Hosea - Chapter One
Hosea 1:1
To fully understand the events in Hosea, we need to understand the culture into which Hosea spoke. Verse one gives us a great introduction.
“The word of the Lord which came to Hosea the son of Beeri, during the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.” Hosea 1:1 NASB
Kings of Judah. King of Israel.
The two sets of kings can be confusing. We’ll take a little time at the beginning to sort it all out because it will help us understand the times in which Hosea lived and prophesied. We’ll find that the leaders and their people were not much different from us today.
As you probably remember, Jacob, grandson of Abraham, was the deceiver who worked seven years for the wrong wife, then seven more years for the woman he loved. His name was eventually changed by God to Israel.
Judah was one of the sons of Jacob/Israel and his descendants eventually became known as the tribe of Judah, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Judah eventually became the name of a separate nation, as well.
It happened like this… Well, I could tell you, but why don’t we dig it out together?
JUDAH
Let’s look first at Judah. Understanding who he was will help us understand how his descendants came to be a nation of their own and separate from the nation of Israel.
Judah was the fourth son of Israel by his wife Leah. She named him Judah because, she said, “this time I will praise the Lord.” (Genesis 29:35)
The blessing (or prophecy) Israel gave to Judah is important to all that happened afterward, so let’s turn there.
1) What did Israel say about his son, Judah? Genesis 49:8-12
ISRAEL AND THE KINGS (UNITED KINGDOM)
It may be helpful to see a timeline that connects the prophets, kings, and captivities. Here’s a link to a chart that offers limited permission for copying and distribution.
Many generations after Moses and the law, Israel demanded a human king rather than a heavenly one. They wanted to be like all the nations around them. The prophet Samuel begged them to reconsider, but they would not relent, and God gave them the king they wanted.
Prayer Pause:
As we go along, we will see the price Israel paid because of their desire to be like the world. We, too, suffer when we choose the way of the world rather than the way of faith. Let's stop for a moment and repent of our desire to follow the world, in fashion, material goods, priorities, speech, and all the other ways we've chosen. Ask God for forgiveness and cleansing so that we can avoid the price Israel's desire for the world cost them.
Prayer Pause:
As we go along, we will see the price Israel paid because of their desire to be like the world. We, too, suffer when we choose the way of the world rather than the way of faith. Let's stop for a moment and repent of our desire to follow the world, in fashion, material goods, priorities, speech, and all the other ways we've chosen. Ask God for forgiveness and cleansing so that we can avoid the price Israel's desire for the world cost them.
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Saul was outwardly attractive, and the people celebrated him as their new leader. His was not a heart dedicated to God. As a result, his reign was chaotic and marked by both sin and rebellion.
David son of Jesse was from the tribe of Judah, and chosen by God as the second king. He was a man after God’s own heart. Although he had failures, his heart always returned to God.
Initially, he was king only over the tribe of Judah. Read 2 Samuel 5:1-3 to see how he became the second king over all Israel. (Known as the United Kingdom)
2) How did his kingship fulfill the prophecy from Genesis 49?
God promised David an enduring throne (2 Samuel 7:13b). His son, Solomon, succeeded him on the throne of Israel, but trouble began within a few years. David had been a dedicated man of God, but Solomon was not. He chose wisdom instead of godliness, and it was a tragic mistake.
3) How did Solomon’s downfall begin? See 1 Kings 3:1-3.
It has been said that sin will take you further than you ever expected, keep you longer than you ever intended, and cost you most than you ever wanted to pay. Speaking from experience, I can say without a doubt that it’s true.
Sin always has a price, and it always has consequences. I’ve wished many times that I’d seen what my own sin would cost. Would it have deterred me? I don’t know, but I often think that, if we could understand the cost of sin at the start, perhaps we’d do less, stay less, pay less.
4) How have you seen this truth in your own life?
Solomon indulged himself in many ways, but especially in the area of women and sexuality. Those beginning steps into immorality took him farther than he ever dreamed.
1 Kings 11:1-8 shows us just how far he went with the false gods he worshipped and to whom he offered sacrifices.
Ashtoreth - Sidonian goddess of sex and fertility and considered the queen of heaven
Chemosh - god of land
Molech (also known as Milcom)- god of Moab - worship included human sacrifice. Children were offered to Molech as a burnt offering.
