HOSEA CHAPTER 12

Hosea 12

The focus of Chapter 12 is the faithfulness of God throughout the generations. 

Hosea addresses Ephraim, Jacob/Israel, and Judah. Hosea reminds them of God’s faithfulness, and pleads for all God’s people to return to Him. 

Jacob/Israel/Ephraim:

Hosea reminds God’s people of the beginnings of the nation of Israel. Jacob, who began as a “grabber” in the womb (Hosea 12:3. See Genesis 25:26), eventually stole his brother’s birthright (Genesis 25:27-34) and his blessing (Genesis 27:1-38). 

Jacob fled for his life. (Hosea 12:12) En route to Paddan-aram, he paused for the night at Bethel and dreamed of the ladder to heaven. God spoke to Him there and made a covenant with him. (Hosea 12:4b. See Genesis 28:10-22) 

1) What did God promise Jacob?

2) What did Jacob promise God?

PRAYER PAUSE: 

Jacob’s vow to give the Lord 10% of all that God gave to him was an acknowledgement of God’s ownership of everything that came into his possession. Jacob recognized he was only a steward of God’s property. He began his new relationship with God by returning a portion back to Him. 

This passage (as well as Genesis 14:20) is the basis for giving a tithe (or 10%) of all our income. The tithe was not given because God needed the money, the livestock, or the produce. The tithe was given as an acknowledgment of God’s favor, God’s grace, and His generosity. It was an act of worship.

Let’s pause to consider our own faithfulness with the tithe. 

Do we tithe our gross income or only that portion that comes to us after the government’s tax has been removed? 

Is our tithe an act of worship or merely a nice tax deduction?

Read Malachi 3:10-12 and consider the promises of God concerning the tithe.

Now is the time to ask God to adjust our attitudes about tithing and our habits of giving if needed.

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Laban, Jacob’s uncle, was also a deceiver. As Hosea reminds us in Hosea 12:12, Jacob worked for his uncle, Laban, seven years for his first wife, Leah, and seven more years for his beloved wife, Rachel. 

Jacob finally gathered his family, his livestock, and all his possessions to return home. The night before he met his brother Esau again, Jacob sent the women and children ahead. 

He was left alone and wrestled with the angel of God. (Hosea 12:4a. See Genesis 32:24-32) Jacob left the struggle with a new name (Israel) and a permanent limp. 

Hosea begged the people to remember the sweetness of relationship that began at Bethel when Jacob begged for God’s favor. The same attitude of submission and repentance would be the beginning that would bring God’s favor to Israel again.

Instead, both Israel and Judah have piled sin upon sin. We’ve looked at their sin before, so we won’t belabor the point, but are a few points worth noting.

Hosea says Ephraim feeds on wind and pursues the “east wind”. (vs. 1) The “east wind” is not a gentle breeze that brings refreshment on a hot day. 

3) What is the effect of the east wind on crops? (See Genesis 41:6, Ezekiel 17:10)

4) Of what does God accuse Ephraim in verses 7 and 8? (Canaanite being used interchangeably for merchant) 

5) How does God view “false balances”? See Proverbs 11:1 and Amos 8:4-6.

This chapter closes with verse 14, in which Hosea says that Ephraim has provoked the Lord to bitter anger and, as a result, God will leave their bloodguilt on them. 

6) In what way have they “retained” their bloodguilt? (This is a reference to Ezekiel 33:1-5) 

In verse 10, Hosea reminds us that God has already spoken through his prophets. He’s given them visions and parables, but the people have listened to none of it. In verse 13, he reminds Israel that the prophets have been invaluable to them, because a prophet (Moses) brought them out of Egypt and “by a prophet he was kept.” 

7) There’s a sweet truth hidden in the phrase “he was kept”, so check out BLB for more information and record it here:

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H8104&t=NASB

8) The word translated as “he was kept” in verse 10 is shamar and is also found in verses 6 and 12. Look at these verses in BLB (you can scroll down from the link above) to see how it’s used and record here.

9) How did they respond to the prophets and what were their consequences? See 2 Kings 17:13 

PRAYER PAUSE: 

In what ways have we heard the watchman’s cry in our culture? How have we responded to the warnings of the prophets of our time? How do you think God views your response and your actions? If there are changes that need to be made, list them here and make a commitment to honor God in all your ways.

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10) What does verse 2 say about Judah?

The terminology used in verse 2 is similar to that used in Hosea 4:1 and Micah 6:2. God has issued an “indictment” against His people, and Judah is not exempt.

Hosea 12:11 makes reference to the altars in Gilgal. 

11) How did Gilgal get its name? (Read Joshua 5:1-9)

12) What else happened in Gilgal? (See Judges 3:19, Hosea 9:15, Amos 5:5)

Now, we come to the good part of Hosea 12. Read Hosea 12:5-6 aloud. 

13) What does the word translated as “God of hosts” mean? (See BLB and be sure to check Gesenius:https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H6635&t=NASB)

14) How many mounted warriors of God will be used in Revelation 9:16?

