EARLY MINOR PROPHETS - HOSEA - Unfaithful Wife, Faithful Husband (Hosea 1-3)

Today’s Objectives Provide an overview of Hosea Find out how Hosea’s family life mirrored God’s relationship with Israel Recognize that we can be restored to a closer fellowship with God after they have failed Him Discover how Hosea’s message relates to our lives and our conflict with doing God’s will

Overview of Hosea Hosea Key Points Son of Beeri and from the northern kingdom of Israel Prophet’s ministry extended from about 760-716 B.C. Message primarily directed at Israel but also Judah Hosea’s marriage to Gomer serves as a metaphor Key Points Hosea’s Marriage (Ch 1-3) Gomer’s Sin Gomer’s Repentance Gomer’s Restoration Hosea’s Message Unfaithfulness, Discipline, Restoration (Ch 4-13) Ultimate Restoration (Ch 14)

Book of Hosea in Summary HOSEA’S MARRIAGE HOSEA’S MESSAGE GOMER’S UNFAITHFULNESS GOMER’S RESTORATION GOMER’S DISCIPLINE 1-3 4 - 13 14 ULITMATE RESTORATION

Rulers during Hosea’s Time Kings Jeroboam II, King of Israel Period of prosperity yet worshipped idols (2 Ki 14:24) Ruled 41 years Subsequent Kings ruled Israel much shorter periods Uzziah, King of Judah (2 Chron 26) 52 year reign One of the most prosperous times in Judah Initially obeyed God but ultimately fell into sin, died of leprosy Jotham, King of Judah (2 Chron 27:6) Son of Uzziah Prosperous time for Judah, did right by God Ahaz, King of Judah (2 Chron 28:22-23) Son of Jotham Did evil in the eyes of God Ruled 16 years Hezekiah, King of Judah Son of Ahaz Reversed many of the evils committed by Ahaz Ruled 29 years Ahaz sold his soul to the Arameans because they defeated him in battle he thought their gods were stronger. Hezekiah, son of Ahaz, and twelfth king of Judah was one of the best and most important rulers of his dynasty. He set about abolishing idolatry from his kingdom, destroying - among other things - the brazen serpent which had been removed to Jerusalem, and had become an object of idolatrous worship. He resurrected the Passover celebration and worship in Israel reached a peak that had not been seen since the time of David. Despite this, however, he did not live in a peaceful era. He was invaded by Judah and his kingdom laid under seige. Ever faithful to God, Hezekiah sought his assistance. And God responded mightily. In an unprecedented act, he also added 15 years to Hezekiah's life, before Hezekiah finally died, closing his days in peace and prosperity. He had ruled for 29 years and was suceeded by his son Manasseh.

Those we don’t read about…. Jeroboam II, Israel, died in the 750s or 740s, co-regent for part of it Zacharia, Israel, ~774-773, killed Shallum - ~773, killed Menahem – 771-760, died Pekahia, 760-758, killed Pekah, 758-741, killed Hoshea, 733-720, the last king before exile Rezin, ~730, Syria, allied with Israel king Pekah Tiglath-Pileser III, 746-728, Assyria, allied with Ahaz of Judah Shalmaneser IV, 728-723, Assyria, war with Hoshea Sargon, 723-705, Assyria, War against Israel, captivity

Hosea Has a Family (Hosea 1:1-1:3) God’s command to Hosea Go, take yourself and adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness (vs 2) We know Hosea obeyed God and married Gomer (vs 3) Unlike Jonah, he was a good example of obeying God Hosea’s family – a living reminder Hosea’s wife committed adultery against Hosea A metaphor for how Israel was guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the God Hosea and Gomer had three children with symbolic names God’s message to Israel would be heard in the children’s names Thought question – does my obedience to God falter when He requires hard things of me?

Hosea’s Children (Hosea 1:4-1:9) Jezreel, a son “God scatters” Assyrians eventually scattered Israel God pictured the defeat in the valley of Jezreel (vs 5) Lo-Ruhamah, a daughter “Not loved” (vs 6) God chose this name to show Israel he no longer will show love to the house of Israel God would show love to Judah (vs 7) Lo-Ammi, a son “Not my people” Jezreel – II Kings 9:14-10:11 Showed love for Judah (II Kings 19:35,36) when he broke the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem in 701 B.C. by putting thousands of Assyrian soldiers to death.

Hosea’s Children (Hosea 1:10-2:1) Change in theme to blessings Population growth for Israel (vs 10) Relationship with God (vs 10) Reunification of the two Kingdoms (vs 11) “people of Judah and Israel united under one leader” Come up out of the land (vs 11) Reference to the return from the exile Similarly, the blessings are consistent with what God is doing today in His church. 1:10 is similar to a promise made to Abraham in Gen 22:17, then Paul applied th epromise of divine adoption in Rom 9:26 1:11 Will appoint one leader – Christ

Punishment for an Unfaithful Wife (Hosea 2:2-13) Punishment…for whom? Not Gomer, but Israel God the “Husband” Israel, God’s “Wife” Some hope of escaping judgment (vs 2) Israel must change her ways Remove the look and signs of unfaithfulness Punishment if she did not change her ways (vs 3) Shaming her (vs 3a) Made like a desert (vs 3b) Not show love to her children (vs 4)

Punishment for an Unfaithful Wife (Hosea 2:2-13) Individual Israelites as well as the nation of Israel were guilty of spiritual unfaithfulness (vs. 5) The mother’s sin affected not only her husband but her children as well “I can do as I please as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else” God describes Israel as a sinful wife chasing lovers but has her path blocked by God (vss. 6,7) The sinful wife would eventually decide she was better off with her husband (vs. 7) However, since the “wife” had not recognized things God had given her, he would take those things away too (vs. 9) And, he would punish her for her religious idolatry (vss. 10-13) Thought question, how will the choices I make affect those around me?

An Everlasting Marriage (Hosea 2:14-23) God promises reconciliation God looks towards a time to reunite (vss. 14-17) Peace would reign among all creatures (vs. 18) God would reverse judgment Bring together those that are scattered Show love for the one not loved Those called “not my people” are now my people Reconciliation like at the end of the Exile, invoking the image of Christ’s relationship to the church.

Hosea Reconciles with His Wife (Hosea 3:1-5) God commands Hosea to reconcile with Gomer “Show your love to your wife again” (vs. 1) Lover her as God loves the Israelites Bought her for 15 shekels of silver and a home and a lethek of barley (vs. 2) Hosea lays down the rules (vs. 3) Live with him many days Not be a prostitute Not to be intimate with any man Hosea would live with Gomer Just as Gomer would live without sexual promiscuity Israel would live without religious promiscuity Hosea would live with Gomer – keep up with his end of the bargain II Corinthians 5:18-20 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.

Review Overview of Hosea Hosea and Gomer’s relationship symbolized God’s relationship with Israel God seeks to reconcile with us if we repent of our sins We must sustain our obedience to God even when he demands hard things from us Next week – Hosea 4-10 God’s charges against Israel God’s judgment against Israel Judgment on both kingdoms Breaking 5 of the 10 commandments cursing, lying, murder, stealing, adultery