Week 1: Historical Context & Hosea
In the first week of our study we spent a lot of time recapping the history of Israel. We learned about Abraham, the father of Israel and Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, who was renamed Israel. We learned Jacob’s sons sold their youngest sibling, Joseph, into slavery and ultimately the whole family ended up in Egypt where Joseph was able to save them from the famine. As Joseph says in Genesis 50:20, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
We learned about the Israelites slavery in Egypt and exodus under the leadership of Moses. Disobedience led to wandering in the dessert for 40 years until the next generation was led into the promised land by Joshua. Israel was ruled by judges and had God as their king for a time, but eventually demanded a king, signaling a turning away from their faith in God as their king. Internal battles led to a divided kingdom following the death of Solomon, the wisest king who in his old age fell into sin himself by taking multiple wives of other nations and eventually participating in their pagan rituals.
After numerous other kings and prophets, Hosea enters the scene during a time when peace and prosperity were coming to an end for the nations, but not the spiritual mess that it caused.
Hosea (meaning “salvation”) was a prophet told by God to marry a prostitute to symbolize Israel’s unfaithfulness to God. The message is for us as well…will we choose the world or will we choose God?
We learned about the wife Hosea took, Gomer, and her constant unfaithfulness. Just as Hosea knew Gomer would be an unfaithful wife before he chose her, God knew Israel would be an unfaithful nation before He chose them. And He knew everything about us before he chose us. He still loves us despite all of this and wants us to be fully restored to Him.
Three children were born and given names from God:
Ø Jezreel – represented the wickedness of Israel’s history and hour of punishment that is coming
Ø Lo-ruhaman – meaning “no love”, “no pity”, “no mercy”, representing Israel moving outside of God’s protection
Ø Lo-ammi – meaning “not mine”, representing Israel no longer belonging to God
We see Gomer search for every source to satisfy her, outside of the one that truly loves her and can satisfy her. Like Gomer we are deceived by the things of the world that we think bring us joy and provision, ignoring God as the true source of everything that matters. Not only does this not give us what we really need, it also represents unfaithfulness to God and becoming a Christian in name only.
We see how Hosea continued to love her and provider for her, despite her unfaithfulness. He finally had to pull the plug on the assistance and she ended up in a slavery situation, which Hosea ultimately bought her out of. The Israelites were God’s people…they belonged to God, but their eyes were on other loves. God pleaded with them patiently, but they refused to listen. There was no alternative but to expose them to the consequences of their choices. God would eventually redeem them, but the restoration process would be a long one. Israel’s rejection of God was deep and persistent; and the deeper and longer the rejection, the more difficult the restoration. 2
God leads his people to the dessert and tenderly speaks to them. God wants relationship, not mere obedience. We reflected on how hard this is in our wealthy society (compared to the rest of the world) and looked at the camel in the eye of the needle parable.
God, please help us remember to not let our “riches” or “other gods”– whatever they represent in our lives (security, control, sin, image, finances, status, etc) – keep us from entering your kingdom for eternity.
É Discuss with your small group the most impactful things you took away from week 1 of the study.
Week 2: Israel as Gomer
In week 2 we transition from the story of Hosea and Gomer (okay, I have to admit here that I typed “Homer”…kind of like in our culture today when celebrities date and they combine the names…that is wrong and ironic on so many levels) to the message from Hosea to Israel.
We see the charge against Israel laid out and the list is plentiful, among them, “There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgement of God in the land” (Hosea 4:1b). They worship and sacrifice to many other gods and commit a long list of sins. We reflected on our strong need for knowledge, wisdom and discernment to navigate living successfully in this crazy world we live in that is full of other gods enticing us and waiting for us to cling to them.
In chapter 6 we get to the heart of what God is after:
I’m after love that lasts, not more religion. I want you to know God, not go to more prayer meetings. (Hosea 6:4, The Message )
Continuing on through chapters 7 and 8 we see the Israelites “acknowledging God”, but only out of desperation and without repentance. They are still sacrificing to God, but doing so along with all of their other sacrifices. They have just added more “religious” activities to cover all their bases, turning to foreign people, foreign powers and foreign gods.
God, help us always remember you, our Maker. Let us have no other gods besides you. Let us not exhaust you or mock you in ungenuine love. Make us aware of where we are just going through the motions in lieu of real love and relationship. Change our hearts to seek you and follow you….to be on fire for you, not just lukewarm.