PRAYER PAUSE: 

Consider for a moment the forces under the command of our God. There is nothing He cannot accomplish. There is no enemy He cannot defeat. He is able. No matter what battles you face, our God can handle them. Stop for a few minutes to worship our Lord of Hosts and place your battles, your trials, your pain in His loving hands.

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After nearly thirty years as a physician, I know a prescription when I see one. Hosea 12:6 is the prescription for the treatment of sin-sickness. 

15) Write out the prescription God prescribed for His people, then read it aloud.

I love the way this verse is translated in ESV. 

“So you, by the help of your God, return,

hold fast to love and justice, 

and wait continually for your God.” 

Hosea 12:6 esv

Let’s work through these instructions. (The Hebrew lessons all come from BLB)

We’ve seen shuwb, the word translated as “return”, repeatedly in Hosea. This is the Qal imperfect verb form and describes an action that is not yet completed, but is in the process of occurring. We might say, “As you are returning” or “start returning and keep on returning”.

The word translated as “observe” or “hold fast”, shamar, is in the imperative verb form. It is used to indicate a command. We are to “hold fast to love and justice.” The holding is not optional.

The word translated here as “love” is checed. It is often translated as mercy or kindness and can be used to describe the mercy of God toward His wayward people. We are to show the mercy God has shown to us to those around us. 

It implies a greater responsibility than “love your neighbor as you love yourself.” 

This directs us to love our neighbor, be merciful to our neighbor, in the same way that God has loved us, been merciful to us. It’s one thing to love someone as I love myself, but to love them with the great love God has shown to me is another matter entirely.

16) If we are to love others as God has loved us, we need to remember the love He has shown to us. Take a few minutes to write out the ways God has demonstrated love to you.

The word translated as justice is mishpat. This instruction to “hold to justice” does not mean we are to administer justice in God’s stead. It means we are to hold to what is right. To do what is right. 

Here’s a blog post that deals with the issue of “mishpat” and our desire for “justice”. 

http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2014/11/praying-like-you-life-depends-upon-it.html

Here’s a quote from that blog: 

“We have neither the right nor the authority to take matters of justice into our own hands. Our Lord has given us clear direction to treat others as we want to be treated. No matter how they treat you, treat them back in the way you want to be treated. Our behavior is not dependent on what other people do or fail to do.” 

The principle of mishpat, or doing what is right, is not popular in our culture. When people talk about getting justice, what they most often want is revenge, but that is not God’s way. The job of vengeance is His alone. 

17) What do the following verses say about vengeance?

a) Deuteronomy 32:35

b) Romans 12:19

The word translated as “wait” is qavah, also an imperative verb form. The stem is “Piel”, which (according to BLB) “expresses an intensive or intentional action.”

Our waiting for God to move in our situation is to be both ongoing, intensive, and with expectation. 

Of all the verbs used in this verse, the waiting is the most active action we are to take. 

The word translated as “continually” is tamiyd. It implies an ongoing action that persists, night and day, in perpetuity. 

To put it all together, God’s people need to live in a continual state of returning to Him. Our desire should be to draw ever closer to Him. We are to grab hold of the mercy God has shown to us and pass that mercy along to all we encounter, whether they treat us well, or not. Justice is not for us to administer. Instead, we are to do what is right and seek what is right. We leave the issue of justice to the only One who is qualified to administer it. He will do what is necessary. If we believe that (and we should), all that is required of us is to wait for God to move.

The overriding action of God’s people should be waiting on Him with expectation and anticipation. 

As I’ve studied the issues of social injustice and inequality, I’ve found one verse that sums up our responsibility in the situation quite nicely. 

18) Read Colossians 3:14 and write the verse below. Consider how you can make love a greater part of your life.

PRAYER PAUSE:

Take a moment and consider the verse above. How well do you clothe yourself in love? How do you use love as a “binding agent” in an inharmonious situation? What changes do you need to make in the way you treat others, especially those in different socioeconomic or racial groups?

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The photo above is the entrance to a cave beside the shepherd's field near Bethlehem. As you can see, the door is small. The area inside is fairly large. Shepherds would herd their sheep inside for the night. To ensure their safety, the shepherd would sleep in the doorway. Any predator would have to "go through the shepherd" to get to the sheep. 

In that same way, when Jesus says He is the door, it is this door to which He likely referred. The "door" that secures the sheep is the watching, protecting presence of the Good Shepherd.

Take courage fom this truth. Our Shepherd has given Himself to protect us from the devouring enemy of our soul and it is He who will keep us safe until the day we enter our eternal home.
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Final thoughts:
We're nearly to the end. This lesson was shorter than the last and the next one will likely be shorter still. If you've worked through all twelve chapters, you've learned a lot and, likely, changed, as well. I'm praying for you to persevere all the way through to the end. Good job!

Here's the link to Chapter Thirteen.
#Hosea #Biblestudy #in-depthBiblestudy

Hosea Chapter 13

Chapter 13

We have spent weeks reading about the sin of Israel and Judah. We’ve learned about the much-deserved judgment they received and the captivity that resulted. Chapter 13, describing the sin and judgment God’s people will receive, is a stark contrast to Chapter 14, in which Hosea not only tells us how to return to God, but also how much God loves us. 

