God heals our unfaithfulness when we listen and obey him (Book of Hosea)

I've enjoyed reading Hosea this summer. I really needed this and it's helped me in my leadership at work and Alpha. My hero Warren Wiersbe describes the book as "God's jealous love (Hosea) The man who married a prostitute so he could demonstrate the love of God for His people." - BeAmazed.

I had the pleasure of talking with a Senior executive at work this week about religion and spirituality. We talked about terms of "being born again" and "resurrection" and how they related to Hindu terms of  "reincarnation." What started as an observation from Daily reminders at my work desk turned into an hour-long conversation. I feel that I was able to account for the hope and confidence of Christ I have (1 Peter 3:15).

Main Truths of Hosea

A) Leaders are responsible for abiding in God, on behalf of the people (Hosea 1-6)

B) Failure to abide in God is humanities sinful state (Hosea 7-10)

C) God's love and faithfulness brings remembrance and restoration (Hosea 11-14)

Outline

A) Leaders are responsible (Hosea 1-6)

God speaks through Hosea, his life message for future generations (Hosea 1)

Innocent protected, haughty brought low, restoration being God's goal (Hosea 2-3)

• Lord answers the sky's plea for clouds, the sky answers the earth with rain (Hosea 2:21)

People destroyed because WE refuse to know and obey God (Hosea 4:1-7)

Priest desert God, love shame more than honor (Hosea 4:8-19)

Family of God must honor the Lord or perish (Hosea 5)

Acknowledge God for three days and you'll experience mercy (Hosea 6, Acts 9:9)

B) Leaders know better (Hosea 7-10)

What a hypocrite looks like (Hosea 7)

Knowing God yet living in sin leads to destruction (Hosea 8-9)

Empty sinfulness leads to Judgement only Jesus can save us from (Hosea 10)

 - Sin (breaking the law you didn't know), trespass (breaking trust, you know better), inequity (suffering the consequence regardless of knowledge)

C) God brings us back to sanity (Hosea 11-14)

God's patience displayed in Israel's folly and Judah's obedience (Hosea 11)

Failing away from God, we remember the way back (Hosea 12:1-6)

Wealth doesn't hide sin; remember the Lord through prophets (Hosea 12:7-14)

God's desire for us is salvation in relationship with him (Hosea 13-14)

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Wealth doesn't hide sin; remember the Lord through prophets (Hosea 12:7-14)

 Hosea 12:7-14

A) Gaining wealth through fraud is sin that God sees

7) Merchant dishonest scales, exploits, oppresses and defrauds

8) Ephraim boasts of wealth hiding/covering iniquity and sin

B) God shows us this through prophets, parables and history (far beyond ourselves)

9-10) Yet LORD God knows our beginnings and can bring humility/truth through prophets

 - Parables make God's will known by appealing to our sense of right and wrong

 - The Eagle, the Parrot, the Ostrich and the Dove

11) Gilead's wickedness (idolatry), sacrifice to Gilgal - altars piles of stone on a plowed field

 - What is Gilead working for? A pile of rocks for no one. What a complete lack of understanding, God wants us to build a healthy family who loves him and one another.

 - Saul anointed, confirmed, then rejected as king (1 Samuel 9-15), shows how being chosen doesn't cut it - we need to live out our faith God's way.

12) Jacob fled to Aram, served/worked to get wife

 - Jacob (Israel) was once a single confused man

 - Jacob served Laban for 20 years, then left for Canaan (Gen 30-31)

13) LORD used prophet Moses to bring Israel out of Egypt, preserved by God

 - 500+ years later Israel became a nation because of one Prophet raised up

14) But Ephraim aroused LORD's anger, LORD leaves him in guilt (Iniquity), repaying for contempt

 - shame and dishonor

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Failing away from God, we remember the way back (Hosea 12:1-6)

 Hosea 12

Pivotal verses: "But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always." Hosea 12:6, the continued pleading from Hosea 6

“Come, let us return to the Lord...he will restore us, so that we may live in his presence. Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know him" Hosea 6:1-3

God has been showing me I need to have more quiet time with the Lord, slow down - take a Sabbath rest, fast (stop eating). Only in these times can my crooked ways be straightened. A little intervention goes a long way. 

12:1) Ephram feeds on wind, multiplies lies, violence, allies with Assyria, Egypt

 - MSG: obsessed with god-fantasies, chases ghosts and phantoms. He tells lies nonstop, soul-destroying lies.

