Latest / Journey Elgin / Journey Through Scripture - Hosea
Transcript
- Phillip Thomas: All right, it's good to see you today. Welcome to our Journey Through Scripture. And we're going to be going through the book of Hosea today. My name is Philip Thomas, pastor of Journey here in Elgin, Texas, and I hope that you're enjoying our Journey Through Scripture. We will go through every chapter of Hosea. It's not a long book, and I think it's important just to do it all at once. You know, we've been talking a lot about the Northern Southern Kingdom. The prophets that are primarily, to this point, they are focused on the Northern Kingdom, which is ⁓ called Israel. The Southern Kingdom is called Judah. Also, you'll hear a lot ⁓ in Hosea talking about Ephraim. That's the Northern Kingdom, all right? So that's the same place that we're looking at. Hosea is a prophet. I believe he's the only prophet that is native to the Northern Kingdom. And so God calls him to go and to basically to warn and to tell the people, here's what is coming. It's kind of not necessarily, nearly the time is too late. This is, know, the things are already set in motion. The people have rebelled against from God for long enough. And so now it's going to be a struggle for them and they're going to, well, there's a... phrase in the scripture says they're going to reap the whirlwind. It's going to be difficult, but Hosea is there to share this, but also to give them a message of hope, a message of redemption, of how God wants to restore that relationship, even though the people at this point clearly don't want a relationship with God. so Hosea, there's kind of two aspects to it. The bulk of the book is is talking about what Israel has done and Judah also, it calls out Judah as well. What they've done, how they have rebelled. It's different from Amos. Amos focused more on how the ⁓ leadership and the people had disregarded the poor, had taken advantage of the less fortunate, kind of ⁓ those types of actions that the nation was being condemned for. This specifically is talking about how the people have prostituted themselves out to other gods, basically. And so the people are now following other gods and worshiping Baal and things like that, and they have turned their back on God. And so that's what the bulk of the passage is. But it's also surrounded by the marriage of Hosea and what God calls Hosea. You know, there's different thoughts on this, you know, but it's clear the message that is being sent. And the picture of Hosea's marriage and his children are ⁓ an example of God's relationship with the people of Israel and how that they have rebelled and yet God is going to seek to restore that relationship. And it's really a beautiful story. It's a beautiful story of of God's love for us, that even when we ⁓ commit adultery against God, that He still pursues us, that He still desires to be in a relationship with us. And at the same time, we see that the consequences of ⁓ leaving God, of trying to go our own way, are very real and impact the society around us. So, Hosea starts off ⁓ says the Lord began to speak to Hosea and the Lord said to Hosea, go take yourself a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry, for the land has committed great harlotry by departing from the Lord. So he said, you go and you find someone to marry who is already a prostitute, who has already been unfaithful, because he's comparing that to the people. and saying, the people have departed from me. So Hosea went and took Gomer, the daughter of Diablame, and she conceived and bore him a son. Then the Lord said to him, call his name Jezreel, which means God scatters. All of these names are very important in their meaning. Hosea actually means salvation. Jezreel means God scatters, so the people are being scattered. because they have been unfaithful. says, I will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu and bring an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. It shall come to pass in that day that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel." And she conceived again and bore a daughter. And then God said to him, call her Lo-Ruma, which means no mercy or unloved. That's what that name literally means. for I will no longer have mercy on the house of Israel, but I will utterly take them away, yet I will have mercy on the house of Judah, will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword or battle, but by horses or horsemen. Now when she had weaned lo-Ramah and conceived and bore a son, then God said, call his name Lo-Ami, which means not my people, says, for you are not my people, and I will not be your God. All right, so this is very in your face language. The people would have been either shocked or those who were legitimately concerned would recognize the significance and the gravity of this situation. Whenever God says, are not my people and I will not be your God, that is to get attention. Right now, does that mean that God is completely done with that relationship? No, it does not. But He's at a point to where that relationship has now been broken and there are going to be consequences that have to be paid. But that doesn't mean that God is still not going to be pursuing the people. And remember, make sure you're applying these thoughts as you're reading this passage. Apply them to you as well. I think they both apply on a society level. as well as an individual level. ⁓ Then it goes right into the restoration of Israel. So it says, you are not my people, and I will not be your God. Then it says, yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea. That language right there is a reminder. It links directly back with how many times God promised ⁓ Abraham, and then He did it again with Jacob. that the people would continue to increase. It says, cannot be measured or numbered, it shall come to pass in a place