Redemption and healing are uppermost in the heart of God, because He loves us more than we can possibly understand.

Hosea 13:1-3

As a result of Baal worship, according to Hosea, Ephraim “died”. The word translated here is muwth,(1) an ongoing destruction that is not yet complete. In a way, the worship of idols killed their faith, one idol-sacrifice at a time. It was an ongoing, unrelenting kind of death.

So, too, we seldom lose our faith all at once. Instead, we walk away from our Lord with one compromise at a time. Faith, all too often, dies a slow death because of our ongoing idolatry.

Ephraim, though once respected, lost the respect of the world and their standing as a powerful nation because of their sin.

1) How might America be experiencing the loss of worldwide respect and honor as a result of our sin?

Hosea makes reference to those who offer sacrifices to the golden calves also kissing them. 1 Kings 19:18 suggests this was a literal kissing, as if the inanimate, man-made idol was a living organism and, symbolically, a kind of joining to the idol.

When Elijah was in hiding because Jezebel had vowed to kill him, God assured him that he was safe and that he was not alone. 

2) How many faithful still remained in Israel and what demonstrated their faithfulness? (See 1 Kings 19:18)

Hosea 13:4-6

God had been the Lord of Israel since He brought them out of Egypt. Verse 4 says, “There is no savior besides Me.” The word translated as “savior” is yasha` and indicates a continuous action. We were saved, we are being saved, we will be saved. The salvation God offers is a forever salvation, not a transient, one-moment-in-time salvation. We are saved for eternity, and there is no other Savior beside our Lord. (2)

These same words are echoed in Isaiah 45:21,22. 

Isaiah 43-44 is a breathtaking passage that describes the love of God for His people, His faithfulness to us, and the promises to which we can cling. 

3) Read through Isaiah 43 and 44 and make notes on the promises of God that speak to you. 

Hosea 13:6 tells us that, when God met their needs, Israel became “satisfied” and it led to pride. Because they forgot the source of their blessings, they credited themselves with their own provision. This should serve as a reminder to us that offering thanks to God is not optional and is more for our protection than for God.

4) What does offering a “sacrifice of thanksgiving” do for God? (See Psalm 50:23)

5) What does God do in response to a “sacrifice of thanksgiving”? (See Psalm 50:15, 23)

Hosea 13:7-8

Hosea again uses the imagery of wild animals to describe how God will respond to the sin of Israel. Lions, leopards, and bears are all native to Israel. 

Lions (3) kill an estimated 250 people per year, but that number would have been much higher in Hosea’s time. The people in Israel would have understood the imagery of an attacking lion without any problem. (We’ve studied the imagery of the lion’s roar already, so I’ve not repeated that information.)

Lions are nocturnal. They sleep during the day and hunt at night. A lion lies in the grass or in other vegetation and watches its prey patiently, waiting until the moment of greatest vulnerability to attack. The lion sprints toward the prey and lunges for the head. Lion attacks on humans are usually aimed at the face and neck. It is extremely rare to escape a lion attack.

If God will be “like a lion” to Israel, He will watch them patiently, waiting to see how they will respond to His pleas for repentance. When He finally moves, however, it will be rapid and devastating. He will attack their source of pride (face) and the source of their false claims of piety (neck/mouth). There will be no escape.

Here's a link to a video of an attempted lion attack. (No one was harmed. The lion was behind a glass wall.) The speed and ferocity with which the lion moves are astounding. 

http://bgr.com/2016/06/06/lion-attack-zoo-japan-turn-back/

The Arabian Leopard (4) is native to Israel and generally lives in the mountains. Their attacks are, like the lion, usually to the head and neck. The leopard also waits patiently before attacking its prey, as Hosea 13:7 mentions. Their spots provide excellent camouflage. They move with great speed, but are not as large as lions. Leopard attacks are sometimes survivable. 

If God is “like a leopard lies in wait”, His presence and impending attack will be disguised, in a way, so that Israel will not realize, at first, that God is the one from whom their troubles arise. God’s judgment will be on them before they realize its coming. They may be able to survive it, but only if they are repentant and broken.

Bears (5) don’t usually attack humans, but a bear robbed of her cubs is a different story. Mama bears are both ferocious and relentless. They defend their young at all cost. Bears, like lions and leopards, attack the head and neck area. 

If God “will encounter them like a bear robbed of her cubs,” He will move suddenly, decisively, and with incredible ferocity. If God is like a bear robbed of her cubs, He is desperate to defend the helpless and most vulnerable from the danger presented by the one He attacks. In the case of Israel, the “cubs” (infants) were sacrificed on the altar of Molech. Infant sacrifice was one of the sins for which Israel was judged. 

God’s judgment against Israel, in a way, was a defense on behalf of the helpless infants. By stopping their idol worship through exile, He saved the lives of many infants. He defended the helpless ones with the ferocity of a mother bear. 

Verse 8 tells us God will “tear open their chests”. The word translated as “chest” indicates the “heart enclosure” and might also be translated as “pericardium”, which is the protective sack surrounding the heart. 

God “cuts away” the things with which we have surrounded and protected our hearts with the goal of bringing us back to Him.

