{"id":13787,"date":"2025-12-05T09:36:19","date_gmt":"2025-12-05T14:36:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/?post_type=oyb&p=13787"},"modified":"2025-12-05T09:41:03","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T14:41:03","slug":"seeking-the-true-king","status":"publish","type":"oyb","link":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/oyb\/seeking-the-true-king","title":{"rendered":"SEEKING THE TRUE KING"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\u201cAfterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and they shall come in fear to the LORD and to his goodness in the latter days\u201d (Hosea 3:5 ESV).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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The prophet Hosea wrote to the wayward northern kingdom of Israel during a season of deep spiritual unfaithfulness. By God\u2019s command, Hosea took an unfaithful woman as his wife, dramatizing Israel\u2019s idolatry and revealing God\u2019s covenant love in vivid form. Israel\u2019s worship of other gods was not merely disobedience\u2014it was spiritual adultery against their divine Husband. Yet God\u2019s mercy shone through when He told Hosea to buy his adulterous wife back, picturing His intention to redeem His people from their sin. In Hosea 3:5, the prophet recorded one of the clearest Messianic promises in the Minor Prophets. After judgment and exile, Israel would one day experience spiritual renewal. They would return to Yahweh and seek \u201cDavid their king\u201d\u2014a prophetic reference to the coming Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Hosea foresaw that in the \u201clatter days,\u201d the age of the Messiah, God\u2019s people would come with reverent awe to the Lord and His goodness. This promise remains ultimately future, looking forward to a great revival among the Jews when many will finally receive Christ as their true King.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we enter the season of Advent, we are reminded that we too are called to seek the true King. Just as Israel was promised a day when they would return and seek \u2018David their king,\u2019 we are invited to turn from the materialistic idols of this season that compete for our devotion. Instead of being drawn away by lesser things, we can come to Christ with reverent awe. Advent teaches us to watch, wait, and prepare our hearts for the One who came and is coming again. God\u2019s goodness in sending His Son should move us to repentance and renewed faith. Let us enter this season determined to seek Jesus more earnestly and follow Him more completely as our true King!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PRAYER: Dear Father, we thank You for Your steadfast love and the promise of salvation through Christ Jesus, our true King. In this Advent season, help us turn from our idols and seek Jesus with renewed devotion. Teach us to walk in reverent awe of Your mercy and love. In Jesus\u2019 name, amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cAfterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and they shall come in fear to the LORD and to his goodness in the latter days\u201d (Hosea 3:5 ESV). The prophet Hosea wrote to the wayward northern kingdom of Israel during a season of deep spiritual unfaithfulness.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[],"scripture-book":[1295],"scripture-chapter":[1336],"oyb_day":[1866],"location":[],"class_list":["post-13787","oyb","type-oyb","status-publish","hentry","scripture-book-hosea","scripture-chapter-1336","oyb_day-december-5"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oyb\/13787","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oyb"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/oyb"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13787"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13787"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13787"},{"taxonomy":"scripture-book","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/scripture-book?post=13787"},{"taxonomy":"scripture-chapter","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/scripture-chapter?post=13787"},{"taxonomy":"oyb_day","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oyb_day?post=13787"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=13787"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}