Hosea: The Love Of God Series

A. Anyone who ever doubts the LOVE of God needs to read the book of Hosea.

1. The entire book of Hosea is an ANALOGY that depicts God both as a loving husband and father.

a. This is a story about Hosea and his wife, Gomer.

b. The story of Hosea and his wife is paralleled to God and Israel (also known as Ephraim), the Northern Kingdom.

2. Hosea represents God, and his wife Gomer represents the Northern Kingdom of Israel.

a. Gomer sinned against her husband many times, turning to other LOVERS. Yet, Hosea kept taking

her back because of his LOVE for her.

b. In comparison, God loved ISRAEL with all of His heart.

COMMENT:

He blessed them time and again. But Israel turned away from God toward IDOLATRY. Their LOVE and ALLEGIANCE were now directed toward another god. Israel’s LOVER was now BAAL, the god of FERTILITY. The people of Israel, as part of their PAGAN PRACTICE of BAAL WORSHIP, were engaging in all kinds of SEXUAL SINS and IMMORALITY. They were growing farther and farther apart from God and His word.

Yet, God still loved the NATION of Israel and He begged the people to come back to Him. And if only Israel will REPENT of their WICKED WAYS, God will completely RESTORE the position they once had and enjoyed. Our Father in Heaven is a FORGIVING and PATIENT God.

B. We do not know any more about the Prophet Hosea except what is written in this PROPHECY.

1. His father is name “Beeri”. And that is all we know of him.

2. The prophecy was written around 750-735 BC.

3. The reason Hosea writes this PROPHECY is because Israel did not LISTEN to the MESSAGE of

DOOM that Amos PREACHED, which we studied last week.

a. It’s hard to believe, but they had become even more corrupt SOCIALLY and RELIGIOUSLY.

b. They had FORSAKEN God and turned to IDOLS, thus committing SPIRITUAL ADULTERY.

4. HOSEA means “SALVATION.” Hosea is the same name as “JOSHUA”, which is also the given name of JESUS.

C. The message of Hosea is a simple one: “Israel, God loves you and He wants you to come back to Him.”

COMMENT;

As Hosea deals with his own SORROW of losing his WIFE to other LOVERS, he allows God to use his HEARTBREAK to PLEAD with the nation of Israel to turn from their LOVE for and ALLEGIANCE to the god BAAL and come back to Yahweh.

Through the Prophet Amos they were told that God is preparing the powerful nation of Assyria to DESTROY them, but Hosea pleads, “But that’s not what God wants. He LOVES you, Israel! He wants you to REPENT and RETURN to Him. Even though you turned to the god BAAL and are committing SPIRITUAL ADULTERY and SINNING against Him, the Lord God with outstretched arms is ready to take you back.”

MESSAGE:

I. GOD AS A LOVING HUSBAND- chapters 1-3

A. “Hosea and Gomer”

1. Hosea 1:2-3 (READ and COMMENT)

a. The NIV gives the impression that Gomer was an adulterous woman before Hosea took her to be

his WIFE.

b. Although the Hebrew is not absolutely clear on this point, many other translations state that Hosea was to take a wife “of harlotry”—one who was reared in the environment of the

IMMORAL PRACTICES so prevalent among BAAL WORSHIPPERS.

COMMENT:

Most scholars believe that since the RELATIONSHIP of Hosea and Gomer parallels that of God and Israel, then Gomer was PURE and CHASTE when Hosea MARRIED her, even as Israel was PURE when God ESPOUSED her. But both Gomer and Israel succumbed to the surrounding IMMORALITY turning to other LOVERS.

2. Gomer born three children to Hosea- 1:4-8

a. First child was a son. God said to name him “JEZREEL”- v. 4

COMMENT:

Jezreel means “God will scatter.” God is saying, “I will scatter my people.”

b. Second child was a daughter. God said to name her “LO-RUHAMAH”- v. 6. (Mark will you pronounce that name for me?)

COMMENT:

The daughter’s name means, “Have not obtained mercy.” Since Israel has refused to repent and return to the Lord, God will show NO MERCY.

c. Third child was also a son. God said to name him “LO-AMMI”- v. 9.

COMMENT:

This name means, “Not my people.” Because of Israel’s wickedness and idolatry, they are NO LONGER considered God’s people and He is NO LONGER their God.

3. Let me share with you the LOVE STORY of Hosea and Gomer:

ILLUSTRATION:

Hosea as a young man met and fell in love with a young woman named Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim. They soon became HUSBAND and WIFE and had three children; two sons and a

daughter.

Gomer was reared in an UNGODLY environment. Sometime after they were married, Gomer, possibly through the influence of her family, left Hosea and committed ADULTERY with several men; SELLING herself in PROSTITUTION for GOLD, SILVER and other LUXURIES.