PRAYER PAUSE: 

What have you used to “protect” your heart from hurt? What have you used to insulate your heart from the call of God to move closer to Him?

Now is the time to allow God to rip away all the things of this world that we’ve used to insulate us from Him and allow Him full and open access to our hearts and lives. Pause now to offer your heart to Him without reservation.

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Before we move on, let’s look at the price of disobedience in a little more detail.

6) How did God say He would use beasts to discipline Israel? (See Leviticus 26:21-22, Deuteronomy 32:24, and Ezekiel 14:21)

Hosea 3:9 

I love the KJV translation of this verse. “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in Me is thine help.” God was telling them the destruction they experienced was all their own fault. It wasn’t the “fault” of the Assyrians. It was Israel’s own fault. 

7) In what ways had Israel destroyed themselves?

8) In what ways have we, as the United States, destroyed ourselves?

We can’t miss the promise God offered. “In Me is thine help.” He gave them a lifeline to which they could cling in the midst of their disaster. 

No matter how bad our situation, God will not reject a repentant heart. All that was needed to turn their crisis around was that they bend their knees and their hearts before the Only One who could redeem them. 

PRAYER PAUSE:

Hosea is right. Israel’s only hope for help was God Himself. That’s equally true for our nation, as well. Pause now to pray that, as a nation, we will turn to God and seek His healing for our land.

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Hosea 13:10-11

These verses refer back to Israel’s demand for an earthly king, rather than God as king. As we’ve already seen, God gave the people a king who looked good from the outside, Saul, but who was tormented by demons and insanity. Israel had one bad king after another. Judah had a few good kings, but also had the likes of Rehoboam, Queen Athaliah, and Manasseh. 

9) Why was the king of Judah absent? (See 2 Kings 17:4)

Hosea 13:12

Hosea says the sin of Ephraim is “stored up”.

11) Why would the sin be “in storage”?

12) For what purpose is it stored? (See Romans 2:5-6)

One of the most amazing demonstrations of mercy and grace is found in the final sermon of Moses.

13) What did Moses foretell? (See Deuteronomy 32:15-18.)

God knew what His people would do when He responded to their cries in Egypt and brought them to the promised land. He knew about their sin, their idolatry, and the sacrifices they would make. He knew, yet He loved them anyway. He rescued them anyway. He led them, blessed them, and protected them anyway.

PRAYER PAUSE:

How have you seen the mercy and grace of God in your life, despite your sin? One definition of mercy is “not giving us what we deserve.” Grace is “giving us what we don’t deserve.” Be sure to thank God for the grace and mercy He has extended to you. 

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Hosea 13:13

Isaiah 66:7-10 speaks of the birth of the nation of Israel. It could not be accomplished in a day, but God’s plan would not be denied. Hosea 13:13 suggests that Israel had come to the point of “birthing” but had failed to move from the birth canal into the life God had planned for her.  

14) In what ways did Israel “delay at the opening of the womb”? 

15) How did Israel come short of becoming the “wise son” God intended?

Matthew Henry explained this passage in a wonderful way. The natural outcome of “the pains of childbirth” is great joy at the birth of a child. When we experience the suffering that comes from sin, it should result in repentance and great joy. Instead, Israel had stopped short of repentance in their suffering. Rather than great joy, they had only pain and sorrow. (6)

Hosea 13:15-16 give a description of the coming horrors accompanying judgment. The east wind (Assyria) would soon come, as history has shown.

16) What would happen to Israel, according to these verses?

17) Read the following passages to see how Hosea’s prophecy was fulfilled:

2 Kings 17:5

2 Kings 24:12-14

Jeremiah 27:19-22 

Ezra 1:7-11

Amos 1:13

Nahum 3:10

The heartbreaking reality is that none of this was necessary. Repentance would have resulted in forgiveness and healing, but it came too late.

Despite all the destruction, death, and loss their sin caused, one beautiful truth still remains. God’s plan for Israel has not changed. He still loves His people. He still intends good for them, and not evil. He will still bring it to pass.

16) Read Jeremiah 29:11 and write the promise of God here.

We close this chapter with a look at verse 14 and the promises of what God will do for His people.

My NASB version translates this verse as “shall I…” The KJV translates it as “I will…” I believe the “I will” most closely matches the intent of the passage. (See Psalm 49:15, Ezekiel 37:12-14) Despite all the sin of God’s people (not just Israel, but also we, His people), He is still willing to redeem, still willing to ransom us. 

17) How was that ransom accomplished? (See 1 Corinthians 15:54-57)

PRAYER PAUSE:

We serve a risen Savior whose death paid the penalty for our sin. He ransomed us, redeemed us, with His own body. Should we not then live as those who have been bought with a terrible price? Spend some time worshipping our King and thanking Him for your sin-redemption that was bought on Calvary.

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Closing thoughts: 

One more chapter and we’re done. It’s the love passage we’ve been working toward. The hope we’ve longed to hear. Don’t stop now. Treasure lies just ahead.

God bless you for your efforts and your willingness to sacrifice to step closer to our Lord.

