Hosea

Hosea was a native of Israel who preached after the time of Amos. Hosea spoke to the Israelites the way Amos did and passionately criticized Israel's sinful ways, however, his tone was softer and his message was full of love and sympathy. The unique thing about Hosea was that he lived out his message before he preached it. His strange and painful marriage taught him much about God's love for the Israelites. God called Hosea to marry a prostitute named Gomer. (Hos 1:2) Although Hosea loved Gomer, she was repeatedly unfaithful; she would always be with other men despite Hosea's love and respect for her. Hosea tried everything to win his wife back, but Gomer was too set in her old ways and refused to go back to him. Gomer's infidelity was so bad that God told Hosea to name his children Lo-Rouhama and Lo-Ammi, which meant "not loved" and "not my people", respectively. The names not only expressed Hosea's frustration with Gomer, but also God's disappointment with Israel. 1. Hosea presents insights into God's love God told Hosea to love a woman "as the Lord loves the people of Israel, though they turn to other gods" (Hos 3:1) Gomer symbolized Israel whom God faithfully loved and called to repentance again and again. Hosea's message applies even to us today: God will always love His Chosen People-- Israel then and we today-- and will never leave them. Hosea paints a picture of God not only as a loving husband, but also as a loving father of a rebllious child. Hosea 11 is considered one of the most moving literary pieces in the OT. Example: Hos 11:1-4. 2. Hosea challenges us today Hosea challenges us to look at our own ungratefulness. His broken marriage is an image of our relationship with God. His story forces us to reflect if we are like Gomer. Hosea's life shows us that God keeps on loving us no matter how stubborn or sinful we are. Hosea also shows us what it means to be faithful. His devotion to Gomer brought him closer to God because it helped him realize that faith is an everyday decision to love the people around us.

The Prophets: Calling Us to Renewal

Despite the efforts of Elijah, Amos, and Hosea, many Israelites refused to convert and return to their covenant with Yahweh. God then sent the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel to once again call the people to true repentance. Jeremiah and Ezekiel were given the task to prepare the Israelites for the Fall of Jerusalem and the Babylonian Exile. God restored His people by ending their exile and bringing them back to Jerusalem. God sent Jonah, to guide them. Through Jonah, God reminded Israel that its mission was to serve as a "light to the nations" and not to "outcast" those outside the Jewish community.

Jeremiah: Be Confident In The Lord

The kings after Solomon were weak and evil except for King Josiah, who instituted reforms to purify Israel's worship (2 Kgs 22-23), though widespread idolatry continued. It was during Josiah's time that Jeremiah was called to be a prophet. Jeremiah was a young man from the priestly family of Anathoth. He prophesied until the reign of King Zedekiah, Israel's last king. God's Call to Jeremiah Jeremiah was shy and timid; he was not very confident that he could carry God's tasks. Because of this, he needed strong support and reassurance from God. (Jer 1:5-7) This was why God called Jeremiah in an intimate way. God Himself touched Jeremiah on the mouth while saying, "See, I place my words in your mouth" (Jer 1:9) He knew that Jeremiah needed constant assurance so he could prepare the Israelites for the difficult times ahead. Jeremiah's Message from God for Us The Israelites, complacent with their faith, believed that God would help them even though they made no serious efforts to follow the covenant laws, due to God's promise that David's Kingdom would never end. 1. Jeremiah speaks of true faith in God The Israelites were confident that no foreign people, not even the mighty Babylonians, could ever capture their city. But Jeremiah knew better, so he spoke to the kings and asked them to concede to the Babylonians to avoid bloodshed. He predicted that God would allow the Ark of the Covenant, the Temple, and the city of Jerusalem to be destroyed (Jer 7:1-7; 3:16; 19:10-15) because these had become false sources of security for the Israelites. Jeremiah taught the Israelites that faith was a matter of personally accepting God and following His will rather than of performing grand rituals. Sadly, the kings didn't listen to Jeremiah and even accused him of being a traitor. 2. Jeremiah speaks about God's judgment God called the Israelites to become His faithful people but they refused to cooperate with Him. In a vision, Jeremiah saw a boiling pot being poured over Judah (Jer 1:13-19) Jeremiah believed this symbolized how God would judge the people, of how He would allow the Babylonians to invade Israel, and of how He would cleanse the land of false worship. It was a vision of the fall of Jerusalem.

3. Jeremiah speaks about the New Covenant The climax of Jeremiah's preaching was his prophecy of the New Covenant. He predicted that although most of Israel would be destroyed, a remnant would survive. He also spoke of God's promise that whoever remained faithful to Him would be part of the New Covenant. (Jer 31:31-34) Jeremiah preached that in the New Covenant, God would no longer simply give laws like the Ten Commandments. Instead, He would "write" His law in the very hearts of His people. (Presence of the Holy Spirit) According to Jeremiah, the time of the New Covenant God would be a time when God, through the Messiah, would pardon sins and make things new. This was a message that sustained the Israelites' hopes during their long and difficult exile. Jeremiah's Inner Struggles Jeremiah predicted the fall of Jerusalem. Sadly, the Israelites found it hard to believe that Jerusalem would be destroyed for it was David's city, and God promised that David's kingdom would last forever. (2 Sm 7:16) Thus the Israelites treated Jeremiah poorly. He was disliked, questioned of his authority, despised by his own family, and was turned on in anger. He was later arrested, beaten, imprisoned, sentenced to death (Jer 16), put in jail (Jer 37), and thrown down a dry well (Jer 38). Jeremiah often complained to God about the difficulties of his mission (Jer 20 / Jer 20:7-9) Jeremiah's Newfound Strength and Confidence God sustained Jeremiah through all his hardships. God guided and encouraged him through the ups and downs of his life. He grew stronger and braver as he carried out God's mission. He also grew wiser and became more trusting in God. Over time, Jeremiah began to understand God's plan for him. (Jer 20:11) Jeremiah understood and felt his people's suffering. He even became closer to the people who once hated him. His own agony brought him closer to them. (Jer 8:18-19, 21, 23) Jeremiah suffered with his people while remaining incredibly hopeful in God. His own life became a symbol of hope for the Israelites. His faith helped him overcome all obstacles and transformed him from a timid young man into a brave and resolute leader. 4. Jeremiah depicts God as a Divine Potter God is like a potter who molds His people like clay according to His will (Jer 18). God remains for us who He is-- the ultimate source of renewal. As Jeremiah and the other prophets predicted, the Babylonians invaded Israel in 597 B.C. Ten years later the Great Temple and city of Jerusalem were destroyed. The remaining Israelites were taken prisoners and brought to Babylon. Babylon was God's instrument for purifying the people of Israel. God allowed Israel to break so He could reshape it and make it into the vessel it was meant to be. The Israelites lost everything that constituted their identity as God's people. (No king, no temple, no city, and no land) However, it was in the midst of their deepest suffering that they came to understand more God's call and to be His people. During their exile in Babylon, the Israelites once again turned back to God because all they had left was their faith.