Hosea

1. Write one paragraph explaining the historical background and purpose of the prophet.

The book of Hosea was written by the prophet Hosea. It was written to Israel (2:17,4:1) before they left for Exile to show them where they are at in their relationship with God. Hosea has a history and knowledge of who the people are because of the things God speaks to him (9:15,10:9). Hosea lives through the reigns of the kings of Judah- Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah and the king of Israel- Jehoash (1:1). In the book, God has Hosea marry a prostitute named Gomer and uses the heartache and unfailing love that Hosea has to show Israel how they are acting and behaving towards God; “This will illustrate how Israel has acted like a prostitute by turning against the Lord and worshipping other gods.” (1:2).

The purpose of Hosea is to show the people who they are (4:2), the prostituion like qualities they are exhibiting (7:8, 5:3). And shows them what's happened because of it (4:3-19).

2. What does this book show you about the character and nature of God?

He is a heartbroken lover searching and continuing to pursue the heart of His people despite their sin and wandering spirits. He knows He has to punish them but He says he will win her back (2:12-15). He's always after the heart and longs for intimacy. Yes, there's punishment for the sin but He disciplines out of love. He corrects the heart to draw it back into alignment with His (6:6). He wrestles with them for a very long time- pursuing relentlessly and offering forgiveness but they continue to sin. Almost in sorrow He says, “I want to heal Israel, but its sins are too great.” (7:1) We see that He does keep track of wrongs done, not in a manner of holding them over their heads but to say, “Hey, I remember when this started.. if only you'd caught ahold of my forgiveness then and turned around!” (9:15, 10:9). In Chapter 11 we see the His Father Heart coming through; “When Israel was a child, I loved him, I called my son out of Egypt... I myself taught Israel... I led Israel along... Oh, how can I give you up, Israel? How can I let you go?” And we see Him exhibiting merciful and redemptive qualities in 14:4-8. He knows what's best for His children (14:8).

3. What does this book show about God's redemptive plan for mankind?

We see God's grace and relenting in chapter 14:4-7, “If the people seek forgiveness, 'Then I will heal you of your faithlessness; my love will know no bounds, for my anger will be gone forever...'” And we see the foretelling of Him bringing His people home again, “Like a flock of birds, they will come from Egypt. Trembling like doves, they will return from Assyria. And I will bring them home again.” (11:11)

4. Personal Application

His relentless love even in our constant sin astounds me. I find myself in the same place I've found myself in several times over the last couple of years. Hearing His voice, questioning it and stepping out in my own understanding. Not trusting what He says or that I hear Him and when the cloud cover clears I'm left feeling like a crazy fool for not trusting Him. My doubt, “knowledge”, and own desires get in the way of simple obedience and trust. Time and time again. At first, reading this book made me wrestled with self condemnation and not knowing what to do even more, but then looking back over the text and repenting/apologizing to a friend allowed me to see His overwhelming grace and compassion. There was a constant conviction in my spirit, but it shouldnt have lead to condemnation, it was His was of pulling me back into His arms and allowing me to see His grace in a place of complete humility and brokeness. I may have strayed from His intended path and I felt the agony of disobedience, but He's pulled me back to His loving embrace. And the discipline doesn't come from an unruly god who sends down wrathful smiting, it comes from a God who says, “I love you too much to let this slide... Let me discipline you IN LOVE to show you My perfect plan and show you that you can't do it on your own. You have to have Me!” He constantly speaks and shows us the way to go but at the end of the day we have free-will and the choice is ours. And He's so loving that He lets us choose it, too. But He's always there for when we stop dead in our tracks and realize what we've done. He's waiting with arms open wide to embrace us and take us back.

             Point of Passion: Family.

Applying my personal application to point of passion... How will we parent? Will we see the attributes of Christ and how He shows us the way to go but allows us to make our own choices then lovingly moves us back along the right path? How will we model this in our families with our own children? Too often I've seen parents teach their children, watch them go wandering, yell and scream, act out in anger and frustration and push them farther away. When some of the kids come running back the parents have an, “I told you so” attitude and condemn them. Is this what Christ does? Now, I've never been a parent and won't be for awhile, but it's my hope and desire that when raising my children I would have patience enough to fall on my knees before the Lord when my children make mistakes and seek His counsel on how to discipline. Whether that be discipline in the moment or discipline when they come back I do not know, but I do know that acting out of a place of grace and mercy with discipline from a heart of love and sorrow is better than an attitude of anger and frustration. Seeking the heart of the Lord and learning how to discipline and love like He does will make a much bigger impact and life change. With God, we come back in a place of humility and learn to follow and simply obey because of His outpouring of love. We become stronger and more willing to submit because we know that we're going to mess up, but it's okay and He responds justly according to the sin committed, we suffer the consequences but it's never out of spite or “Didn't you learn the first time?” it's “I love you, I will always love you and I love you despite what you do.”