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A little extra:

The tattered Israeli flag, photographed in Caesarea in 2013, is a reminder that, though Israel was dispersed throughout the world, God's promise to return them to the land He had promised held true. May 14, 1948, more than 2,500 years after they were taken into captivity by Babylon, the nation of Israel was "established" once again. It should serve as reminder to us that God always keeps His Word and fulfills that which He has promised.

Here's the link to Chapter Fourteen. The final chapter. 

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Footnotes: 

(1) https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H4191&t=NASB

(2) https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H3467&t=NASB

(3) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion. Accessed 7/19/16.

(4) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabian_leopard

(5) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear_attack

(6) https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/Hsa/Hsa_013.cfm

#Hosea #Biblestudy #indepthBiblestudy 

HOSEA CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Hosea Chapter 14

It’s been a long journey with Hosea, hasn’t it? If you’ve made it this far, you’ve spent a serious amount of time in God’s Word over the last few months. Without a doubt, it has been used by our Lord to change you in ways you might not yet see. 

This is the chapter I love, because it tells the story of what God has done in my own life and in the lives of millions of believers. 

The first two verses are yet another call to Israel for repentance. Because of their sin, Hosea says they have “fallen”. The word translated as fallen is “kashal” and might also be translated as “stumbled” or “staggered”. (1) Like one intoxicated to the point of drunkenness by the power of their sin, they have staggered and fallen down. They are no longer upright.

1) What do the following verses say about those who are upright? 

Psalm 11:7

Proverbs 4:11

Ecclesiastes 7:29

Hosea doesn’t just condemn them for their sin, however. He tells them how to come back to their God.

Admit that they are a sinner.

Believe in God alone.

Confess their sins.

2) Read through Hosea 14:1-3 and list below how Hosea’s instructions fit into the ABC’s of Salvation.

A.

B.

C.

The repentance required is more than a quick “sorry”. Hosea tells the people to “take words with you and return to the Lord.” They were to ask Him to take away all their sin. Repentance for one or two sins would not be enough. It was time to be done with every bit of sin. 

They were also to renounce their dependence upon Assyria and the power of horses and chariots. 

When they renounced their sin, they were to ask for forgiveness for the past and renounce idolatry forever. Their repentance was to be a “never again” repentance.

The prophet Joel wrote that the door of mercy was, despite all their sin, still ajar. Read the passage in Joel 2:11-14 and answer the following questions: 

3) What did he mean by rending “your heart and not your garments”? (See Genesis 37:34, 2 Samuel 1:11) What did tearing their garments signify?

4) When God relents and forgives sin, what does Joel say He leaves behind? 

5) How does Hosea describe God’s response to the kind of repentance described in the first three verses of Chapter 14? (See verse 4-5a)

6) What did the prophet Micah say about the forgiveness of God? (See Micah 7:18-19)

King David knew the shame and heartbreak of unconfessed sin, but he also knew the sweetness of forgiveness that led to restoration and ultimately renewed service.  

7) What did David ask of God? What truth did he know about the way God responds? (See Psalm 51:10-17)

Hosea tells the people to present “the fruit of our lips”. 

8) What is the “fruit of our lips”? (See Hebrews 13:15 and Psalm 50:14-15, 23, and Isaiah 31:1)

Hosea 14:3 says the people are to renounce riding on horses. This is not a reference to recreational riding or using a horse for transport. Instead, it is a military reference. A soldier mounted on a horse had a distinct advantage over a foot soldier. It was easy to depend on the power, speed, and height advantage obtained by the horseman. 

9) Read Psalm 33:17 and Psalm 20:7 to find the significance of this term. 

(A little extra: At one of Ryan’s last horse shows, he took a young filly for her first trip into the show ring. While he was changing clothes, there was a freak accident with the horse. I was knocked unconscious, and Ryan returned from the dressing room to find his mama on the ground with a crowd of parents around me. The injury broke my nose, gave me two black eyes, and left me with a frontal lobe concussion. I understood in a new, and much deeper, way that my trust could never be in a horse. Psalm 20:7 took on a whole new meaning for me. It’s still one of my favorite verses.) 

Hosea 14:3 makes reference to the special relationship of God and the orphans.

10) How does God view the orphan? (See Psalm 68:5 and Psalm 146:9)

Both Isaiah and Zephaniah wrote about God’s response to the repentance of His people. 

11) What will healing accomplish? (See Isaiah 57:18)

12) How will God express His restored love relationship? (See Zephaniah 3:17)

13) What will take the place of God’s anger? (See Isaiah 12:1)

14) How will the blessings of a restored relationship with God change Israel? (See verse 5b-7, as well as Isaiah 35:1-2 and Psalm 92:12-14)

Hosea ends his prophecy with a word of warning. The one who is wise must learn from the history of Israel, and understand the cost of sin, the importance of repentance, and the joy of a restored relationship with God. 

15) Read Hosea 14:9 and write the verse below as a reminder to yourself of the importance of what you’ve learned.

PRAYER PAUSE:

Now is the time to praise God for bringing you all the way through this study and thank Him for what you’ve learned and how He’s changed your heart. Well done, good and faithful student. I pray you’ve learned more than you expected and grew closer to our Lord than you imagined possible. 