As hard as it is to believe, Solomon, the wisest man of his time, offered at least one child as a sacrifice to Molech, and that child was burned to death.
God warned Solomon repeatedly about his idolatry, but Solomon did not repent.
5) What consequences did Solomon receive because of his sin? Read 1 Kings 11:11-13
Prayer Pause:
God warned Solomon more than once about his idolatry. He told him it would be costly, but Solomon acted as if he knew more than God. Price cost him, and his descendants, a terrible price. Stop now and pray for a strong sense of the Holy Spirit's conviction of sin and a willingness to heed His warning.
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Just as God had promised David, He allowed Solomon to remain as king, but after his death, the kingdom was divided. (931 B.C.)
THE DIVIDED KINGDOM
God gave ten tribes to Jeroboam. They were known as the Northern Kingdom of Israel and their capital was Samaria. God offered Jeroboam an enduring dynasty. All that was required was faithfulness to Him, however Jeroboam, too, worshipped false gods and he relinquished the opportunity for a dynasty. When the kingdom was divided, Jerusalem was in the Southern Kingdom. Jeroboam feared losing his kingdom to Rehoboam (the house of David) because the temple was there, so he did a very foolish thing.
6) What did Jeroboam think the people would do?(1 Kings 12:26-27)
7) What preventive action did he take? (1 Kings 12:28-33)
God left two tribes (Benjamin and Judah) in the hands of Solomon’s son Rehoboam. Those two tribes were known as the Southern Kingdom of Judah and the capital was Jerusalem.
NORTHERN KINGDOM/NATION OF ISRAEL
Let’s look at the king of Northern Kingdom/Israel first.
Jeroboam (Northern Kingdom/Israel) was followed by eighteen wicked kings, who, like Solomon, continued in idolatry. They wanted to be like the nations around them, and that’s exactly what happened. Idolatry was a way of life for the kings and for the people. They eventually suffered God’s judgment as a result.
Jeroboam II (son of Joash) was king of Israel for forty-one years. He was a descendant of king Jehu. (We’ll hear more about Jehu in a few pages, so remember that the reign of Jeroboam II was a continuation of the dynasty of Jehu.) Hosea was born near the end of Jeroboam’s reign.
Read about Jeroboam II’s reign in 2 Kings 14:23-29.
There is a beautiful truth in this passage that’s worth noting.
8) What kind of king was Jeroboam II? (v. 24)
9) How did God respond to the evil in the land? (v. 26-27)
Jeroboam II was followed by several kings with very short reigns that ended when the nation of Israel (the ten tribes of the Northern Kingdom) was taken into captivity in Assyria. Their captivity marked the end of the Northern Kingdom.
Over and over again, we see that God’s people sought after evil instead of righteousness, yet God had mercy on them. Hosea’s ministry of lifestyle will show us a picture of how far that mercy will go.
SOUTHERN KINGDOM/NATION OF JUDAH
We’ve seen the situation in Israel, and it wasn’t good. Now, let’s take a brief look at the kings of Judah (The Southern Kingdom) during Hosea’s life.
Uzziah
Uzziah - (2 Chronicles 26:1-23) Hosea was born during the mid-portion of Uzziah’s reign.
Uzziah became king at the age of 16. His mentor, Zechariah, was a man of God who led Uzziah to seek God. Uzziah was faithful and sought God as long as Zechariah was alive.
After Zechariah’s death, Uzziah went his own way. He functioned as a godly king because of the influence of one godly man, but he did not own his faith. Instead, he “borrowed” the faith Zechariah owned.
God has children, but not grandchildren. No matter how deep the faith of our parents and grandparents, it is vitally important that we are able to study Scripture for ourselves and “own” our faith.
10) How securely do you own your faith?
11)How does it compare to that of your parents?
11)How does it compare to that of your parents?
Prayer Pause:
There is nothing more vital than to "own" your faith, but it is equally important that our children and grandchildren "own" their faith, as well. Let's pause to pray for those we love, especially our family members and those who will come after us, to have a deep and abiding faith. Pray that theirs is not mimicry of what they've seen in parents or grandparents, but a result of a personal relationship with the risen Christ.
