The Magnificent Love of God

Introduction

God has always been moved with love, care, and compassion for His people. Very often, God does more for His people than they possibly realize. But yet it seems that the more God tried to extend His hand in a relationship to His people, the more they turned away from Him. God calls upon Hosea to prophecy and to experience the essence of betrayal – unfaithfulness in a marriage relationship. It was through the pain of Hosea’s personal experience that God would emphasize the dismal spiritual condition of the times.

I. The Times of Hosea

A.     Hosea’s ministry began in prosperous times of the reign of Jeroboam II and ended just before the northern 10 tribes were destroyed in 722 BC.

1.     Picture a nation in chaos, dark clouds of uncertainty rising with continued Assyrian aggression, murder & conspiracy, and no thought given to God or His power.

                                              a.     True religion continued to deteriorate.

                                              b.     Hosea 4:2-3, 6:8-10, & 13:1-2 describe the social/religious conditions of the day.

2.     Politically, things were in a state of upheaval.

II. Hosea’s Family Life

A.     1:2 – God commands Hosea to take a wife of harlotry…

1.     After marriage, Hosea/Gomer have a child – Jezreel = “God scatters”

B.     1:6-7 - Sometime later, Gomer conceived again – a daughter – Lo-ruhamah = “No Mercy.” 

C.     1:8-9 – a son conceived – a son – Lo-Ammi – “Not my people.”

III. Israel committed spiritual adultery.

A.     2:2-7 – God turns His attention to the nation of Israel.

1.     Here, God is pictured as the husband, and Israel the unfaithful bride

2.     2:8-13 – Israel forgot the source of her blessings.

B.     Do we realize the source of all our blessings?

1.     National blessings. Personal & family blessings.

2.     These blessings come from God.

3.     How thankful are we? How dedicated to God are we?

IV. Hosea takes Gomer Back.

A.     3:1 – some time has passed between marriage & adultery in Hosea 1.

1.     Who is the “woman” here?  Gomer?

2.     Go, again…Could Hosea be relieved to be apart from a woman he could not trust?

3.     Love her…imagine how hard this would be.

4.     3:1b – comparison made to God…

5.     3:1c - Raisin cakes were most likely an aphrodisiac - used in worship of Baal.

B.     3:2a- Gomer forced to mire herself in slavery.

1.     3:2b – Hosea buys her back for fifteen shekels of silver & a homer/half of barley.

C.     3:3 – Hosea brings her home & says…

D.     God waits for us. He holds out…patiently…for us to realize how good/faithful He is.

Conclusion:

A.     3:2 – I bought her for myself.  God paid a price to betroth us to Himself.

1.     In our case, the price was not cheap.  1 Pet. 1:18 – price was the blood of Jesus.

B.     Greatness of the price is not an indication of our worth – for we have cheapened ourselves – just like Gomer did.

C.     Herein, lies the meaning of the cross.

D.     This is the gospel!