FAITH – HOPE – FORGIVENESS by Growing Older


Old Testament survey: The Book Of Hosea
August 30, 2016, 6:24 pm
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Introduction: Hosea lived at the same time as Amos; Isaiah & Micah.

The name “Hosea” means deliverance. He was an Israelite native to Israel.

200 years before Hosea’s time, 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel had left and set up the Northern Kingdom. They began the worship of idols and that’s why God sent the prophets, Elijah and Elisha to preach against their sin. God wanted them to repent of their sin and turn back to God.

Date:  785 B.C. or approximately 2,890 years ago

This Book covers a time period of 60 years.

The setting: There was outward prosperity in Israel: the borders had increased; the Temple offerings had increased. Then there was peace because Syria and Moab had been conquered.

Inwardly, there was spiritual decay; immorality abounded. Israel was worshipping false gods

Including offering children as sacrifices. The priests had condoned all of this.

  1. Israel’s Sins: chap 4:1-2
  2. Vs 1: Hear = listen and apply it to yourself – not to other people
  3. Vs 1: God has a controversy with Israel –
  4. Controversy = conflict
  5. No truth; mercy & no knowledge of God.
  6. Truth: John 14:6
  7. None of God’s mercy = no forgiveness of sins. Why?

(1)  They did not know God and therefore did not confess their sins to God.

(2)  Therefore, they could not receive God’s forgiveness – mercy and – pardon.

  1. No knowledge of God = they did not know the Word of God nor the God of the Word
  2. Vs 2: Swearing, lying, killing, stealing & adultery.
  3. Vs 3: Result of their sin
  4. The idolatry of Israel 4:12-19
  5. To some, their idol is money, sports, self, spouse, clothes, cars, recreation, music, children etc.
  6. Anything that you put before God or anything you allow to keep you from serving God
  7. Hosea 13:6: they sad account of Hosea
  8. They forgot God
  9. Vs 7-8 and 9: self-destruction
  10. God’s Pleading: chap. 14
  11. Vs 1: return
  12. Ask forgiveness of sins: vs 2
  13. Asshur = one of the 12 Tribes of Israel: only God can deliver / save.
  14. God’s promise if they would return to Him: vs 4-7
  15. What would be the effect on others if they would return: vs 8

God’s Ways Are Right Ways: Proverbs 16:25 – Psalms 19:8 – Psalms 119:75

Conclusion: God’s instructions are to “return” Why? Because it is “we” who moved away from God. If we “return” 14:4: God promises to “heal” the backsliding; to love us and turn His anger away     from us.

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