Five big themes of Hosea – God our Redeemer

What is the book of Hosea all about? Here are 5 big themes.

1. Spiritual decline
2. The influential power of sin
3. God faithfully loves us
4. God is our Redeemer

“I long to redeem them …” (Hosea 7 v 13)

“I will deliver this people from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. Where, O death, are your plagues? Where, O grave, is your destruction?” (Hosea 13 v14)

Overlooking the city of Rio de Janeiro is the world’s largest statue constructed between 1922 and 1932, Christ the Redeemer. It is an amazing picture for the whole of Brazil’s Christian faith. Christ the Redeemer has His arms stretched out to the whole world today. No one is beyond His reach.

His reach is far and wide and there are no lengths that He will not go to bring us back. God will chase after a wayward wife, a prodigal son and a lost sheep. He will run after you too. He is your Redeemer.
We all need rescuing from time to time.

He saved you. He heard you. He turned to you. He was gracious to you. He gave righteousness to you. He protected you. He has been good to you. He delivered you. He dried your eyes. He steadied your feet. He brought you to life. In the presence of suffering, in the presence of liars, in the presence of all His people, even in the presence of death, He freed you, freed you to serve, freed you to praise and freed you to live. For the ones who have fallen on hard times. For the tattered and the torn and those who have been forgotten. For the ones that have run out of second chances, burnt every bridge, and hit rock bottom… You are never too dirty, never too deep, never too far, to find hope, find relief, to find the Redeemer.

Let us never stop telling the ancient stories.

There are stories that our children and our grandchildren need to hear us say. We don’t need to rewrite our history to make the story more palpable. But we do need to let grace rewrite our story.

You may have a story of a life of work. A story of marriage and family. A story of life containing failings and achievements. Speak it out.

The blood is greater. It is greater than my fearful future. The blood of Jesus overcomes the powers of sin and death, racism and hate. This is my story. This is my song. Shout it aloud of your Redeemer! His arms are outstretched towards you today.