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There is nothing more vital than to "own" your faith, but it is equally important that our children and grandchildren "own" their faith, as well. Let's pause to pray for those we love, especially our family members and those who will come after us, to have a deep and abiding faith. Pray that theirs is not mimicry of what they've seen in parents or grandparents, but a result of a personal relationship with the risen Christ.
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There’s an important truth in 2 Chronicles 26:5 that is worth noting.
Uzziah was a great king for a long time, but he had a secret sin that blossomed into a very visible sin. It cost him a terrible price.
12) What was his sin? (2 Chronicles 26:16)
13) What visible sin did he commit as a result? (2 Chronicles 26:19)
14)What was the penalty? (2 Chronicles 26:20-21)
Uzziah was king for fifty-two years and was likely much loved. He had a strong army. He built towers and fortified them. He hewed cisterns, raised livestock, had productive vineyards and crops. He was an inventor who modernized the tools of war. He was known far and wide and he was “marvelously helped” by God.
When he saw himself as strong, however, Uzziah’s pride was so great that he made a costly mistake, and, as you’ve just read, it drastically changed his life.
His decision to sin and the penalty that followed were likely shocking to the people. Scripture tells us that he was cut off from the house of the Lord (the temple) for the rest of his life.
Hosea was born while Uzziah was king of Judah. The nation was prosperous and the king followed the Lord. Life was good and the practice of religion gave the outward appearance of righteousness in the land (and in the king), until Uzziah revealed his heart through his sin.
Before we go any further, let’s talk about Uzziah’s sin, because pride is common to us all. I freely confess that it’s easy to get snagged by pride, and I have to be constantly on guard against it. Maybe you do, too.
Pride doesn’t manifest as an outward sin at the beginning. It’s one of those quiet, insidious sins that seems innocuous, but it’s not. It tells us we’re better in some way than our neighbor or simply better than we really are. Left unchecked, Pride can convince us that we “deserve” something we do not and, before you know it, we’ve taken it. That’s what happened to Uzziah. Pride leads to a plethora of sins and it always puts a barrier between us and God.
15) Let’s take a few minutes to look at what God says about pride. (It's worth making notes on these verses):
Proverbs 11:2 -
Proverbs 16:18 -
Proverbs 18:12 -
Nothing good comes of pride, does it? Now’s the time to pause and examine our hearts for hidden pride and ask God to show us our hearts as He sees them.
16) Make a note of what God reveals to you.
Prayer Pause:
We don’t want to leave this issue of pride before we deal with it, so let’s stop now and repent. Ask God to cleanse us and give us gentle, humble hearts. Especially pray this for me, because I don’t want anything pride offers.
We don’t want to leave this issue of pride before we deal with it, so let’s stop now and repent. Ask God to cleanse us and give us gentle, humble hearts. Especially pray this for me, because I don’t want anything pride offers.
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We’ll turn back to the kings now. Don’t forget, most of them made a mess of things because of pride and rebellion.
Jotham
Jotham - (2 Chronicles 27:1-9) Jotham was Uzziah’s son. He became king at the age of 25 and reigned for sixteen years. He did not repeat the mistake of his father. Instead, he did right in the eyes of the Lord, however, there was still a problem in Judah.
17) What problem persisted in Judah? Look at 2 Chronicles 27:2 to find it.
17) What problem persisted in Judah? Look at 2 Chronicles 27:2 to find it.
Ahaz
Ahaz - He became king at the age of 20 and reigned for sixteen years. He did not follow the ways of David, but “walked in the ways of the kings of Israel.”
18) How far did his sin take him? (2 Chronicles 28:3)
When a leader sins, their impact is far greater than they might imagine. Read 2 Chronicles 28:19.
19) What happened in Judah and to Judah because of Ahaz?
20)How have you been impacted by the sin of leaders in the body of Christ?
21) How has your own sin affected those around you?
I've been greatly affected by the sin of church leaders in the past. Their impact on my life should not serve as a source of hard feelings (or sin) but as a reminder of the devastating influence my own sin can have on the lives of others.
