The Cost of Cheating on God (2)

The Cost of Cheating on God

Hosea 3

1. Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine. (some translations have “cakes of raisins”. Raisins are considered an aphrodisiac.)

a. The picture being provided by God is one of the depth of His LOVE. More importantly, it is a picture of HIS love for His people. His people who are not lovely, nor faithful to Him. Israel (Ephraim) has become like an adulteress wife.

i. Who can love an adulteress spouse? No one except he/she have the love of God within them. READ Proverbs 6:31-35.

b. We do not receive the love of God because we are loveable, we receive it because GOD is Love. His mercies are new every morning, (Lamentation 3:22-26).

2. So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:

a. In other words, he redeemed her. Sound familiar? Purifying

b. Your purchase price was much greater than that of Gomer.

i. Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

c. Either way, Gomer or you and I, that which was unclean and defiled was purchased.

i. Titus 2:14 [Jesus] gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (That does raise the question, are we zealous for the work of God?)

Watch as GOD paints the picture before all of Israel what shall come about because they have rejected Him. Remember, the prophet Hosea is living out the word of God before the people in order to give them visual perspective of their relationship with God.

3. And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee.

a. My personal take on this is that she’s in Time Out; she is unclean and must abide alone from him for him. He will do the same. In other words, there will be no intimacy between them for a period of time. I could even go so far as to say, their relationship must be rebuilt in order to be restored. This allows for the further understanding of God’s own explanation of things in verses 4 & 5. (There are scholars who agree).

i. This is where Israel is today – in time out – away from a true intimacy with God. Has He left them; has he forsaken them? No, He said He never would. Still the relationship is not what God desires it should be.

b. Jesus Christ did not purchase us that we might belong to another. He did not suffer and die that you might belong to the world. He did not purchase you because you were altogether lovely and desirable, for “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8. He endured suffering and shame that you and I might know Him, and that we might become one with Him.

Speaking of which (3.i), Dr. Charles Feinberg, a Jewish believer and an outstanding Hebrew scholar, says of this chapter, “It rightfully takes its place among the greatest prophetic pronouncements in the whole revelation of God.”

Here’s why, listen closely to what the scripture says:

4. For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:

a. God told Abraham it would be 400 years

b. God told Jeremiah the exile would be for 70 years

c. But here, God did not number the days.

d. Since the around 600 B.C. Israel has not had any of these. They have no King, and they have no Prince of David by which to crown a King.

i. “The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.” John 19:15b.

ii. Hoshea (Hosea) was the last King of Israel (724 B.C.)

iii. Zedekiah was the last King of Judah (618 B.C.)

e. They have no place of worship and there are no sacrifices made unto God.

i. They have synagogues but no temple.

f. How long? Jesus said, “And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” Luke 21:24.

i. When will the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled? At the Second Coming of Christ. “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:” Romans 11:25-26.

Perhaps you too are in Time Out from God. It’s not the He has left you or that you’ve left Him, but there is a lack of true intimacy with God. (It could even be that you need to take time out for GOD)

There are numerous web sites that will tell you how to, or give you steps to, gain intimacy with God. I have my own suggestion. SEEK GOD! Seek Him in Prayer. Seek Him in His word! Seek Him in prayer. Seek Him in the morning. Seek Him in the evening. In simpler words, ask GOD First. Then if you still need help getting started, seek out the counsel of other godly men or women in your life. They will tell you the same thing though – Read the Word of God. You want intimacy with God, spend some time with HIM! Quiet time; alone time.

5. Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.

a. Israel has not returned to God. Yes, they became a nation again in 1948, but they still reject Jesus Christ as the Messiah.

i. 20th anniversary (1968) – “Science will bring peace to this land.”

b. God clearly said, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14.

i. Israel has not Returned, Israel has not been Restored, Israel has not Repented, Israel has not Received their Messiah, and Israel has not yet been Redeemed. If they die in their rejection of Jesus as the Promised one of God, they will burn in Hell and their blood my very well be on the hands of their religious leaders that lead them astray.

c. The latter days are spoken of in Isaiah 2:1-5 and Micha 4:1-7.

Close by READING Hosea 2:14-23 – asking the question, IS HE YOUR GOD?