The contention between the north and south kingdoms would continue for a while. The king of the north will fail and be replaced with another king. The second part of the angel's message continued: This king would be a nobody who got the kingdom with lies and deceit. The king of the north would overcome the king of the south, because of betrayal. The king of the north would return home, but come back to the south later. There would be a different outcome the next time, and on the way back home he would attack God's people until God decided they had been punished enough. During this time the evil king would appear very successful and live the high life. The third part of the angel's message told of the attack of the north kingdom by the south. The king of the north will storm out in battle against many nations including the holy land. The king of the north would invade Egypt and surrounding countries. Then he would set up camp between the Mediterranean sea and Mt. Zion and soon be destroyed.
In part four the chief angel Michael told Daniel that he is the protector of his people. He will come at a time of terrible suffering. The dead would rise, and some of them would be given eternal life and others given shame and disgrace. He commanded Daniel to keep the message of the book secret until the end of time, even though many people would want to know what it said. Then Daniel looked around and saw two other people. He asked the angel when all this would happen. The angel promised that 1,335 days would go by and then God would bless them. He told Daniel to be faithful and he would rise from death and receive his reward.
Hosea
Hosea was a prophet during the time of Isaiah. The Lord told Hosea to marry a woman like Israel and have children with her. So he married Gomer, an unfaithful woman and had a son. The Lord told him to name him Jezreel, because He would avenge the murders which happened in the Jezreel Valley. Next they had a girl. God told him to name her Lo-Ruhamah because He would no longer have mercy for Israel (Judah He would save.) Then another son was born and the Lord told Hosea to name him Lo-Ammi, because they weren't God's people and He wasn't their God. In the future the people would be as numerous as grains of sand and they would be called "Children of the Living God."
The Lord promised to punish Israel for unfaithfulness. God had given them everything, and they had disrespected Him in every way. But the time would come when things would be different. The people and God would be reunited.
The Lord told Hosea to fall in love with an unfaithful woman who had a lover to show that He loves the people even though they are unfaithful to Him. So Hosea paid for such a woman and declared her his. Hosea told the woman that she had to be faithful to him even though it would be a long time before they slept together. It would be a long time until Israel had a king or sacrifices were offered in the temple or they received guidance from God. Eventually the people would want God back in their lives.
Tomorrow read Hosea 4-9
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