where it is said to them, you are not my people there. It shall be said to them, you are the sons of the living God. Then the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together and appoint for themselves one head. So it's showing that God will restore them. But at the current time, they're going to be going through a lot. So then we have chapter 2 and starts talking about how the people are being unfaithful, and it's comparing it to an adulterous relationship, which is what it very literally was. So one of the things that was going on is lots of Baal worship. So they were not worshiping God, they were worshiping Baal. One of the main things that you had in that worship, it was very sexualized, and there would be temple prostitutes. and that was part of the rituals that would be performed. So not only are they committing adultery against God as far as breaking that covenantal relationship, that they are going outside of that relationship to worship another God, they very literally are also committing sexual sins in that process. And more than likely, there were people that were committing adultery and using the excuse that this was a religious ritual. as kind of their scapegoat. I promise you that will not be a good excuse if you ever go home and tell your wife that, was just part of the religious experience. It doesn't work, and it doesn't work with God. And so he continues to go on and he talks about all the ways that they have, and I encourage you again, read through this. ⁓ It's not a long read, but it just kind of keeps talking about how the people are rebellious and how they have ⁓ given over themselves to search other gods and to follow other gods. And we need to be on guard because we are all susceptible to doing that. Verse 13 says, ⁓ So I will make them a forest and the beast of the field shall eat them I will punish her for the days of the bales to which she burned incense She decked herself with earrings and jewelry and went after her lovers, but she forgot me," says the Lord. That is the reason that this relationship is at a breaking point. But then it goes right in, starts talking about that God will have mercy. It says, it shall be in that day, says the Lord. This is verse 16 of chapter 2, that you will call me my husband and no longer call me my master, for I will take from her mouth the name of the bells and she shall be remembered by their name no more. See, because what's going to happen is whenever the people are going to be enduring the punishment of God, it's going to feel like God is a master, right? They're not going to feel that God loves them. They're going to be questioning, God, why are you doing this? Why are you treating us this way? And so they may start to follow God, but it's because they view Him as a master and they look at the consequences. And so they say, well, now we're going to have to follow God. because we don't want the negative consequences. That's not why God wants us to follow him. And they says, there will be that time where you will call me my husband, not call me my master, right? Because a husband is not the master of the wife, right? The husband is the protector, is the lover, the friend, the encourager. They are a team working together, right? And I love that difference that is seen there because God knows that they're going to kind of feel like God is that master for a while, but that is not what He desires. He desires for them to be in a relationship with Him that sees Him as a loving husband who is there to protect and there to encourage. But whenever that relationship is broken, there are going to be consequences. so we see that. We see talking about God's mercy the rest of chapter two. Then in chapter three is kind of the end of the Hosea ⁓ narrative. says, then the Lord said to me, go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery, just like the love of the Lord for the children of Israel who look to other gods and who love the raising cakes of the pagans. So I brought her for myself. So, but basically what Gomer ⁓ has left, Hosea is usually how this is interpreted, and is committing adultery, and God says, go back to her and restore her. ⁓ But there's going to be a time of adjustment, right? There's going to be a time of seeking repentance, of finding forgiveness. ⁓ So that is the picture, the big picture of what's going on between God and the people of Israel. And it's a beautiful picture of love and restoration. ⁓ However, most of it is of turmoil and of difficulty and of facing the consequences of sin. Then we go, I continue to ⁓ read through, I'll just hit some highlights, and chapter 4 talks about some of the charges against Israel. Verse 4, chapter, the second part of chapter, or verse 1 says, By swearing and lying, killing and stealing and committing adultery, they break all restraint. With bloodshed upon bloodshed, therefore the land will mourn. And everyone who dwells there will waste away." Kind of seems like our society, right? There is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land. Unfortunately, that's becoming more and more true. ⁓ Verse seven says, the more they increased, the more they sinned against me. So the more comfortable, the more profitable, the more they increased, the more important people became, the more they sinned against God. Said the idolatry of Israel in verse 11, harlotry of wine and new wine enslaved the heart. My people ask counsel from their wooden idols, their staff informs them for the spirit of harlotry has caused them to stray. and they have played the harlot against their God. We need to be looking at the ways in our life that we may play the harlot against God. This clearly is one of those things that God takes extremely seriously. So as we continue, you go into verse 5, it talks about the judgments on Israel and on Judah. Verse 6, Chapter 6 is a call to repentance. says, Come, let