Summary: God’s greates desire was to reconcile His people back to Himself. He used the prophet Hosea to illustrate His love and desire to have His people restored.

God’s Love

Hosea 3

Review Hosea

Chapter three is an illustration of God’s love toward His people.

Oh the depth and richness of God’s love toward us.

Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Romans 8:35-39

I. Rejected love. Vs 1

A.God had saved Israel from the slavery of Egypt

and made Israel his own people.

B.In the time of Hosea, the people had rejected God

and turned to idols and lives filled with lust and

sin.

c. To illustrate what they had done to God, God

instructed Hosea to marry a prostitute.

1.Her love soon turned to others.

2.God still loved His people even though they had

turned to other gods.

a.They took to other gods.

b.They loved to make “flagons of wine” – These

were actually raisin cakes used in the

worship of these gods.

II. Redeeming love. Vs 2

A. God told Hosea to go and buy his wife from the

common slave market.

B. She was sold for half the price of a slave. Plus

close to 10 bushels of barley. (equal to about

the price of a slave)

C.This verse is a picture of Jesus purchasing us

with his blood.

1 Peter 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;(19)But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

III. Restored Love. Vs 3

A.You will abide (stay) with me.

B.A pledge of loyalty

C. A promise of love uncompromised.

D.You will be mine and I will be yours.

1.A marriage oath.

2.Song of Solomon 6:3 I am my beloved’s, and

my beloved is mine:

3.Jeremiah 30:22 And ye shall be my people,

and I will be your God.

IV. Love reproved. Vs 4

A.There will be consequences to this rebellion. Vs 4

B.The time of the captivity.

1.No king , no prince -- no civil government.

2.No sacrifice – the temple will be destroyed.

3.No image (pillar) – idols to worship (place

to worship)

4.No ephod – priestly service.

5. No teraphim --

“what are the "teraphim?"

"they slay the firstborn of a man, cut off his head, and pickle it with salt and oil, and inscribe on a plate of gold the name of an unclean spirit, and put that under his tongue; then they place it in a wall, and light candles before it, and pray unto it, and it talks with them.” (a personal idol kept in the home)

(quoted for "John Gill’s Expositor)

V. Returned Love. Vs 5

A.Afterwards…in the future after the captivity.

B.They will return (Ezra – Nehemiah)

C.They will seek the Lord THEIR God.

D.They will seek David their King (Jesus)

E.They shall fear the Lord.

F.God will bless them

G.In the latter days.

Conclusion:

What a picture of God’s work among His people in restoring them to Himself.

What a picture of Salvation – God redeeming the world to Himself through the purchase of blood.

Ephesians 2:11-13