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We close this study with one of my favorite passages in Scripture. Read through Zephaniah 3:14-17 aloud and insert your own name in the place of Israel, insert my in the place of the “you/your”. 

Our King is here and He loves you very much.

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If you will email me that you’ve finished the study, along with your mailing address, I have a little “happy” for you that I’ll mail to celebrate your victory. May God bless you in proportion to the very great blessing you’ve given me by working all the way through Hosea with me.

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The photo above is one of the waterfalls in En gedi. Just as the waterfall offers refreshment, so, too, the word of God refreshes our spirit and offers balm for our souls. I pray you've experienced that same grace during the weeks of this study. God bless you for your faithfulness.
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The next study will be on the book of James. I’m planning to have it ready by January 1, 2017. There will be some similarities in the format, but you may find it a little easier going than Hosea. I hope you’ll join us.

#hosea #indepthBiblestudy #Biblestudy

HOSEA CHAPTER ELEVEN

Hosea 11

In this chapter, we see the pleading of a loving God as He begs His people to return to Him and avoid the judgment that is coming. Hosea paints a word-picture of a heart-broken Lover who is desperate to restore the relationship with the object of His ardor.

As we’ve seen before, Jesus, God the Son, is revealed in the New Testament but concealed in the Old Testament. We see that again in this chapter, so be sure to look for prophetic references to Jesus, even if I don’t point them out.

Hosea 11:1

Verse one begins the chapter with a clear declaration of God’s love for Israel. He has loved Israel since the very beginning. There’s a beautiful truth about God’s love hidden in the word translated as “loved”.

What does the word “love” indicate about God’s feelings toward us? (Follow the BLB link below and check Gesenius’ Lexicon).

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H157&t=ESV

It’s difficult for us to fully comprehend the love God has for Israel. The word translated as “love” indicates a deep longing, a love that transcends all mistakes, all unworthiness. This is a love that depends not at all on the object of love, but is initiated, sustained, and nurtured by the One doing the loving. 

PRAYER PAUSE: 

The Most High God longs to have a relationship with His people, including you and me. It’s mind boggling, but He is the One who loves us most, the One whose love never lets go, the One whose grip on His children never slips. He loves us. He loves you.

Take a moment and revel in the truth and warmth of His love toward you. 

Spend some time loving Him back, whispering words of love and gratitude for His mercy and grace.

Don’t ask God for a single thing. Simply love Him as He loves you.

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When Hosea says that God “called My son” out of Egypt, the reference is both historical and prophetic. 

2) How did God call His son from Egypt (historical)? (See Exodus 4:21-23)

3) How did God call His Son from Egypt (prophetic)? (See Matthew 2:13-15)

Hosea 11:2 

4) To whom does this refer as “calling” Israel? (See 2 Kings 17:7-14)

Lest we think Hosea was a lone voice in the wilderness, calling God’s people to repentance, take a look at the prophets God sent to the divided kingdom.

During the years from 931 B.C. to ~420 B.C., God sent thirty prophets to His people. (I’ve included references for the lesser-known prophets.)

We’ve seen the response of the people to God’s calls for repentance, and verse 2 reminds us of this again.

5) How did the people respond to the call of God delivered through the prophets? 

Hosea 11:3

This verse makes reference to God’s tender care for the Israelites in the wilderness, as well as their unwillingness to acknowledge Him as the One who had met their needs.

When the children of Israel stood just outside the Promised Land, yet refused to go in because they feared the people, Moses spoke wise words about God’s faithfulness. Despite his encouragement, they chose the wilderness over the blessings of Canaan.

6) What do Deuteronomy 1:29-32 and Deuteronomy 32:10-18 tell us about God’s care and His people’s response?

This God we serve does not send us out alone. Instead, He holds us in His arms, close to His heart, all the way through the difficult places. 

PRAYER PAUSE:

Think about the times your parents carried you and the times you’ve carried your children. Held tight against the chest, the child is close enough to hear their parent’s heartbeat. In that same way, those difficult times when our Lord carries us through can be the sweetest of all because of the closeness we experience.

How have you experienced the tenderness of God carrying you through a hard time? Be sure to thank Him, both for the hard time and His loving embrace.

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Hosea 11:3 concludes by saying that they “did not know that I healed them.” Israel had seen mighty works of God over and over again. It’s difficult to understand how they “didn’t know”,  but there’s a difference between seeing and understanding, isn’t there?

7) What does the word translated as “know” indicate? Here’s the BLB link: (Also see Isaiah 6:9)

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H3045&t=NASB

We’ve come to something that took my breath away as I studied it. It’s so exciting that I’m tempted to forge ahead, but you’ll remember it better if you see it for yourself. 

Let’s take a look at the kind of healing God does. Head to BLB and read through the entry, with special attention to Gesenius’ Lexicon.

8) What kind of healing can human healers offer? (See Gesenius’ #1)

9) What kind of healing does God offer? (See Gesenius #2)

10) To what does God restore? (Gesenius #2) 

If you’re not familiar with those terms, here’s a link to a dictionary:

pristine: (http://www.dictionary.com/browse/pristine?s=t)

felicity: (http://www.dictionary.com/browse/felicity?s=t)

11) What does God use to bring healing? (See Psalm 107:20)

Let’s put it all together. When we are brokenhearted, suffering, sin-sick, we can go to the One who loves us most. 

