
Major Wisdom from the Minor Prophets
Week 2: Hosea
Scripture: Hosea
Background: Written around 715 B.C. to mainly the Northern Kingdom, Israel. God is tired of his people living as if nothing was given to them by God even though God had delivered them from Egypt and had given them a land to have of their own. They reached a point where they gave more honor and credit to themselves and others gods rather than live grateful to God who gave them all they had. There are times where God speaks through His prophet, wanting to bring destruction, but then in Hosea 11, you see this conflict of emotion because God still loves Israel deeply. He uses the prophet Hosea and his marriage to a prostitute to illustrate his relationship with the people of Israel (see Hosea 1:1-2)…that even though they serve other gods, God shows his jealousy and also his compassion to want to accept his bride (Israel) back.
Insights:
GREAT video overview of Hosea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE6SZ1ogOVU&list=PLWkPV0LwtduE_O3zJrR3WRdgy5QmWryLG&index=2
chart of Hosea passages quoted in New Testament: http://www.faithfulpreaching.com/Hosea_in_the_NT.pdf
understanding God’s jealousy article: https://www.gotquestions.org/jealous-God.html
understanding “Valley of Trouble” or “Valley of Achor” in 2:15 read this.
Questions:
READ: Hosea 1:1-12; Hosea 2:1-2;
How does Hosea represent God in this relationship between Hosea and Gomer?
Why do you think God uses ‘prostitution’ to describe Israel’s spiritual condition?
What is the process of reconciliation described by Hosea and Gomer as represented by the meaning behind their children’s names as well as The Day of Jezreel in Hosea 1?
READ: Hosea 3:1-3; 2 Corinthians 7:8-11
Why did Hosea need to ‘buy her back’ as indicated in Hosea 3:2
What do you think the reason was for Hosea to have a time for no sexual relations with Gomer even though he had bought her back? (see Hosea 3:3)
Describe what ‘godly sorrow’ is as defined by 2 Corinthians 7:8-11. How does this relate to reconciling relationships?
READ: Luke 7:36-50
Jesus tells the religious leaders in his day that the tax-collectors and prostitutes would make it into the Kingdom of Heaven in front of them! What are some of the positive characteristics of prostitutes you can think of that would cause Jesus to say such a thing?
CHALLENGE:
Read Romans 12:17-21. Whomever has hurt you relationally, how have you tried to reconcile the relationship? Pray and ask God to give you the chance to move toward reconciliation.