ON THE ROAD TO RESTORATION
A Study In The Book Of Hosea – Part 2
BROKEN PROMISES
Hosea 2:2-23
PROPOSITION: THE REASON BEHIND UNFAITHFULNESS IS BROKEN PROMISES IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
INTRODUCTION: AS WE CONTINUE OUR STUDY OF THE BOOK OF HOSEA, WE ARE CONFRONTED WITH THE FOUNDATIONAL REASON BEHIND UNFAITHFULNESS – A BROKEN PROMISE. IN CONTEMPORARY WEDDINGS THERE HAS BEEN A SERIOUS ATTEMPT TO DILUTE THE MARITAL VOWS OF FIDELITY AND FAITHFULNESS. I HAVE BEEN ASKED ENOUGH TO ADJUST WEDDING VOWS TO REFLECT THIS NEW TREND IN FIDELITY, THAT I HAVE ESTABLISHED A POLICY THAT I WILL NOT PERFORM THE WEDDING OF ANY COUPLE WHO DOES NOT IN THEIR VOWS REFERENCE THE PERMANENCY, FAITHFULNESS, AND FIDELITY OF MARRIAGE. JESUS USED THE MARITAL RELATIONSHIP AS A CONDUIT TO ILLUSTRATE THE LOVE HE HAS FOR HIS CHURCH. WE CANNOT ALLOW IT TO BE CHEAPENED BY CURRENT DESIRES TO MAKE IT ANY LESS.
I. THE LORD’S POSITION
A. PROMISES ARE BROKEN
1. IN THIS PASSAGE THE GOD IS BEING PRESENTED AS THE HUSBAND, AND ISRAEL AS THE WIFE
2. THE WORD REBUKE IS A FORMAL ACCUSATION OF WRONGDOING.
B. THE LORD HAS BEEN WRONGED
1. THEN JUST AS NOW, GUILT IS THE BASIS FOR PUNISHMENT
2. ADULTERY WAS A CRIME PUNISHABLE BY DEATH
3. YET, FOR GOD THE PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING GUILT IS NOT FOR PUNISHMENT, BUT FOR HEALING AND RECONCILIATION
C. CHILDREN ARE IGNORED
II. THE LORD’S PROCLAMATION
A. NOTICE THE LORD’S GRACE IS EVIDENT
1. GOD BLOCKS OUR PATH WITH THORN BUSHES – HE PLACES A HEDGE IN OUR PATH SO AS TO RESTRICT OUR PROGRESS
2. EVEN IN UNFAITHFULNESS GOD PROTECTS US
3. SIMILAR TO JOB. IN THE MIDST OF TESTING GOD PROTECTED JOB FROM SATAN, LOWERING THE HEDGE A LITTLE TO ALLOW HIS POSSESSIONS TO BE TOUCHED, BUT JOB TO BE SPARED.
4. GOD REMAINS TRUE TO IS NATURE, AND DOES NOT ALLOW THE ONES HE LOVES SO DEARLY TO BE CONSUMED AND DESTROYED BY ADULTEROUS INFATUATIONS AND DESIRES!
B. EXPOSE YOUR SHAME
1. REVEAL WHAT HAS BEEN DONE
2. REMOVE ALL THAT SHE HAS
3. UNFAITHFULNESS TO GOD WILL RESULT IN OUR OWN HELPLESSNESS.
C. DRY UP YOUR LIFE
1. INCAPABLE OF SUSTAINING OR PRODUCING LIFE
2. LITERALLY, THIS TRANSLATES AS “MAKE HER LIKE THE DESERT/WILDERNESS
a. YOU WILL REMEMBER THAT WHEN ISRAEL REJECTED GOD AT THE ENTRANCE INTO THE PROMISED LAND, HE CAUSED THEM TO WALK WANDER UNTIL THOSE WHO REFUSED TO TRUST HIM HAD DIED OFF.
b. WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES, DO WE REALLY WANT TO RISK WANDERING AROUND SPIRITUALLY AS A RESULT OF REJECTING GOD?
