Tag: Hosea

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Quiet Time, She, Volume 3

Gomer

Posted on by MaryEllen

adapted from She, Delighting in the examples of the women of the Bible/volume 3, pp17-18

Read: Hosea 2 and 3 (note, while this may seem a lot of reading, it is a beautiful love story you won’t want to miss)

“Therefore, I will soon fence her in with thorns;
I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way.

Hosea 2:6

Gomer has long been one of my favorite women of the Bible. I first met her not through Bible study but through a novel written by Francine Rivers. The novel is called “Redeeming Love“. A story written to tell what I believe are the two most beautiful love stories of all time. One between a man (Hosea, the servant of the Lord) and a woman (Gomer, the adulterer), and the other between God (who loves Israel with an everlasting love) and Israel (God’s chosen people who continually chase after the other gods of the world).

Gomer’s story was instrumental in helping me to understand not only the deep relational love of God but His marvelous, life-changing mercy and grace. I have read both the book of Hosea and the novel version, Redeeming Love, more times than I can count – and am convinced that Christianity is more than a religion – it is about having a genuine and meaningful relationship with God; not just a god but the true and living God who pursues His people with a faithful and personal love. He is broken-hearted when we forsake Him for other gods, yet relentlessly loves and pursues us.

We cannot do Gomer justice with this one short look at her, but I hope to journey through her story over the summer. For now, I will borrow from the study journal of Delighting in the examples of the women of the Bible/volume 3, pp17-18, and give you the bullet point version of Gomer’s story:

  • She left her husband, and suffered the consequences.
  • She left her Hosea, but he loved her still.
  • He redeemed her back to himself.
  • She is a picture of the nation of Israel that was separated from Judah, but she is also a picture of us.
  • Gomer serves as an example of how Jesus Christ loves us and wants to redeem us.

It struck me as I was working through this section of the journal that for Gomer, adultery meant running away, trading her relationship with Hosea for relationships with other men. But I have learned this isn’t the sole definition of adultery – for believers, for me, and perhaps even you – it happens whenever we have choose to forsake our relationship with God for one or more relationships with the gods of this world.

Friends, as Paul points out in 1 Corinthians 6:20, we have been bought with the high price of Jesus’ blood, and so we are to glorify God with our bodies. We are to pursue Him with a faithful love that turns neither to the right nor to the left but stays close to Him. We can do this in a number of ways:

  • Prayer and staying in His Word are vital to a healthy relationship. (James 4:8)
  • Keeping our eyes and minds on Him so that we are not easily swayed by the enemy and other loves of this world. (James 4:8; Isa 26:3; Philip 4:6-8; 1 Peter 5:8)
  • Seeking to please and honor Him in all that we do and say. (Colossians 3:17)

do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

May this be the way we live, surrendered to loving God with all of our hearts, souls, minds, and strength… living and loving like Jesus… and faithfully walking in the Spirit

The More We Know

How has Jesus redeemed us?

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Psalm 119, Quiet Time

Come and Find Me

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Based on Love God Greatly’s study of Psalm 119 / w8d4

Scripture: Psalm 119:174-176 / SOAP: Psalm 175-176

O Lord, I have longed for your rescue,
    and your instructions are my delight.
175 Let me live so I can praise you,
    and may your regulations help me.
176 I have wandered away like a lost sheep;
    come and find me,
    for I have not forgotten your commands

Psalm 119:174-176. NLT

Observation of the Journey

“The psalm ends on the reminder that the power and greatness of God’s word does not rest only in its literary brilliance. Its greatness and glory is in the fact that God comes to us and seeks us in and through His word.”

David Guzik1

We have read throughout this journey how the Psalmist loves God’s Word, he delights in it, he obeys it – but he here cries out to God: “Rescue me… Let me live… Come and find me.” He confesses that he has wandered away like a lost sheep who longs to be found. Can I just tell you, my friends, that while this may, to some, sound like an odd scenario given his love for the Lord and His ways – it does not sound odd to me, for I find it a puzzle piece from my own life. I have been in that place where I have found myself loving Him but veering off the path and finding myself stuck in the wilderness. The threads of sin entangling me, the lies of the enemy pulling me further and further away from the narrow path, and the sound of my Shepherd’s voice. I longed for it at times and wondered how I had gotten so far away. I truly loved His Word, but I found myself in the place of the Apostle Paul; I wanted to do what was right, but I didn’t do it. Instead, I did what I hated.2

