God's mercy to Israel Hosea 2:14-3:5

PROMISE TO RESTORE ISRAEL

English Standard Version Chapter 2

and forgot me

Theres something that stands out about these verses that is repeated constantly throughout these next verses in this chapter. The repetition of I will. As we saw last week God announced judgement on Israel because she forgot. God it says vs 2:14.

English Standard Version Chapter 2

And you shall know the LORD.

by vs 20 Israel is going to know the Lord. I ask the question this afternoon. How do you know what Love is? What is it that causes a person to understand that you love them? I mean how do they get it? What makes it click in their mind? What is it that makes a person understand and know this person loves me.

English Standard Version (Chapter 2)

vs 13 and forgot me, declares the LORD.

this verse is where we stopped last week with carlito and I would like to pickup where he left off and begin the next part of the series looking at what the Lord declared at the end of vs 13 and two more declarations in

vs 16 “And in that day, declares the LORD,

vs 21“And in that day I will answer, declares the LORD

the first declaration in vs 13 has to do with Judgement. He’s letting Israel know they will be judged for their idolatry because the forgot the Lord. A declaration is a statement a fact, truth, about what Israel has been doing to this point by aligning with other nations for security and prosperity that they forgot their God YHWH. He’s announcing a judgment. But his following declarations in vs 16 and 21 he says and in that day!!! So even though Israel has just recieved the message of its judgement God immediately follows his judgement with a promise that even though judgments coming, I am going to restore you Israel in a particular time. It’s a beautiful poetic illustration of how God is going to scatter Israel (northern Kingdom) but even in doing so He is going to do it in a way that Israel is going to be able KNOW their LORD and that He is the one who is allowing their diaspora (scatter) and that He is still showing his Love through preserving Israel. Look at vs 20

vs 20 And you shall know the LORD.21  “And in that day I will answer, declares the LORD

So we’re seeing Israel forgot the Lord their God and we are going to see how God makes himself know to Israel So that they can see his mercy on this day the Lord is speaking of.

Lets look at vs 14

vs14  “Therefore, behold, I will allure her,and bring her into the wilderness,and speak tenderly to her.

He says therefore, or in other words therefore can be translated as” in return for your idolatry, your whoring with other nations, not trusting in me and honoring my commands I’m still going to show you mercy” Instead of giving Israel what it deserves, because they have done everything to violate their end of the covenant they had with God, and yet God is still remaining faithful to his promise. His word, and its because of his faithfulness to himself and his promise to Abraham that Israel will receive mercy. The way God deals with Israel is going to be revealed in a beautiful way. As a husband enticing his wife. Speaking to her in a way where all her attention and focus is on Him. See Israels focus was on her lovers, the Baal's of her day, shes been whoring and her mind occupied on what these idols can give her that God removes her from where she is and takes her into the wilderness. He removes her from all her distractions and the only thing she will be able to hear is the tender voice of God. Remember when you first met your wife? And how you use to talk to her romantically to her. All you could think about was getting her attention. If you were like me you were all messed up. I was so after my wife I couldn't think, I couldn't focus, my quotas at work were terrible all I could think about was my wife. As soon as I would get out of work I would go see her and we would sit and stare in each others eyes for hours. We would talk with no distractions, texting and social media wasn't around. There were No distractions between us. the tv would be on in the background but there was no netflix, no hulu, binge watching wasn't even a word yet. apps were not invented yet. It was just me and my wife day after day just looking into each others eyes just flirting and giggling for hours. No distractions. There was a genuine interest me and my wife had for each other that I want to know everything I can about this woman, what she likes, hates, desires, favorite color, favorite song, favorite food. I wanted to know it all. But see me and my wife were new in this relationship so to do all these things is what two newly dating people are expected to do. We were only this way with each other we were in love. But see the way the world views love and the way God shows his love are totally opposite. Israel was unfaithful, she was whoring with other Gods and had put her trust in other idols and instead of dealing with Israel through judgement alone He removes her from all distractions and speaks tenderly to her. The way He did when He freed her from Egypt. The way He loves his bride and the way the world loves is different, He doesnt love based on what the other party does. Someone in a relationship steps out of the marriage and commits adultery we are not going to put up with that. Its over. Divorce. I’m done. But God, who is faithful to His word takes his bride into the wilderness and removes all distractions and Loves her like he did in the beginning. His faithfulness to his bride is just as strong when she fornicated as when He first saved Israel. His love is different, Hes still treating Israel like His first love.

As a church, is there anything distracting us from God? As Israel turned to idols and forgot about God, We can fall into the same sin as Israel and turn to other things that become idols and distract us from GOD. Social media, Netflix relying on your great salary and benefits your job pays instead of trusting the provider Himself. And for some of us we realize we are distracted by the world. Just know the Lord is speaking to you today and is calling you back to himself and He will cause you to KNOW him intimately if you turn from your idols and hear his voice. It is sweet and gentle and and he will not deal with you how you deserve but as He did with Israel He will have mercy on you the same. As we will see in the next verses

vs15 And there I will give her her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.

