READING FOR FEBRUARY 26, 2026: HOSEA 9, MATTHEW 19, PSALM 14 HOSEA 9 For better or worse, this writer sometimes listens to YouTube videos by folks from a wide range of theological perspectives. Usually those who tie God to a political position (right or left) do not fill this writer’s soul with joy. Recently one pastor admitted that the Old Testament included lots of statements about God’s judgment and even anger. He said, however, we should read the Old Testament through the lens of Jesus. He is totally right. He is right that we should love and pray for our enemies. He is right that Jesus died for all people and desires that be saved and all oppression should cease. He was wrong, though, to imply that God’s standards for holiness have lessened and God’s judgment against unbelief no longer applies to us.
According to Paul, we need to read and heed these Old Testaments judgments: “Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they indeed craved them. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: ‘The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.’ Nor are we to commitsexual immorality, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. Nor are we to put the Lord to the test, as some of them did, and were killed by the snakes. Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Cor. 10: 6-11).
Hosea states the first step for sinful people is to stop rejoicing and realize their sins. He likens Israel to prostitutes loving their pay for their acts of immorality on the threshing room floor. He says whatever material benefit they think they have derived from this behavior will fail them. It will eventually funnel back to their ungodly partners: Egypt and Assyria. Maybe our possible failures are more subtle than Israel’s. God will show us if we ask: “Search me, God, and know my heart; put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there is any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way” (Psalm 139: 23-24).
Israel had fallen so far that they considered God’s prophets as fools and insane. Do we ever make fun of people who frequently quote scriptures labeling them as Bible thumpers or quip that those who speak too publicly about repentance as needing mental care? Remember 10% of Jesus’s words recorded in the New Testament were allusions to or quotations from Old Testament, and even His family “went to take charge of Him, for they said, ‘He is out of his mind’” (Mark 3:21). As with the prophets Hosea references (vs. 8), those who speak for God may face ridicule: “If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” (1 Pet. 4:14).
God thinks back with joy about His first rescuing His people but then recalls how they soon betrayed Him: "Israel became followers of Baal of Peor, and the Lord was angry with Israel” (Num. 25:3). He states an important principle: we increasingly become like that which/whom we love (vs.10). If, as mentioned in verse one, Israel felt cause for rejoicing, that thought should be the furthest from their minds after receiving the last part of this word of the Lord (vs. 15-17).
MATTHEW 19 The Pharisees asked Jesus a provocative question: “Is it right for a man to divorce his wife for any cause at all?” Jesus, as is almost always His practice answers by way of quoting the Bible. (He is quite the READINGS FOR FEBRUARY 26, 2026 CONTINUED: MATTHEW 19, PSALM 14 Bible thumper.) He quotes from Gen. 1:27 and 2:24. As he did with the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7), though, He provides a higher standard than found in the Old Testament. His complete response comes in verse 9: “Whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.” Whenever we think the
Bible needs be adjusted to fit the cultural norms of our current time, consider the disciples here. They were simply stunned by this counterculturally high standard, and replied that if this were the case, it is better not to get married. Jesus picks up this thread and develops this concept using the eunuch (i.e., castrated male) as a metaphor. Jesus acknowledges that the lifestyle option He is about to offer can only be chosen by those given a special mission from God. His eunuch metaphor means that some have chosen to remain celibate single men in order to focus on God
and His kingdom of heaven. This path was chosen and recommended by the Apostle Paul (1 Cor.7:7-8). It’s quite countercultural for Evangelical Christians today, however. How many such churches seek single pastors? Yet, there are many wonderful, Spirit-filled believers today who have followed this higher call.
If for any reason we have not met the standards Jesus gives (and few have met the highest standard), there is no value in feeling defeated. Our sins have been covered forever by the blood of Jesus as we confess them (1 John 1:9). We can focus on obeying God now and influencing others to do the same. God has great tasks for us today and in the future. Remember how He used those flawed people listed in His genealogy in Matt. 1?
Yet more children are brought to Jesus. How is it that the disciples failed to apply the lessons from Matthew 18 about the value of children? We need frequent reminders. To combat this forgetfulness God gave this advice: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it” (Josh. 1:8). We are doing the right by reading the Bible each day! Also, Jesus has given us help neither Joshua nor the disciples had at this point: “The Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you” (John 14:26).
In the encounter with the rich young ruler, Jesus again engages in a Socratic-like dialogue to draw out the condition of the man’s heart. When the right path is offered the man, we observe the perfect example of what St. Augustine called “disordered love.” His greater love would always be riches over God. Peter was quick to remind Jesus that the disciples had left everything to follow Jesus; he wondered what was in it for them. Jesus’s stunning response: twelve heavenly thrones from which to judge the tribes of Israel--eternal life also thrown in. Not a bad haul for an unedu- cated fisherman from Galilee. Recall martyred missionary Jim Elliot’s wisdom: “He is no fool to give up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
PSALM 14 Read carefully. It says the fool has said in his heart, "There is no God.” It is still likely true that no one running for president or most offices could politically survive by confessing to being an atheist out loud. But saying and being are not the same according to Jesus: “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:15). Some revealing fruit mentioned here by the Psalmist: corrupt, does abominable deeds, doesn’t understand Spiritual truth, doesn’t seek God, and exploits people. These are legitimate fruits to evaluate in selecting candidates for office, pastors, elders (1 Tim. 3), and all of us (Psalm 139:23-24). On the other hand, more people today are proudly embracing unbelief. They are sometimes called nones. This is from a recent article: “Nones account for a large portion of Americans, as shown by the 30% of U.S. adults who claim no religious affiliation in a survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.” February 2026 America is increasingly looking like Psalm 14. Thankfully, the trends are not the same everywhere in the world. This isn’t cause for panic because as Psalm 11:4 reminds us, the Lord is still in His holy temple, in ultimate control. This is cause for prayer (Matt. 9:38) and action: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you”(Matt.28:19-20).HOW EXCITING!
