The Book of Hosea, Part 5: Survey of Old Testament Prophetic Books, Part 11

Intro

Title - Part 5, Book of Hosea

Series - Part 11, Survey of Old Testament Prophetic Books

Text - Hosea 14.9

Hosea 14:9 NASB 2020

9 Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; Whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right, And the righteous will walk in them, But wrongdoers will stumble in them.

Background

Hosea 10 - God will humiliate Israel

God will destroy their religious pride -

Hosea 10:1–2 NASB 2020

1 Israel is a luxuriant vine; He produces fruit for himself. The more his fruit, The more altars he made; The richer his land, The better he made the memorial stones. 2 Their heart is deceitful; Now they must suffer for their guilt. The Lord will break down their altars And destroy their memorial stones.

Israel took pride in his religion and the material blessings it brought to him

Most people see material blessings are proof of God’s favor and vindication of true belief

God will destroy their political pride - Hosea 10.3-8

Hosea 10:3–8 NASB 2020

3 Certainly now they will say, “We have no king, For we do not revere the Lord. As for the king, what can he do for us?” 4 They speak mere words, With worthless oaths they make covenants; And judgment sprouts like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field. 5 The inhabitants of Samaria will fear For the calf of Beth-aven. Indeed, its people will mourn for it, And its idolatrous priests will cry out over it, Over its glory, since it has left it. 6 The thing itself will be brought to Assyria As a gift of tribute to King Jareb; Ephraim will be seized with shame, And Israel will be ashamed of its own plan. 7 Samaria will be destroyed with her king, Like a twig on the surface of the water. 8 Also the high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, will be destroyed; Thorns and thistles will grow on their altars; Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!” And to the hills, “Fall on us!”

God will prove their words empty when Assyria comes to destroy everything that they have worked for and rejoiced over, and trusted in.

Israel will reap only what he sowed - Hosea 10.11-15

Hosea 10:11–15 NASB 2020

11 Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh, And I passed over her lovely neck; I will harness Ephraim, Judah will plow, Jacob will harrow for himself. 12 Sow for yourselves, with a view to righteousness; Harvest in accordance with kindness. Break up your uncultivated ground, For it is time to seek the Lord Until He comes and rains righteousness on you. 13 You have plowed wickedness, you have harvested injustice, You have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your way, in your many warriors, 14 An uproar will arise among your people, And all your fortresses will be destroyed, As Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle, When mothers were slaughtered with their children. 15 So it will be done to you at Bethel because of your great wickedness. At dawn the king of Israel will be completely destroyed.

Verses 11-12 describes what would happen if God had His way with Israel.

Verses 13-15 describes what really happened

Israel will reap the fruits of his wicked actions.

The principle of sowing remains true to this day - Galatians 6.7-8

Galatians 6:7–8 NASB 2020

7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.

Hosea 11 - God’s love for Israel will never change

It is an elective love - Hosea 11.1

Hosea 11:1 NASB 2020

1 When Israel was a youth I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son.

God chose Israel long before God called him out of Egypt.

It is a nurturing love - Hosea 11.2-4

Hosea 11:2–4 NASB 2020

2 The more they called them, The more they went away from them; They kept sacrificing to the Baals And burning incense to idols. 3 Yet it is I who taught Ephraim to walk, I took them in My arms; But they did not know that I healed them. 4 I pulled them along with cords of a man, with ropes of love, And I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws; And I bent down and fed them.

God healed them multiple times

God was drawing Israel back to Him through His prophets

It is a correcting love - Hosea 11.5-7

Hosea 11:5–7 NASB 2020

5 They will not return to the land of Egypt; But Assyria—he will be their king Because they refused to return to Me. 6 And the sword will whirl against their cities, And will destroy their oracle priests And consume them, because of their counsels. 7 So My people are determined to turn from Me. Though they call them to the One on high, None at all exalts Him.

Real love is also correcting - Proverbs 27.5

Proverbs 27:5 NASB 2020

5 Better is open rebuke Than love that is concealed.

It is a restoring love - Hosea 11.8-11

Hosea 11:8–11 NASB 2020

8 How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I surrender you, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned over within Me, All My compassions are kindled. 9 I will not carry out My fierce anger; I will not destroy Ephraim again. For I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst, And I will not come in wrath. 10 They will walk after the Lord, He will roar like a lion; Indeed He will roar, And His sons will come trembling from the west. 11 They will come trembling like birds from Egypt, And like doves from the land of Assyria; And I will settle them in their houses, declares the Lord.

Verse 8 - describes God like a frustrated lover

Verses 9-11 - describes what God will do if His compassions will prevail

God’s love for His people has not changed all this time, but they must suffer the consequence of this sins and wickedness first, before they can experience His compassions.

Hosea 12 - God reminds Israel of his lies and deceptions as well as God’s help

Israel’s lies and deception are beofre God - Hosea 11.12-12.1

Hosea 11:12–12:1 NASB 2020

12 Ephraim surrounds Me with lies And the house of Israel with deceit; Judah is still unruly against God, Even against the Holy One who is faithful. 1 Ephraim feeds on wind, And pursues the east wind continually; He multiplies lies and violence. Moreover, he makes a covenant with Assyria, And oil is brought to Egypt.

