God’s Unfailing Love
Hosea 2
Rev. Scott Cheatham
I think most everyone here today would agree that the greatest human need is to be loved. Professionals from all areas of the medical field have stated this in their writings. From the moment a baby is born, it craves the love and attention its mother and father gives it. A child’s performance as it grows is often tied to this basic human need. Many of the tragedies we read about today are tied to a person’s thoughts that they have failed those they loved, that no one loves them and their lives would be better off ended. Some perverse lies in our medical community have given some substance to this argument in the last 30 years. Satan certainly has had his say in perverting this most basic of human needs. The secular culture tells us that love is a commodity. It can be bought and sold (living together) or traded (unfaithfulness). If you don’t like the version you have, sell it off for a better model (divorce). This morning, we share just a small part of the book of Hosea, A unique story about a man who married a woman who he knew would choose to be a prostitute and in so doing, we find God’s unfailing love shown to all who accept his offer of salvation.
{Read Text}
Part One – Our Neglect (The sin) - v. 1-13
~Hosea came on the scene at a time when all was well with Israel. A great time of prosperity not seen since the days of Solomon. Unfortunately, this prosperity had led to moral decay and Israel had forsook God to worship Idols. [*Mention chapter one and the Lord’s instruction to Hosea to marry Gomer]
*Ammi – My people
*Ru-Hamah – She has received mercy
v.2 – Mother being Israel
v.3-5 – Our disobedience. God wishes to bless us (and has given us some things despite our rejection of him)
v.6-8 – For many we see this prophecy played out today.
*God cannot protect us from this pain if we have not followed him
*Perhaps in our rush for our satisfaction we find the simple Godly life to be best
*Do we now see how much God really provided us that we wasted on worldly things?
v.9-13 – PAYDAY
*Are we foolish enough to think these things will go on uncontested?
*God’s people are required to obey (like we covered last week)
*Our ‘nakedness’. God will allow us to be exposed for who we are
*Pain brings about change – (Ill.) Think about what you tell your kids
*God promises destruction for those who forsake him
*>Remember, these are God’s people!
*Gomer grew old – her beauty faded - She was no longer desired
*>The fun of sin fades quickly into anguish.
Part Two – Our Salvation – v. 14-23
~Now we see God’s preparation for a revival of his people.
*Back to the wilderness where God’s people were delivered from Egypt – A place of quite solitude.
v.15 – *Achor – trouble
v.16 - *Ishi – My Husband
v.17 – A time when all other Gods will be removed from our lips
v.18 – ‘break the bow and sword’ – To remove war
v.19-20 – Note ‘betroth’ used here three times, to indicate God’s love for us but perhaps also to note the three persons of the Triune God! All encompassing us in love forever – The covenant as it was from the beginning.
v.20-21 – As opposed to verse 9, Here we see God bringing back all he threatened to take away
v.22 – Jezreel in this sense means “God will Sow’…Sow his people
v.23 – Our joy will be magnified as God sows us for his glory!
Our Application
Read the story over and over. Read the book. You’ll find that after all Gomer did, Hosea bought her back when she had expended herself in her adulterous life. Despite her unfaithfulness, despite her wickedness, despite her outright rejection and subsequent mocking of Hosea, He came and brought her back. How good it must have sounded in her ears when she heard him come and then bring her back. God’s instruction to Hosea is an illustration for all of us. God seeks the land to bring back those who have done the very same thing. Despite all that you’ve done, he’ll buy you back it you heed his voice. He CAN make you whole again! Our need of love is fulfilled in the love the savior offers. Will you accept it?
