Scripture: II Kings 17:5-7, 13-14

C.I.: Hosea: “Difficult Preparation for an Even More Difficult Message”

[Give history of Divided Kingdom] – Hosea prophesied during the final days – before the overthrow of Israel!
Today we will listen – as God warns us thru Hosea – both as a Nation & individuals – to stay faithful to Him!

I. Spiritual “Harlotry”: It Destroys Lives & Nations (Book of Hosea)

A. “You Can’t Preach My Message if You Don’t Know My Heart!” (Chapters 1-2)

1. God began training Hosea long before He ever asked him to Preach...
a. (1:2a), “The Lord said to Hosea, ‘Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry, and have children of harlotry - for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the Lord.”
1) “Harlotry” = Spiritual Adultery/Idolatry - (anything that comes between us & God is our god)
2) God is saying, “I want you to feel what it is like – when the 1 you loves – goes to love others.”
b. (1:3), “So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim & she conceived & bore him a son.”

2. The people of Israel - believed their new gods (“lovers”) – were the source of their blessings!
a. (Hos. 2:5), “I will go after my lovers, who give me my bread and water, - my wool and my flax, - my oil and my drink.”
b. How many believe other things (business, education) - is the source of our blessings?!
1) When we say – “Stay home to do school stuff – jobs…” – where are our priorities?! Mt. 6:33
c. Yet God says to Israel & to us - (2:8), “For she does not know that it was I who gave her the grain & the new wine & the oil, - and lavished on her silver and gold, - which they used for Baal.”

3. Put yourself in God’s place – after giving all your love to your spouse – now you hear, “I’ll be working late” or “I’m going shopping & a movie w/friends” – BUT ITS NOT THE TRUTH!!
a. Would you become angry, despondent, murderous/suicidal? – Some of you understand completely
b. God expresses His deep grief & anguish - over His unrequited love for His people - (2:12-13),
“I will destroy her vines & her fig trees, - of which she said, - ‘These are my wages which my lovers have given me.’ – And I will punish her for the days of the Baals – when she used to offer sacrifices to them – and adorn herself with her earrings and jewelry, - and follow her lovers so that she forgot me, declares the Lord.

4. “SO WHAT HAS THIS GOT TO DO WITH ME!” you may be wondering???!
a. As a country – we were founded upon biblical principles – “We hold these truths…” – But “Life” is turned to death (abortion/euthanasia) – “Liberty” to License (Gay marriage, etc.) – the “Pursuit of Happiness” has been replaced with a pursuit of Excess (work for nothing & given everything)!
b. As God’s people today – we also need to be asking ourselves – “Have I become like them?”
c. So let us now look at God’s lessons to us as a Nation – but more importantly as God’s people!!!

B. The 4 Steps They Took Away from God Which Led to Their Downfall…

1. A Lack of Knowledge of God
a. (4:6), “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. – Because you have rejected knowledge, - I also will reject you from being My priest. – Since you have forgotten the law of God, I will…!”
b. As a nation we have removed God from our government – and from our schools!
c. Xns - “Study to show (2 Tim. 2:15) – “Bereans (Acts 17:11) – “I did not shrink (Acts 20:20).
d. The 1st step away from God – as a Nation/Individuals – is a lack of knowledge of God!!!

2. Pride (Self-Confidence versus God-Confidence)
a. (5:5), “The pride of Israel testifies against him, - Israel & Ephraim stumble in their iniquity.”
b. As a nation Americans trust our military, our corporations, and Gov’t. – other than our God!
c. God warns us – Pro. 16:18; I Cor. 10:12; I Pt. 5:5.
d. The Great Empires of the world – crumbled from within – long before conquered from without!

3. Worldliness (A desire to not offend!) – Today we call it, “Political Correctness”!!!
a. (7:8-9), “Ephraim mixes himself with the nations; - he has become a cake not turned. – Strangers devour his strength – yet he does not know it.”
b. The things that made us great as a nation – came from seeking to please God – NOT OTHERS!
c. Even the people of God – we have become fearful of someone taking offense – that we shrink from sharing the message of salvation. – Or worse, we are converted by them (Jms. 4:4).

4. Idolatry – (Anything that comes between us and God – becomes our god!)
a. (13:2), “And now they sin more and more, - and make for themselves molten images, - idols skillfully made with silver, - all of them the work of craftsmen. – They say of them, ‘Let the sacrifices who sacrifice kiss the calves.’”
b. The work of the craftsmen was tremendous – it was valuable and precious. – Paid homage to it.
c. In this nation – what is it we are “kissing”? – Youth, wealth, power, fame, etc.????!
d. As a nation – but more importantly – as individuals we need to be asking - “IS IT TOO LATE?!”

C. The Conclusion of God’s Love Story (Chapter 3)

1. When we left Hosea – his wife was producing children from her harlotry – things didn’t improve!
a. For Gomer had left Hosea & turned to the street. – But she was unable to make a living from her prostitution. – All she had left was to sell herself as a slave so her master would take care of her.
1) “Serves her right!” – “She’s getting what she deserves!” – “?What goes around comes…” - ?
2) Let us return to Hosea’s story – and learn from him – if it is too late for any of us…
b. (3:1-2), “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the sons of Israel, - though they turn to other gods. – So I bought her for myself for 15 shekels of silver and a homer and a half of barley.” Not Much!
1) Even though Gomer wasn’t worth much to others – she was worth a lot to Hosea.
2) Yet she would have to repent of her sinful ways – (3:3), “Then I said to her, ‘You shall stay with me for many days. – You shall not play the harlot….” – REPENTANCE!
c. And God says of the nation of Israel – (3:5), “Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king; - and they will come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the last days.” – THIS WAS FULFILLED WHEN JESUS CAME TO SAVE THEM!

2. God’s love for us is no different – if you will return to Him – He will return to you! If you come…!
a. (Lk. 15:24), “This son of mine was dead & has come to life again, he was lost & has been found”
b. (Matthew 28:19-20), “Go and make disciples of all the nations….”