God wants all men to understand the nature of His love.

1
God wants all men to understand the nature of His
love.

• Those who are the most rebellious often think
  that God has given up on them.

2
God wants all men to understand the nature of His
love.

• Those who are the most rebellious often think
  that God has given up on them.
• It is actually people from this background that
  often make changes!

3
God wants all men to understand the nature of His
love.

• Those who are the most rebellious often think
  that God has given up on them.
• It is actually people from this background that
  often make changes!
• Sadly, many who speak of Gods love can actually
  be more difficult to reach. (Rom 23-5)

4
God wants all men to understand the nature of His
love.

• Romans 23-5 - And do you think this, O man,
  you who judge those practicing such things, and
  doing the same, that you will escape the judgment
  of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His
  goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not
  knowing that the goodness of God leads you to
  repentance?

5
God wants all men to understand the nature of His
love.

• 5 But in accordance with your hardness and your
  impenitent heart you are treasuring up for
  yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation
  of the righteous judgment of God,

6
God wants all men to understand the nature of His
love.

• Israel (the northern kingdom) began in idolatry
  and never departed it.

7
God wants all men to understand the nature of His
love.

• When their kings own prosperity depended on
  their not returning to God, the kings made
  sure that would be the case. (1 Kings 1226-31)

8
God wants all men to understand the nature of His
love.

• 1 Kings 1226-32 - And Jeroboam said in his
  heart, "Now the kingdom may return to the house
  of David 27 "If these people go up to offer
  sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem,
  then the heart of this people will turn back to
  their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will
  kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah."

9
God wants all men to understand the nature of His
love.

• 28 Therefore the king asked advice, made two
  calves of gold, and said to the people, "It is
  too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are
  your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from
  the land of Egypt!" 29 And he set up one in
  Bethel, and the other he put in Dan.

10
God wants all men to understand the nature of His
love.

• 30 Now this thing became a sin, for the people
  went to worship before the one as far as Dan. 31
  He made shrines on the high places, and made
  priests from every class of people, who were not
  of the sons of Levi.

11
God wants all men to understand the nature of His
love.

• Why would God even waste His time with such a
  people?

12
God wants all men to understand the nature of His
love.

• Why would God even waste His time with such a
  people?
• Here is where we will come to learn a needed
  lesson about the nature of God.

13
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• The background of the book of Hosea.

14
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• The background of the book of Hosea.
• The names Hosea, Joshua, and Jesus are all
  derived from the same Hebrew word, hoshea, which
  means salvation. In the darkness of sin Hosea
  provides the way of Salvation!

15
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• Hosea preached during the days of Uzziah
  (767-739), Jotham (739-731), Ahaz 731-715), and
  Hezekiah (715-686), kings of Judah and during the
  days of Jeroboam II (782-752), king of Israel.
  (Hosea 11)

16
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• Hosea 11 The word of the LORD that came to
  Hosea the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah,
  Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and
  in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of
  Israel.

17
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• God told Hosea to take a harlot for a wife
  (Gomer). (Hosea 12)

18
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• Hosea 12 - When the LORD began to speak by
  Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea "Go, take yourself
  a wife of harlotry And children of harlotry, For
  the land has committed great harlotry By
  departing from the LORD.

19
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• What would be the attributes of a woman who chose
  to be a harlot?

20
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• What would be the attributes of a woman who chose
  to be a harlot?
• Would marriage to a good man mean they would
  live happily ever after?

21
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• Why is a pattern of sin so hard to break?

22
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• The children born to Hosea show the heartbreak of
  God at their adultery.

23
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• The children born to Hosea show the heartbreak of
  God at their adultery.
• The first child, a son, was named Jezreel (whose
  name means "God sows God scatters").

24
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• The children born to Hosea show the heartbreak of
  God at their adultery.
• The first child, a son, was named Jezreel (whose
  name means "God sows God scatters").
• The second child, a daughter, was named
  Lo-Ruhamah (whose name means "unpitied").

