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Gomer’s probationary period illustrates Israel’s experience in captivity, where the nation will live with no political or religious entity. After this period, Israel will return and seek the LORD their God and will experience complete restoration.

Hosea obeys the LORD’s command and buys his wife Gomer back. But to discipline Gomer, Hosea asks her to live in complete abstinence of sexual relations for many days, to stop playing the harlot, and to refrain from marrying another man, before the two of them can resume their normal married life.

The LORD commands Hosea to retrieve his wife Gomer in love, even though she is an adulteress. This gracious act illustrates God’s love for Israel who turns to other gods.

We are incapable of fully understanding how flawed and fallen we are. But we can ask God for forgiveness for the mistakes we do not even realize we have made. Further, we ought to ask God to keep us from intentional sins that would enslave us. God is the only true support and savior of humankind.

God’s commandments are perfect. Those who follow them are made wise, their hearts are glad, their souls are healthy. Through obedience to God, we find great reward.

God’s creation speaks of His glory. The heavens, the stars, the sun, all speak of His essence as Maker and Lord of all.  

There is a believer in the coastal city of Joppa named Tabitha. She is well known to be charitable and kind. But she falls ill and dies. The disciples of Joppa send for Peter, who is not far in the town of Lydda. He comes to Joppa and prays for Tabitha. He tells her to arise, and she wakes up from death. Her resurrection becomes well known throughout the city, and many believe in Jesus because of it. Peter remains in Joppa for a time.

A time of peace for the church begins. Peter visits many of the churches throughout Israel. In the town of Lydda, Peter heals a paralyzed man named Aeneas. Seeing this disabled man now walk, all who live in Lydda and the surrounding area believe in Jesus.

When Saul returns to Jerusalem, the other disciples reject him for a time out of fear. But the charitable and generous disciple Barnabas befriends Saul and takes him to the apostles. They learn of his vision of Christ on the road, and his ministry in Damascus. Saul begins preaching throughout Jerusalem. Soon the Greek—speaking Jews plot to put him to death, so the apostles send Saul away to his hometown of Tarsus.

Saul immediately begins preaching in Damascus that Jesus is the Son of God and the Messiah. Everyone is amazed. They knew Saul beforehand as a persecutor of believers, and now he was a believer himself. Some of the Jews in Damascus plot to kill him for his betrayal, but he catches wind of this and escapes the city by night.

Jesus speaks to a believer in Damascus named Ananias, telling him to go to Saul and heal his blindness. Ananias understandably hesitates, since this Saul is famously persecuting the church, and had arrived in Damascus with the intention to arrest believers, bind them, and take them away to Jerusalem. Jesus tells Ananias that Saul has been chosen to spread the gospel and suffer for His sake. So Ananias obeys. He puts his hands on Saul, and Saul’s sight returns. Saul is baptized.

Saul the Pharisee continues his aggressive campaign against believers. He sets out on a journey to Damascus in Syria to arrest any disciples of Jesus there. When he has almost arrived to his destination, a light from heaven flashes and knocks him down, blinding him. The voice of Jesus asks Saul why he is persecuting Him. Saul goes into the city, still blind, and does not eat or drink for three days.

After Moses’s recitation of the song and final exhortation to Israel, the Suzerain God commands him the same day to go up Mount Nebo to view the Promised Land from afar and to die there on the mountain.

After reciting his song to the Israelites (vv. 1-43), Moses exhorts them to covenant faithfulness, calling them to take everything to heart to live long in the Promised Land.

Moses now comments on the LORD’s speech as he invites the nations to join in the celebration of God’s gracious acts on Israel’s behalf.

Moses quoted the Suzerain God who says that He alone is God and that there are no other gods besides Him. Because of this, He will avenge Israel by inflicting punishment on the pagan nations.

The Suzerain (Ruler) God will judge His covenant people and also show compassion to them when they desperately seek Him.

The Suzerain God pronounces judgment on Israel’s enemies because they misinterpret His actions. They think they are powerful because they defeat Israel, but it is God who gives Israel over because of their disobedience. Vengeance belongs to God.

Moses then commented on the LORD’s decision to judge Israel. His covenant people lack wisdom and understanding, leading them to worship the pagan gods of their enemies. This resulted in the LORD’s severe judgment upon His people.

The Suzerain (Ruler) God says He will use various tools such as famine, disease, war, wild beasts, and venomous snakes to carry out His judgment on His disobedient vassals, Israel.