I am not without fault in the lives of others. It's all too easy for me to sin, and entirely too easy to influence others negatively. The role of leader terrifies me.
Prayer Pause:
Pray for the leaders in your church, both clergy and laity, to live in such a way that their lives will be a shining example of faith and obedience. I'd appreciate it if you'd take a moment and pray for me to be faithful in following our Lord and faultless in my walk of obedience, as well.
I am not without fault in the lives of others. It's all too easy for me to sin, and entirely too easy to influence others negatively. The role of leader terrifies me.
Prayer Pause:
Pray for the leaders in your church, both clergy and laity, to live in such a way that their lives will be a shining example of faith and obedience. I'd appreciate it if you'd take a moment and pray for me to be faithful in following our Lord and faultless in my walk of obedience, as well.
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Hezekiah
Hezekiah - He became king at the age of 25, near the end of Hosea’s life and ministry. He reigned for 29 years. He did right in the sight of the Lord and his heart was the most like David’s of any of the kings.
Hezekiah’s father had stopped sacrifices to God, closed the temple, and cut the temple utensils into pieces. He had raided the monies in the temple and used them to try to buy protection and help from Assyria, who took his money but did not give him the help he desired.
The nation of Judah was apostate. As a result, many people had been taken into captivity by Edom. In addition, the Philistines had not only invaded the country, but taken up residence there.
When Hezekiah became king, he immediately went to work. He recognized the discipline of God in response to the nation’s sin. Addressing that sin was his first priority.
Hezekiah reopened and repaired the temple, then called the priests back. He instructed them to consecrate both themselves and the temple. He re-instituted sacrifices and offerings, then resumed the national celebration of the Passover.
Hezekiah sent letters throughout the country and begged his people to return to the Lord. Their repentance, he said, would affect those who were in captivity.
22) What does 2 Chronicles 30:9 say about how important our personal repentance can be to those we love?
23) How did the people respond? 2 Chronicles 30:10-11
24) How did God respond to Hezekiah’s efforts? 2 Chronicles 31:20-21
During Hosea’s life, the throne of Judah was occupied by good kings and by bad. The throne of Israel was occupied by a series of heartbreakingly terrible kings. There was, however, only One King who ruled throughout that entire time, and He is still on the throne today.
We live in a nation that is no different from that of Israel or Judah. Many people, if not most, have fallen away from their faith. Hosea demonstrated the importance of one faithful man who is dedicated to doing what God commands, no matter how those around him live.
Dwight L. Moody was a shoe salesman who sensed God calling him into ministry. His friend, Henry Varley, spoke words that burned in his heart like a flame.
"The world has yet to see what God can do with and for and through and in a man who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him.” (Henry Varley)
Moody resolved to be that man, and he eventually became one of the greatest evangelists of his time.
Varley’s words are still true today. We know what God did through Moody, but what could He do today if you or I were to fully, wholly consecrate ourselves to Him? I’d like to be that one through whom God did the incredible. Wouldn’t you?
At the very beginning of this study, let’s resolve to stop holding back. Give Him everything you have and let’s watch to see what great things our God will do. Hosea’s life shows us that giving all is not always easy, but it’s always worth it.
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Prayer Pause:
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Hope.
Even though God was heartbroken about the betrayal of His people. Even though He would discipline. Even though He was through with Israel.
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Hosea 1:2 -3
God asked a terrible thing of Hosea. He was a prophet of God, yet God required him to take a “wife of harlotry”. There are differences of opinion about whether Gomer was already a harlot, had a heart that leaned in the direction of harlotry, or a history of immorality. How she “began” is not known for certain, but where she ended up is undeniable.
When God told Hosea to marry, He made it clear. Hosea’s wife would not be faithful. I believe Hosea knew that from the start. God didn’t trick Hosea into doing a hard thing. He informed him of the possibilities, and Hosea had a choice. If Hosea obeyed God, his life would not turn out the way most men in Judah expected of their lives. He would be betrayed. He would be humiliated. He would be scorned. Hosea knew all that at the start of this difficult journey, yet he responded in a way very few of us would.