D. ENLARGE YOUR TROUBLE
1. EFFECTS OF UNFAITHFULNESS TO GOD HAVE A WAY OF AFFECTING OTHER AREAS OF OUR LIFE
2. GOD WILL NOT ALLOW THE PRODUCT OF UNFAITHFULNESS TO SATISFY OUR DESIRES
3. NOTICE THE TEXTS SAYS THAT CHASE AND NOT CATCH, AND LOOK BUT NOT FIND – VERSE 7
FOR THE FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST THERE IS NOT UP SIDE TO UNFAITHFULNESS!
UNFAITHFULNESS WILL NOT BRING US WHAT WE ARE SEEKING
UNFAITHFULNESS WILL NOT SUPPLY OUR NEEDS
DOES NOT PROVIDE NEEDS
DOES NOT PROVIDE PROTECTION
DOES NOT AFFORD LASTING PLEASURE
UNFAITHFULNESS TO GOD IS THE SPIRITUAL EQUIVALENT OF AN ADDICTION
UNFAITHFULNESS WILL ULTIMATELY BE UNFULFILLING AS WELL AS INFLICTING DIVINE DISCIPLINE ON US
NOTICE IN VERSE 8, THAT GOD SAYS THAT NOT ACKNOWLEDGING GOD AS THE SOURCE AND SUPPLIER OF ALL WE HAVE IS TO INVOKE GOD’S ACTION TO REMOVE IT ALL FROM US!
NOTICE THAT GOD EQUATES UNFAITHFUL ACTIVITY TOWARDS HIM AS IDOLATRY – THE WORSHIP OF FALSE GODS
IF GOD IS NOT FIRST IN EVERY ACTION OF OUR LIVES, WE ARE LITTLE MORE THAN IDOL WORSHIPPING BELIEVERS – CHILDREN AND PEOPLE OF UNFAITHFULNESS!
THERE IS ONLY ONE COURSE OF ACTION – TO ACCEPT THE LORD’S PROPOSAL!
III. THE LORD’S PROPOSES TO -- GOD’S SEEKS TO CALL US BACK(VERSE 14) IN ORDER TO
A. ACCEPT OUR REPENTANCE
1. MOVEMENT FROM MASTER TO HUSBAND (SLAVE TO SPOUSE)
2. REPENTANCE IN ITS SIMPLEST FORM IS ACCEPTING AND ADOPTING GOD’S WAYS AS THE ONLY FOCUS FOR MY LIFE – TURNING TOWARD HIM AND AWAY FROM THOSE THINGS THAT TOOK ME FROM HIM
B. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS THAT GOD WANTS TO SPEAK TENDERLY TO US – LITERALLY, TO SPEAK TO OUR HEART
1. THERE IS NO OTHER PLACE WHERE TRUE REPENTANCE CAN COME FROM.
2. GOD IS NOT LOOKING FOR LIP SERVICE, BUT LIFE SERVICE!
C. RESTORE OUR ASSURANCE
1. VALLEY OF ACHOR
a. THIS WAS THE PLACE WHERE ACAN SINNED AND CAUSED ISRAEL TO LOSE IN BATTLE.
b. AFTER DEALING WITH THE SIN OF ACAN, THIS VALLEY BECAME A PATH TO THE BLESSING GOD HAD FOR THE NATION OF ISRAEL.
c. GOD SAYS OUR RETURN TO HIM - -OUR FAITHFULNESS TO HIM IS AN AVENUE OF BLESSING
D. RETURN AS OUR SOURCE
1. GOD DOES NOT WANT US TO LOOK ELSEWHERE FOR OUR
a. SUFFICIENCY
b. WORTH
c. NEEDS
d. DESIRE
2. GOD IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN ADEQUATELY FULFILL ALL OF THESE AREAS.
GOD ASKS TWO THINGS OF US, EITHER TO RETURN TO FAITHFULNESS, IF WE HAVE FOUND OURSELVES BEING UNFAITHFUL TO HIM IN ANY PART OF OUR LIVES, OR TO REMAIN FAITHFUL TO HIM IN EACH AND EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE.
GOD REMINDS US THAT ONLY THROUGH HIM WILL ALL OF OUR NEEDS BE SATISFIED.
GOD EXHORTS THAT HE WILL NOT ALLOW THE DESIRES OF OUR HEARTS THAT STEM FROM UNFAITHFULNESS TO BE FULFILLED – HE WILL HEDGE US FROM THEM.
GOD ILLUSTRATES UNFAITHFULNESS AS THE WANDERING OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL FOR THEIR REFUSAL TO TRUST HIM.
