The Tragedy of Unfaithfulness Hosea 1: 11:1-4

IMMEDIATELY PREVIOUS TO AND DURING THE CAPTIVITY BEFORE THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY Before Christ I. Jonah,...   856-784. II. Amos,... 810-785. III. Hosea,... 810-725. 1. Isaiah,... 810-698. IV. Joel,... 810-660. V. Micah,... 758-699. VI. Nahum,... 720-698. VII. Zephaniah,... 640-609. IMMEDIATELY PREVIOUS TO AND DURING THE CAPTIVITY 2. Jeremiah,...   628-586. VIII. Habakkuk,... 612-598. 3. Daniel,... 606-534. IX. Obadiah,... 588-583. 4. Ezekiel,... 595-536. AFTER THE CAPTIVITY X. Haggai,...   520-518. XI. Zechariah,... XII. Malachi,... 436-420. [1] Calvin, J. (1998). Hosea (electronic ed.). Albany, OR: Ages Software.

The Tragedy of Unfaithfulness God gives Hosea a most unusual command. Marriage hard enough, ‘children of unfaithfulness’. God named the children, first “Jezreel”= bloodshed!! Second daughter, Lo-Ruhamah= God “will no longer show love to the house of Israel (or) forgive them”. Third son, Lo-Ammi= “Not my people”=no covenant. Ch. 3 Gomer left Hosea for another, H to redeem her.

The Tragedy of Unfaithfulness One of many ‘speech-acts’ in the Bible. Deut. 24 harsh on results of adultery, can’t take her back after ONE other man, Gomer had many! Hosea shows God trump righteous jealousy and law’s demand with GRACE! Hosea gives private tragedies as prophet credentials. Hosea & God have common experience, cheated on! Shows how God must feel when his people turn away!

The Tragedy of Unfaithfulness Hosea shows God still loves his people when they sin! Does God only love when we repent? No, before! Minor Prophets: “What have you done with MY word?” God loves us before we repent. Do we turn it around? What does modern idol worship look like? Grace in the text – Hosea pursues Gomer, pays a lot! “The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.” 14:9