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Hosea 1

Many other books in the bible are concerned with communicating what God thinks, what God demands, and what God expects. But here, in Hosea, the primary concern is to tell you how God FEELS.
Hosea is a shocking book, from the opening verses, but it is also a love story.



Here's a link to a helpful overview video...
https://youtu.be/kE6SZ1ogOVU

Or this one might be more you're style?...
https://youtu.be/MY05XI67ets



[Read Hosea 1:1-11]

The opening verse may feel like a "so what?" moment, but why is this important?

This information gives us a date / time period in Israel's history.
760-715 BC. The nation of Israel has been torn in two (Israel and Judah).
Israel is living in a time of peace and prosperity, but the people have forgotten God and turned to Baal.
How can our OWN comfort and complacency mirror the situation in Israel at the opening of this book?

Verse 2 is shocking. Can God REALLY be saying this?!

Have you ever thought about how God feels towards you?

What does it say about God (and God's word) that Hosea not only has to deliver it, but also has to LIVE it?
What does this teach us about the gospel?

What important lesson does Hosea (and the nation) have to learn about God's relationship to His people?
Why do we need to learn this too?

Verses 4-9 contains the naming of children (and 3 promises of God)...
What does Jezreel mean / represent?

What does Lo-Ruhamah mean / represent?

What does Lo-Ammi mean / represent?

How are these 3 negatives countered with 2 positives in verses 10-11?

The first, "Jezreel" stands for both a bloody massacre AND it means "God sows".
What could this mean?

[Activity] Check out 1 Peter 2:9-10 and think about how Hosea 1:10-11 becomes true for us in Jesus.






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