I love the way Charles Spurgeon explains this passage. He wrote:

“The Psalmist was not like a dog, that somehow or other can find its way back; but he was like a lost sheep, which goes further and further away from home; yet still he was a sheep, and the Lord’s sheep, his property, and precious in his sight, and therefore he hoped to be sought in order to be restored.” (Spurgeon), cited by David Guszik, Enduring Word – Psalm 119:175-176

Like the Psalmist, I, too, called out to God, asking Him to rescue me, to come and find me, to help me live—not as one dead in their sins but as one alive in Christ and safe in the “sheepfold.” God not only rescued me but pursued me; even as I turned from Him, He pulled me back with His staff and led me to safety. He surrounded me with His protection. He became my refuge, my shield, and my defender.

Response to the Journey

If you have wandered away or strayed from the right path – call out to God. He will find you and rescue you. Do you want to live in slavery or in the rich, free life that Christ died to give you? Tell Him, He will come and find you and lead you safely back to the ‘fold.’

We are like sheep, but we are not without a Shepherd. We can call out to God, and He will rescue us. Find delight in His instructions, and do not forget His commands. As Soloman said of His wisdom, it brings delight to those who find it and healing to their whole body. (Prov. 4:20-22)

Prayer for the Journey

Father, You have pursued and rescued Your people throughout history. but what better story than the one found in Hosea, a picture of Your relentless love for Your beloved but adulterous people, Israel? Through His story, we know that You are a good and faithful Shepherd, or- as pictured in Hosea3, a good and faithful, unbelievably loving husband. May we delight in Your Word and not forget Your commands. May we be quick to follow after You, and if we stray, may we be even quicker to call out to You and rejoice when You lead us back to safety. – Thank You for rescuing me and changing me from the inside out! 🦋

Posted in Bible study, LGG Study

Faithful Love: Week 6, Friday — The Embrace of God’s Love

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Read: Hosea 14:4-9; 1 Corinthians 1:25 and James 3:17; SOAP: Hosea 14:9

Hosea 14:4-9

The Lord says, “Then I will heal you of your faithlessness; my love will know no bounds, for my anger will be gone forever. 5 I will be to Israel like a refreshing dew from heaven. Israel will blossom like the lily; it will send roots deep into the soil like the cedars in Lebanon. 6 Its branches will spread out like beautiful olive trees, as fragrant as the cedars of Lebanon. 7 My people will again live under my shade. They will flourish like grain and blossom like grapevines. They will be as fragrant as the wines of Lebanon. 8 “O Israel, stay away from idols! I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you. I am like a tree that is always green; all your fruit comes from me.” 9 Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those with discernment listen carefully. The paths of the Lord are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them. But in those paths, sinners stumble and fall.

1 Corinthians 1:25

This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.

James 3:17

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace-loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.

I want to be a wise woman. And I know that the only way of being wise is through knowing and living God´s Word every single day.

Read the Full Devotional

Type AMEN in the comment bar if you agree with the above quote.

Posted in Bible study, LGG Study

Faithful Love: Week 6, Thursday — It’s Never Too Late

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READ: HOSEA 14:1-3, NEHEMIAH 1:9, and 2 PETER 3:9; SOAP: HOSEA 14:2

Hosea 14:1-3

Healing for the RepentantReturn, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for your sins have brought you down. 2 Bring your confessions, and return to the Lord.  Say to him, “Forgive all our sins and graciously receive us, so that we may offer you our praises. 3 Assyria cannot save us, nor can our warhorses. Never again will we say to the idols we have made, ‘You are our gods.’ No, in you alone do the orphans find mercy.”

Nehemiah 1:9

9 But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.’

2 Peter 3:9

9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

He´s patiently waiting for every soul to reach repentance. –

Read the full LGG Devotional

Reflection Question: Hosea calls Israel once again to return to the Lord. This time he tells them to take words with them – what were the words or what was the point of the words?