12) How does Scripture tell us He will respond? 

13) When we immerse ourselves in His Word, what happens to our brokenness, our suffering, our sin-sickness?

14) How thoroughly will God heal us (if we are willing)? (This comes from the Gesenius lexicon above)

If you’ve made it this far in the Hosea study, you have already immersed yourself in the Word of God. Whether you realize it yet, or not, God has been working in your hurt places, your places of pain and disillusionment, to bring healing with His Word. 

Before we leave Hosea 11, we will see a beautiful picture of just how much our God loves His people. We will see just how much He loves you and me. 

We cannot be restored to the “pristine felicity” God intends without dealing with our disease of sin. Repentance and forgiveness are not optional. (See Isaiah 6:10 and Isaiah 53:5)

I don’t want to leave this verse without addressing the issue of physical illness. There are some illnesses that are clearly the result of our own sin. A sexually-transmitted disease contracted by having sex with a prostitute is an example, albeit extreme, but not all illness is a direct result of personal sin.

In heaven, there is no sickness. We, however, are fallen humans living in a fallen world. What was once perfect, at creation, has been marred by sin. In a way, all disease happens as a result of our corporate sin (that Sin that began in the Garden of Eden), but not all disease happens because of our personal sin. 

We’ve just looked at verses that point to the divine healing of God and that brings us to the question of whether or not God will heal our illnesses. 

When we ask for healing, God always responds. Sometimes, God chooses to heal the diseases with which we suffer when we enter heaven. Sometimes He chooses to heal while we are still in this world. Sometimes that healing is instantaneous; sometimes He uses the work of humans (doctors, nurses, therapists) to accomplish His work of healing.

What we sometimes fail to understand is that all healing comes from God. Physical. Spiritual. Psychological. 

All healing comes from God. 

Without Him, there is no lasting healing, for He, alone, is Jehovah Rapha.

Hosea 11:4

My translation begins, “I led them with cords of a man…” The word translated as “led” is not exactly what I expected, so follow the link to BLB.

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H4900&t=NASB

15) What does “mashak” indicated about the kind of “leading” God has done for His people?

In a way, God has not so much led His people as He has drawn His people to Himself. Verse 4 tells us He has used two means to draw us to Him. 

16) In what two ways has God drawn His people?

a)

b)

17) The “cords of a man” may well refer to literal “cords” but look at BLB for an alternate explanation. How might this lead us to God?

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H2256&t=NASB

18) How does God draw us with His love? How does that love become a “bond” that draws us?

PRAYER PAUSE:

How has God’s love drawn you to Himself? How have you seen His love demonstrated to you this week? This year? Now is the time to thank Him for His love and offer your love back to Him.

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Verse 4 continues with God’s declaration. “I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their neck.” In this instance, the yoke is a symbol of servitude, of slavery. If God “lifts the yoke of slavery” from us, He, in essence, frees us from our bondage to sin. 

19) In what ways has God freed you from your bondage to sin?

Verse 4 closes with these beautiful words. “I bent down and fed them.” God Almighty saw their pitiful state and reached down from heaven to give them the provision they so desperately needed. 

PRAYER PAUSE:

Stop for a moment and consider the implications of those words. God bent down and fed you. How have you seen the evidence of this in your life? Pause to thank Him and honor Him for His faithfulness.

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Take a few minutes to read the words God spoke to Ezekiel about how He found Israel and how He made her a beautiful treasure among the nations. It’s a lovely picture of the lavish love God bestowed on His people.

20) Read Ezekiel 16:1-14 and make notes as you are moved.

Hosea 11:5-7, 12

In these verses, God again speaks of the sins of His people and the coming judgment meted out by Assyria, who will “consume them because of their counsels.”  

The word translated as “consumed” does not mean that the riches of Israel made a tasty meal for the Assyrians. It is a judgment against the Northern Kingdom, a note of finality. 

Follow the link to BLB:

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H3615&t=NASB

21) What will happen to the Northern Kingdom?

22) See Psalm 81:12. To what did God give over His people?

In verse 7, God’s people are described as “bent on turning from Me.” 

23) What does the word translated as “bent” indicate about the turning away of God’s people? See BLB:

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H8511&t=NASB

At last, we come to one of the most stunning passages in Scripture, as we glimpse the agony of God over His wayward children. 

PRAYER PAUSE:

Read Hosea 11:8-9 aloud and consider the heart of our God. Read it aloud again, putting your name in the place of Ephraim and Israel. Pause for a moment to revel in the great love our Lord has for you and for your children. Be sure to thank Him for His unending love.

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When God makes reference to “giving up” Ephraim and “surrendering” Israel, the words translated here indicate “giving up”, “delivering over”, or “yielding”. In a way, giving up on Ephraim and surrendering Israel would be a kind of yielding to their sin. Although judgment is both justified and unavoidable, God is not willing to relinquish His hope that they will turn back to Him.