 - False prophets introduce destructive heresies, ignoring facts of wrath (2 Peter 2)

 2) Judah and Israel being charged by God, held accountable to their deeds

 - Was watching sin, transgression, iniquity from BibleProject showing deference in these terms, clarifying what's wrong in the world. Sin is against God, transgression is breaking trust. The video shows a thief stealing from you is one thing but when a neighbor does it (whom you should have trust), it's transgression. Iniquity (AVON) is allowing the consequences of our lives to fall upon us (wickedness, guilt, bent/crooked). 

 - To punish: visit someone's AVON (Iniquity) upon them.

3-5) Jacob struggled with his brother and God, wrestled, brought to knees, wept in repentance, sought favor, and was found by God in Bethel

 - the Lord God Almighty (God of hosts, God of the Angel Armies), the Lord is his name (God-Revealed, God-Known)!

6) What are you waiting for? Return to your God! Commit yourself in love, in justice! Wait for your God, and don’t give up on him—ever!

 - Redemption and the "To Be" list

 - Live like your approaching eternity today: Joshua recounts history and covenant to the Lord before death (Joshua 22-24)

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God's patience displayed in Israel's folly and Judah's obedience (Hosea 11)

Key verse: For my people are determined to desert me. They call me the Most High, but they don’t truly honor me. (Hosea 11:7)

Patience: "the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset."

God's Patience: determination under long-suffering to show compassion, mercy, and grace

 - Long-suffering: "having or showing patience in spite of troubles, especially those caused by other people."

 Hosea 11

11:1-3) Israel young (first 600 years), God loved, called to repentance/obedience, yet idolatry - healed them

4) Led them gently cords of kindness, love to guide them, lifting/easing the yoke of the law, feeding them

 - Matthew 11:29 - Take my yoke (the law of love) upon you, and learn from me. 

 - I have set you an example so that you should do as I have done for you (John 13:15),  So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:34-35)

5-6) My people refuse repentance, war, enemies, trapped in own evil plans/counsels

7) My people, determined/bent on turning away from Most High, but don't truly honor him

 - Our determination matters and honor is shown in behavior. Determined: "having made a firm decision and being resolved not to change it."

 - Application: When learning from God, being led by the Holy Spirit, and shown what is sin, righteousness, and judgment. Have I decided to follow Jesus or continue in my sin?

8-11) God's reaction: "My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows." not violence/hatred. Hope that "someday the people will follow me", "like doves...I will bring them home again" says the LORD

12) Israel surrounds me with lies/deceit but Judah still obeys God and is faithful to the Holy One

 - Intriguing variation in human experience, to choose or not to choose?

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Empty sinfulness leads to Judgement only Jesus can save us from (Hosea 10)

 Hosea 10 looks like the American dream. I've discovered the only way to abide in the Lord (John 15) is to pray continually (1 Thes 5:16-18)

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

A) Riches breeds promiscuous idol worship (10:1-6)

B) Results in desire to be expunged, hidden from God's wrath (10:7-10)

C) Jesus provides God's mercy, a changed life (10:11-15) 

10:1-2) More luxurious, rich, bountiful we are the more pagan/promiscuous the worship, squandered, guilty - Lord will break altars down

3-4) "no king, we didn't fear LORD, useless", empty words, covenants without intension, injustice

5-6) People's idols invoke fear, mourning, but resulting in ridicule and shame because people have trusted in idol

 - Thinking of the Statue of Liberty

7-8) Samaria is history place of sin crumble, beg mountains "bury us, plead with hills fall on us"

 - Jesus repeats this in Luke 23:30 and later in Rev 6:16...Isaiah 2:19... "if men do these things while the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?" - Luke 23:31

 - Desire to hide is in our nature Gen 3:8) "they hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God"

 - And, "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" 1 Peter 4:18

9-10) Only sin and more sin, no progress, wicked men: Be punished for multiplied sins

11) Israel trained heifer, loves easy work, Judah pulls plow, break up the hard ground

 - Jesus from the line of Judah, learn from him (Matthew 11:28-30)

12) plant the good seeds of righteousness, harvest crop of love, plow hard ground of your hearts, seek the Lord shower righteousness upon you

 - Knowledge of SIN cultivates a conscience and heart for God

13) see ourselves: cultivated wickedness, harvested thriving crop of sins, eaten fruit of lies. trusting military, believing great armies

 - Walking in light involves progressive humility and honesty (1 John 1:5-2:6)

14-15) see the day of judgment dawns

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Knowing God yet living in sin leads to destruction (Hosea 8-9)

 Hosea 8-10

A) The problem with "knowing God" yet living in sin (Hosea 8)

8:1-3) Alarm! enemy against God's people, covenant-breakers, defied revelation, rejecting goodness

 - Faith is more than crying out to God in trouble saying "My God! We know you!"