Posted in Bible study, LGG Study

Faithful Love: Week 6, Wednesday Pleading our Cause

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Read: Hosea 13:15-16 and Jeremiah 4:11-12 and 51:36; SOAP: Jeremiah 51:36

Hosea 13:15-16

Ephraim was the most fruitful of all his brothers, but the east wind—a blast from the Lord— will arise in the desert. All their flowing springs will run dry, and all their wells will disappear. Every precious thing they own will be plundered and carried away. 16 The people of Samaria must bear the consequences of their guilt because they rebelled against their God. They will be killed by an invading army, their little ones dashed to death against the ground, their pregnant women ripped open by swords.”

Jeremiah 4:11-12

The time is coming when the Lord will say
    to the people of Jerusalem,
“My dear people, a burning wind is blowing in from the desert,
    and it’s not a gentle breeze useful for winnowing grain.
12 It is a roaring blast sent by me!
    Now I will pronounce your destruction!”Read full chapter

Jeremiah 51:36 – The Lord’s Vengeance on Babylon

This is what the Lord says to Jerusalem: “I will be your lawyer to plead your case,
    and I will avenge you. I will dry up her river, as well as her springs,

We blame God for all our problems and struggles, but actually, we are the ones to blame

Read the Full LGG Devotional
Posted in Bible study, LGG Study

Faithful Love: Week 6, Tuesday Conqueror of Death, Mighty to Save

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Read: Hosea 13:4-14 and Mark 10:45; SOAP: Hosea 13:14

Hosea 13:4-14

 “I have been the Lord your God ever since I brought you out of Egypt. You must acknowledge no God but me, for there is no other savior. 5 I took care of you in the wilderness, in that dry and thirsty land. 6 But when you had eaten and were satisfied, you became proud and forgot me. 7 So now I will attack you like a lion, like a leopard that lurks along the road. 8 Like a bear whose cubs have been taken away, I will tear out your heart. I will devour you like a hungry lioness and mangle you like a wild animal.

9 “You are about to be destroyed, O Israel— yes, by me, your only helper. 10 Now where is your king?
    Let him save you! Where are all the leaders of the land, the king, and the officials you demanded of me? 11 In my anger I gave you kings, and in my fury, I took them away. 12 “Ephraim’s guilt has been collected, and his sin has been stored up for punishment. 13 Pain has come to the people like the pain of childbirth, but they are like a child who resists being born. The moment of birth has arrived, but they stay in the womb!

14 “Should I ransom them from the grave? Should I redeem them from death? O death, bring on your terrors! O grave, bring on your plagues! For I will not take pity on them.

Mark 10:45

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Israel foolishly turned to its earthly governors instead of turning to God.

Read the full devotional –

This is the link I refer to in my SOAP recording today. It was a very helpful resource for me and I trust it will be for you too.

Commentary on Hosea 13:14 – God Will Deliver

Reflection Question: Why did Jesus come from Heaven to earth?

Posted in Bible study, LGG Study

Faithful Love: Week 6, Monday — All For His Glory

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Read: Hosea 13:1-3 and Psalm 1; SOAP: Psalm 1:6

Hosea 13:1-3 The Lord’s Anger against Israel

When the tribe of Ephraim spoke,
    the people shook with fear,
    for that tribe was important in Israel.
But the people of Ephraim sinned by worshiping Baal
    and thus sealed their destruction.
2 Now they continue to sin by making silver idols,
    images shaped skillfully with human hands.
“Sacrifice to these,” they cry,
    “and kiss the calf idols!”
3 Therefore, they will disappear like the morning mist,
    like dew in the morning sun,
like chaff blown by the wind,
    like smoke from a chimney.

Psalm 1

1 Oh, the joys of those who do not
    follow the advice of the wicked,
    or stand around with sinners,
    or join in with mockers.
2 But they delight in the law of the Lord,
    meditating on it day and night.
3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
    bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
    and they prosper in all they do.

4 But not the wicked!
    They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.
5 They will be condemned at the time of judgment.
    Sinners will have no place among the godly.
6 For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,
    but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

Instead of using what God had given them to do great things for His glory, they used their skills to make idols. Instead of investing their lives in eternity, they foolishly invested in the temporal.

Read the full LGG devotional –

Reflection question: What correlation do you see between our two passages today? (Specifically the events of Hosea 13:1-3 and the warning of Psalm 1.)

Gather with a group of friends this week for coffee (or tea, or cupcakes) and have an honest talk about what you think your gifts and talents are – and how you would use them for God if nothing stood in your way. Encourage one another to find one small way to take action and honor God with their gifts in the coming month. Then plan a date to get back together to check-in.

