What Are You Up To Now

Introduction: Hosea highlights the parallels between his relationship with Gomer and God’s relationship of Israel. Although Israel made a covenant with the one true God, she sought after other false gods. In the same way Hosea married Gomer knowing a haed of time she would leave him.

Hosea tendely, dealt with his wife, in spite of her sin and God was merciful toward the people of Israel. God had not changed He is still merciful and forgiving. Hosea a prophet to the northern kingdom of israel. He served from 753 to 715 BC. Under the reign of Jeraboam II. The northern kingdom had prospered materially but decayed spiritually. The people weere greedy and had adopted the moral behavior and idolatrous religion. Hosea’s role was 1.) to show how the northern kingodm had been unfaithful to their God. 2.) He warned that unless they repented of their sin and turned back to God, they where headed for destruction.

A. GOD WNATS OBEDIANCE:

1.) God said for Hosea to marry a women of harlotry. Can you imagine the feelings he may have had, he may not have wanted to but he went on and obyed. God often required extraordinary obediance from His prophets who were facing extraordinary times.

2.) So God has called Hosea to marry Gomer, and to have children with her. In this 2 chapters not only do we learn about obediance but we can also learn about marriage and that it is "A succesful marriage is not a business of perfect people living perfectly by perfect principles." Marriage is a state, in which very imperfect people often hurt and humilate one another, but yet find the grace to extend forgiveness to one another and also allow the power of Jesus Christ to transform that relationship. Hosea’s wife gave birth to 4 children and God told Hosea to name them for each childs name had a meaning in otherwords each child name represented and defined God’s anger and His mercy. The key to this is that God was showing His reaction to Israel’s infaithfulness, and God’s reaction is know different today.

B. GOD WILL ALWAYS RESTORE:

1.In spite of Israe’s unfaithfulness God was still merciful in Chapter 2 vv5-7 The Israelites were thanking false god’s for their food, and their clothing. Instead of the true God who gave those blessings. We should always give thanks to God for everything. Do you stop and thank Him? Even when He has delivered you out of a mist of a storm or a bad situation?

2. In spite of Israel’s idol worship and unfathifulness God was fathful and merciful. We must learn that no matter what sin we may have commited He will always restore us into His likeness. You see God can take all of your bad sins and all of your bad thoughts and sprinkle some Holy Spirit into it and make you and mold you we are the clay He is the Potter.

C. HE WILL TRANSFORM US INTO HIS RIGHTUSNESS:

1. The time will come when unfathfulness will be impossible God will blind us to himself in His perfect justice, love, and faithfulness. In Hosea’s time it was more than a simple agreement to marry it was a binding engagement betwwen two families for a future permanent relationship. Through no merit of our own, God forgives us any time we drift away from Him and when we do come back to Him He will always leave the light on. He will always leave the light on and take us back with open arms.

2. There is know way for us by our own efforts to reach God’s hihg standard for moral and a spiritual life, but He graciously accepts us, and forgives us because we need that relationship, its not only with God but it is also with His son Jesus Christ His love is unconditional he buys us back adn we must accept His terms. We are His people.

Closing: 2.Chron. "If my people who are called by my name and humble themselves and pray and seek my face and trun form their wicked ways then I will forgive and heal their land.