Lessons from Hosea

 Lessons from Hosea - Nathele Graham - twotug@embarqmail.com “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” Romans 15:4 Hosea was one of the Old Testament Prophets of God and was given a tough assignment. He obeyed God’s direction and today we have a “picture” of God’s faithfulness even whenwe are unfaithful to Him. Hosea was directed by God to marry “a wife of whoredoms”, which would cause much heartbreak. “The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms:for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.” Hosea 1:2. Hosea lived during the same time as Isaiah, so God was speaking through many men at this time. Hosea’s life was to be a “picture” of the relationship between Israel and God.God ordained marriage and uses it as a picture of His love for Israel and Christ’s love for His Bride, so it seems odd that God would tell Hosea to marry an adulteress. This should never be taken as the standard of marriage; infidelity is serious. This directivewas to graphically show the faithfulness of God, as represented by Hosea, and the unfaithfulness of Israel, represented by Gomer. Unfaithfulness to God, by worshipping pagan idols, is called adultery. “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Exodus 20:14. At this time in history, David’s kingdom of Israel had been divided into the Northern Kingdom, called Israel, and the Southern Kingdom called Judah. Israel was very unfaithfulto God by embracing wicked pagan worship and turning away from God. Idolatry is equal to whoredom, and so Gomer was representative of the idol worship found in the Northern Kingdom. Although, Israel had rejected God, He was still faithful to them and triedto bring them back into a faithful relationship. Idolatry is an abomination to God. Christians need to be sure to worship and submit to Him and not put anything ahead of our love for Him. God holds marriage in high esteem, but today it’s turned into a thing of evil, or skipped altogether. It’s only to be between one man and one woman, and is the only acceptableplace for sexual activity. The Apostle Paul discusses marriage and the role of the wife and the husband. Wives have a responsibility to the marriage. “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife,even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.” Ephesians 5:22-24. Gomer had trouble submitting to her own husband, and so Christians, as the Bride of Christ, have trouble submitting to our Lord. Woman’s lib and the “woke” movement are toolsof Satan to destroy God’s ordained plan. Gomer was a prostitute and indulged in whoredom. She is a “picture” of the nation of Israel over the years. Sometimes they have submitted to God, but other times they indulge in adultery through idolatry and not submittingto God. A husband has his own place in God’s plan. He is to love his wife as Christ loves His church. “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of waterby the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.For not man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:” Ephesians 5:25-29. I’m very blessed to have been married to a Godly man, and know how easy it is to submit to his love. When the division of the kingdoms happened, Jeroboam became king over the Northern Kingdom, and like America today, it was prosperous but very corrupt. Evil and wickednesswere legalized, while those who feared God and worshipped Him were criminalized. When the leader of a nation is evil, the whole nation follows suit. The Levites who were faithful to God, left Israel and fled to the Southern Kingdom, ruled by Rehoboam, whowas King Solomon’s son. “And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts. For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them offfrom executing the priest’s office unto the LORD: and he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he made.” 2 Chronicles 11:13-15. The “high places” were places where evil acts were done and worship of idols was at its worst. Instead of the God-ordained Levitical priesthood, Jeroboam appointed non-Leviticalpriests who led the adulterous worship. It was Satanic. Today we have the ACLU who champions the “rights” of human sacrifice, called abortion, and promotes the protection of deviant sexual practices, while trying to silence Christians. The similarities ofHosea’s time and America today, are obvious. After the Levites left, other people who wanted no part of the wickedness, also left. “And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, tosacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers.” 2 Chronicles 11:16. There were many people who were faithful to God Almighty. Today we need to follow their example and take no part in the evil that’s gripping the United States, and indeedthe entire world. Christians need to shun the ways of the world and put God first. Christians will soon be taken away from the evil when God calls us Home in the Rapture. Because those who refused to be a part of the evil of the Northern Kingdom left, theSouthern Kingdom was strengthened. Christians today can strengthen our own nation by refusing to be a part of the wickedness of spiritual prostitution and return to the pure worship of God, and submit to His ways. Hosea wasn’t a part of the idolatry of the Northern Kingdom, but Gomer was. Hosea was a faithful husband just as God is faithful to Israel in spite of their rejection of Him.God was very clear in speaking of the evils of Israel. “Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.” Hosea 4:1. That sounds much like America today. Our schools aren’t required to teach truth and children aren’t taught God’s truth at home. A little boy may be encouraged to be a littlegirl, or a little girl encouraged to be little boy. The deception is ungodly. Also accepted, and not discouraged, are children who believe they are animals and schools provide litter boxes for them. The truth that God is the Creator is replaced with the lieof evolution. When knowledge of God is denied, truth and mercy soon disappear. It’s happening today but Christians live in denial and keep silent. Too often, like Gomer, Christians even join in the evil. We’re more afraid of being accused of being judgmental than we care about God’s truth and honoring Him. It isn’t beingjudgmental when standing upon God’s truth. We aren’t under the Mosaic Law, but that Law is the heart of God. The 10 Commandments are a hint of how God views morality. Jesus said “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come todestroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall becalled the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:17-19. Jesus spoke plainly when He talked about the commandments, and said that God’s truth goes deeper than our actions, and is shown by our very thoughts. “Ye have heard that itwas said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: but I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to hisbrother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.” Matthew 5:21-22. Have you ever been angry? I have. Jesus also said looking at another person lustfully, is the same as adultery. Our thoughts are important and they will guide our actions.Today, idol worship and lust have led to all kinds of debauchery. Idols? In America? Yes, many. Hollywood stars are touted as sex symbols and lusted after. There are also more subtle forms of idol worship, such as preferring to attend a sports event ratherthan assembling with Christian friends. Anything you place higher in your priority than God, is idolatry…adultery to God. Emulating the lifestyles of most of the rich and famous, including government leaders, is as evil as the pagan worship of the NorthernKingdom. The world is being groomed to accept the Mark of the Beast, which will make you beyond salvation. “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, if any manworship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstonein the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” Revelation14:9-11. The one-world order of religion, economy, and government is coming about quickly, and it’s all addressed in the Book of Revelation. Study that book and be aware of the timesin which we live. Be sure that any government edict you follow isn’t opposed to God’s word. Ignorance of Biblical truth and spiritual whoredom are making it easy for the Anti-Christ to step in as the evil world leader, and the Mark of the Beast is being prepared.Digital money? Christians won’t be on earth to see these things fully implemented; we are seeing the beginnings. We must stand true to God today. We must not be like Gomer. It’s important that we share God’s truth with the adulterous idol worshippers of theworld because if they continue to reject God, their eternity will be horrific. God is always faithful, as pictured by Hosea, and has given us Scripture to guide us. If you choose not to study Scripture, you are missing important information about the timesin which we live. One of the problems of today is that many people who claim to be Christians follow the ways of the world rather than the ways of God. When King Solomon built the Temple anddedicated it, there was much joy among the people and God was worshipped. God was pleased, but gave a warning that we need to heed today. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wickedways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14. That verse is directed toward the Jewish nation prior to the division. Still, all who claim to be of God need to pay attention to this warning. Do you call yourself a Christian?That means you are called by God’s name and you need to turn from anything you do that doesn’t agree with God’s commands. We all need to submit to God and stop being unfaithful to Him. We mustn’t be like Gomer. God has never stopped loving His chosen people, and more prophecy is being fulfilled each day. He has reestablished Israel (both kingdoms) and they are back in their land.Jerusalem is their city and no part of it belongs to heathens. There is much fighting against Israel, just as God said there would be, but they won’t be ousted from their land again. The terrorist attacks will eventually be stopped and all of Israel’s enemieswill be defeated. There are still many prophecies yet to be fulfilled, and God will always be faithful to Israel. The Rapture of Christians is a prophetic event that will happen soon. For nearly2,000 years, God has been focusing His attention on Christians. We have not replaced Israel, as some false teachers would have us believe. “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits;that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is my covenantunto them, when I shall take away their sins.” Romans 11:25-27. That is a wonderful promise, but there will be a very difficult time, sometimes called the Time of Jacob’s Trouble and also called the Tribulation. Christians will be in Heavenduring those final seven years, and that’s a prophetic word from God. As we watch world events, it’s easy to see that prophecy is being fulfilled quickly and all things are happening just as God foretold and in His timing. “The Lord is not slack concerninghis promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9. The story of Hosea and Gomer is a beautiful example of God’s love. I have only scratched the surface, but the Book of Hosea contains many prophecies. God’s love, representedby Hosea, is faithful even though Gomer, Israel, has rejected His love. Christians need to study, truly study all of the prophetic books (that would be Genesis through Revelation) to understand what our future is. Israel has one destiny and Christians haveanother. Idolatry does not honor God, and we are all guilty of putting pride of self above God. God won’t tolerate pride and vanity because they come from Satan. “Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope: thatsay, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it”” Isaiah 5:18-19. When you see pride paraded publicly you can be sure God is not being honored. “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light fordarkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter?” Isaiah 5:20. God’s love is perfect and eternal, but if we choose to reject Him and call evil good then we reap the result of our adultery, He will allow us our free choice of spending eternity separatedfrom Him. Remember that God gave His Son to be the final sacrifice for our salvation. If you choose not to accept His death, burial, and resurrection for your salvation, then you choose to spend eternity separated from Him. God is faithful, like Hosea, even when we are steeped in idolatry and reject Him. He has not given up on Israel, just as Hosea never turned away from Gomer. Learn the lessonsto be found in Hosea, and be faithful to God. Don’t be like Gomer by chasing after idolatry. Be faithful to God. God bless you all, Nathele Graham