É Discuss with your small group the most impactful things you took away from week 2 of the study.
Week 3: Judgment
Week 3 continues where week 3 left off with more recollection of sin and impending punishment. Outwardly they made a great show of religion while inwardly they were moving further and further away from God.
God and sin cannot coexist, so soon God will turn away from them. Jesus experienced this for a brief moment on the cross when he took on all of our sins as he died on the cross and he agonized over the prospect of this as he prayed, knowing it was coming.
We reflected on the fact that God is patient with us, but we must be prepared and we can’t delay in turning to him as was the case in the parable of the 10 virgins.
This world is full of trials and we don’t want one moment of them not turned into good and a closer relationship with God. Hosea 10:14 tells us to “plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness on you.”
It is hard, but we have help through Jesus and the Spirit. It is also worth it as we remembered in reading about the new heaven in Revelation 21:3-4, where we will dwell with God and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. This is our forever home.
We must reflect God’s character here on earth by demonstrating love and justice, as the cross perfectly represented. We can’t just sit back secure in our salvation alone. We are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
É Discuss with your small group the most impactful things you took away from week 3 of the study.
Week 4: Redemption Awaits
In this final week we see the promise of healing and redemption. It was a long, difficult, tedious, painful to hear process at times. The cycle of unrepentant sin and corruption comes to an end when Israel returns to God and recognized that He alone can save them.
I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them. (Hosea 14:4).
And from verse 5…
“Who is wise?” – we want to be! God, please give us wisdom from above.
“Who is discerning?” – we want to be! God, please give us discernment. Help us recognize truth and when we are turning to worldly things over you and when we are not walking in love and justice.
“The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them” – God, let us walk always in your ways!
We may be tempted to think the Old Testament is just a historical account and a different set of rules for the ancient Israelites, but these lessons are every bit as relevant for us today. Even in the book of Revelation – about the future – there are letters to the churches describing many of the same actions we see in the Old Testament and in our Christian communities today. We don’t want to be looking back on our short time here, kicking ourselves that we didn’t see and learn the lessons as our brothers and sisters in Hosea’s time. Let’s learn this thing.
Jennie Allen writes:
I don’t want to get to heaven and see what I could have been a part of but missed because I was numb or selfish or scared. 3
É Read Luke 16:19-31. Focus on verses 29 & 31. What is your reaction to this story?
We talked about fitting in during the first week of our study. During his time on earth, I’m sure the rich man fit in according to culture’s standards. I’m sure he had all the “right” friends, was a member of all the “right” clubs, his kids went to the “right” schools, he got invited to all the “right” parties, etc. But what good did it do him in eternity? I’m not suggesting any of these things are bad on their own, but if they are what we esteem and strive for over things of God then they become a stumbling block to true love and relationship with God.
We know we don’t want to be like the rich man or like those who didn’t listen to Moses and the Prophets. It is easy to just read these accounts and not make them personal. The rich man finally got it, but it was too late. He got it so much that he wanted to prevent those he loved from not getting it and ending up in his situation. As the rich man requested, God sent someone (His son) to die and rise from the dead, and as Abraham told the rich man, it still didn’t make a difference to so many…it still didn’t lead them to change their ways. I pray that we put our hope and future in someone who died and rose from the dead for us….Jesus! Unlike those who have gone before us, we want to make sure we hear the message and live it out.
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. (James 1:21-25).
Jennie Allen writes:
Do we talk more about God than we obey him? We aren’t going to get to heaven and have God say, “Thanks for talking about doing so much for me with your friends. That was awesome!” 5
Clearly it is not an easy road we are on. What can we do to help ourselves not forget and be more successful, remembering these things when life gets busy and complicated? I’ve started a list and you can discuss additional ideas with your small group.
1. Pray. This seems like an obvious one, but I think it is so important to get in the habit of praying. There are so many examples of powerful prayer in the Bible. Even Jesus, who is one with God, often took time to pray. The early church “all joined together constantly in prayer” (Acts 1:14). In addition to prayers of thanksgiving and intercession, pray for a changed heart and to remember these things and do them.
2. Read the Bible. Another obvious, but important and often overlooked one – take time out to read the Bible on a regular basis. Read on your own and through studies. The Bible is God’s word to us and this is how we get to know Him and the character we should reflect in our lives. It is a guide for our daily living and a place to go for all our questions. It is our source for knowledge.
