HOSEA Prophet of Love OVERVIEW Prophet

HOSEA Prophet of Love

OVERVIEW • Prophet to northern kingdom – occasional ref to Judah • Israel at its most powerful – during its last 40 years • Contemporary with Isaiah and Micah • Conditions during his work • Started ok but deteriorated rapidly • Chapter 4: 1 -2 • Constant conspiracy – only one of last 6 kings dies naturally • From 750 to 725 BC • God used Hosea’s own family to illustrate His relationship with Israel

HOSEA’S CALL, CHAPTERS 13

CHAPTER 1 – FAMILY • V. 1 -9 • Actual situation or figurative • Supporters of both sides • Lean toward actual – why make all this up? • Did God tell or direct Hosea to marry prostitute? • Some say yes – repulsive to Hebrew – not to others • Very well could have been that she turned bad and God used situation

CHAPTER 1 (CONT) • Children’s names • Jezreel – vengence • Lo-ruhamah – uncompassioned • Lo-ammi – not my people • v. 10 -11 – Prophesy • Eventually come back to God – chapter 3: 5 • Ever happen? Certainly “spiritual” Israel has

CHAPTER 2 • V. 1 -7 – infidelity • V. 8 -13 – all taken away • V. 14 -23 – God will take them back

CHAPTER 3 – PURCHASE OF GAMON • V. 3 has tremendous application • God’s children will always, eventually come back

HOSEA’S MESSAGE – CHAPTERS 4 -14 • • • Chapter 4 – sins of priests Chapter 5 – God’s wrath toward leaders Chapter 6 – plea for repentance Chapter 7 & 8 – sins of Israel Chapter 9 – punishment will be captivity Chapter 10 – more retribution Chapter 11 – Israel’s ingratitude and God’s remorse Chapter 12 – reproof of Judah as well as Israel Chapter 13 – Idolitry continued Chapter 14 – plea for repentance/ promise of blessing

ISRAEL’S STEPS OR PROGRESSION TO ITS DOWNFALL

LACK OF KNOWLEDGE • Chapter 4: 6 • Do not know God’s law • Chapter 4: 11, Heart is intelligence • Have to know God’s rules and will for us today

PRIDE • Chapter 5: 5 • No place for pride/arrogance with God’s people • We have no reason/basis for pride

INSINCERITY • Chapter 6: 4, not stable/shallow (parable of the sower) • Chapter 6: 6 God wants us to mean what we do • Going through motions is not enough • Any parallels today? • How can we tell? • What happens when things get tough?

WORLDLINESS • Chapter 7: 8 – has formed alliances with heathens • “cake not turned”? Raw on one side, burned on other • Lesson for today? Do not sell out for world, be complete, do not neglect any aspect of our Christian responsibility

CORRUPTION • Chapter 9: 9 • Allowed their religion to be watered down – polluted • Sound familiar? • In worship • In definition of “church” • How do we avoid this? • Know Bible • Accept it • Submit to it

BACKSLIDING • Chapter 11: 7 • Chapter 11: 6, were seeking advisers other than God • Today? – what influences us • God still forgiving, chapter 11: 8

IDOLATRY • Chapter 13: 2 • Gone completely from God • Apply to us? Yes! We have our own idols – what we trust; where we spend time/money; look to for leadership

ALWAYS THERE FOR US • Chapter 14: 1 -2, 4 • Same today, God always there • How do we get forgiveness

SOME KEY OR MEMORABLE PASSAGES • Chapter 6: 6 – Goodness and not sacrifice quoted by Christ, Matt 9: 13, 12: 7 • Chapter 6: 3 – follow on to know Jehovah • Chapter 8: 7 – sow wind, reap whirlwind, Gal. 6: 7 • Chapter 10: 12 – time to seek Jehovah • Chapter 13: 4 – besides me there is no savior • Chapter 14: 9 – Who is wise? Same as closing statements of Ezekiel, Nahum, and Zephaniah • Wise will obey God