25
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• The third child, a son, was named Lo-Ammi (whose
  name means "not my people").

26
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• The third child, a son, was named Lo-Ammi (whose
  name means "not my people").
• What kind of pain did Hosea experience in knowing
  that some, it not all of his children born by his
  wife were not his?

27
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• The third child, a son, was named Lo-Ammi (whose
  name means "not my people").
• What kind of pain did Hosea experience in knowing
  that some, it not all of his children born by his
  wife were not his?
• God wants His people to see the great pain they
  were causing Him. (Hos. 12 91)

28
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• Hosea 12 When the LORD began to speak by Hosea,
  the LORD said to Hosea "Go, take yourself a wife
  of harlotry And children of harlotry, For the
  land has committed great harlotry By departing
  from the LORD.

29
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• Hosea 91 Do not rejoice, O Israel, with joy
  like other peoples, For you have played the
  harlot against your God. You have made love for
  hire on every threshing floor.

30
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• God will not allow such a people to have
  fellowship with Him. (Hosea 22 19)

31
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• Hosea 22 2 " Bring charges against your
  mother, bring charges For she is not My wife,
  nor am I her Husband! Let her put away her
  harlotries from her sight, And her adulteries
  from between her breasts

32
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• Hosea 19 9 Then God said "Call his name
  Lo-Ammi, For you are not My people, And I will
  not be your God.

33
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• In spite of this great sin, God does not give up
  on Israel!

34
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• Gomer, after leaving Hosea, is later bought from
  those who used her as a slave. (Hosea 32-3)

35
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• Hosea 32-3 2 So I bought her for myself for
  fifteen shekels of silver, and one and one-half
  homers of barley. 3 And I said to her, "You
  shall stay with me many days you shall not play
  the harlot, nor shall you have a man -- so, too,
  will I be toward you.

36
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• Hosea paid the price of thirty pieces of silver,
  the price of a wounded slave! (Ex 2132)

37
The Painful Betrayal of God by His people

• Exodus 2132 - "If the ox gores a male or female
  servant, he shall give to their master thirty
  shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.

38
How did Israel become Like a Harlot to God?

• They let someone else study and discern Gods
  word for them. (Hosea 41, 6-11)
• Hosea 41 Hear the word of the LORD, You
  children of Israel, For the LORD brings a charge
  against the inhabitants of the land "There is no
  truth or mercy Or knowledge of God in the land.

39
How did Israel become Like a Harlot to God?

• They let someone else study and discern Gods
  word for them. (Hosea 41, 6-11)
• Hosea 41 Hear the word of the LORD, You
  children of Israel, For the LORD brings a charge
  against the inhabitants of the land "There is no
  truth or mercy Or knowledge of God in the land.

40
How did Israel become Like a Harlot to God?

• Hosea 46-11 6 My people are destroyed for lack
  of knowledge. Because you have rejected
  knowledge, I also will reject you from being
  priest for Me Because you have forgotten the law
  of your God, I also will forget your children. 7
  " The more they increased, The more they sinned
  against Me I will change their glory into shame.
  

41
How did Israel become Like a Harlot to God?

• 8 They eat up the sin of My people They set
  their heart on their iniquity. 9 And it shall
  be like people, like priest. So I will punish
  them for their ways, And reward them for their
  deeds. 10 For they shall eat, but not have
  enough They shall commit harlotry, but not
  increase Because they have ceased obeying the
  LORD. 11 " Harlotry, wine, and new wine enslave
  the heart.

42
How did Israel become Like a Harlot to God?

• The first actions of Jeroboam should have brought
  a swift reaction from the people.
• When some says it is too much for you what are
  they really saying? (1 Kgs 1228)
• 1 Kings 1228 28 Therefore the king asked
  advice, made two calves of gold, and said to the
  people, "It is too much for you to go up to
  Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which
  brought you up from the land of Egypt!