when God takes Israel into the wilderness He will make the valley of achor a door of hope. Remember the story of Joshua when they were supposed to take the city of Ai from the Ammo rites after they took Jericho. Ai defeated Israel and Joshua didn’t know why. When we read the story we see Achan had sinned. But God said Israel had sinned not one man. So when Joshua confronted Achan he confessed and told the truth. He had coveted and taken some items from shinar a robe, gold and silver. Shinar is the same place as babylon. And babylon is where Judah will be exiled to later. After they discovered the items Achan is taken to the valley of achor and he is stoned by all of Israel and the Lords anger was turned from Israel. See its in the valley of achor that the Lords anger was turned from Israel and he will take Israel there again in Hoseas time and turn his anger from them again but why and how? First look at who was stoned, Achan, he was from the tribe of Judah. What tribe is it that God will save Israel through? The tribe of Judah. Even though they get exiled God will preserve Judah so that Christ may be born and all of Israel will be able to come to the knowledge that Christ is the one that became a curse for all jews and gentiles as the same way the lords anger was turned from Israel after achan was stoned by the hands of Israel they must come to the realization and knowledge that Christ was killed by the hands of Jews because Christ is the one who becomes the curse for all and turns the Lords anger from all who turn to him and He is that door of hope. One thing that stood out to me about this verse was how it says God will give her her vineyards. Every where else in this chapter we see grain, wine, and oil mentioned together. But in this verse we see vineyards by itself being given to Israel with the door of hope. When you read scripture you begin to understand vineyards, and wine are associated with blood.

Matthew 26 28-29 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.

We remember Christ through our Lords supper (wine) In the desert Israel will realize the blood of Christ is their door of hope.

vs15 And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth,as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt.

The same way they put blood on the entrance to their door when they were enslaved in Egypt during passover. Israel will look to Christ and realize his blood was what the passover was pointing to. And it will be in the wilderness she will respond to her husband as when she was in her youth when God rescued her out of Egypt.

Luke 1 72  to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,73  the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us 74  that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,might serve him without fear,75  in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.76  And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,77  to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins,78  because of the tender mercy of our God,

Now remember our declaration? After God brings the knowledge of his salvation through Christ to Israel it then says in that day

16 “And in that day, declares the LORD, you will call me ‘My Husband,’

Israel will then recognize their Husband. They will know, have knowledge, and because of the knowledge of Christ Israel will be able to properly respond to its husband. Husbands how do you show your wives you love them? Situations and circumstances arise in all our marriages where we have to make a choice and say I love my partner regardless of how upset they have gotten me. It’s action that shows your spouse that you love them. You ever got in an argument and the other person says well prove you love me. Show me with action not your words. The things is as people we will promise things and not go thru with it. I will say things like I’ll take care of it. I’ll call and handle that. I’ll pay that bill and it never gets done. Not so with God. His word is backed up by action. His promises are never empty. He has provided the way for Israel to return to him and on that day the knowledge and veil is lifted from their eyes they will respond to God as a husband. When the fullness of the gentiles are reached because we are grafted into the covenant of Abraham as it states in Romans. Every gentile that God has chosen to save in his wisom will respond and turn to God as our Husband. As the church we are the bride that Christ is redeeming. We must as a church return to the cross and remember the price that was paid for us and return to our God and respond to his message of redemption because the voice of Hosea and his message is still relevant today.

vs16 and no longer will you call me ‘My Baal.’

why is God saying no longer will you call me Baal? The word Baal here is Baali. which means master. You see when you turn to idolatry you become a slave. Not a son or daughter. Israel was so far gone they were mixing up the Baals of their day and confusing it with the True God of Israel. And God is correcting their understanding of Him so they will know why they will refer to him as their Husband which is translated as ishi. We do this often even in our times. The ideas of baals still exist even in our time. We think prosperity is the only way God will deal with his people. Prosperity preaching has caused the american church to reject the idea that we will suffer as christians and thinks that somehow that comes from satan. Remember what we learned in our peter series? If you are His you will suffer and this is for your good so that you would grow in holiness. This is why knowledge of our God is important. But we would rather spend time on social media and get our ideas and beliefs from other sources than knowing what our God has revealed to us in his written word. Even christians today will post and say things like its virgo season. or scorpio season. Zodiak sign come from Babylonian astrology. Did you know that? We think we can determine a person and the way they act based on the month they were born instead of looking to the one who created the stars and gave us a written word to understand our condition. And if we read our word it says our hearts are deceitful and wicked. Thats what God says about our character. Idolatry from the past are still around today and we must not confuse these ideas with the God of the Bible. You ever heard of Karma? The idea of what you do has a cause and effect? Like if you do something bad to someone karma will in return give that person the same bad. or if you do something good good will come to you? The idea behind Karma is reincarnation. If you do good here karma will make sure you are reincarnated into something good. In CHRIST we have our future and our home already laid out in his word and we cannot mix up our God with ideologies from other baals.

17 For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be remembered by name no more.

It is God the husband of Israel that will remove baals name from her mouth. After Israel realizes through the knowledge of Christ they will never use the name of Baal again.

vs18 And I will make for them a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land, and I will make you lie down in safety.

Idolatry will be remembered no more and vs18 ushers in the new and final covenant in Christ

19 And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. 20 I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the LORD.21  “And in that day I will answer, declares the LORD,I will answer the heavens,and they shall answer the earth,22  and the earth shall answer the grain, the wine, and the oil,and they shall answer Jezreel,23  and I will sow her for myself in the land.And I will have mercy on No Mercy,and I will say to Not My People, ‘You are my people’;and he shall say, ‘You are my God.’ ”Hosea Redeems His Wife3 And the LORD said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins.” 2 So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley. 3 And I said to her, “You must dwell as mine for many days. You shall not play the whore, or belong to another man; so will I also be to you.” 4 For the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or household gods. 5 Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the LORD and to his goodness in the latter days.