3. Support System. Surround yourself with others who want to know and love God like you do. Look at Mark 14:32-42. I’ve heard Beth Moore teach on this before and it has always stuck. Jesus had his large group of followers and believers. He also had his smaller group of disciples (Mark 14:32). In Mark 14:33, we see that he also had an even smaller group of close friends – Peter, James & John. But we also see in Mark 14:35, sometimes he had to “go a little farther” on his own. I think having these varying levels of support is critical to our walk. We need our larger church community, but we also need a smaller group (maybe a Sunday school group or Bible study group) and an even more intimate, closer group…people you can really share your deepest thoughts.
4. Quiet/Rest Time. My pastor, Mike Hudson, preached on this Sunday. We need to take time to rest, to reflect, to regroup on where we are and where we are going. We need intentional quiet/rest time. As Pastor Mike reminded us, God declared his day of rest Holy – not the days he created the world or us.
5. Insert God in Your Day. For me, I do this through music and books. I listen to a Christian radio station during the day in the house and in the car as I am driving around. It is a way for me to keep the words of God in my mind throughout the busyness of my day. Another way I do this is reading good, Christian books that challenge me and get me fired up about God’s kingdom and my journey with him. Clearly these two are big for me, as evidenced by all of the quotes from the book I am currently reading and the song lyrics that I heard as I was writing various chapters that reinforced what I was reading.
6. Scripture Memory. This is another way to keep the word of God top of mind. I have always been terrible at memorizing things, but when I did Beth Moore’s James Bible study I took the challenge to memorize the book of James. I have loved being in James so much and reciting it over and over again as I memorized small sections at a time. I loved that my mind was filled with James verses….when I couldn’t sleep at night, when I went for a walk, when I was driving in the car, when I was waiting on one of the kids’ activities, etc. Normally my mind would be filled with my to-do list or things I was worried about, but instead I was filling it with the verses I was memorizing. It really was a wonderful way to stay in the word. Find a verse or two that is special to you, or a section of the Bible that speaks to you during your current season of life and begin to memorize it. I think you will find it very rewarding.
7. Mission Work. Get involved in volunteer or mission work. Be the hands and feet of Jesus and your perspective on everything else will change. It is a great way to actively be living the Word.
É What are some other suggestions we can do to not forget… to make sure the messages stay with you and change you? What specific things are you going to start doing?
God’s warnings to Israel are God’s warnings to us. Likewise, God’s promises to Israel are God’s promises to us. The book of Hosea is a personal appeal to every person, in every age. For us living after Christ’s death and resurrection, we can see the forgiveness of sins and the reconciliation of love and justice via the cross. God’s plans are still being worked out today and won’t come to completion until the end times when the Bible says Israel will come to faith in Christ in the last days and we will all live for eternity praising God. As Genesis opens the story in Paradise, Revelation closes the story in Paradise with a glimpse at our future. Let’s read what is in store for us as told in the last two chapters of God’s words to us (Revelation 21 & 22). I’ve colored some of the verses that should resonate with us after our study of Hosea.
A New Heaven and a New Earth
21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
6 He said too me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars —they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
The New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb
9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. 16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17 The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits thick.18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. 19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.
22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Eden Restored
22 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
John and the Angel
6 The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”
7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. 9 But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!”
10 Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. 11 Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”
Epilogue: Invitation and Warning
12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.
Yes. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
I love the close of the Toby Mac song, “Lose My Soul,”6 and I want it to be a prayer for us as we end our study of Hosea!
Lord, forgive us when we get consumed by the things of this world that fight for our love and our passion. As our eyes are open wide and on you, grant us the privilege of your world view, and may your kingdom be what wakes us up and lays us down.
Oh heavenly Father, let your kingdom be what wakes us up and lays us down. Help us see the world, other people and circumstances as you see them and love like you love. Help us put you first. Help us know you and love you. Help us esteem the things that you esteem in our culture that tends to favor the complete opposite. Keep us from being consumed by things of this world instead of you. Let us not rely on ourselves and our “riches”—financial or otherwise – or “other gods” in our lives. Let us not be lukewarm. Let us be filled with love and passion!
It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them, declares the Lord. ~ Jeremiah 31:32
For the Maker is your husband – the Lord Almighty is his name – the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, he is called the God of all the earth. ~ Isaiah 54:5
Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) ~ Revelation 19:7-8
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