" or "God scatters." Jezreel was a city in the tribe of Isaachar, near Mt. Gilboa, and is associated with the drastic judgment that Jehu executed on the family of Ahab (2 Kings 9–10; and see 1 Kings 21:21–24 and 2 Kings 9:6–10). So zealous was Jehu to purge the land of Ahab's evil descendants that he murdered far more people than the Lord commanded, including King Ahaziah of Judah and forty-two of his relatives (9:27–10:14).

     Through the birth of Hosea's son, God announced that He would avenge the innocent blood shed by Jehu and put an end to Jehu's dynasty in Israel. This was fulfilled in 752 B.C. when Zechariah was assassinated, the great-great-grandson of Jehu and the last of his dynasty to reign. (See 2 Kings 10:30.) God also announced that the whole kingdom of Israel would come to an end with the defeat of her army, which occurred in 724.

     The second child was a daughter named Lo-ruhamah (Hosea 1:6–7), which means "unpitied" or "not loved." God had loved His people and proved it in many ways, but now He would withdraw that love and no longer show them mercy. The expression of God's love is certainly unconditional, but our enjoyment of that love is conditional and depends on our faith and obedience. (See Deut. 7:6–12 and 2 Cor. 6:14–7:1.) God would allow the Assyrians to swallow up the Northern Kingdom, but He would protect the Southern Kingdom of Judah (Isa. 36–37; 2 Kings 19).

     Lo-ammi (Hosea 1:8–9) was the third child, a son, and his name means "not My people." Not only would God remove His mercy from His people, but He would also renounce the covenant He had made with them. It was like a man divorcing his wife and turning his back on her, or like a father rejecting his own son (See Ex. 4:22 and Hosea 11:1).

     The new names (Hosea 1:10–2:1). Here is where the grace of God comes in, for God will one day change these names. "Not my people" will become "My people," "unloved" will become "My loved one." These new names reflect the nation's new relationship to God, for all of them will be "the sons of the living God." Judah and Israel will unite as one nation and will submit to God's ruler, and the centuries' old division will be healed.

     Instead of "Jezreel" being a place of slaughter and judgment, it will be a place of sowing where God will joyfully sow His people in their own land and cause them to prosper. Today, the Jews are sown throughout the Gentile world (Zech. 10:9), but one day God will plant them in their own land and restore to them their glory. As God promised to Abraham, Israel will become like the sand on the seashore. (Gen. 22:17).

     When will these gracious promises be fulfilled for the Jews? When they recognize their Messiah at His return, trust Him, and experience His cleansing (Zech. 12:10–13:1). Then they will enter into their kingdom, and the promises of the prophets will be fulfilled (Isa. 11–12; 32; 35; Jer. 30–31; Ezek. 37; Amos 9:11–15).

     The three children teach us about the grace of God. Now we'll consider the lesson that Gomer teaches us.

W. W. Wiersbe, (1996) Be Amazed (Minor Prophets): Restoring an Attitude of Wonder and Worship (The BE Series Commentary)