Foundations Week 22, Day 3

Scripture Read: Hosea 1 - 3
Title: Hosea, Gomer and the Unfaitfulness of Israel

H.E.A.R. 
(H) Highlight verse:  "When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, 'Go, take yourself a wife of whoredome and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredome by foresaking the LORD.  So he went and took Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son."  Hosea 1:2 - 3
 
(E) Explain: Hosea is a unique prophet who is given a unique call in his ministry.  God tells him to marry a prostitute and have children with her as a a sign or picture of Israel's unfaithfulness to God.  They have three children together.  The first son is named Jezreel as a sign of punishment to the house of Jehu.  The second born is a daughter named Lo-ruham which means "She has not received mercy".  The third born is a son named Lo-ammi which means not my people.  The children's names represents God's judgment against Israel.  
Israel was unfaithful to God, yet eventually we see that God does not give up on Israel.  In Chapter three God instructs Hosea to redeem his prostitute wife.  Hosea continually pursued his wife, even in her unfaithfulness and this paints a beautiful picture of God continually pursuing his people, Israel even in their unfaithfulness to him.

(A) Application: God is faithful.  He pursues us and shows mercy to us, even when we are walk away from him in unfaithfulness.  There are so many things vying for our attention and allegiance that we can sometimes look to other people, objects or material possessions over God.  When we do this, it is considered idolatry to God.  God wants us to be faithful to Him.  He desires that we place Him in the number one position of our lives.  God wants obedience and loyalty from us.  However, sometimes (often) we fall short.  When we do, we many respond in guilt or rebellion.  But God loves you and me so much and He will pursue us when we get off course.  As we saw with Jonah and now as we see with Gomer, God will go to great lengths to get his children back to where they belong... In divine communion and fellowship with Him.

(R) Respond: May I remain faithful to you LORD.  I look to no other gods nor do I pledge my true loyalty to none other than you.