Who are the Patriarchs? At this point in Year one of the PATH, you are coming into the homestretch of Genesis with its 50 chapters and many, many characters. The three people known as the Patriarchs are Abraham, his son Isaac, and Isaac’s son Jacob. Many Biblical scholars also include Jacob’s son Joseph in the patriarchy.
Hosea the man and Hosea, the book. Hosea the man wrote about the life that God commanded him to live. The book of Hosea is the story of a man’s obedience to God, a sacrificial obedience that illustrated both Israel’s disobedience and God’s steadfast love for his people. But...would you obey if God told you to marry the town harlot? That was what Hosea had to do, as a way of illustrating the behavior of the nation of Israel.
So many people begin their reading of the Bible with great intentions and they start with Genesis. I’m glad that the Year 1 PATH Journal began in John, to get us into the good habit of SOAP journaling and Bible reading. People sometimes avoid the Old Testament, thinking that it is not relevant to us today or too intimidating to read. Do not be afraid of the Old Testament; it is filled with exciting and beautiful stories of God’s people...
