Hosea : Man, Myth, Prophet: Everything You Never Knew You Needed To Know About Hosea
In all the Bible, I don’t think there is a section of scripture that is forgotten more than the Minor Prophets. They are a collection of books chronicling the events that happen with some of God’s prophets and his people, Israel. A man by the name of Hosea starts this list from the Bible.
Hosea's name means "salvation," and his book was written primarily to the Northern Kingdom of Israel. As his name suggests, he deals mostly trying to get Israel to repent, or they will be destroyed and/or be taken captive. This ultimately happens when the Assyrians invade and takes them as slaves.
“I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them ”
That was the message thousands of years ago, and it's still relevant today.
Sin has consequences. It tears at our minds, plays with our hearts, and disconnects us from God. It ruins marriages, friendships, and other relationships. It can fuel addiction. It can destroy our willingness to care about people. We get lost in our own mistakes. Yet no matter how far we run from God, He still welcomes us back because of His grace.
God wants our commitment. He wants our relationship with Him to be committed. Our sin doesn't have to drive us further from God; it can help us realize we need help and bring us closer to Him.
How is it relevant today?
What is truly amazing to me about Hosea is his willingness to follow God's plan, even when that plan is going to bring Hosea personal discomfort. God tells Hosea to marry a prostitute. No shock here, she continues to be unfaithful. All the while, Israel is rebellious to God.
The big takeaway for our life is this: God is ALWAYS willing to take back a true repenting heart. Even when God's people, during Hosea's time, were acting terribly, God always reminded them that if they changed, they were always welcome back to his favor. However, he also told them that it would require sincerity in their hearts.
Sometimes we trick ourselves into thinking that we have messed up too bad or we are too far away from God to come back. God always welcomes us back with open arms.
Want a great study guide for Hosea?
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