From the womb to Bethel - Hosea 12.3-6

Hosea 12:3–6 NASB 2020

3 In the womb he took his brother by the heel, And in his mature strength he contended with God. 4 Yes, he wrestled with the angel and prevailed; He wept and implored His favor. He found Him at Bethel, And there He spoke with us, 5 And the Lord, the God of armies, The Lord is His name. 6 So as for you, return to your God, Maintain kindness and justice, And wait for your God continually.

From Egypt to Canaan - Hosea 12.7-14

Hosea 12:7–14 NASB 2020

7 A merchant, in whose hands are fraudulent balances, Loves to exploit. 8 And Ephraim said, “I have certainly become rich, I have found wealth for myself; In all my labors they will find in me No wrongdoing, which would be sin.” 9 But I have been the Lord your God since the land of Egypt; I will make you live in tents again, As in the days of the appointed festival. 10 I have also spoken to the prophets, And I provided many visions, And through the prophets I spoke in parables. 11 Is there injustice in Gilead? Certainly they are worthless. In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls, Yes, their altars are like stone heaps Beside the furrows of a field. 12 Now Jacob fled to the land of Aram, And Israel worked for a wife, And for a wife he kept sheep. 13 But by a prophet the Lord brought Israel up from Egypt, And by a prophet he was protected. 14 Ephraim has provoked God to bitter anger; So his Lord will leave his guilt for bloodshed on him And bring his disgrace back to him.

Hosea 13 - God’s judgment against Israel is sure

Israel will vanish like the morning cloud - Hosea 13.1-3

Hosea 13:1–3 NASB 2020

1 When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling. He exalted himself in Israel, But through Baal he incurred guilt and died. 2 And now they sin more and more, And make for themselves cast metal images, Idols skillfully made from their silver, All of them the work of craftsmen. They say of them, “Let the people who sacrifice kiss the calves!” 3 Therefore they will be like the morning cloud And like dew which soon disappears, Like chaff which is blown away from the threshing floor, And like smoke from a chimney.

God declares how He will wipe out the kingdom from existence.

just like other nations

God’s wrath will come like an angry wild beast - Hosea 13.4-8

Hosea 13:4–8 NASB 2020

4 Yet I have been the Lord your God Since the land of Egypt; And you were not to know any god except Me, For there is no savior besides Me. 5 I cared for you in the wilderness, In the land of drought. 6 As they had their pasture, they became satisfied, And as they became satisfied, their heart became proud; Therefore they forgot Me. 7 So I will be like a lion to them; Like a leopard I will lie in wait by the wayside. 8 I will confront them like a bear deprived of her cubs, And I will tear open their chests; I will also devour them there like a lioness, As a wild animal would tear them to pieces.

God’s wrath is terrible, and painful for Israel.

No one can help Israel out of God’s wrath - Hosea 13.9-11

Hosea 13:9–11 NASB 2020

9 It is to your own destruction, Israel, That you are against Me, against your help. 10 Where then is your king, That he might save you in all your cities; And your judges, to whom you said, “Give me a king and princes”? 11 I gave you a king in My anger, And took him away in My wrath.

God’s wrath will come like birth pains - Hosea 13.12-16

Hosea 13:12–16 NASB 2020

12 The guilt of Ephraim is wrapped up; His sin is stored up. 13 The pains of childbirth come on him; He is not a wise son, For it is not the time that he should delay at the opening of the womb. 14 Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol? Shall I redeem them from death? Death, where are your thorns? Sheol, where is your sting? Compassion will be hidden from My sight. 15 Though he flourishes among the reeds, An east wind will come, The wind of the Lord coming up from the wilderness; And his fountain will become dry And his spring will dry up; It will plunder his treasury of every precious article. 16 Samaria will pay the penalty for her guilt, Because she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword, Their children will be slaughtered, And their pregnant women will be ripped open.

Hosea 14 - God’s final call for Israel to return

Plead with your God - Hosea 14.1-3

Hosea 14:1–3 NASB 2020

1 Return, Israel, to the Lord your God, For you have stumbled because of your wrongdoing. 2 Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to Him, “Take away all guilt And receive us graciously, So that we may present the fruit of our lips. 3 “Assyria will not save us, We will not ride on horses; Nor will we say again, ‘Our god’ To the work of our hands; For in You the orphan finds mercy.”

God will heal you - Hosea 14.4-8

Hosea 14:4–8 NASB 2020

4 I will heal their apostasy, I will love them freely, Because My anger has turned away from them. 5 I will be like the dew to Israel; He will blossom like the lily, And he will take root like the cedars of Lebanon. 6 His shoots will sprout, His majesty will be like the olive tree, And his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon. 7 Those who live in his shadow Will again raise grain, And they will blossom like the vine. His fame will be like the wine of Lebanon. 8 Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols? It is I who answer and look after you. I am like a luxuriant juniper; From Me comes your fruit.

Conclusion

Hosea 14:9 NASB 2020

9 Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; Whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right, And the righteous will walk in them, But wrongdoers will stumble in them.

The word of God is for the wise and discerning

The ways of the Lord are right

The ways of the Lord is for the righteous.

The ways of the Lord is not for the wrongdoers.

Song - The Love of God