Untitled Sermon

Hosea 1 10- 2 5

v.10 After revealing some sobering news to the people of Israel, Hosea now brings words of hope. God had not abandoned His people. The nation would thrive again. The promise He made to Abraham concerning an innumerable number of ancestors would be fulfilled (Gen. 12 :2). Israel would be as populous as the numbers of sand grains on the seashore. There are some who believe this to speak of a literal return of Israel to a point where they again worship the True Lord. I believe that in this verse and verse 11 and 2:1 we see a reference to the millennial reign of Christ. It does seem that the “place” suggests a literal geographical location. Israel would be called God’s children in the same geographical place they were rebuked for not being God’s children.

Paul expounded on this text in Romans 9:24-26. He extended the meaning of the passage to include Gentile nations as well. In his explanation, “Lo-ammi” referred to Gentiles as well as idol worshipping Israelites. Peter did this in 1 Peter 2:10. When we compare these NT passages to Hosea 1:10-11, 2:23 we recognize that God has more in mind here than simply the Jewish race.

The Gentiles were not the people of God because they did not worship Him.

The Israelites were not the people of God because they did not worship Him.

At Hosea’s time of writing few were finding the way of salvation whether they were Gentile or Jew. God promised however to reverse that. A day is coming when everyone on the face of the earth will worship the Lord God.

We should notice that they would be called “children of the Living God”. This is in contrast to the dead idols they were worshipping at the present time. Because God is alive, Israel could be confident that they would live as well.

v.11 In this verse we see some great truths about the return of God’s people that suggest the context is the millennial reign of Christ.

* There will be a uniting of Israel and Judah. The nations will be gathered together. Unity will prevail. The church can be certain that despite the divisions that geography, immaturity, and denomination place upon us, one day the people of God will be united.

* There will be one leader. The Lord Jesus Christ will be the head of the entire earth. The worship of Jesus will unite the people of God.

* There will be a great resurrection. I believe the phrase “go up from the land” describes physical resurrection. The phrase literally means “to ascend, rise, and grow up”. The promise of the first sons’ name, “Jezreel”, means “God sows”. Paul describes resurrection as the body being sown in the ground and rising as new life (1 Cor. 15:42). All the people of God throughout all the ages will participate in the unified kingdom of God. The dead will come up out of the earth and enjoy eternity with the Lord. This is the “great day of Jezreel”.

2:1 The names of Gomers children are now changed. Instead of “Lo-ammi” her son is called “Ammi”, which means “My people”. The daughter “Lo- Ruhamah” is called “Ruhamah”, which means “having obtained mercy. This change symbolizes the repentance and restoration of Israel back into a covenant relationship with God. Israel will once again obtain mercy as the people of God. Paul speaks of a great revival among the Jewish nation In Romans 9:25-26. Even now Jewish people are being saved. I believe, however, that we can expect an increased amount of Jewish people coming to faith in Christ as we approach the end of the age.

2:2 In this verse we see God telling the people of Israel to plead with their mother (Israel). The fact that the children are to plead with her suggests two things:

1) They are to rebuke the nation of Israel for her behavior.

2) They are to separate themselves from her actions.

Israel assumed that she was in a permanent relationship with God. In this verse she is told she is not. The nation could not hold onto its identity as a source of salvation. God is able to raise up children of Abraham from the stones (Matt. 3:9)!

In the same verse that she is rebuked, she is also invited to return to God. Her allegiance to idols is described as “whoredoms and adulteries”. The fact that her adultery was between her breasts is significant. It could refer to specific types of jewelry worn that called attention to this part of the woman’s body. Israel wanted the pagan world to be attracted to her. She took delight in the attention of the nations that forsook God.

v.3 A warning is given to Israel if she does not return to God. She will be stripped naked. The warning is followed by descriptions of the exile of Israel.

* “As in the day she was born”. Israel would go into captivity weak and naked. It was a common practice for prisoners to be marched into captivity naked. Israel would experience great shame as she was marched naked and weak into Assyria.

* “As a wilderness”. Israel had once enjoyed a land that flowed with milk and honey. Now she would experience great poverty. Personally, the people would experience this poverty in captivity. Geographically the land would be abandoned by the people of God and left as a wilderness.

* “Like a parched land and kill her with thirst”. Drought is often used in Scripture to describe God’s judgment. The land and the people would experience great drought. It would be both physical and spiritual.

v.4-5 The rebellious children of Israel are the result of Israel’s idolatry. Israel had brought a generation of children into the land that did not know the Lord as their Father. As a result, they did not receive His mercy. The children of Israel were illegitimate as Lo-ruhammah and Lo-ammi were. They were a result of Israel’s union with pagan practices. This is what it means when it says she “played the whore and conceived”.

Notice that she went willfully. “I will go after my lovers”.

Notice also that she gave the false gods all the credit for everything she had. Her bread, water, wool, flax, oil, and drink she believed were a result of her devotion to false gods. In reality, it was the Lord who had been taking care of her. She pursued these false gods because she believed her pleasure came from it. In fact, she was depending on them.

Now let’s come back to Hosea and Gomer and see how all of this relates to them. Sometime after Lo-ammi was born Gomer left Hosea. The children were completely aware of what happened. They likely tried to speak with their mom on occasion and plead with her to return. She involved herself with serious immorality with many different men. I believe that it is very likely that Hosea constantly went after her. It could be that he continued to provide for her even as she was away from home. We can only imagine Hosea as he pays the bills so another man can sleep with the woman he clothes, feeds, and cares for. Some have suggested that possibly Hosea would bring money, clothing and food to Hosea’s lover and ask him to give it to her. The lover would then take the credit and Gomer would praise him for providing for her. This would be consistent with what Israel did with her false gods in verse 5. Hosea suffered some of the broken heart that God suffered as He continued to provide for Israel but received no glory for it. Gomer has left Hosea; Israel has left God. Both God and Hosea remained faithful to those who were unfaithful to them.

Thoughts to Consider

1. One day the whole earth will joyfully worship the Lord together.

2. We have been called to plead with the sinner to come to Christ.

3. Those who take pleasure in shameful things will one day be brought to great shame.

4. If we raise a generation that forgets God we should remember that generation will still be held accountable to God.

5. God’s faithfulness to the unfaithful is the most amazing love we could imagine.