What is the book of Hosea all about? Here are 5 big themes.
- Spiritual decline
- The influential power of sin
- God faithfully loves us
The story of Gomer, the adulterous wife, is the heart of the message. Hosea continued to love Gomer even when her actions was the opposite of love. Where she was the epitome of unfaithfulness Hosea was the embodiment of faithfulness. The prophetic message revealed that just like Hosea in his marriage, God was faithful to His unfaithful people.
“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.” (Hosea 11 v 1)
Not every display of love is God. Even idolatry contains love.
But every display of God is love. When He speaks love is spoken. When He sends love is coming. When He shows up love is here.
Love is challenged continually across the world by preachers who are concerned about a sinful Church. The fact is the Love of God is the answer to a sinful Church.
To live by love means you are not denying or trying to forget the sin in your life, but by allowing love to expose it you find who you really are. Love calls you to keep coming back to God.
God will not fail to fulfil His responsibilities even if we fail to fulfil ours.
God is always true, right and faithful even in His punishment/judgment.
God making all things right doesn’t mean it wasn’t wrong and deserving judgment. Sin is never right. But God is here and He faithfully loves us. This is a major theme in Hosea and it is found in chapter 11.
“How can I give you up? Even if I could, I wouldn’t. I called you and you came to me
But then others called you and you left me. Yet I stuck with you then and I don’t intend to change my pattern now.
I taught you to walk, I led you, I bent down and lifted you up. It is within your DNA to walk away from me. Every time.
But I am committed to you. And that is final.
So I ask, How can I give you up? How can I let you be ruined? I cannot. For I am not like you.
I am the Holy One, the different One.
And I am here with you. I will win you back. I cannot let go. I will not let go. I know you will return. I am waiting.”
Missions Paul 