Weekly Challenge

Memory Verse: Hosea 14:9

Prayer Focus: Spend time praying for yourself this week. Feel free to share a request with us.

Posted in Bible study, LGG Study

Faithful Love: Week 5, Friday — A Heart Test

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Read: Hosea 12:12-14; 2 Kings 7:7-9; Micah 6:16 and SOAP: Hosea 12:14

Hosea 12:12-14 New Living Translation

Jacob fled to the land of Aram,
    and there he earned a wife by tending sheep.
13 Then by a prophet
    the Lord brought Jacob’s descendants[out of Egypt;
and by that prophet
    they were protected.
14 But the people of Israel
    have bitterly provoked the Lord,
so their Lord will now sentence them to death
    in payment for their sins.

2 Kings 7:7-9 New Living Translation

So they panicked and ran into the night, abandoning their tents, horses, donkeys, and everything else, as they fled for their lives. 8 When the men with leprosy arrived at the edge of the camp, they went into one tent after another, eating and drinking wine; and they carried off silver and gold and clothing and hid it. 9 Finally, they said to each other, “This is not right. This is a day of good news, and we aren’t sharing it with anyone! If we wait until morning, some calamity will certainly fall upon us. Come on, let’s go back and tell the people at the palace.”

Micah 6:16 New Living Translation

You keep only the laws of evil King Omri;
    you follow only the example of wicked King Ahab!
Therefore, I will make an example of you,
    bringing you to complete ruin.
You will be treated with contempt,
    mocked by all who see you.”

 The people of Israel had been so wicked and had made such atrocities, they “were being repaid for his disgraceful deeds” (Hosea 12:14).

Read the full devotional
Posted in Bible study, LGG Study

Faithful Love: Week 5, Thursday Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love

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Hosea 12:9-12 NLT

“But I am the Lord your God,
    who rescued you from slavery in Egypt.
And I will make you live in tents again,
    as you do each year at the Festival of Shelters.
10 I sent my prophets to warn you
    with many visions and parables.”

11 But the people of Gilead are worthless
    because of their idol worship.
And in Gilgal, too, they sacrifice bulls;
    their altars are lined up like the heaps of stone
    along the edges of a plowed field.

The people of Israel had confidence in their wealth, in their financial success and didn´t want to listen to Hosea. Ultimately, they didn´t want to hear God.

Read the Full LGG Devotional

Romans 8:38-39 New Living Translation

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Posted in Bible study, LGG Study

Faithful Love: Wk 5, Wednesday Wrestle or Surrender

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READ: HOSEA 12:1-8, JOEL 2:13; SOAP: HOSEA 12:5-6

Hosea 12:1-8 New Living Translation

The people of Israel feed on the wind;
    they chase after the east wind all day long.
They pile up lies and violence;
    they are making an alliance with Assyria
    while sending olive oil to buy support from Egypt.

 Now the Lord is bringing charges against Judah.
    He is about to punish Jacob for all his deceitful ways,
    and pay him back for all he has done.
3 Even in the womb,
    Jacob struggled with his brother;
when he became a man,
    he even fought with God.
4 Yes, he wrestled with the angel and won.
    He wept and pleaded for a blessing from him.
There at Bethel, he met God face to face,
    and God spoke to him—

The Lord God of Heaven’s Armies,
    the Lord is his name!
6 So now, come back to your God.
    Act with love and justice,
    and always depend on him.

7 But no, the people are like crafty merchants
    selling from dishonest scales—
    they love to cheat.
8 Israel boasts, “I am rich!
    I’ve made a fortune all by myself!
No one has caught me cheating!
    My record is spotless!”

Jacob lost the fight and wept. He came to the place where he knew God had beaten him, and all he could do was hang on to God and plead for a blessing.

Read the full LGG devotional here

Joel 2:13 New Living Translation

Don’t tear your clothing in your grief,
    but tear your hearts instead.”
Return to the Lord your God,
    for he is merciful and compassionate,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
    He is eager to relent and not punish.

WORSHIP WEDNESDAY CHALLENGE: DOES ANYTHING FROM TODAY’S READINGS CAUSE YOU TO WORSHIP GOD? IF SO, PLEASE TAKE A MINUTE TO SHARE IT IN 5 WORDS OR LESS