Day 208..."Why Exile?...A Stump with Hope...A Found Sheep"

Hosea had the dubious honor of being the king when Israel went into exile. Judah is still faithful in this era but will also fall later. Why did the exile happen? We have an answer in II Kings..."And this occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods and walked in the customs of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel, and in the customs that the kings of Israel had practiced. And the people of Israel did secretly against the Lord their God things that were not right. They built for themselves high places in all their towns, from watchtower to fortified city. They set up for themselves pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree, and there they made offerings on all the high places, as the nations did whom the Lord carried away before them. And they did wicked things, provoking the Lord to anger, and they served idols, of which the Lord had said to them, “You shall not do this.” Yet the Lord warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the Law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets.” But they would not listen, but were stubborn, as their fathers had been, who did not believe in the Lord their God." Notice how many chances God gave Israel! This extended passage will help us understand the rest of the Old Testament and the "why" of exile. Israel also compounds their trouble by seeking alliances with nations such as Egypt and Assyria instead of their LORD GOD. Isaiah teaches about the "stump" of Jesse to continue along the lines of a remnant..."There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit." Jesus will be in the genealogy of Jesse. This word offers hope.

God cares for Israel in spite of their disobedience. This is evident in the parable of the "lost sheep." A sinner can be found and returned to the fold! Jesus will seek those lost...especially the sinners. Jesus is the Messiah to restore the brokenness of Israel...and the world!