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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: Hosea / God’s Enduring Love

The book of Hosea is a small book of the Bible found in the Old Testament. It is one that people rarely talk about, maybe because it is scandalous. A prophet of God married a woman that made people question his reasons. God told him to marry Gomer because she was about to be used by God to teach him some incredible lessons of how God was feeling.

The people of God were enjoying a time of prosperity and growth. This is normally when thing start to go wrong. People often forget that the reason for that prosperity is God’s hand on their lives. They start doing their own thing and allowing idols to get between them and God.

Look at the children of Israel. God saved them from slavery and poverty. Made them wealthy and promised them a land of milk and honey. But they could not set aside the desires of their flesh and wait on God. While Moses was on the mountain getting God’s law, they decided to create something for themselves. They reverted to the old ways and built a golden calf. They committed idolatry by worshipping this statue.

Many places the people of God went lusting after other gods. Instead of holding on tight to the only God that can really be the one to worship. He is the God of promise, hope, peace, joy and love. He can fulfill our hearts desires as long as He is first in our lives. If he is first, then our desires will align with his will for our lives. We were bought with a price and created with a purpose. We are not our own, we are the bride of Christ, yet it is easy to commit adultery by being drawn away to the idols of this world.

Hosea learned how God felt when his wife committed adultery. He complained to God and God said, this is how I feel when my people go after other gods and doesn’t trust me.

We cannot be an adulterous bride. We need to be faithful to God and his plan for our lives. Gomer was drawn away from Hosea several times and was unfaithful to him. Each time Hosea forgave her and even rescued her from slavery. During the course of their marriage they had three children that God named. Each one was a message from God for his people of Israel and Judah.

Before I read the passage of scripture I apologize for the names if I don’t get them exactly correct, I did google how to say them so here goes.

Hosea 1:3-9 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.  4 And the Lord said unto him, Call his name Jezreelfor yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel. 5 And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel, in the valley of Jezreel. 6 And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away. 7 But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen. 8 Now when she had weaned Loruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son. 9 Then said God, Call his name Loammi for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.

Jezreel

The first son was named Jezreel which means, I will punish, or I will sow.  (Verse 5) The bow was broken when Israel fell to the Assyrian army. Sometime later, Israel fell and God scattered his people. God scattered his people like seeds.

Loruhamah

The next child born to Gomer was Loruhamah -her name means no mercy (verse 6) God said he would no longer have mercy on Israel, but would have mercy on Judah.

Follow me for just a second here, God was saying he would turn from his covenant bride for her adultery. Notice verse: 7 But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.

Judah would be saved not by bow, sword, battle, horse or horsemen but by the Lord their God.  He was sharing his plan for cutting off the Jewish people and making a way for us through the tribe of Judah, which is Jesus’ lineage. Jesus is the lion of the tribe of Judah.  Those who come through the tribe of Judah will not be saved by sword, battle horses or horsemen, but by Jesus.  That is the only way for Jews or Gentiles to be saved today is through the blood of Jesus.

Acts 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Loammi

The third child born to Gomer was Loammi, meaning not my people. (verse 9). This represented a broken covenant, meaning that God was aware that his people had broken his covenant and he was angry. Like a spouse would be hurt and angry over infidelity. This did not mean that God did not love his people. It doesn’t mean that he still does not watch over them even today, but in order to correct their status of covenant breakers, they must come through the blood to find forgiveness and completion.

Hosea always went after Gomer when she ran off with other men. He would pursue her and bring her back because of his love for her. This is a symbol of God’s great love for us. We may allow things sometimes to get in between us and God. But he is waiting for us to make it right. Infidelity to God is allowing things to become idols in our lives. It doesn’t have to be an actual statue we are bowing to and doing rituals. It can be anything we allow to become more important to us than God.  A car, a job, a house, a business, our family, anything.

I have read Hosea before, but this was the first time certain things stuck out to me. It proves the more we study the word the more it makes sense to us. I hope this has been interesting to you.

We cannot end up like the children of Israel after God delivers us from our bondage of the systems that have ruled our world for a long time. We will soon see a great revival, we can not at that point get complacent and start building our own version of the golden calf. We need to keep God in his proper place, first in our lives.

I know this has been a heavy subject. But a very needed one. Before I go, I want to share something with you that made me smile. When looking up the meanings of the names of Hosea’s children and how to say all these names I had to laugh at verse three.

Hos 1:3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.  Gomer’s father is Diblaim, so you can decide if he is the blame for how she turned out or not because it’s not always the parent’s fault.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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