43
How did Israel become Like a Harlot to God?

• The first actions of Jeroboam should have brought
  a swift reaction from the people.
• When some says it is too much for you what are
  they really saying? (1 Kgs 1228)
• 1 Kings 1228 28 Therefore the king asked
  advice, made two calves of gold, and said to the
  people, "It is too much for you to go up to
  Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which
  brought you up from the land of Egypt!

44
How did Israel become Like a Harlot to God?

• With the Northern Kingdom starting like this, how
  hard would it be for a future descendant to
  take a stand against these actions? Fellowship
  in time will determine practice.
• They became filled with pride and fought God.
  (Hosea 53-6)

45
How did Israel become Like a Harlot to God?

• With the Northern Kingdom starting like this, how
  hard would it be for a future descendant to
  take a stand against these actions? Fellowship
  in time will determine practice.
• They became filled with pride and fought God.
  (Hosea 53-6)

46
How did Israel become Like a Harlot to God?

• Hosea 53-6 3 I know Ephraim, And Israel is not
  hidden from Me For now, O Ephraim, you commit
  harlotry Israel is defiled. 4 "They do not
  direct their deeds Toward turning to their God,
  For the spirit of harlotry is in their midst, And
  they do not know the LORD.

47
How did Israel become Like a Harlot to God?

• 5 The pride of Israel testifies to his face
  Therefore Israel and Ephraim stumble in their
  iniquity Judah also stumbles with them. 6 "With
  their flocks and herds They shall go to seek the
  LORD, But they will not find Him He has
  withdrawn Himself from them.
• It is very difficult to break away from sin when
  pride prevails.

48
How did Israel become Like a Harlot to God?

• 5 The pride of Israel testifies to his face
  Therefore Israel and Ephraim stumble in their
  iniquity Judah also stumbles with them. 6 "With
  their flocks and herds They shall go to seek the
  LORD, But they will not find Him He has
  withdrawn Himself from them.
• It is very difficult to break away from sin when
  pride prevails.

49
How did Israel become Like a Harlot to God?

• Pride causes blindness and is the worst kind of
  deception. (Gal 63, 7 Rom 121-23)
• Galatians 63 3 For if anyone thinks himself to
  be something, when he is nothing, he deceives
  himself.
• Galatians 67 7 Do not be deceived, God is not
  mocked for whatever a man sows, that he will
  also reap.

50
How did Israel become Like a Harlot to God?

• Pride causes blindness and is the worst kind of
  deception. (Gal 63, 7 Rom 121-23)
• Galatians 63 3 For if anyone thinks himself to
  be something, when he is nothing, he deceives
  himself.
• Galatians 67 7 Do not be deceived, God is not
  mocked for whatever a man sows, that he will
  also reap.

51
How did Israel become Like a Harlot to God?

• Pride causes blindness and is the worst kind of
  deception. (Gal 63, 7 Rom 121-23)
• Galatians 63 3 For if anyone thinks himself to
  be something, when he is nothing, he deceives
  himself.
• Galatians 67 7 Do not be deceived, God is not
  mocked for whatever a man sows, that he will
  also reap.

52
How did Israel become Like a Harlot to God?

• If you have lived then, they would have talked
  about serving Jehovah and that they were
  wiser than Judah who stuck to the traditional
  worship in Jerusalem.
• Proud people do not want to be corrected. The
  people of Israel fell in line.
• They were unstable, only taking brief stands for
  what is right. (Hosea 64-7)

53
How did Israel become Like a Harlot to God?

• If you have lived then, they would have talked
  about serving Jehovah and that they were
  wiser than Judah who stuck to the traditional
  worship in Jerusalem.
• Proud people do not want to be corrected. The
  people of Israel fell in line.
• They were unstable, only taking brief stands for
  what is right. (Hosea 64-7)

54
How did Israel become Like a Harlot to God?

• If you have lived then, they would have talked
  about serving Jehovah and that they were
  wiser than Judah who stuck to the traditional
  worship in Jerusalem.
• Proud people do not want to be corrected. The
  people of Israel fell in line.
• They were unstable, only taking brief stands for
  what is right. (Hosea 64-7)

55
How did Israel become Like a Harlot to God?

• Hosea 64-7 4 " O Ephraim, what shall I do to
  you? O Judah, what shall I do to you? For your
  faithfulness is like a morning cloud, And like
  the early dew it goes away. 5 Therefore I have
  hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by
  the words of My mouth And your judgments are
  like light that goes forth.

