Hosea 9; Hosea 10; Hosea 11; Revelation 3

1 Israel, don't be joyful. Don't be glad as the other nations are. You haven't been faithful to your God. You love to get paid for being a prostitute. Your pay is the grain at every threshing floor.

2 But soon there won't be any grain or wine to feed you. There won't even be any fresh wine.

3 You won't remain in the LORD's land. Ephraim, you will return to Egypt. You will eat "unclean" food in Assyria.

4 You won't pour out wine offerings to the Lord. Your sacrifices won't please him. They'll be like the bread people eat when someone dies. Everyone who eats those sacrifices will be "unclean." They themselves will have to eat that kind of food. They can't bring it into the LORD's temple.

5 What will you do when your appointed feasts come? What will you do on the LORD's special days?

6 Some of you will escape without being destroyed. But you will die in Egypt. Your bodies will be buried at Memphis. Weeds will cover your treasures of silver. Thorns will grow up in your tents.

7 The time when God will punish you is coming. The day when he will judge you is near. I want you to know that. You have committed many sins. And you hate me very much. That's why you think I'm foolish. You think I'm crazy. But the LORD speaks through me.

8 People of Ephraim, I'm a true prophet. My God is warning you through me. But you set traps for me everywhere I go. You hate me so much you even wait for me in God's house.

9 You have sunk very deep into sin, just as our people did at Gibeah long ago. God will remember the evil things you have done. He will punish you for your sins.

10 The LORD says, "When I first found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert. When I saw your people long ago, it was like seeing the early fruit on a fig tree. But then they went to Baal Peor. There they gave themselves to that shameful god Baal. They became as evil as the god they loved.

11 Ephraim's greatness and glory will be gone. It will fly away like a bird. Women will no longer have children. They will not be able to get pregnant.

12 But suppose they do have children. Then I will kill every one of them. How terrible it will be for them when I turn away from them!"

13 Tyre is planted in a pleasant place. And so is Ephraim. But the Assyrians will kill Ephraim's children.

14 Lord, what should you do to Ephraim's people? Give them women whose babies die before they are born. Give them women whose breasts don't have any milk.

15 The LORD says, "My people did many evil things in Gilgal. That is why I hated them there. They committed many sins. So I will drive them out of my land. I will not love them anymore. All of their leaders refuse to obey me.

16 Ephraim is like a worthless plant. Its roots are dried up. It does not produce any fruit. Suppose Ephraim's people have children. Then I will kill the children they love so much."

17 My God will turn his back on his people. They have not obeyed him. So they will wander among other nations.

1 Israel was like a spreading vine. They produced fruit for themselves. As they grew more fruit, they built more altars. As their land became richer, they made the sacred stones they worshiped more beautiful.

2 Their hearts are dishonest. So now they must pay for their sins. The LORD will tear their altars down. He'll destroy their sacred stones.

3 Then they'll say, "We don't have a king. That's because we didn't have any respect for the Lord. But suppose we did have a king. What could he do for us?"

4 They make a lot of promises. They make agreements among themselves. They take oaths they don't mean to keep. So court cases spring up like poisonous weeds in a plowed field.

5 The people who live in Samaria are filled with fear. They are afraid their god that looks like a calf will be carried off from Bethel. They will sob over it. So will the priests who lead them to worship it. The priests were full of joy because their statue was so glorious. But it will be captured and taken far away from them.

6 It will be carried off to Assyria. The people of Ephraim will be forced to give it to the great king. They will be dishonored. Israel will be ashamed that all they have left to worship is a wooden god.

7 Samaria's king will be carried off. He will be like a twig floating away in a river.

8 The high places where Israel worshiped other gods will be destroyed. That's where they sinned against the Lord. Thorns and weeds will grow up there. They will cover the altars. Then the people will say to the mountains, "Cover us!" They'll say to the hills, "Fall on us!"

9 The LORD says, "Israel, you have done evil things ever since your people sinned at Gibeah long ago. And you are still doing what is evil. War caught up with those who sinned at Gibeah.

10 So I will punish you when I want to. Nations will gather together to fight against you. They will put you in chains because you have committed so many sins.

11 Ephraim, you were like a well-trained young cow. It loved to thresh grain. I spared its pretty neck from pulling heavy loads. But now I will make you do hard work. Judah also must plow. So all of the people of Jacob must break up the ground.

12 Your hearts are as hard as a field that has not been plowed. If you change your ways, you will produce good crops. So plant the seeds of doing what is right. Then you will harvest the fruit of your faithful love. It is time to turn to me. When you do, I will come and shower my blessings on you.

