Hosea 3. 02.19.26

SCRIPTURE

“The Lord said to me,

“Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress.

Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.”

So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley.

Then I told her, “You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will behave the same way toward you.”

‭‭Hosea‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭3 NIV

OBSERVATION

God has called His prophets to do some strange things at times.

God commanded Ezekiel to:

• Lie on his left side for 390 days (for Israel’s sin)

• Lie on his right side for 40 days (for Judah’s sin)

• And told to eat rationed food cooked over cow dung (originally human dung).

God told Jeremiah to:

• Wear a wooden yoke around his neck.

God instructed Isaiah to:

• Walk stripped and barefoot for three years.

And in the account of Hosea

• God told His servant Hosea to marry a prostitute and have children with her.

So Hosea married a prostitute named Gomer. Stop right there and think. A holy man of God is asked to join himself to an unclean woman—and not just an unclean woman who had failed once, but an actual promiscuous woman.

She is unfaithful to him and bears three children—two of which most likely are not Hosea’s.

Then she outright deserts him falling into a web of sexual sin.

She sinks so low that when God tells Hosea to—go after her to bring her back—a fee to purchase her freedom is required. The purchase price is less than half the fee for a slave—reflecting she is—damaged goods.

Still—God tells Hosea to Go after her:

“Love her—the way—God Loves—His Chosen People”

(Hosea 3:1)

APPLICATION

God teaches us about His TRUE and FAITHFUL Love through the book of Hosea.

Learn the Lesson

God tells Hosea to GO back to retrieve his wife who was committing adultery and to Love her. God wanted Hosea’s marriage and redemption of Gomer to be a living lesson for His people—they were unfaithful—BUT—God’s Character was —founded in Love and steadfast faithfulness.

God made a hesed  Covenant with His Chosen People.

Hesed, is a Hebrew word that expresses an essential part of God’s character. God describes Himself as “abounding in” or “filled with” hesed, which translates —unfailing love, faithfulness, loyal, steadfast.

God’s covenant relationship with His people results in His loyal love and faithfulness [hesed], even when His people are unfaithful to Him. Always at the heart of hesed lies God’s generous sense of compassion and mercy.

When God told Hosea to marry a prostitute and have children with her it was God’s merciful act—to WAKE UP Israel. To demonstrate the very real painful effects spiritual adultery was having on their lives and the even more devastating impact it would carry into their children’s lives in future generations.

What has that to do with us??

We may not worship stone idols like baal…but Our idols are very present and consistently vying for our hearts and attention.

Social Media, Entertainment, Secular Music all have such loose boundaries today. Subject Matter that I don’t care to watch pops up on almost every platform, show, and advertisement. Drawing boundary lines around our hearts and minds is at a critical stage because things are only going to progress.

Loving God and choosing to spend time with HIM is a choice. As Pastor Levi has shared on many occasions, relationships take time—growing intimacy is an essential aspect in any relationship. God is always faithful and waiting patiently for us to come spend time with Him. And Jesus wants the First place in our life. Second or Third place.,..isn’t good enough. It is in fact…Spiritual Adultery.

If we are too busy to spend time with God..then it may be time to consider a possible schedule adjustment. Because—Something ELSE is taking first place.

Like Gomer—we were all Once—damaged goods—But Jesus Loved us SO much HE came and PAID the Purchase price for us with His own blood.

Jesus revealed what Ultimate Love truly looks like—when HE came to earth as a Humble servant and lived a perfect life—then sacrificed himself on the cross. Jesus took my punishment that day—and made Full payment for my sins—And—your sins…and anyone else who would willingly RECEIVE His FREE Gift of Forgiveness And Eternal Life.

(1 Peter 1:18-19)

“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but you were actually purchased with the precious blood, like that of a sacrificial lamb—the unblemished and spotless—Priceless Blood of Jesus Christ”.  (1 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭18‬-19)

Keep the Covenant with God—pure and holy!

(Psalm 119:11)

“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

(1 Peter 5:8)

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

(John‬ ‭14‬:‭15‬-‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

““If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.”

PRAYER

Lord Jesus,

Thank YOU for Your Love that remains Loyal, Fierce, Kind, Generous, AND unfailing. YOU Leave the 99 to Go after the “1”. YOU will Go into the darkest and most destitute places to Purchase back the damaged and Broken. Coming to earth as a humble servant and dying a sinner’s death on the cross to Take my rightful punishment. Lord Jesus, forgive me for the times I was an adulterer—choosing worldly pursuits, hobbies or pleasures above You. Even choosing worry or doubt. YOU Command us “Do Not Worry”. Because of Your very Great Love—I am always provided for. Father, I pray in this season my walk will be one of quick obedience. I pray that if you were ever to ask me to do something strange to demonstrate my Love for YOU…I will set my face as a stone determined to do God’s will. I am constantly reminded of the woman who was simply called to go stand on her head in a convenience store. Who would ever think when she obeyed that the store worker would break down in tears saying I had just prayed to God saying I was done and wanted to end everything..but IF He was real..would HE send someone in here to come and stand on their head.