 - Faith is shown in a covenant life, guided by God, cultivating goodness.

4-10) Deciding without asking Lord, idols, planted wind/harvest whirlwind, liars, whores

Key verses: “They have planted the wind and will harvest the whirlwind. Hosea 8:7

 - Faith is more than words, it's the seed of God planted in our souls, reaping righteousness.

11-13) Altars of sin, unacceptable. God's word is clear, pretend can't read, held accountable, punished/slavery forgotten Maker to build themselves greatness to burn

14a) Forgotten Maker: God's creative Spirit and Word prepares us for eternity (Genesis 1:1-5, Hebrews 11:1-3, 2 Cor 5:5-21)

14b) build themselves: Cain builds his name, Seth brings repentance to God's name (Gen 4)

B) wasted life ends in destruction (Hosea 9)

9:1-6) Wasted life (rejoicing in): unfaithfulness, orgies, parties, whoring, bankrupt, disillusioned, refugees, defiled, unclean, conquered, invaded, ruined

 - MSG: Souls polluted by the spirit-dirty air. You’ll be starved for God... homesick

Unfaithfulness: The angry, stay at home brother of the prodigal (Luke 15)

Application: 3 Steps to Victory available to everyone

7-9) Dooms day/Payday for the wages of sin: hostile to God and his prophets, depravity

 - Sin is our default occupation until we understand our vocation.

10-14) First fresh grapes in desert, then deserted God idolatrous heathens: barren, unfit parents

15-17) Evil exposed, kicked out, not loved, struck dry barren, rejected, didn't listen or obey, homeless

 - Jesus brings clarity: Discovering the Light of listening and being Salt (Luke 8-14)

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What a hypocrite looks like (Hosea 7)

Hosea 7 gives an image of sin like a fire in a burning oven, it's embers hot and ready to burn because of delight in wickedness and refusal to call to God, return to him or search for him. People not turning to the Most High are half-baked bread, a faulty bow, a senseless dove.

1-2) Israel healed, Ephraim's sin exposed; deceit, thieves, sins engulf them. God sees

 - Counterfeit Christians live a lifestyle of deception

3-7) Drunken, passion, lust, entertainment devours our future, yet none call on God

• Calling on the name of the Lord is central to our faith (Gen 4:26, Romans 10:13, Acts 2:21)
• Wisdom is understanding the will of the Lord and sacrifice (altar) are linked (Eph 5:15-17, Romans 12:1-2) leading us to honest humility (Romans 12:3)
• Wisdom and grace from calling on the name of the Lord (James 1:5, 3:17; Proverbs 3:13-18)
• Principle: God’s grace in us blesses others. God’s grace equips us for spiritual victory in our lives and in the lives of others. 

8-10) mixed with pagans, dissipating himself, unnoticed, dying, oblivious to God, despite all the signs, ignoring God

 - King Belshazzar’s self-inflicted ignorance of God ruins his life

 - Hear God's promise, don't neglect salvation in Jesus (Heb 2)

11-12) Like silly witless doves, easily captured, God punishes for the evil they do

13-16) Sorrow awaits those who deserted God, who wanted to redeem them but they told lies

 - Insincere hearts, crying to themselves, turning away from God (Hosea 7:14)

 - God made them strong, yet they plot evil against God (15)

 - Looking everywhere except the Most High, like faulty equipment they are useless and laughable. MSG says Ridiculed in the court of world opinion (16)

From What does it mean that the love of many will grow cold (Matthew 24:12)?

How can we be sure that the love we have for Christ will never grow cold? We begin by examining ourselves to be sure we are truly in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). If we truly belong to Christ, we can be confident that we possess the love from the Spirit that never grows cold. Then we should make every effort to increase our love:, “This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9–11).

