Hosea Part 2 - Know God!
Minor Prophets Series • Sermon • Submitted
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· 22 viewsSin takes us and our nation away from God.
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Do you like poetry? Some do, and some don’t. Poetry can relax us, excite us, bore us, or even help us to remember things better - like nursery rhymes. Hosea is a book about hard issues in life that is entirely written in Hebrew style poetry.
Last week Josh started us off in our series in the Minor Prophets. He covered some great background and some uncomfortable chapters. He covered the hard marriage of the Prophet Hosea.
Today we will see that God uses this book to show us that:
Knowing God makes all the difference in life!
I. Lack of knowledge of God is a problem.
I. Lack of knowledge of God is a problem.
Lord (Yahweh) is 49 x in book
God - Elohim used 30ish x
over 100 personal pronouns for God
Show Poetry Loops
People who do not know God have many problems.
People who do not know God have many problems.
The people addressed in this book had split away from Jerusalem and the Temple there. Their political leadership had set up 2 calf idols to worship so that the people would not return to Jerusalem to worship. This became a big problem!
They lost track of God’s involvement in their history.
They lost knowledge of God’s Law and His precepts.
They lost all understanding of how to live godly lives.
When those 3 happen it leads to bad things:
Multiplication of gods and idols
From one to two to many.
More is not always better.
Lack of quality leadership 10.3
Crop failures
Miscarriage and bareness 9.14
God was saying to them it was better to not have children than have children who did not follow God.
Dry-rot and moth problems 5.10
Massive promiscuity on every level 4.14
Even offering child sacrifices 13.2
People who do not know God have problems with relationships.
People who do not know God have problems with relationships.
Relationships with religious leaders. Chapters 4-5
Sexual relationships are off. 4.14
With other nations - The book tells how they sought treaties and protection from Assyria and Egypt and yet those two countries would be used by God to wipe them out and force them to be refugees in other places.
God knows that lack of knowledge will destroy people. 6.6, 5.4
God knows that lack of knowledge will destroy people. 6.6, 5.4
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. For the spirit of whoredom is within them, and they know not the Lord.
Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk; I took them up by their arms, but they did not know that I healed them.
I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them.
Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”
This is our duty! Not sacrifice, not legalism lists, and not even spiritualness!
Again and again in the Minor Prophets we will see that a lack of understanding and knowing God leads to the pursuit of other “lovers” that do not satisfy, build strong relationships, or supply what we need in life.
2. Knowing what God is like can lead to blessings.
2. Knowing what God is like can lead to blessings.
He will punish sin. 4.9; 7.12c; 8.10; 8.13; 9.9; 12.14
He will punish sin. 4.9; 7.12c; 8.10; 8.13; 9.9; 12.14
And it shall be like people, like priest; I will punish them for their ways and repay them for their deeds.
As they go, I will spread over them my net; I will bring them down like birds of the heavens; I will discipline them according to the report made to their congregation.
Though they hire allies among the nations, I will soon gather them up. And the king and princes shall soon writhe because of the tribute.
As for my sacrificial offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but the Lord does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins; they shall return to Egypt.
They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah: he will remember their iniquity; he will punish their sins.
Ephraim has given bitter provocation; so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt on him and will repay him for his disgraceful deeds.
He even compares the punishment of sin to God Himself coming on them like a lion 4 different times in this book. 5.14; 11.10, 13.7-8
They say the biggest financial mistake made by many is having a marriage fall apart and going through a divorce. It hurts the retirement plans of most people who go through one. Well, sin - anything that we do against the holiness of God, will bring detrimental impacts into our lives. God does not want us to go through that, so he punishes sin in an effort to protect us and those watching us!
He can heal. 6.1, 7.1, 11.3; 14.4
He can heal. 6.1, 7.1, 11.3; 14.4
“Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.
when I would heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim is revealed, and the evil deeds of Samaria, for they deal falsely; the thief breaks in, and the bandits raid outside.
Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk; I took them up by their arms, but they did not know that I healed them.
I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them.
God is more interested in our Spiritual Healing than our bodies problems. Yes, we pray often for physical ailments, but have you noticed that during the pastoral prayer that i’m asking God to draw people to Himself through the physical problems? The body is temporary, the relationship with God has eternal consequences.
He is sure! 6.3; 11.9
He is sure! 6.3; 11.9
Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”
I will not execute my burning anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath.
He is not a human that became God, He is and always has been God.
Because He is who He is - He is sure! His actions are sure! - absolutely dependable!
He is, and desires, faithful love 2.20; 6.6, 11.4; 12.6
He is, and desires, faithful love 2.20; 6.6, 11.4; 12.6
I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord.
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them.
“So you, by the help of your God, return, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God.”
God is faithful in His love!
God desires us to be faithful in our love!
He sees our sinfulness. 6.10, 7.2
He sees our sinfulness. 6.10, 7.2
In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; Ephraim’s whoredom is there; Israel is defiled.
But they do not consider that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds surround them; they are before my face.
We can’t hide from God. Not our actions, our desires, our thoughts or even our complacency to sin around us and people who need to be saved.
God knows what we are up to and why we are doing, and thinking, the things we are. He knows and remembers the sin of everyone that has not been forgiven.
Why would I let you in my house if I know you were going to assault me, my wife, and others in my home; If you were to steal things break things, disrespect my place and the people there? Why would I invite you into my home if you hated me and cared nothing for me and diligently sought to undermine me and my family and friends your whole life? If you would say I should not let people into my house like that, then why should God let everyone in the world into His house?
He is a redeeming God. 7.13; 13.14
He is a redeeming God. 7.13; 13.14
Woe to them, for they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against me! I would redeem them, but they speak lies against me.
I shall ransom them from the power of Sheol; I shall redeem them from Death. O Death, where are your plagues? O Sheol, where is your sting? Compassion is hidden from my eyes.
1 Cor. 15.55 echoes this verse for Christians.
There are several quotes from this book that are used in the New Testament. There are even glimpses of Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday.
God can, and will redeem people. He will not make us, but He does invite us to redemption.
Others:
Helper 13.9;
Merciful to orphans 14.3
Refreshing 14.5
He answers 14.8
He looks after us 14.8
The trainer of armies 7.15
Conclusion: Knowing God makes all the difference in life! I did not say knowing about God. I said knowing God. I know about a lot of people; some historically significant and some not. That is different than knowing them through a relationship. God wants that relationship and has done all that is needed to redeem us into that kind of relationship.
Sin is a bigger issue than we think it is. How readily do we identify sin?
God’s blessings are from the abundance of His very being. How intimately do we know our God?
Hosea uses a couple chapters to condemn those who were supposed to be spiritual examples for the very poor job they were doing. How is the example of our lives in giving people a desire to have a right relationship with God?