13 But you have planted the seeds of doing what is wrong. So you have harvested the fruit of your evil conduct. You have had to eat the fruit of your lies. You have trusted in your own strength. You have depended on your many soldiers.

14 But the roar of battle will come against you. All of your forts will be completely destroyed. It will happen just as Shalman destroyed Beth Arbel in a battle. Mothers and their children were smashed on the ground.

15 People of Bethel, that will happen to you. You have committed far too many sins. When the time for me to punish you comes, your king will be completely destroyed."

1 The LORD continues, "When Israel was a young nation, I loved them. I chose to bring my son out of Egypt.

2 But the more I called out to Israel, the further they went away from me. They brought sacrifices to the statues of the gods that were named after Baal. And they burned incense to them.

3 I taught Israel to walk. I took them up in my arms. But they did not realize I was the one who took care of them.

4 I led them with kindness and love. I did not lead them with ropes. I lifted the heavy loads from their shoulders. I bent down and fed them.

5 "But they refuse to turn away from their sins. So they will return to Egypt. And Assyria will rule over them.

6 Swords will flash in their cities. The heavy metal bars on their gates will be destroyed. Their plans will come to an end.

7 My people have made up their minds to turn away from me. Even if they call out to me, I will certainly not honor them. I am the Most High God."

8 The LORD continues, "People of Ephraim, how can I give you up? Israel, how can I hand you over to your enemies? Can I destroy you as I did the town of Admah? Can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart is stirred inside me. It is filled with pity for you.

9 My anger will not burn against you anymore. I will not completely destroy you. After all, I am God. I am not a mere man. I am the Holy One among you. My burning anger will not come against you.

10 I will roar like a lion against my enemies. You will follow me. When I roar, my children will come home trembling with fear. You will return from the west.

11 You will come trembling like birds from Egypt. You will return like doves from Assyria. I will settle you again in your homes," announces the Lord.

12 The people of Ephraim tell nothing but lies. Israel has not been honest with me. And Judah continues to wander away from God. They have deserted the faithful Holy One.

1 "Here is what I command you to write to the church in Sardis. Here are the words of the One who holds the seven spirits of God. He has the seven stars in his hand. He says, 'I know what you are doing. People think you are alive, but you are dead.

2 Wake up! Strengthen what is left, or it will die. You have not done all that my God wants you to do.

3 'So remember what you have been taught and have heard. Obey it. Turn away from your sins. If you don't wake up, I will come like a thief. You won't know when I will come to you.

4 'But you have a few people in Sardis who have kept their clothes clean. They will walk with me, dressed in white, because they are worthy.

5 Those who overcome will also be dressed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life. I will speak of them by name to my Father and his angels.

6 'Those who have ears should listen to what the Holy Spirit says to the churches.'

7 "Here is what I command you to write to the church in Philadelphia. Here are the words of the One who is holy and true. He holds the key of David. No one can shut what he opens. And no one can open what he shuts. He says,

8 'I know what you are doing. Look! I have put an open door in front of you. No one can shut it. I know that you don't have much strength. But you have obeyed my word. You have not said no to me.

9 'Some people claim they are Jews but are not. They are liars. Their worship is from Satan. I will make them come and fall down at your feet. I will make them say in public that I love you.

10 'You have kept my command to put up with anything that happens. So I will keep you from the time of suffering that is going to come to the whole world. It will test those who live on the earth.

11 'I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have. Then no one will take away your crown.

12 'I'll see to it that those who overcome will be pillars in the temple of my God. They will never leave it again. I will write the name of my God on them. I will write the name of the city of my God on them. This is the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God. I will also write my new name on them.

13 'Those who have ears should listen to what the Holy Spirit says to the churches.'

14 "Here is what I command you to write to the church in Laodicea. Here are the words of the One who is the Amen. What he gives witness to is faithful and true. He rules over what God has created. He says,

15 'I know what you are doing. I know you aren't cold or hot. I wish you were either one or the other!

16 But you are lukewarm. You aren't hot or cold. So I am going to spit you out of my mouth.

17 'You say, "I am rich. I've become wealthy and don't need anything." But you don't realize how pitiful and miserable you have become. You are poor, blind and naked.

18 'So here's my advice. Buy from me gold made pure by fire. Then you will become rich. Buy from me white clothes to wear. Then you will be able to cover your shameful nakedness. And buy from me healing lotion to put on your eyes. Then you will be able to see.

19 'I correct and train those I love. So be sincere, and turn away from your sins.

20 'Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If any of you hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with you. And you will eat with me.

21 'I'll give those who overcome the right to sit with me on my throne. In the same way, I overcame. Then I sat down with my Father on his throne.

22 'Those who have ears should listen to what the Holy Spirit says to the churches.' "