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Acknowledge God for three days and you'll experience mercy (Hosea 6, Acts 9:9)

 Hosea 6

Key Verses:

“Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us.He has injured us; now he will bandage our wounds. In just a short time (After two days he will revive us; on the third day NIV) he will restore us, so that we may live in his presence. Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know him.(Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him NIV) He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring.” - Hosea 6:1-3 NLT

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6

I love how God intervenes in my quiet time with his word. I was sick yesterday with a bad sore throat that was going into my ears. I thought it was strep but the test was negative. I slept most of the day and feeling better today. Today I'm leading the prayer course - adoration at SALT. On Saturday I have Alpha at TC, "Does God heal today?"

6:1-3) Call to repentance, healing, revival, restoration, his presence, acknowledging (accept, admit existence or truth) the LORD

 - he dragged me from the path and mangled me and left me without help (Lamentations 3:11), God assails me (Job 1:9), like a lion tear to pieces (Hosea 5:14)

 - Three Days, recurring theme in the Bible for changing your heart

4-5) God see Ephraim, Judah love like the morning mist, dew that disappears. Cuts with prophets, killed with words, judgment like the sun

6) God desires mercy, not sacrifice, acknowledgment of God

 - 1 Samuel 15:22, Isaiah 1:11, Matthew 9:13, Matthew 12:7, Mark 12:33

 - Jesus preached repentance as did the early church (Doctrine of Repentance)

7-10) Like Adam, broken covenant, humans are unfaithful, evildoers, liers, murders, wicked schemes, prostitution, defiled

11) Also for you, Judah a harvest is appointed "whenever I would restore the fortunes of my people.

 - Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ (Romans 5:12-21)

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Family of God must honor the Lord or perish (Hosea 5)

 Hosea 5

Key verses:

“The arrogance ...load of guilt...When they come to offer sacrifices to the Lord, they will not find him, because he has withdrawn from them. They have betrayed the honor of the Lord, bearing children that are not his. Now their false religion will devour them along with their wealth" - Hosea 5:5-7

Then I will return to my place until they admit their guilt and turn to me. For as soon as trouble comes, they will earnestly search for me.” Hosea 5:15

A) Leaders pointing to anything other than God lead others into a trap

5:1) Priests, leaders of Israel, royal family - judgment againt you, led people into idol worship snare at Mizpah and Tabor

 - Mizpah - Means watchtower where God watches covenant (Genesis 31:49), Where pray and fasting occur (1 Samuel 7:5-6), here I raise my Ebenezer "the stone of help" (1 Sam 7:12, Jehovahjireh Lord will provide  Gen 22:14)

2-3) dug deep pit-trap, you can't hide - left Lord as prostitute leaves husband, defiled

B) These leaders don't know the LORD and will perish

4) Deeds won't let you return to God, prostitute - you don't know the LORD

 - Knowledge that is experienced leads to understanding, surrender, love, and obedience

Geysers, planters and pruners: How people are born into and matured in the Faith

5-7) arrogance testifies, stumble under load of guilt - going to sacrifice to the LORD, has withdrawn from them, false converts

8-9) Sound alarm, raise battle cry "Beth-aven", warriors of Benjamin

10-12) Leaders become like thieves, so anger/crushed/broken by God's judgment because they are determined to worship idols - weak as rotten wood

13-14) Seeing self sick turned to Assyria, couldn't help or cure. lion of Judah carries them off no one will be left to rescue them

C) God will stay away until people admit guilt and earnestly search for him

15) Then I will return to my place until they admit their guilt and turn to me. For as soon as trouble comes, they will earnestly search for me.”

Thank you Father for guiding me in truth of your word and warning me. Let me take this warning to heart as I lead. Forgive me Lord for my arrogance and pride. Lead me into your way of everlasting. Yes Lord your word is truth. 

