We Don't Get it...

Opening & Intro

When Billy Graham was driving through a small southern town, he was stopped by a policeman and charged with speeding. Graham admitted his quilt, but was told by the officer that he would have to appear in court.

The judge asked, "Guilty, or not guilty?" When Graham pleaded guilty, the judge replied, "That'll be ten dollars -- a dollar for every mile you went over the limit."

Suddenly the judge recognized the famous minister. "You have violated the law," he said. "The fine must be paid--but I am going to pay it for you." He took a ten dollar bill from his own wallet, attached it to the ticket, and then took Graham out and bought him a steak dinner! "That," said Billy Graham, "is how God treats repentant sinners!"

Main Point

God’s love outweighs our sinfulness and pride.

Why Does it Matter

When we understand what God is willing to forgive there is nothing standing in our way to run to his arms.

Scripture

Ephraim, one of Hosea’s favourite designations for Israel, is used here for the first time. Technically, it describes both the most influential tribe in the Northern Kingdom and the hill territory that it occupied, which may have been Hosea’s home. Used by itself or in clear parallelism with Israel, it seems to stand for the whole northern people; at other times it more specifically defines the chief tribe or its territory, especially when it is part of three-fold parallelism: Ephraim, Israel, Judah. Towards the end of the book, Ephraim becomes the most frequent name used of the people and seems to describe the rump state centred in Samaria, which alone retained a measure of independence when Assyrian conquest gobbled up Gilead and other parts of the Northern Kingdom.

4:4-5:7 - Covenant Shattered

Hosea 4:4–6 NIV

“But let no one bring a charge, let no one accuse another, for your people are like those who bring charges against a priest. You stumble day and night, and the prophets stumble with you. So I will destroy your mother— my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.

What was the Covenant?

Follow God and the Law and they would be his and he would be theirs.

How was it shattered:

They Rejected the Law

What was the law?

Outlined by leviticus and deut.

They Choose Ignorance

How were they ignorant?

Sacrifices to other Gods

Adultry and immorality

Division in the Kingdom (Even David respected the king - Saul)

Their Leadership is to responsible

Who is their Leadership?

The Priests

They made a deal and legally binding agreement and they broke it AGAIN!!!

“So God is what He is in Himself, He does not become what we believe. “I AM WHO I AM”. We are on safe ground only when we know what kind of God He is and adjust our entire being to the holy concept.”

in other words...

5:8-7:16 - Politics Run Amok

Hosea 7:3–11 NIV

“They delight the king with their wickedness, the princes with their lies. They are all adulterers, burning like an oven whose fire the baker need not stir from the kneading of the dough till it rises. On the day of the festival of our king the princes become inflamed with wine, and he joins hands with the mockers. Their hearts are like an oven; they approach him with intrigue. Their passion smolders all night; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire. All of them are hot as an oven; they devour their rulers. All their kings fall, and none of them calls on me. “Ephraim mixes with the nations; Ephraim is a flat loaf not turned over. Foreigners sap his strength, but he does not realize it. His hair is sprinkled with gray, but he does not notice. Israel’s arrogance testifies against him, but despite all this he does not return to the Lord his God or search for him. “Ephraim is like a dove, easily deceived and senseless— now calling to Egypt, now turning to Assyria.

Greed

Fickleness

8:1-11:7 - They are Primed for Destruction

Hosea 8:7–14 NIV

“They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no head; it will produce no flour. Were it to yield grain, foreigners would swallow it up. Israel is swallowed up; now she is among the nations like something no one wants. For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey wandering alone. Ephraim has sold herself to lovers. Although they have sold themselves among the nations, I will now gather them together. They will begin to waste away under the oppression of the mighty king. “Though Ephraim built many altars for sin offerings, these have become altars for sinning. I wrote for them the many things of my law, but they regarded them as something foreign. Though they offer sacrifices as gifts to me, and though they eat the meat, the Lord is not pleased with them. Now he will remember their wickedness and punish their sins: They will return to Egypt. Israel has forgotten their Maker and built palaces; Judah has fortified many towns. But I will send fire on their cities that will consume their fortresses.”

This is what they want. This is where they are running.

11:8-11:11 - A Message of Hope

Hosea 11:8–11 NIV

“How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboyim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused. I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I devastate Ephraim again. For I am God, and not a man— the Holy One among you. I will not come against their cities. They will follow the Lord; he will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west. They will come from Egypt, trembling like sparrows, from Assyria, fluttering like doves. I will settle them in their homes,” declares the Lord.

They will return and God will accept them!

Application

God always accepts His Children - No matter how much they let Him down. No matter how hateful the have been toward Him. God’s love had freely given!

For the long time believer this is a reminder! We have to be sure not to lead the younger believers and non believers astray. We need to reflect this some love and compassion that God has. His memory is short and arms are open wide.

For the new believer, ignorance is not an excuse. We are held accountable for our actions but if we turn away from them God is right there with forgiveness.

For the non believer - God loves you and sent Jesus to accept the punishment for our breaking our relationship and multiple versions of his covenant with Him. Please consider exploring what a relationship with God would look like in your life.

Closing

There is room to mess up! One of God’s biggests gifts to humanity is his Grace and Mercy. Let’s not take that for granted.