Imagine this scene.

A crowd 10,000 strong had just been fed by twelve loaves of bread and two fish.

Jesus performed an uncanny miracle in the wilderness. And the people saw their opportunity.

Here’s what happened after Jesus fed them:

Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

John 6:15 ESV

Think about it like this.

How amazing would a politician who can eliminate hunger be? A king or president who can feed his people miraculously and provide for every need?

Read moreA King In Their Own Image

In marriage, men and women can experience the lofty heights of love, mutual respect, and faithfulness. They can know what it is to both be wholly devoted to another and have that person’s devotion in return.

Marriage in this fashion was intended to be a picture of God’s unending love for his bride, his chosen people. However, his people Israel had become adulterous.

Israel’s sin was idolatry, or worshiping created things rather than Creator God.

Today’s verse sheds more light on this:

When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD.”

Hosea 1:2 ESV

Hosea was charged with displaying the absolute horror and devastation of sin upon covenant relationship.

Read moreThe Pain of Whoredom

To reprove means to gently criticize or correct. So, a reprover challenges and corrects people whom they love.

And today’s verse shows us just how much a wise reprover is worth:

Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold

is a wise reprover to a listening ear.

Proverbs 25:12 ESV

There are two big ideas we should take away.

One:

Two:

Read moreHow To Be a Wise Reprover