56
How did Israel become Like a Harlot to God?

• 6 For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the
  knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. 7
  "But like men they transgressed the covenant
  There they dealt treacherously with Me.
• These people were like Judah was in the days of
  Josiah, they could be manipulated by
  circumstances to occasionally do right.

57
How did Israel become Like a Harlot to God?

• 6 For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the
  knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. 7
  "But like men they transgressed the covenant
  There they dealt treacherously with Me.
• These people were like Judah was in the days of
  Josiah, they could be manipulated by
  circumstances to occasionally do right.

58
How did Israel become Like a Harlot to God?

• How should they have built a foundation that
  would produce a consistent life? (Hosea 61-3,
  Mt 724-25)

59
How did Israel become Like a Harlot to God?

• Hosea 61-3 Come, and let us return to the LORD
  For He has torn, but He will heal us He has
  stricken, but He will bind us up. 2 After two
  days He will revive us On the third day He will
  raise us up, That we may live in His sight. 3
  Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the
  LORD. His going forth is established as the
  morning He will come to us like the rain, Like
  the latter and former rain to the earth.

60
How did Israel become Like a Harlot to God?

• Matthew 724-25 24 " Therefore whoever hears
  these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will
  liken him to a wise man who built his house on
  the rock 25 "and the rain descended, the floods
  came, and the winds blew and beat on that house
  and it did not fall, for it was founded on the
  rock.

61
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• God does not give up on anyone.

62
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• God does not give up on anyone.
• Imagine the scene as Hosea redeems Gomer from the
  slave auction block!

63
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• God does not give up on anyone.
• Imagine the scene as Hosea redeems Gomer from the
  slave auction block!
• Does Gods love towards me personally depend on
  my actions? (Rom 56-10)

64
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• Romans 56-10 6 For when we were still without
  strength, in due time Christ died for the
  ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will
  one die yet perhaps for a good man someone would
  even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own
  love toward us, in that while we were still
  sinners, Christ died for us.

65
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• 9 Much more then, having now been justified by
  His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through
  Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were
  reconciled to God through the death of His Son,
  much more, having been reconciled, we shall be
  saved by His life.

66
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• How can this knowledge help me turn back to God?

67
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• How can this knowledge be perverted to drive me
  further away from God? (Rom 23-5)

68
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• Romans 23-5 3 And do you think this, O man,
  you who judge those practicing such things, and
  doing the same, that you will escape the judgment
  of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His
  goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not
  knowing that the goodness of God leads you to
  repentance?

69
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• 5 But in accordance with your hardness and your
  impenitent heart you are treasuring up for
  yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation
  of the righteous judgment of God,

70
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• When one understands Gods nature they come to
  understand unchangeable, dependable truths.
  (Hosea 141-3)

71
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• Hosea 141-3 Israel, return to the LORD your
  God, For you have stumbled because of your
  iniquity 2 Take words with you, And return to
  the LORD. Say to Him, "Take away all iniquity
  Receive us graciously, For we will offer the
  sacrifices of our lips. 3 Assyria shall not save
  us, We will not ride on horses, Nor will we say
  anymore to the work of our hands, 'You are our
  gods.' For in You the fatherless finds mercy.

72
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• Some are blessed to finally understand that men
  and nations will let them down.

73
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• Some are blessed to finally understand that men
  and nations will let them down.
• When one finally approaches God with nothing in
  my hand but a plea for His mercy, then God will
  receive him and bless him abundantly.

74
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• How much have you been forgiven? Do you see
  yourselves as Gomer? (Lk 740-47 2 Pt 19-10)

75
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• Luke 740-47 40 And Jesus answered and said to
  him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." So
  he said, "Teacher, say it." 41 "There was a
  certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed
  five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42
  "And when they had nothing with which to repay,
  he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore,
  which of them will love him more?"

