The Sunday School Lesson God Stubbornly Loves by David McGee
Apr 06, 2025
God Stubbornly Loves (38:20)
Referenced Scriptures: Hosea 11:1-11; Joel 2:12-27; Zechariah 1:1-17; Jeremiah 31:3
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The scriptures below are from the WEB Bible.
Hosea 11:1-11
1) When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
2) The more [the prophets] called them, the more they went from them: they sacrificed to the Baals, and burned incense to engraved images.
3) Yet I taught Ephraim to walk; I took them on my arms; but they didn‘t know that I healed them.
4) I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love; and I was to them as those who lift up the yoke on their jaws; and I laid food before them.
5) They shall not return into the land of Egypt; but the Assyrian shall be their king, because they refused to return [to me].
6) The sword shall fall on their cities, and shall consume their bars, and devour [them], because of their own counsels.
7) My people are bent on backsliding from me: though they call them to [him who is] on high, none at all will exalt [him].
8) How shall I give you up, Ephraim? [how] shall I cast you off, Israel? how shall I make you as Admah? [how] shall I set you as Zeboiim? my heart is turned within me, my compassion is aroused.
9) I will not execute the fierceness of my anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of you; and I will not come in wrath.
10) They shall walk after Yahweh, who will roar like a lion; for he will roar, and the children shall come trembling from the west.
11) They shall come trembling as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria; and I will make them to dwell in their houses, says Yahweh.
Joel 2:12-27
12) "Yet even now," says Yahweh, "turn to me with all your heart, And with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning."
13) Tear your heart, and not your garments, And turn to Yahweh, your God; For he is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, And relents from sending calamity.
14) Who knows? He may turn and relent, And leave a blessing behind him, Even a meal offering and a drink offering to Yahweh, your God.
15) Blow the trumpet in Zion! Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly.
16) Gather the people. Sanctify the assembly. Assemble the elders. Gather the children, and those who suck the breasts. Let the bridegroom go forth from his room, And the bride out of her chamber.
17) Let the priests, the ministers of Yahweh, weep between the porch and the altar, And let them say, "Spare your people, Yahweh, And don‘t give your heritage to reproach, That the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?‘"
18) Then Yahweh was jealous for his land, And had pity on his people.
19) Yahweh answered his people, "Behold, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil, And you will be satisfied with them; And I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.
20) But I will remove the northern army far away from you, And will drive it into a barren and desolate land, Its front into the eastern sea, And its back into the western sea; And its stench will come up, And its bad smell will rise." Surely he has done great things.
21) Land, don‘t be afraid. Be glad and rejoice, for Yahweh has done great things.
22) Don‘t be afraid, you animals of the field; For the pastures of the wilderness spring up, For the tree bears its fruit. The fig tree and the vine yield their strength.
23) "Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in Yahweh, your God; For he gives you the former rain in just measure, And he causes the rain to come down for you, The former rain and the latter rain, As before.
24) The threshing floors will be full of wheat, And the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.
25) I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The great locust, the grasshopper, and the caterpillar, My great army, which I sent among you.
26) You will have plenty to eat, and be satisfied, And will praise the name of Yahweh, your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; And my people will never again be put to shame.
27) You will know that I am in the midst of Israel, And that I am Yahweh, your God, and there is no one else; And my people will never again be put to shame.
Zechariah 1:1-17
1) In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of Yahweh to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet, saying,
2) Yahweh was sore displeased with your fathers.
3) Therefore say you to them, Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: Return to me, says Yahweh of Hosts, and I will return to you, says Yahweh of Hosts.
4) Don‘t you be as your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried, saying, Thus says Yahweh of hosts, Return you now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor listen to me, says Yahweh.
5) Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live forever?
6) But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? and they turned and said, Like as Yahweh of Hosts thought to do to us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so has he dealt with us.
7) On the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of Yahweh to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet, saying,
8) I saw in the night, and, behold, a man riding on a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle-trees that were in the bottom; and behind him there were horses, red, sorrel, and white.
9) Then said I, my lord, what are these? The angel who talked with me said to me, I will show you what these are.
10) The man who stood among the myrtle-trees answered, These are they whom Yahweh has sent to walk back and forth through the earth.
11) They answered the angel of Yahweh who stood among the myrtle-trees, and said, We have walked back and forth through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sits still, and is at rest.
12) Then the angel of Yahweh answered, O Yahweh of Hosts, how long will you not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which you have had indignation these seventy years?
13) Yahweh answered the angel who talked with me with good words, [even] comfortable words.
14) So the angel who talked with me said to me, Cry you, saying, Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.
15) I am very sore displeased with the nations that are at ease; for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.
16) Therefore thus says Yahweh: I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies; my house shall be built in it, says Yahweh of Hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth over Jerusalem.
17) Cry yet again, saying, Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: My cities shall yet overflow with prosperity; and Yahweh shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.
Jeremiah 31:3
3) Yahweh appeared of old to me, [saying], Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn you.
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