25) How quickly did Hosea respond to God’s direction to do this very difficult thing? Hosea 1:2 -3
“When the Lord first spoke…” If you’re like me, you like to be sure of what God has instructed, especially if it’s something that may be hard. I read those words and wonder how fast “so he went” was. Let’s look at the Hebrew to find out. Don’t let this scare you. I’m going to walk you through it.
We begin by going to Blue Letter Bible. It’s my go-to resource for studying the original language. I don’t speak Hebrew and I don’t read Hebrew, but the people who have assembled this site do. It’s well done and easy to use.
Click on this link: (https://www.blueletterbible.org/). It should open in a new tab.
In the upper right of that screen, you should see these words: “Search the Bible” with two blank bars beneath. In the first bar, type Hosea 1:2. In the second bar, use the arrow to open the drop-down window and click on your preferred version. (See below)
Once that’s done, click on the magnifying glass on the right (in your new tab, not on this photo). It will take you to Hosea.
Now, use your cursor to hover over and highlight “Hosea 1:2”. Click on it. It should look like this:
This will open a new window. You’ll see a box with colored tabs across the top
and writing in Hebrew just under it. We’ll use the first tab, labeled “Interlinear”.
The middle column says “Strong’s” and the second entry in that column corresponds to the word “first” in the first column. Hover your cursor over the numbers to the right of the word “first” in the far left column. (H8462) and click on the numbers. A page that looks like this should open:
You should now see the Lexicon box. It will read:
Lexicon:: Strong’s H8462 - techillah (As in the screen shot, above)
As you scroll through this page, you’ll see the ways the word is used in Scripture, a definition of the word, and a list of the other places the word is used in Scripture.
This page has a wealth of information. You can click to hear the pronunciation of the word and click to read about the root word from which it comes.
You should see that this word “techillah” not only means “first”, it means “from the beginning.” This tells us that, from the very first time He spoke, God gave Hosea this very hard instruction.
Now use Blue Letter Bible to look at Hosea 1:3 and the term “so he went”. (You can click the back button until you get there or start at the home screen as above.)
The Hebrew word is “halak” and means “to walk” or “to proceed”. When God spoke, Hosea started walking in the direction God said, and he didn’t stop.
He made up his mind to do what God asked, he obeyed, and he kept obeying.
Even though what God required was hard.
Even though what God required would cost Hosea a terrible price.
It might seem like a lot of work, but this technique will help you every time you wonder about a word. When you think, “What does this word mean?”, you have a resource to which you can go.
The answer to the question about how quickly Hosea obeyed is immediately.
The question we must ask ourselves is, “How quickly do I obey?”
God didn’t ask Hosea to marry a harlot because he was capricious. He did it for a very specific reason.
26) Why did God ask Hosea to marry a harlot and what did Gomer and her relationship with Hosea represent? (Hosea 1:2)
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Hosea 1:3-5
Hosea married Gomer, the woman of harlotry. This wasn’t just a symbolic marriage. He entered into the marriage fully by consummating it and fathering a son.
My pregnancy with Ryan was a source of great joy. His father and I spent considerable time deciding about a name. Ryan means “little king”. A “little king” could be construed to mean “son of the king” or “prince”. Ryan’s name, then, was chosen, in part, to say that our son would be the son of the King, the Most High God.
As most fathers, Hosea probably considered a plethora of possible names for his coming son. Good names. Honorable names. Family names.
Imagine how he felt when God said, “Don’t use the name you’ve picked out, Hosea. Use the name I choose.” (That’s the Leanna Paraphrase of Hosea 1:4a. When you see LP after a sentence in quotes, it means I’ve paraphrased the scripture, but tried hard to make it like the actual verses.)
27) What name did God choose for Hosea’s first son?
28) What was the meaning of the name?
29) The name was also prophetic. What two actions did God say He would take?
1)
2)
30) Who was Jehu and what blood was shed in Jezreel?
The problem of bloodshed in Jezreel did not start with Jehu. It started with the covetousness of King Ahab. Read about it in 1 Kings 21:1-29
31) What did Ahab want?
32) What did Jezebel do to satisfy Ahab’s desire?