us return to the Lord, for He has been torn. But He will heal us. He is stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us. On the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight. Let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord, His going forth to establish in the morning. He will come to us like the rain and like the latter and former rain to the earth." Right? Throughout here, we talk about the failings of the people and their harlotry towards God, but we're also always seeing God's offer of repentance, but it takes repentance. It takes acknowledging that you were wrong and turning and starting to follow Him. ⁓ Chapter 7 continues on, talks about how all their kings had fallen and none of them calls me by my name. Right? So the leadership of Israel had become completely pagan and none were calling on the Lord's name. It talks about reliance on the other nations, starting to rely on other things other than God. Chapter 8 talks about the apostasy of Israel, again, them seeking other gods. Verse 7 says, they sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. You reap what you sow. So the people are starting to rely on political relationships with Assyria and all these other places. Well, they're going to reap the whirlwind of doing that. They should have relied on God. Verse 14 says, for Israel has forgotten his maker and has built temples. Judah has multiplied fortified cities, but I will send fire upon his cities and it shall devour his palaces. Right? countries actually prospered and had times where they were doing well. But yet it was in those times that they've moved further and further away from a relationship with God. And it talks about judgment of Israel's sin. Do not rejoice, O Israel, with joy like other peoples, for you have played the harlot against your God. You have made love for hire on every threshing floor. The threshing floor in the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her." So again, just this constant reminder of what's going on. ⁓ Chapter 10 talks about Israel's sin and captivity. says, now they say, we have no king because we did not fear the Lord. And as for a king, what would he do for us? There's going to be that time where they no longer have control. They are now being taken into captivity. ⁓ Verse 12 says, So for yourselves righteousness, reap in mercy. break up your fallow ground for it is time to seek the Lord till he comes and reigns righteousness on you. You have plowed wickedness, you have reaped iniquity, you have eaten the fruit of lies because you trusted in your own way in the multitude of your mighty men. Therefore, tolmal shall arise among your people and fortresses shall be plundered." Right? So it's talking about here's what you have done. But you know what? You can start to change. You can start to sow mercy rather than sowing all those things that lead to discord and a broken relationship with God. Chapter 11, is God's continuing love for Israel is really powerful. Make sure you read chapter 11. When Israel was a child, I loved him. I called him out of Egypt. But then they sacrificed to Baals. I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by their arms, but they did not know that I healed them. I drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love." Then it says, he shall not return to the land of Egypt because they refused to repent. So he's talking about how much he loves them, but because they're not repenting, they are going to face the natural consequences of living by your own standards and not God's Verse 7 says, people are bent on backsliding from me though they call to the Most High. None of them exalt Him. Then it says, how can I give you up Ephraim? How can I hand you over Israel? My heart churns within me. My sympathy is stirred. I will not execute the fierceness of my anger for I am God and not man. Thankfully, right, that He is not going to give us what we deserve. But that doesn't mean that we won't suffer consequences of sinfulness. Continues chapter 12, more charges of what's going on. The judgment in Israel in chapter 13, it says, And it says, They were filled and their heart was exalted. So now everything has been given to them and says, therefore they forgot me. So whenever we become too privileged, too well off, it is easy for us to forget God and begin going our own way. And then verse chapter 14 talks about how Israel will be restored. It says, Israel, return to the Lord your God for you have stumbled because of your iniquity. Take words with you and return to the Lord. So God is a God of restoration, but he's also a God. He is a jealous God. He calls us to be in a relationship with him and to seek him and to exalt him and to live our lives in response to him. And when we don't do that on an individual level, And also on a societal level, the more we as a society try to go our own way without relying on the foundational truths of God and Him as creator, then it ends and leads to chaos, it leads to destruction, it leads to pain and suffering. And I think as you read through that, you'll see similarities in our society around us, which is why it's important for us to repent as individuals and to be praying for the repentance of others, right? And that's why we need to be sharing the message of hope that comes from God and the relationship that God desires to have. Hosea desired to have a relationship with his wife even after she had been unfaithful. He kept pursuing her and seeking her. Now there were consequences to pay and it wasn't easy. but he continued to extend that love just as God continues to extend love to us, to his people. And he is calling us back to a relationship with him. All right. Read the first six chapters of Isaiah and also second Kings chapter 15. So second Kings chapter 15, but the first six chapters of Isaiah. All right, we'll see you all.