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Priest desert God, love shame more than honor (Hosea 4:8-19)

 Hosea 4:8-5:15

Focus verses:

But why should I punish them for their prostitution and adultery? For your men are doing the same thing, sinning with whores and shrine prostitutes. O foolish people! You refuse to understand, so you will be destroyed. Hosea 4:14

When the rulers of Israel finish their drinking, off they go to find some prostitutes. They love shame more than honor. So a mighty wind will sweep them away. Their sacrifices to idols will bring them shame. Hosea 4:18-19

Eyes that see, ears that hear and heart that understands

4:8-10) sin offerings feed the priest, wicked deeds, eat still hungry, prostitute without gain

 - Priest gladly profit from sinning people, yet gain nothing as they deserted the Lord

10-13) worship other gods, wine robbed people of understanding, looking for future/advice in wood, mountaintops, incense, pleasant shade

 - pages of a book, pulp. can a stick tell the future, iPhone

 13-14) Result: daughters turn to prostitution, men do the same with whores, shrine prostitutes

15) Israel prostitute, but Judah not guilty of false worship, oaths in Lord's name

 - God signals a surviving remnant of the promise

16-19) Israel, stubborn, left alone - rulers drunk for prostitutes - love shame more than honor

Principle: Sexual sin is evidence of deserting the Lord for idols

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People destroyed because WE refuse to know and obey God (Hosea 4:1-7)

Hosea 4-5

Key verse: 

My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me. Since you priests refuse to know me, I refuse to recognize you as my priests. Since you have forgotten the laws of your God, I will forget to bless your children. - Hosea 4:6

I love how God uses our circumstances, quiet times, and a daily reading plan to come together into an actionable plan for our lives. I'm running Alpha series 24 at Teen Challenge and today we are reviewing how and why should I pray and read the Bible. I've reconnected with my friend Prasad and promoting firststeps of faith and This is the Life. This morning the Lord brought me to Every child of God defeats this evil world through faith - 1 John 5:4-5, 2 Cor 10:3-5. What a perfect transition from Tuesday's "how can I have faith?" and today's how and why should I pray and read the Bible. My conviction for the men at TC is simply they were being destroyed because they didn't know God (Hosea 4:6). My prayer today is they would learn through prayer and the Bible they would come to know him, love him and dedicate the rest of their lives to him. 

“Take . . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times” (Ephesians 6:17–18)

Duke, David, Nate, Isaac, Joel, Nate, Daniel, Joe, Nick, Gavin, Steve, Jeremiah, Maricus, Pierre, Joshua/Nico, Gabe, Reagan, Patrick, Shawn, Dennis

4:1-3) Lord charges Israel, "NO faithfulness, kindness, knowledge of God, broken promises, kill, steal, adultery, violence, land mourns, wasting away, wild animals disappearing"

 - Devil comes to kill, steal and destroy John 10:10

4-5) "Don't blame leaders, you'll stumble day and night with false prophets, Isreal destroyed

 - One who acts presumptuously, refusing to listen to priest or judge, purge this evil (Deut 17:12)

 - With mockers, wisdom is slow to speak in evil times (Psalm 1:1-12, Ezekiel 3:26, Amos 5:10,13, 6:10

6-7) People destroyed when we refuse to know and obey God, more sin-exchanged glory of God for shame idols

 - Rom 1:23 claimed to be wise, became fools exchanged the glory of God for idols, God gave them over to desires of hearts to impurity, dishonoring bodies

 - Glory of God is his goodness (Hosea 3:5, Exodus 33:18-19)

 - Leaders don't refuse to know and obey God, Hear God's promise, don't neglect salvation in Jesus (Heb 2), Today Jesus gives eternal hope, while sin deceives hardening hearts (Heb 3)

 - Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off. Romans 11:22

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Innocent protected, haughty brought low, restoration being God's goal (Hosea 2-3)

 Hosea 2-3 

focus verses (the Gospel):

“In that day, I will answer,” says the Lord...(like a force of nature)...I will show love to those I called ‘Not loved.’ And to those I called ‘Not my people,’ I will say, ‘Now you are my people.’And they will reply, ‘You are our God!’” - Hosea 2:21-23

 ...people will return and devote themselves to the Lord their God and to David’s descendant, their king. In the last days, they will tremble in awe of the Lord and of his goodness. - Hosea 3:5

And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. Exodus 33:18-19 NIV

A) Innocent protected, guilty and proud brought low 

2:1) Hoseah to brothers (Ammi) and sisters (Ruhamah) - my people, loved/pitied/obtained mercy

2) Charges against mother (Israel), not Lord's wife, He's no longer husband - remove prostitutes makeup, clothes

3-5) else, Lord will expose her as day she was born helpless, alone, children of prostitution without mercy

 - pregnant shameful way; said "I'll sell myself for food, water, nice clothes and drinks"

6) For this, she's fenced in with thornbushes, wall against her, can't find her way

 - Gen 3:24) Devilish doubt and shortsightedness brings sin and death into the world (Genesis 3), in our sin God protects us from making things worse.

