[:en]SCRIPTURE: HOSEA 1
INTRODUCTION:
“Prophet Hosea preached in northern kingdom before King Jeroboam II died in 753 B.C. He used images and comparisons to convey the message to the people.
This book talked about “marriage”. Hosea married a woman who bore him 3 children and then deserted him and become a prostitute. But he bought her back from the slave market. His painful experience is a sermon to the nation.
Israel was married to Jehovah but she committed “spiritual adultery” and turned to idols. But the Lord would one day redeemed her.
“Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, “You are not my people”, they will be called “sons of the living God”. The people of Judah and the people of Israel will be reunited, and they will appoint one leader and will come up out of the land, for great will be the day of Jezreel” (Hosea 1:10-11)
HOSEA’S WIFE AND CHILDREN
Hosea married Gomer and they had 3 children: Jezreel ( God will sow), Lo-Ruhamah (no mercy) and Lo-Ammi (not my people). The names of the 3 children summarize the spiritual history of Israel:
1. Jezreel – “scattered” – God will scatter Israel among the nations
2. Lo-Ruhamah – “unpitied” – God will left his mercy from the nation and permit them to suffer for her sins.
3. Lo-Ammi – “not my people” indicates that Israel is out of fellowship with God and its people are not His people.
However, at the closing, Hosea affirmed hope for Israel. God will show mercy by gathering His people once again and the names of his children will be changed to ‘sons of the living God’. Judah and Israel will be reunited with one leader to rule their land.[:]