Admah and Zeboiim are usually mentioned together in Scripture. The events described in Genesis 14 make it clear that Admah and Zeboiim were neighbor-cities that were closely allied with Sodom and Gomorrah. They likely participated in the same sinful lifestyle, as well. 

Genesis 19:24-25 describes the judgment of God on Sodom and Gomorrah. Verse 25 tells us that “all the valley” was overthrown, as well as anything that grew from the land. Some commentators believe that the four cities were located at the Southern tip of the Salt Sea and are now submerged beneath its waters. (https://bible.org/seriespage/genesis-101-32 Accessed 7.5.16)

Deuteronomy 29:23 describes the area where these four cities were located. Based on Genesis 19:25, we can presume that Admah and Zeboiim suffered the same fate as Sodom and Gomorrah. 

24) What sins of Sodom does Ezekiel 16:48-50 describe? 

25) Jude 7 also makes reference of the “cities around Sodom and Gomorrah”. What was their sin? 

26) What does Jude say is their punishment?

27) How did the sin of Israel compare to the sin of Admah and Zeboiim (and Sodom and Gomorrah)? 

In Hosea 11:8, God says, “How can I do to you, my own people, what I did to Admah and Zeboiim?” 

28) Contrast the judgment of Israel and Ephraim with the judgment of Admah and Zeboiim.

29) What does Hosea 11:8 tell us about God’s emotional response toward His children? 

After all the “I will’s”, we come to what seems almost unbelievable. Almighty God had been betrayed, rejected, and trivialized by His people. He had wooed, begged, demanded, disciplined. He had vowed to destroyed them, and yet His great loved exceeded His anger. And still it does. Where God had spoken “I will”, He now speaks “I will not”. 

30) List the “I will not” phrases found in Hosea 11:8-9.

Hosea 10:11 tells us that, after all the discipline, God will roar like a lion to call His children. The phrase is repeated. “Indeed He will roar.” When a phrase is repeated in Scripture in this way, it is a kind of “confirmation of two” that indicates its imperative truth. In a way, God is saying, “I have said it, and I will definitely do it.”

A few basic facts about lions may help us understand the simile a little better. Lions live in groups, known as “prides”. The pride is composed of related females with no more than one or two males in the group. The male’s job is to protect the terrority of the pride, usually about 100 square miles. The male lion’s roar, mainly intended to warn intruders or call stray pride members back, can be heard up to five miles away.  

(http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/lion/#lion-male-roar.jpg Accessed 7.5.16)

If you want to hear the roar of a lion, you can click here:
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/african-lion/'

When the roar of God is sounded, it will be heard far and wide. He will claim His territory, and call His own to Himself.

31) What does Isaiah 31:4 tell us about God as a lion?

32) See Joel 3:16 for a word picture of what will happen when God roars. How will most people respond? What will His people discover about God?

33) See Revelation 5:5 - Who is the Lion of Judah and what will He do?

34) How will God’s children respond?

35) From where does Hosea 10:11 say God’s sons will come? 

In geographical terms, a hemisphere is half of the globe’s sphere. There is a Northern Hemisphere above the equator and a Southern Hemisphere below the equator. 

The Eastern Hemisphere is “east of the prime meridian and west of the 180th meridian, with the Western Hemisphere being west of the prime meridian and east of the 180th meridian. (=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemispheres_of_the_Earth accessed 7.5.16)

Israel, then, is located in the Eastern Hemisphere, as is Egypt and Assyria. North and South America (among others) are both located in the Western Hemisphere. 

When Hosea said God’s sons would come from the west, he may well have been speaking prophetically of those of us living now in the Western Hemisphere, even though the Western Hemisphere had not been discovered at that time.

Pause for a moment and consider the implications of this. God spoke through Hosea more than 2700 years ago about the children He would have in our area of the world, even before the greatest minds of the time knew this land mass existed. 

PRAYER PAUSE:

We are known by our God, who made reference to us more than 27 centuries ago. He knows us. He loves us. He calls us to Himself. Stop now to thank Him for His faithfulness, for calling you to Himself, and for His great love that transcended the generations to reach out to you.

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Closing thoughts:

We're 80% through with Hosea. Only 39 more verses to go. We'll sail through them faster than you can imagine. In Hosea 12, we'll see God's response to the sin of Judah. In Hosea 13, we'll see how costly pride can be. When we reach Hosea 14, however, it's a chapter of love, forgiveness, and restoration. 

I'm stunned by your faithfulness, proud of your effort, and delighted to see what God is doing in you through this. 

It's worth the journey to learn what God has in store for us, so don't give up. 

A little extra:

The photo above is of the Salt Sea (also known as the Dead Sea). It is the lowest spot on earth. As you can see, the salinity of the water is too high to sustain life. It is a barren, desolate place and a startling example of the judgment of God.

The picture below is also of the Salt Sea. It has become a popular tourist attraction because of an unexpected benefit. The "mud" at the bottom of the sea is rich in chemicals and is especially desirable for its positive effects on skin.

God's desire is to restore to the utmost. In a way that only God could do, even the "mud and dirt" left behind after His judgment on Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim can be used to bring beauty from ashes.

Here's the link to Chapter Twelve.

#Hosea #Biblestudy #indepthBiblestudy