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.______________
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 #indepthBiblestudy #Biblestudy