33) Who did God hold responsible for what Jezebel did?
34) What prophecy did Elijah deliver from God concerning their actions?
35) Why did God delay judgment?
Hold on to what we’ve just read so that we can see how Jehu got involved in the Jezreel problem. Read 2 Kings 9: 1-37
(To clarify and save you a little time: Jehosophat son of Asa was king of Judah. Jehosophat son of Nimshi was a different Jehosophat, and not a king. Jehu was not a prince of Judah.)
36) What did Elisha’s servant tell Jehu?
37) How did Jehu respond? What did he do?
38) How did Jehu’s actions fulfill the word of the Lord?
39) Who did Elisha’s servant tell Jehu to strike (or kill)? 2 Kings 9:7-8
40) Whom did Jehu execute?
41) Were all of the executions done in obedience to God? (2 Kings 9:24, 27, 10:6-7, 11, 13-14, 25)
41) Were all of the executions done in obedience to God? (2 Kings 9:24, 27, 10:6-7, 11, 13-14, 25)
Jehu claimed that his actions were because of his zeal for the Lord. (2 Kings 9:16)
42) What did his actions prove about his motivation? (2 Kings 10:29-31)
42) What did his actions prove about his motivation? (2 Kings 10:29-31)
God promised to reward Jehu for his actions toward Ahab’s house.
43) What was Jehu’s reward? (2 Kings 10:30)
43) What was Jehu’s reward? (2 Kings 10:30)
Because his victory was marred by sin, his reward was combined with consequences. Instead of a lasting dynasty, Jehu’s dynasty was cut short as a result of his sin.
Prayer Pause:
Jehu obeyed God's direction, in a manner of speaking, but he went far beyond what God had told him in order to assure his position. Some of his actions were right, but his heart and motives were not.
It's easy to "do the right thing" for all the wrong reasons and with a bad attitude. Let's stop now to pray for godly attitudes in all we do and that every action done in the name of Jesus would be done with a heart for Jesus, as well.
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Prayer Pause:
Jehu obeyed God's direction, in a manner of speaking, but he went far beyond what God had told him in order to assure his position. Some of his actions were right, but his heart and motives were not.
It's easy to "do the right thing" for all the wrong reasons and with a bad attitude. Let's stop now to pray for godly attitudes in all we do and that every action done in the name of Jesus would be done with a heart for Jesus, as well.
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Jezreel
Before we move past the valley of Jezreel, there’s something very important about this location that will help us understand it’s significance in this passage.
http://bible.org is a great resource. You may need to create a free account to access the link below, but it's worth it. This website has a terrific set of resources and you can find information on almost every question you'll have.
http://bible.org is a great resource. You may need to create a free account to access the link below, but it's worth it. This website has a terrific set of resources and you can find information on almost every question you'll have.
Click on this link to read an article about the significance of the valley of Jezreel.
https://bible.org/article/israel-understanding-setting-story-bible
Scroll past Jaffa and Caesarea to Valley of Jezreel.
https://bible.org/article/israel-understanding-setting-story-bible
Scroll past Jaffa and Caesarea to Valley of Jezreel.
44) What important battle will one day be fought here?
The reference to the “bow of Israel” is an archery term and suggests the weapons of man’s strength.
45) How will God “break the bow of Israel” (strength of man) in that last battle of Jezreel?
It’s not so clear about his second child, a daughter, but Hosea 2:4 suggests that Gomer’s second two children were “children of harlotry”.
This would have created a two-fold problem for Hosea.
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Hosea 1:6-7
Verse six tells us that Gomer conceived again, but the wording is different from that in verse 3.
46) How is it different?
47) What does it likely indicate?
Take a moment to imagine the situation in which Hosea found himself at this point. He was a prophet of God and had married a “wife of harlotry”. His first child, a son, was his biological son. Scripture leaves us no doubt about that.
It’s not so clear about his second child, a daughter, but Hosea 2:4 suggests that Gomer’s second two children were “children of harlotry”.
This would have created a two-fold problem for Hosea.
First, the knowledge that his wife had betrayed him would have brought heartache. The knowledge that the people around him likely suspected, and gossiped about him, added shame and humiliation to his pain.
