Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

How could Hosea’s unfaithful wife Gomer ever question her husbands love?

He continuously demonstrated it by seeking her out, pleading her to come home, and even paying the price to purchase her back.

How could Israel ever question God’s love?

How could they persistently refuse to respond to it?

The nation has broken the law and in turn Gods heart.

As we come to the close of the book of Hosea, Hosea will remind Israel of God’s faithful love for His people.

Approximately fourteen different times Moses in the book of Deuteronomy uses the word remember.

Deuteronomy is the law again to the nation of Israel before they enter into the promised land.

Moses tells the new generation of Israelites to look back before moving forward.

To remember God’s previous faithful love is precisely what they need to remember in order to trust that His love remains faithful.

One day C. H. Spurgeon was walking through the English countryside with a friend.

As they strolled along, the evangelist noticed a barn with a weather vane on its roof.

At the top of the vane were these words: GOD IS LOVE.

Spurgeon remarked to his companion that he thought this was a rather inappropriate place for such a message.

"Weather vanes are changeable," he said, "but God’s love is constant."

"I don’t agree with you about those words, Charles," replied his friend.

"You misunderstood the meaning.

That sign is indicating a truth: Regardless of which way the wind blows, God is love."

God’s love is a faithful love.

The Lord’s Previous Faithful Love

Hosea 11 opens up and Hosea brings the attention of Israel to look upon, remember and ponder the previous mercies and provision of God’s faithful love.

Like a father with His child so the Lord has been with Israel.

When Israel was a child - young, immature - God loved him.

There is a time when children are more of a liability than an asset and this is where love is proven to be faithful love.

Can you love when they bring nothing to the table and its more hurtful to do so?

God did - God loved Israel when they were a child.

God continues and says out of Egypt I called my son.

God called - beckoned and summoned with the desire to bring to and bring close His son.

Out of Egypt is a reminder not only that God called them out of the land of Egypt but out of the spirit of Egypt as well - Egypt was a representation of the world and all that was sinful.

Out from among sin God called His son.

God’s love was tender for Israel 500 years before this prophecy of Hosea was written and it was then He brought them out of Egypt.

This is also an “unexpected prophecy” - fulfilled in the life of Jesus.

This doesnt mean Jesus was called out of sin - but the representation is that Jesus became the friend of sinners and identified with sinners - so that it might show that from among sinful humanity Jesus was brought forth.

Before the bondage of Egypt God had sent Joseph ahead to prepare the way and provide the salvation of Jacob and his other sons.

From there the nation was blessed and multiplied and when the time came God brought them out of bondage led by Moses and formed a nation as a fulfillment of promise to Abraham.

God of the Exodus displayed the faithful love of a father who freed His son from bondage.

The loving father not only brought His son out of Egypt but He continues on and says it was I who taught them to walk, taking them by the hand.

Picturing a father teaching his son to walk - doesnt walk ahead of him and demand he keep up.

No it is a heartfelt picture of a father patiently taking his childs hands and walking with them at their pace.

Giving them balance when they go to trip, fall or teeter over.

This looks back to the time when after coming out of Egypt the Lord God taught the Israelites to walk with Him — walk being daily living.

God taught Israel how to live for God daily.

He taught them His law (ten commandments, Leviticus, Deuteronomy), He taught them His provision (water from the rock, mana, quail, sandals and clothing), He taught them His protection (the battle of the Amalakites), His presence (Cloud by day and Pillar of fire at night) and He taught them His discipline (serpents, Korah, wandering the desert 40 years).

God taught them to walk in all these things.

God punished Israel to walk in the desert 40 years but He went with them and was with them throughout - holding their hand.

The Lord led them with human cords and ropes of love - a cord a fetter used to prevent wandering but not restrict movement.

To them I was like one who eases the burden and gives them the blessing and provision.

God says also I bent down to give them food.

To picture the Lord God bending or stooping from on high down low to supply food.

To bend down is to change orientation or direction, that God would humble Himself to minister to His needy child.

One might think it is beneath God’s dignity and honor to stoop so low.

God considers it the highest honor to stoop low for His people’s provision.

This is the heart reflected also within the servant-natured life of Jesus.

The Lord treated Israel with the kindness and compassion of a loving father.

Long-suffering Through Persistent Rebellion

In response to the Lord’s compassion and kindness how did Israel respond?

In like manner?

No they responded with constant, obstinate rebellion and unfaithfulness to God.

Reading through the first four verses again lets note how Israel responded to and treated the Lord.

Israel called to the Egyptians even as Israel was leaving them.

Even in the midst of the Exodus and throughout the wilderness wandering Israel constantly put their eyes back on Egypt to go back.

Israel also continued to sacrifice to the Baals - the false gods and giving offerings to idols.

Israel despite the faithful love of God continued to devote themselves to false gods and to continue to be ungrateful to the Lord and even offer what was rightfully the Lord’s to other gods.

Acting much like spoiled children who never appreciate and just consume and use things for their own pleasure.

They never acknowledged that it was God who healed them (verse 3).

They were all to happy to enjoy the blessings and gifts while refusing to acknowledge and obey the Giver.

God says that Israel will not return to the land of Egypt but Assyria will be his king.

They will not return to Egypt but they will be ruled by another.

Why? God says its because they refused to repent.

It isnt so much the sin of Israel for God can deal with and forgive the sins, but the problem was the unrepentance of Israel.

Their stubborn refusal to repent of their sin.

This was a constant during God’s previous past faithful love Israel was sinful and unrepentant of their sin.

God declares that a sword will whirl through his cities - the sword a picture of war and destruction and the whirling is the swiftness with which it will come.

It will destroy the bars of the gates - the very security of the cities will be gone.

Because of their schemes - their wisdom, their counsel from those not sent by God.

God says My people are bent on turning from Me. Bent is to be hung up on, intent upon and turning is turning away from God - apostatizing from Him.

Throughout human history man continues to be prone (no matter Jew or Gentile) to enjoy the blessings God while taking God for granted.

Man was and yet remains prone to wander

God says that though they call to Me (God Most High) - translation better rendered None exalt Him.

They call to Him but do not honor Him.

They rebel and refuse to repent and are bent on turning.

Notice how God speaks though - He doesnt say those people, those who were formally mine, He says My people still providing the ownership and claiming them as His own - though they are unrepentant and rebellious.

On more than one occasion God could have and even wanted to destroy the nation and start over again.

God instead displayed His long-suffering and yet faithful love in the midst of persistent rebellion.

The Lord’s Future Faithful Love

It is the Lord’s faithful love and not Israel’s obedience that provides the future promise of mercy and grace — and it is the same for us.

Israel’s sins were constant and even present currently when the Lord spoke these words to them through Hosea.

God bursts forth with four rhetorical questions in the midst of pronounced discipline (which we remember comes out of love).

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?

How can I deliver you (not save but hand over or surrender to be destroyed) Ephraim (Obstinate Israel)

How can I deliver you Israel (Governed of God)

How can I make you similar or like Admah and How can I treat you (cause you to be installed, mounted, established) like Zeboiim.

Admah and Zeboiim were utterly destroyed alongside Sodom and Gomorrah and as such are symbols and examples of complete and divine destruction.

God is saying I cannot bear to allow My people to be caught up in the destruction that will come upon all nations - the same way Admah and Zeboiim were caught up in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Why?

God has had a change of heart and His compassion has been stirred.