76
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• 43 Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one
  whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You
  have rightly judged." 44 Then He turned to the
  woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman?
  I entered your house you gave Me no water for My
  feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears
  and wiped them with the hair of her head.

77
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• 45 "You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not
  ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.
  46 "You did not anoint My head with oil, but this
  woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47
  "Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are
  many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to
  whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.

78
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• 2 Peter 19-10 9 For he who lacks these things
  is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has
  forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
  10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to
  make your call and election sure, for if you do
  these things you will never stumble

79
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• The love of God will be a constant force for
  growth in the restored sinner. (Hosea 144-8)

80
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• Hosea 144-8 4 " I will heal their backsliding,
  I will love them freely, For My anger has turned
  away from him. 5 I will be like the dew to
  Israel He shall grow like the lily, And lengthen
  his roots like Lebanon. 6 His branches shall
  spread His beauty shall be like an olive tree,
  And his fragrance like Lebanon.

81
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• 7 Those who dwell under his shadow shall return
  They shall be revived like grain, And grow like a
  vine. Their scent shall be like the wine of
  Lebanon. 8 " Ephraim shall say, 'What have I to
  do anymore with idols?' I have heard and observed
  him. I am like a green cypress tree Your fruit
  is found in Me.

82
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• Gods love changes ones whole life and changes
  our thinking.

83
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• How does Gods love defeat worldliness? (Eph
  316-19)

84
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• Ephesians 316-19 16 that He would grant you,
  according to the riches of His glory, to be
  strengthened with might through His Spirit in the
  inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your
  hearts through faith that you, being rooted and
  grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend
  with all the saints what is the width and length
  and depth and height --

85
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• 19 to know the love of Christ which passes
  knowledge that you may be filled with all the
  fullness of God.

86
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• What a great blessing to finally realize these
  truths! (Hosea 149)

87
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• Hosea 149 - 9 Who is wise? Let him understand
  these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them.
  For the ways of the LORD are right The righteous
  walk in them, But transgressors stumble in them.

88
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• Later the Gentiles (you and me) would ultimately
  experience the unworthy redemption from slavery
  from sin to become the people of God! (Hosea
  223 Rom 924-26)

89
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• Hosea 223 23 Then I will sow her for Myself in
  the earth, And I will have mercy on her who had
  not obtained mercy Then I will say to those who
  were not My people, 'You are My people!' And they
  shall say, 'You are my God!'

90
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• Romans 924-26 24 even us whom He called, not
  of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? 25
  As He says also in Hosea "I will call them My
  people, who were not My people, And her beloved,
  who was not beloved." 26 "And it shall come to
  pass in the place where it was said to them, 'You
  are not My people,' There they shall be called
  sons of the living God.

91
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• Questions to Consider

92
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• Questions to Consider
• 1. Why did Jeroboam refuse to serve God in the
  beginning of the Northern Kingdom?

93
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• Questions to Consider
• 1. Why did Jeroboam refuse to serve God in the
  beginning of the Northern Kingdom?
• 2. What challenges did a citizen of the Northern
  kingdom have to overcome to serve God?

94
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• Questions to Consider
• 1. Why did Jeroboam refuse to serve God in the
  beginning of the Northern Kingdom?
• 2. What challenges did a citizen of the Northern
  kingdom have to overcome to serve God?
• 3. Why did Hoseas marriage fail? Why did God
  have him do this?

95
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• 4. How far into sin did Gomer go? Did she reach
  the point of no return? How do you know?

96
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• 4. How far into sin did Gomer go? Did she reach
  the point of no return? How do you know?
• 5. What false notions about God does His love
  dispel?

97
Wonderful Lessons About the Love of God

• 4. How far into sin did Gomer go? Did she reach
  the point of no return? How do you know?
• 5. What false notions about God does His love
  dispel?
• 6. How does the book of Hosea speak of us in the
  NT? How do we know for sure?