SUMMARY OF HOSEA 4-13
Hosea begins to warn the Israelities of their sins and how they must repent to God. They are rejected as God’s priests and will not have enough to eat. They are unfaithful to the Lord and will face consequences.
Israel does not repent of their sins despite the warnings. They will be punished for their great sins, no longer loved, and rejected.
Yet, God loves Israel and will have compassion on them. He will rescue them.
BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 15, Day 4: Hosea 4-13
9a)
4:1-3: There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land. 2 There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.3 Because of this the land dries up, and all who live in it waste away; the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea are swept away.
5:4-6: “Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. A spirit of prostitution is in their heart; they do not acknowledge the Lord. 5 Israel’s arrogance testifies against them; the Israelites, even Ephraim, stumble in their sin; Judah also stumbles with them. 6 When they go with their flocks and herds to seek the Lord, they will not find him; he has withdrawn himself from them.
7:11-16:“Ephraim is like a dove, easily deceived and senseless— now calling to Egypt, now turning to Assyria. 12 When they go, I will throw my net over them. I will pull them down like the birds in the sky. When I hear them flocking together, I will catch them. 13 Woe to them, because they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, because they have rebelled against me! I long to redeem them but they speak about me falsely.14 They do not cry out to me from their hearts but wail on their beds. They slash themselves,[a] appealing to their gods for grain and new wine, but they turn away from me.I trained them and strengthened their arms, but they plot evil against me.16 They do not turn to the Most High;they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because of their insolent words. For this they will be ridiculed in the land of Egypt.
8:1-5:“Put the trumpet to your lips! An eagle is over the house of the Lord because the people have broken my covenant and rebelled against my law. 2 Israel cries out to me, ‘Our God, we acknowledge you!’ 3 But Israel has rejected what is good; an enemy will pursue him. 4 They set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval. With their silver and gold they make idols for themselves to their own destruction. 5 Samaria, throw out your calf-idol! My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of purity?
10:1-2: Israel was a spreading vine; he brought forth fruit for himself. As his fruit increased, he built more altars; as his land prospered, he adorned his sacred stones. 2 Their heart is deceitful, and now they must bear their guilt. The Lord will demolish their altars and destroy their sacred stones.
13:2-3: Now they sin more and more; they make idols for themselves from their silver, cleverly fashioned images, all of them the work of craftsmen. It is said of these people, “They offer human sacrifices! They kiss[a] calf-idols!” 3 Therefore they will be like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears, like chaff swirling from a threshing floor, like smoke escaping through a window.
b) Each time I sin, I realize it now and come to him and repent. I catch myself sometimes before I sin, too. It’s great to know that God accepts me in the midst of it all no matter what.
10a)
6:6: “Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us
but he will bind up our wounds.” God restores us no matter our sins.
7:13: “Woe to them, because they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, because they have rebelled against me! I long to redeem them but they speak about me falsely.” God always longs for us no matter how far we have strayed.
9:10: “When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your ancestors, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree. But when they came to Baal Peor, they consecrated themselves to that shameful idol and became as vile as the thing they loved.” We are beautiful in God’s eyes and He only wants our hearts.
13:4: “But I have been the Lord your God ever since you came out of Egypt. You shall acknowledge no God but me, no Savior except me.” God has been with us always no matter our sins.
b) When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them. 4 I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them. I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I devastate Ephraim again.
c) It’s comforting knowing God loves me and everyone else and this world, especially when there is evil in this world. He never stops pursuing me and everyone. He loves us even when we do not love him. Very comforting, indeed.
11) This is a tough one. You can always say natural disasters. Yet, God punishes in other ways, too. He shows us His love, too. He punishes us individually for our sins
Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 15, Day 4: Hosea 4-13
I LOVE this! I love how God is great even we aren’t. He always roots for us, and most of us need that on a daily basis.
End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 15, Day 4: Hosea 4-13
Note: Israel is referred to as Ephraim.
We start Hosea 4 with the charge of sins against Israel. Even the priests are corrupt and ineffective. Judgment will come, especially in the midst of idolatry. Judah is warned, but God will remedy.
In Hosea 5, Israel continues to sin with idolatry, and Israel’s leaders are rebuked. Israel will be desolate. Israel wrongfully looks to man for restoration. God judges, hoping to bring His people back to Him.
In Hosea 6, Israel is called to return to the Lord in faithful trust. They should walk in confidence. The people realize how much they have missed God. Still, the sin of idolatry hangs on.
In Hosea 7, we see Israel willfully blind to their sins as they chase after idols. They are prideful and stubborn. They fly about to the other nations like a dove. They run away from God in doing so.
In Hosea 8, Israel casts off God and embraces other idols. Israel is judged and regathered. God rejects their offerings because Israel does not understand His words. Because of this, there is no refuge.
In Hosea 9, Israel will be exiled in judgment. We read about their punishment in Egypt. God then sends barrenness, dryness, and bereavement as judgment to a wandering Israel.
In Hosea 10, Israel is still in sin like an empty vine and throne. God warns Israel to acknowledge their sin and submit to His cleansing. He tells them to break up the hard ground of their hearts and to quit resisting Him.
In Hosea 11, we see God’s love for His people as He calls them back to Him. Yet, their actions are chastened. Yet, God takes compassion on Israel and calls them back.
In Hosea 12, Israel still makes alliances with foreign nations like ancient Jacob did. God will judge them.
In Hosea 13, the Israelites will be scattered due to their sins. They will be torn apart by a lion. The king will be rejected, and they will be judged.
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