 - 7) (Protection so that) She won't be able to party anymore and will come back to the Lord

8-13) She didn't notice/understand all God did, abundant blessings, so he'll take it away/uncover shame/punish/devoured/end

B) Restoration is God's goal in calamity

14) Lord allures, wilderness speak tenderly, reconciled

15) Gifts: vineyard, Valley of Achor, door of hope/expectation, sing and respond like youth

16-18) Then you'll say "my husband" instead of "my master", covenant, peace with animals/mankind

19-20) wife forever, righteousness, justice, unfailing love, compassion, faithful - you'll know LORD

21-22) God will answer; sky, earth, produce answers "Jezreel" "God plants"

23) God will plant a crop of Israelites for himself, love to those called "not loved", "you are my people" who reply "You are our God!"

LORD answers the sky as it pleads for clouds, the sky answers the earth with rain (Hosea 2:21, 10:12, Luke 8:15,18)

God's call for repentance if obeyed, brings joyful restoration to His land and people (Joel 2:12-27)

Doctrine of Election is God's irrevocable call for everyone (Genesis 25:23)

C) Salvation pictured in loving an unfaithful wife

1)  Lord to Hosea, "go and love your wife again, adulterer illustrates Lord loves Israel though worship other gods"

2-3) Bought her 15 silver, 5 bushels barley, measure wine. many days abstinent of sex

4) Shows Israel long time without king, sacrifices, pillars, priest

5) but after will return devote selves to Lord their God and David's descendant their king, in awe of Lord and his goodness

- Peter reminds us God is able to His fulfill his promises, patiently (2 Peter 3)

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God speaks through Hosea, his life message for future generations (Hosea 1)

 Hosea 1

1:1) Word of the LORD came to Hosea over 66 years 

 - Back then time was tracked during the reigns of kings, since Christ came we only track time according to Jesus Christ (790-724 before Christ).

 - Joel, Isaiah, Amos, Obadiah, Micah same period of time

2-3) LORD speak through Hosea, "God marry a promiscuous woman (Gomer) and have children"

 - land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the LORD

4-5) "Call him Jezreel, punish and end the kingdom of Israel, break Israel bow in Valley of Jezreel"

6-7) Gomer daughter "call her Lo-Ruhamah ("not-loved") no longer show love to Israel (forgiveness), yet Judah love, saved by LORD their God

8-9) Gomer son 2, Lo-Ammi ("not my people"), you are not my people, I am not your God

 - Hosea 1:10) Yet Israelites will be like sand on seashore, unmeasurable, uncountable; children of the living god

 - "undivided heart, new spirit in them", Ezekiel 11:19-20, 

 - "Once not a people, now people of God",1 Peter 2:10,  Romans 9:26, (In my study of Peter's letters and Romans I skipped these blessed words)

 - This is how you'll know the living God is among you (Joshua 3:9-13)

11) People of Judah, together, appointed leader, great day of Jezreel

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LORD answers the sky as it pleads for clouds, the sky answers the earth with rain (Hosea 2:21, 10:12, Luke 8:15,18)

 On three occasions today the Lord brought me to Hosea:

Hosea 10:12 I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. 

Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’

Hosea 2:21

21 “In that day, I will answer,” says the Lord.

“I will answer the sky as it pleads for clouds. And the sky will answer the earth with rain.

Luke 8:15,18

15 And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.

18 “So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.”

Isaiah 55:9-11

9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways

and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

10 “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth.

They cause the grain to grow, producing seed 

False prophets introduce destructive heresies, ignoring facts of wrath (2 Peter 2)

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Lord answers the sky's plea for clouds, the sky answers the earth with rain (Hosea 2:21)

 On three occasions today the Lord brought me to Hosea:

Hosea 10:12 12 I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’

Hosea 2:21

21 “In that day, I will answer,” says the Lord. “I will answer the sky as it pleads for clouds. And the sky will answer the earth with rain.

Luke 8:15,18

15 And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.

18 “So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.”

Isaiah 55:9-11) For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.  “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed...

False prophets introduce destructive heresies, ignoring facts of wrath (2 Peter 2) 

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