Second, the daughter born to Gomer was as beautiful as all babies are. Scripture tells us children are like arrows in the quiver of a warrior. Essential and valuable. Hosea probably experienced a variety of emotions. Awe at the wonder of his daughter. Love and pride for the healthy baby. Uncertainty, anger, hurt at the likelihood that he was not the biological father.
This child would face the same kind of whispers Hosea would face. The talk about Hosea might be quieted by his continued ministry, but the talk about his daughter would last as long as people remembered. It might, and likely would, affect her chances for a favorable marriage.
If people hurt me with their words, I can survive it. If they hurt my son, it’s a tough blow to sustain. Hosea was an obedient prophet who did a hard thing, but he was still a man with a heart like ours.
48) How do you think he felt about Gomer’s betrayal?
49) About the child?
Here’s a blog post that has a little to say about Hosea’s feelings.
Now, let’s look at the name God chose for Hosea’s new daughter.
50) What was her name and what was its meaning?
If your Bible doesn’t have a footnote by her name, you can find the meaning here:
51) What did her name indicate for Israel?
52) Why?
53) For Judah?
54) Why?
Isaiah 30:18 is a beautiful verse about the compassion of God. I have long considered it a verse about waiting because the verb “long” (all those who long) is literally “wait”.
55) What does God want to do for those willing to wait for Him?
56) Compare and contrast Israel and Judah’s willingness to wait on the Lord. (Jehu is a good example.)
Lest we think that Judah was perfectly obedient, let’s take a look at Jeremiah 25:1, 4-8.
57) What does God have against Judah?
58) What is their punishment? (Jeremiah 25:8-11)
59) How long will it last?
God promised David an everlasting throne. He promised to judge but restore and deliver the remnant of Judah.
60) How will that deliverance come? (Zechariah 9:9)
61) To which King does this passage refer? (Matthew 21:5)
God’s deliverance will come, just as it has in the past, Hosea writes, but it will not look like they expected. Psalm 44:3 tells us how the children of Israel conquered the Promised Land. How did they possess the land?
Let’s stop for a moment and think about how we conquer our own challenges.
62) When hard times come, and they will, to whom do we turn first?
63) How have you seen God’s deliverance in your life?
64) Did He accomplish your deliverance the way you expected?
65) How was His way better than yours?
When God makes a promise, He keeps it. His timing in keeping His promise, however, is not the same as ours. (2 Peter 3:8-9) Let's pause to pray that we will be faithful in waiting for the promises of God to unfold in His timing rather than trying to force a solution of our own.
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Hosea 1:8-11
After Gomer weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived again. This child was a son, and almost certainly a child of harlotry, as was her daughter. The Lord gave Hosea a difficult name for the child.
66) What was the boy’s name?
67) What did it mean?
Hosea would likely not only look at his son and wonder (or know) that the child was the product of his mother’s betrayal, but every time he spoke the boy’s name, he would be reminded again.
Every time he introduced his son, he would confess the shame.
Every time another spoke of the boy, the humiliation would be apparent.
In addition to the boy’s name and the question about his paternity, Hosea would be constantly reminded that this was not the first time Gomer had betrayed him. It was not the first time Gomer had been unfaithful. The situation, undoubtedly, broke his heart.
Hosea experienced all these heartaches for one reason. God felt the very same way about his beloved people, who had been unfaithful to Him, over and over again. Eventually, Hosea began to understand something of what God felt when He complained that the people of Israel were like an unfaithful spouse. Hosea knew more than he wanted to about adultery, and so, it seemed, did God.
Despite His anger over the sin of His people, God softened the harsh blow of judgment with words of hope.
Yet. It will come about that…
Hope.
Even though God was heartbroken about the betrayal of His people. Even though He would discipline. Even though He was through with Israel.
Yet, He will restore.
Yet, His promises will be fulfilled.
Yet, He will do all He said He would.
You are not My people, yet I will make your numbers to be like the sands of the sea.
You are not my people, yet I will make you the sons of the living God.
He has loved us with an everlasting love and that love cannot be denied.
