1 The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.
2 The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.
3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.
4 And the LORD said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel.
5 And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.
6 And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away.
7 But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.
8 Now when she had weaned Loruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son.
9 Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.
10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.
11 Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.
- Why did God ask Hosea to marry Gomer?
- The people were guilty of leaving the Lord as Gomer was guilty of leaving her husband.
- How would you have felt is you were Hosea? Is this the kind of person you would marry?
- We would have felt mad, and this is not the kind of person we would like to marry.
- Based on the scriptures, what was the attitude of the Israelites?
- Mad because they feel God no longer loves them, so they have turned their backs to God.
- In light of the actions of the Israelites, what do these verses say about God?
- That while God wants to punish the Israelites for their unfaithfulness, He will eventually forgive them and take them back as His people.
- Does this give you a feeling of Hope? If so, why?
- Yes, if God can forgive the evils of the Israelites He can surely forgive us.
Gomer has been unfaithful in her marriage to Hosea. Maybe some of you have experienced unfaithfulness of some type in your life.
Hosea 3:1-5 says:
1 Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.
2 So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:
3 And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee.
4 For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:
5 Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.
- What kind of thoughts and feelings did you have when these verses were read?
- This is God calling us to truly love those around us regardless of what they may have done or who they are.
- How do you think Hosea feels when he is asked to love his wife again?
- Angry, she has already proved herself to be unfaithful once.
- Why do you think Hosea had to buy his wife back?
- He had sold her into slavery as a punishment for her unfaithfulness.
- What does this story tell us about Hosea?
- That he is a true follower of God, someone who does what God asks of him with a patient heart.
- What does this story tell us about God?
- That He wants us to show mercy and forgiveness to all, regardless of who they are or what they have done.
- What are some of the gods people serve today?
- Money, Food, Drugs
- Who does Hosea remind you of?
- Jesus
Just like Hosea, Jesus came to purchase us from slavery and to bring us home. The death of Jesus Christ won victory over sin and death. If you are struggling with sin, I have good news: You don;t have to! Jesus has made a way for you to get free from the slavery of sin.
Reading Ephesians 5:22-32 we find:
22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
- What makes a good marriage?
- Love, understanding, obedience, and respect for your partner.
- Why is faithfulness and trust so important in a marriage?
- You need to be able to trust your partner and remain faithful in the face of temptation.
1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
- Who are the recipients of this parable?
- The sinner who were near.
- Where does the Shepherd leave the ninety-nine sheep?
- In the wilderness.
- What are the steps the shepherd take in finding the lost sheep?
- He searches in the wilderness until he finds the lost sheep.
- Does this seem excessive considering he has only lost one out of one hundred, that's ninety-nine percent?
- In some ways yes, but why shouldn't he look out for all of his sheep and not simply those that are easy to keep.
Ninety-nine percent is a great number. I would imagine that if I could promise you a ninety-nine percent on your next test you would take it. However, that is not enough for God. He wants to search for all the lost sheep.
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
- What are the elements of love found in these verses?
- It is patient, it is forgiving, it is powerful.
- How did Hosea display love?
- He took Gomer back after she had committed adultery and been sold into slavery.
- How did God show love during the time of Hosea?
- He forgave the sins and unfaithfulness of the Israelites.
- How does God show his love now?
- He forgives our sins.
- How can we show God love this week?
- We can work to be faithful to his word and live our lives as He would have us.
After looking at today's story, think about who you are more like, Hosea or Gomer? If you answered Gomer, 1 John 1:9 says that "if we confess our sins He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." In other words, regardless of what we have done, if we ask God, He will forgive us. Is there any sin you would like to confess and ask God to forgive? If you answered Hosea, is there anyone you could show God's love and forgiveness to this week?
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