Biblios Hokku - Amos

"Prepare to meet thy God, Oh Israel!"

Sounds like something we'd hear Clint Eastwood say if he was starring in The Ten Commandments doesn't it?

In actual fact this was a warning given by lowly shepherd Amos in 760BC (give or take.) Amos sees visions of GOD's displeasure at Israel for falling back into Idol worship again. As always with Biblical prophets, he is given a message of hope; and a warning.

AMOS
Seek justice for all,
Like a never-ending stream;
and you shall meet God.

You can see the whole Bible here, or learn more about Biblios Hokku here.

Hokku Biblios - Joel

Next up in the Hokku Biblios series - Joel.

Joel was prophesying on some tough times, comparing GOD's judgment of His people to a plague of locusts. He talks about the coming of a "dark and terrible day of the LORD" However, as with all the Old Testament prophets, he also talks about repentance.

Some of the line from Joel will be familiar to us. "Whoever calls on the name of the LORD will be saved" - Joel 2:32 and of course "I will pour out my Spirit on all men...." (Joel 2:28) is quoted by Peter at Pentecost to explain the workings of the Holy Spirit. (See, he wasn't just making it up as he went along.)

Joel suggested that the Day of the Lord was near for those multitudes in the Valley of Decision.

So what does it tell us?

JOEL
Vale of Decision.
Call on his name and be saved.
His Spirit will pour.

Biblios Hokku - Hosea

Poor Hosea. He was a good man, in a wicked world, and he faithfully followed GOD's isntructions to him. Unfortunately for him, those instructions included telling him to marry an unfaithful wife. HE uses this as a picture of his marriage to an unfaithful Bride, Israel.

The book is full of warnings about the consequences of their unfaithfullness "For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind" - Hosea 8:7.

It also includes some wonderful pictures of redemption if they would return, including "I will heal their backsliding.... I will love them freely"

For my Biblios Hokku project, I wrote this piece.

HOSEA
Harsh is my judgement.
Oh return to my healing.
Free will be my love.

Biblios Hokku - Daniel

I don't have to tell you who Daniel is, do I?
I don't have to tell you what he and his friend did, do I?

Good, then enjoy a Haiku about him, and go visit my other page of you want to read more.

DANIEL
Steadfast and constant.
Through fire and beast they stand -
And God stands with them.

New Branch, old root.

Out of the stump of David's family will grow a shoot--yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on him--the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. ~ Isaiah 11:1-2



With the rapid approach of Christmas, I decided to end the year in my Bible-Study group by going through the family tree of Jesus. So for the last two months or so we have been doing a course called "Who's line is it anyway?"



It has been quite interesting, as we examined the line, from Adam to Jesus, and saw how GOD used the same stories of redemption, over and over, to try and prepare use for the ultimate story. Also, there were some pretty interesting stories in there that we sometimes gloss over.



So now we are finished, but it's not too late for you to join us.

My friend Michelle over at ~ Psalm 104:24 ~ is once again doing her annual (every year since last year) Jesse Tree project. So go along to Isaiah 11:1-2 to share in a different devotion every night leading up to Christmas. I'm too lazy to do one myself, so I'll just go watch hers. :-)

Biblios Hokku - Ezekiel

Ezekiel was a priest and prophet to the Jewish nation in exile in Babylon. He reminded the people that it was their sin that had brought them to this place, but that GOD was still wanting to restore and rebuild the nation.

EZEKIEL
Woe unto Israel.
You do not do what is right.
Turn yourself; and live.

Celebration time!

So I see that according to my post log, this is my 100th post.

Woo Hoo and all that.

It is also my first post since finishing my latest novel. (I love that phrase.)
That's right, November National Novel Writing Month is over, and I am emerging victorious with my 50,000 word draft in hand. (A rather cramped hand I might add; did I mention I was writing the whole thing longhand?)

I am sorry I didn't get to pop in here as often as I would have liked, but the writing has been more intense than I imagined. I hope to try and catch up with all of you over the next few days, and see what has been going on behind my back.