Though He may judge us, discipline us, separate us, exile us, yet His faithfulness extends through the generations. He can and will restore. He has given His promise and we can count on it.
Let’s think about our own lives for a few minutes.
68) How have we been unfaithful to God?
69) How has He, as our loving Father, disciplined us?
70) How has He proved His faithfulness to forgive and restore?
71) How does this compare to the father of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32?
Although God will judge the unrepentant, sinful heart, he always tempers his judgment with mercy. When we repent, He will restore.
Matthew Henry wrote beautiful words about this passage.
“See how the same hand that wounded is stretched forth to heal, and how tenderly he that has torn binds up; though God cause grief by his threatenings, yet he will have compassion, and will gather with everlasting kindness.”
Prayer Pause:
Now is a good time to stop and thank God for the mercy He so richly bestows on those who repent of their sin. Thank Him for His tender compassion, gentle hand of healing, and everlasting kindness.
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There’s another beautiful truth in verse 10.
Now is a good time to stop and thank God for the mercy He so richly bestows on those who repent of their sin. Thank Him for His tender compassion, gentle hand of healing, and everlasting kindness.
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There’s another beautiful truth in verse 10.
“Where it is said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ it will be said to them ‘You are the sons of the living God.’” (Hosea 1:10 nasb)
One day, the nation of God’s people will no longer be divided. They will not be called sons of Israel or sons of Judah. They will all be united as the Sons of God.
In the New Testament, Christ is revealed on every page. In the Old Testament, Christ is present on every page as well, but concealed. In verse 11, we see Christ concealed.
72) What is the day of Jezreel?
When Scripture refers to “in those days” or "in the end times" or "in the day of the Lord", it is a reference to end times. Read Jeremiah 50:4,5
73) What does this Scripture say about the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah?
74) Who will they seek?
Verse 11 says they will “appoint for themselves one leader”.
75) Who will that leader be?
Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians (Ephesians 2:11-22), addressed this issue in a different way, saying that, just as Christ removed the barrier the law had made, even so He also unified those who were far away and those who were near, i.e. - Gentiles and Jews.
“For through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you {speaking of Gentiles} are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household… Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone…” Ephesians 2:18-20 nabs
As Gentiles, we were “strangers and aliens” to the One True God but, through the blood of Jesus we are not only made clean before Him, we are reconciled with God and made one with all believers.
Christ, then, is the cornerstone of a temple built with (and in) all those who love Him, whether Jew or Greek. It is in us, the very temple of God, in which His Spirit dwells.
Spend a few minutes pondering the immensity of the presence of God in you, His Spirit leading and guiding you.
76) How have you sensed His presence today?
77) How have you seen His leadership?
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I'm so proud of you. If you're at this point, you've made it all the way through the first hard week. Well done!
I know it was hard and there was lots to do, but I pray you understand the Scripture and the times in which Hosea lived a little better. Can you see our nation in this story? I can. Can you see yourself? I can see myself, for sure.
I know it was hard and there was lots to do, but I pray you understand the Scripture and the times in which Hosea lived a little better. Can you see our nation in this story? I can. Can you see yourself? I can see myself, for sure.
Take a few moments to thank God for helping you through this week and for the seeds He's planted in your heart. In due time, they will yield a harvest you can't begin to imagine. I'm trying to do that as I write, and it brings me to tears. What God will bring about through your efforts is bigger than we will ever know this side of Heaven.
HE is so faithful and our efforts are not in vain.
HE is so faithful and our efforts are not in vain.
Don't forget that the Lessons in Discipleship Facebook group is for asking questions and building community. If God spoke to you in a special way this week, feel free to share it there.
I can't wait to hear your stories.
As I've written for you and prayed for you, my heart has been filled with an enormous love for you. I've cried a bucket of tears over you all as I've prayed you'd persevere, and look at you. You've done it.
There's more to do, so don't stop now. The best is yet to come.
Here's the link to the next part: Week 2 of the Hosea study.
Here's the link to the next part: Week 2 of the Hosea study.
If you're not on Facebook, feel free to email me or leave a comment on the blog. My email is leannahollis@gmail.com.
#Biblestudy #Hosea #indepthBiblestudy
