Do What?!

Who is God?

This is a great question which every culture that has ever exist or will exist must answer. The answer to this question will then help to answer other questions: where did I come from? Where am I going? How do I treat others? What is required of me in this life?

What is an idol?

A second important question is this one. For people who grew up in church this may conjure up a certain image. Yet, is this truly just what an idol would be?

The larger story of Scripture.

As we go on this journey we cannot see the book of Hosea, or any book of Scripture, by itself but as part of the larger story. I hope we do this well with our kids and in all other areas of our teaching and discipleship ministries. We must be reminded of the “Big Picture” of Scripture.

Background-2 Kings

This is the historical background, which I provide in the devotions this week. The tribes of Israel were the northern kingdom of 10.

2 Kings 14:24 NIV

He did evil in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.

This was the refrain for the nation of Israel prior to and during the time of Hosea.

God desires obedience.

This is the opening contrast between Hosea and the nation of Israel. Here is a person who will be faithful to God even when it doesn’t make sense nor the world around him does.

Sin is an affront to God. Sin “hurts” God.

God is not hurt in a physical way but as we start to read in this first chapter we see God depicting himself as being hurt by the unfaithfulness of what was supposed to be “his people”.

Destruction and hope.

Throughout this book, as we see here in chapter 1, there is a balance between wrath/destruction and hope/grace.

The question: how are we like Israel?

The book exists not primarily to help us be like Hosea. To think that is the case would be secondary purpose. Yes, Hosea has some character traits, especially obedience, which is needed; however, the book exists in part to help us see who God is and how we are like the nation of Israel.

God is full of compassion, grace, and mercy.

Notice the final verses. Peter quotes this passage in his letter to the church almost word from word form the LXX version of the OT

1 Peter 2:10 NIV

Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Become God’s person/people today!

Today is the day of salvation!