I Love You Jesus. May my life show my loyal and reckless Love for You.

Here I am Lord. Correct me. Empty me. Fill me. Use me. Send me.

Tina L Kudelka

Galations 3 - 2.18.26

Scripture

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? (Galatians 3:1-3)

Observation

Generally Paul uses a gentle fatherly tone in his epistles, lovingly correcting the church. Galatians is an exception, where Paul uses a harsh tone, calling the Galatians “foolish” and asking them, who “bewitched” them. We might wonder what was the big sin that Galatians committed to deserve such treatment. The Galatian Christians were trying to “earn” salvation by adopting Jewish legalistic rituals like circumcision, observing special days (Sabbaths, months, seasons), and following dietary restrictions.

Paul reminds them that salvation is obtained only by faith in the finished work of Jesus on the cross. Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness (Gal 3:6).

Application

The Bible must be studied in context and as a whole. The reference to faith for salvation and righteousness does not take away our individual responsibility to live a holy life, or to have the right works after salvation. Faith without works is dead (James 2:26). If the faith in our hearts is not reflected in the way we live, it is not a true faith. 

James quotes the same verse about Abraham quoted in Galatians 3:6 and says Abraham’s faith was demonstrated in his obedience. Abraham was considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar, and his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did (James 2:21,22). James continues to say that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone (James 2:24).

Let us check our hearts to see if our trust in our salvation is because of our faith in being washed by the blood of Jesus alone. Our good works are not going to save us. Only faith in Jesus can save us. Let us check our lives to see if we are living a holy life, as He has commanded us “be holy as I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16).  When we stray in sin, by thought, word or deed, let us be quick to repent and come back to the Lord. 

Prayer

Dear Father, thank you for sending Jesus to die in my place for my sins. Thank you Jesus, for washing me with your blood,, and making me your child. My confidence is in you alone (Prov 3:26). Help me to live a life that pleases you. If there is sin in my life, please help me to hear the gentle convicting voice of your Spirit, so that I can repent and get right with You. May my life be a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to You (Rom 12:1). In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Asha Chacko George

Hosea 1 - 2.17.26

SCRIPTURE:  Hosea 1:2,3 “When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord.”  So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.” NIV

OBSERVATION:  Hosea was a prophet in Israel near the end of the kingdom.  God certainly picked a man He knew would obey Him because what He was telling Hosea to do certainly didn’t sound like a God thing. ONLY because Hosea was in tune with God’s voice did he know it was really the Lord speaking!

Hosea’s marriage was a model of God’s love, and Israel’s unfaithfulness.  This true-life story of grace and redemption illustrated what God did for the children of Israel.  He took them as His spouse when, in spite of their idolatry and immorality, He delivered them from slavery in Egypt. However, disregarding God’s gracious love, they again became unfaithful by forsaking the Lord, worshipping idols, and engaging in immorality.  Yet in spite of their horrible sins, God in His love was attempting to woo them back to a faithful relationship with Him.  (Gene Getz).

Hosea married Gomer, who some believe had already been sexually promiscuous.  In their marriage, she was unfaithful to him, but despite her promiscuity, Hosea was to redeem her from a life of sexual slavery to once again become his wife.  Hosea obeyed God’s command, EVEN THOUGH he didn’t fully understand God’s message to Israel through this difficult period in his life.  This story of Israel’s idolatry and God’s future plan for His chosen people was written for us.  It’s a picture of what God has done for ALL who have responded to the Gospel. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8). 

APPLICATION:  When we were born again and accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we became His future bride who will someday be presented to Him in heaven without spot or wrinkle.  (Ephesians 5:27). We have been chosen by God, and we have been redeemed by Jesus, all so we can become more and more like Jesus until we are presented to Him at the marriage of the Lamb. 

PRAYER:  Thank You dear God for sending Your Son, Jesus, to die for this sinner. Thank You for redeeming my life from the sinful lifestyle I was living before I met You. I pray as Your blood-bought daughter that I will live wholeheartedly for You.  I pray I will be so in tune with Your voice that I will obey You even when I don’t understand the full meaning behind it.  I desire to know You more, hear You more, and obey You more! 

- Robin Orefice