Uncommon Love Part 2

Hosea 1:3–9 NLT

So Hosea married Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she became pregnant and gave Hosea a son. And the Lord said, “Name the child Jezreel, for I am about to punish King Jehu’s dynasty to avenge the murders he committed at Jezreel. In fact, I will bring an end to Israel’s independence. I will break its military power in the Jezreel Valley.” Soon Gomer became pregnant again and gave birth to a daughter. And the Lord said to Hosea, “Name your daughter Lo-ruhamah—‘Not loved’—for I will no longer show love to the people of Israel or forgive them. But I will show love to the people of Judah. I will free them from their enemies—not with weapons and armies or horses and charioteers, but by my power as the Lord their God.” After Gomer had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she again became pregnant and gave birth to a second son. And the Lord said, “Name him Lo-ammi—‘Not my people’—for Israel is not my people, and I am not their God.

Introduction:

God has had His prophets do strange things. He told Hosea to marry a prostitute as a living illustration. Everything that Hosea went through with his unfaithful wife, God went through with His people, Israel. God used the marriage and birth of the children to get ahold of the northern tribes of Israel. It is interesting to what lengths God will go to get our attention!

Names

Expectant parents sometimes have difficulty picking out a fitting name for their newborn baby

In 2025 the most popular baby names for a girl are Olivia, Amelia and Sophia. For a boy, the most popular are Noah, Liam, and Oliver.

In our society, names don’t really have much meaning other than someone might have been named after a father or grandfather or mother/grandmother.

But in the Bible, Names have meaning.

We know that there are many names given to God Himself, each one describing a different characteristic of His nature.

But God also gives names to people as a sign to the people.

Take for instance: Hosea, which means savior

or how about: Jabez, which means, he causes pain or sorrow

how about: Ichabod, which means, the glory of the Lord has departed

Hosea and Gomer had three children and for each one of them God assigned a name. Each of these names would be a message to Israel.

How would you like it if everyone hated seeing you because just the sight of you would reminded them of their failures?

Lets look at these children, these living messages to Israel.

Jezreel

The first child that Hosea and Gomer had was a boy named Jezreel.

The basic meaning of his name is “God sows” or “God plants.” Some translate it as “God scatters.”

It has a double meaning -

it refers to the prophetic message God was giving to Israel that if they did not repent and turn back to Him, He would uproot this kingdom and scatter it.

The kingdom of Israel depended on its ability to be united

The kingdom was already shorthanded if you will, with the southern tribes deciding to never follow a king who is descended from David because of the evil committed by his grandson Rehoboam.

Unity is the strength of a nation

If God did what He said He would do, the nation of Israel would be crippled and not able to go on. There wouldn’t be an Israel.

Consider this

A single draft horse can pull approximately 8000 lbs. A team of 2 draft horses can pull anywhere from 16,000 to 24,000 lbs. If they are trained they can pull 32,000 lbs. There is an exponential power to working in a team and even more so if there is training.

MORE CAN BE DONE WHEN WE WORK WITH OTHERS

Our nation is at a great divide right now. We cannot seem to agree on many of the issues that we face as a nation. If we do not repent of our ways and seek God, there is a great chance that we will be weakened to a state beyond repair. (Pray for our nation, people)

Unity is needed within the church as well. We tend to criticize other denominations instead of celebrating what Jesus did for all of us.

Unity here at Parkway is important as well. We must be like that team of horses, all pulling in the same direction. We must know why God has us here and get ahold of the vision He has given us.

Image of Penguins

If the church loses its unity, it loses its strength and its ability to minister.

Israel was scattered because they refused to listen to God.

Lo-Ruhamah

Hosea’s second child was child names Lo-Ruhamah, which means “Not loved.” The KJV and other translations give us another word, “No mercy.” the CJB says “unpitied.”

In Hebrew, Lo means no or not. So when you add it to the beginning of Ruchamah, which means loved or mercy or compassion, you get NOT LOVED

The message to Israel was loud and clear — Judgement is coming.

This refers to the coming invasion.

God had saved them many times before because they repented. But now, they were continuing to be stubborn!

God sent the message because He wanted to give them mercy.

What is mercy? — it is a divine intervention of leniency and clemency (according to Dr. Tim Hill)

mercy is simple terms is not getting what you deserve

If you stole a car and went to court you would have to enter a plea. The only thing you can really do is plead guilty. Just as the sentencing is about to be pronounced, the Judge says you are free to go.

But now God is saying to Israel, “Don’t bother, I will not have mercy on you. I take no pity on you. You will suffer everything I have said.”

They had experienced that mercy so many times before but now were so hard headed that they refused to see their depraved condition for what it was.

This describes the condition of so many people in life.

God spoke to Israel and He is calling out today. Don’t let time run out on His offer. There will be a day when judgment will come and God will say “I will give no more mercy.”

Lo-Ammi

Hosea and Gomer’s third child was name Lo-Ammi, which means, “Not my people.”

Every time this young man would be seen it would be a public reminder that Israel was no longer God’s people.

What a sad story!

Some of us grew us with sad stories of being raised with parents who were mean, absent, or just unloving.

I cannot imagine what it would be live to be disinherited, to have my name stripped from me. To have my father say, you are no longer a Maddux.

This is what God was speaking to Israel.

All of this was done as a means to have them turn from their own ways and come back to God. God was wanting Israel to want Him.

One of the saddest things to happen to someone is to fall in love with somebody and have them not even give them the time of day. Unrequited love is what it is called and it has devastating effects on people.

This is where they were. God had done so much to love His people and they just turned their backs on Him.

It is the same way now. So many people miss the call of God. He is still drawing people with His love, but people still refuse.

Unfailing Love

As the story of Hosea continues, God speaks to Israel over and over.

He says I want to show you love and call you Ruhamah.

He says I want you to be my people and call you Ammi.

He sends Hosea to let them know, He wants to be their God. He wants them!

It is what He is saying today, “I want you!”

You are not unwanted, You are not nobody!

Turn from your ways and come to me and I will show you mercy, love and make you mine.

What will your response be?

Altar