A Bible Study for the Family Forum

[Depleted]

Something seems to be missing with the "advice" given on this forum -- memory of who WE are. Not "they." "WE."

How about a reminder for all of us, before we help all of them?

Anyone up for studying the book of Hosea together?

To see how this is connected, a brief rundown on why God chose Hosea --

Hos 1:1 The word of the LORD that came to Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.
Hos 1:2 When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, "Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD."
Hos 1:3 So he went and took Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.
Hos 1:4 And the LORD said to him, "Call his name Jezreel, for in just a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel.
Hos 1:5 And on that day I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel."
Hos 1:6 She conceived again and bore a daughter. And the LORD said to him, "Call her name No Mercy, for I will no more have mercy on the house of Israel, to forgive them at all.
Hos 1:7 But I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the LORD their God. I will not save them by bow or by sword or by war or by horses or by horsemen."
Hos 1:8 When she had weaned No Mercy, she conceived and bore a son.
Hos 1:9 And the LORD said, "Call his name Not My People, for you are not my people, and I am not your God."
Hos 1:10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, "You are not my people," it shall be said to them, "Children of the living God."
Hos 1:11 And the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall appoint for themselves one head. And they shall go up from the land, for great shall be the day of Jezreel.

Now remember, Hosea is the husband of Gomer. It doesn't matter if they married from love. It matters they married, so he was bound to love her as a wife. That's what happens when two people commit enough to marry. AND he was Daddy to those children, so he loved them too, even as he named them. Loved them more as they grew up. They were family.

That's why I think this is a good Bible Study for this forum.

And, also understand, I'm no teacher. Don't expect me to run this Bible study. When you have something to share about the book, share it. And tell what you learned. But do not make this a pulpit to teach anything other than what it's about. I think Hosea speaks for the Lord in this, and I think we're either Gomer or one of the kids. And I think it will give us a clearer look at our standing with the Lord, so we won't be so stiff-necked with our "advice."

Anyone interested?

 

[PennEd]

Good advice on advice Lynn! We MUST season our advice with a healthy dose of love when dealing with people humble enough to take a chance and share intimate details of their life online in a Christian forum. It is NOT optional.

Hosea is awesome. Should be a great study.

 

[Depleted]

The idea here is we share this study together.

So let me start. Honestly, the first first verse looks like a whose Who list of xylophone players from the 1800s -- as in it gives me a big HUH? Those names mean nothing to me, so had to check out what my Dead Guys (the commentary writers I use) said.

They all agree on some things. Like Hosea came along during the years when Israel was becoming a mighty nation, and profitable. I'm picturing America in the 1950s and 60s, wen we had made a name for ourselves around the world, and nothing could go wrong. Now, imagine hearing then that the country is doomed. It's going to fall apart. It's worse than that. Israel is still the 13 tribes, and God was telling them he was kicking out all but two. Even worse than that since the reason he wasn't kicking out Judah was directly related to the Savior comes from that tribe.

And, Hosea? We know that name. It's the exact same word as Joshua and Jesus. So no mistake God was going to use him to suffer for his people. And no mistake God was using him to take away some of the ones God won't save.

I really feel bad for Hosea. Not only did God have him marry a whore, he also had him have kids with her, (and I'm sure God worked it out that they really were Hosea's kids despite the potential for them not being his kids), and he lived with this for at least 69 more years. (The reigns of two of those never-heard-of-them kings -- which apparently I have heard of, but I'm lousy with names -- shows he had to have been around for at least 69 years. Some say probably 70+ years, and many say a good 90 years.) So he saw his family fall apart as well as his country, all ordained by God.

Now, personally, had I known Hosea, I would have told him to divorce the wife, and are you crazy having kids with her? Considering I'm not one to suggest divorce as an easy-out, that's saying something.

BUT the thing that keeps getting me is even if I told him that, I'd be Gomer telling him that!

After all, he clearly represents Jesus, and I'm the one cheating on Jesus! That's what gobsmacks me about this book. God had one of his favorite people marry the town whore to show what it is like to love the town whore so deeply, and to see his own children raised up to be "Dispersion," "No Mercy," and "Not My People."

What a horror it had to be to Hosea. Yet we are like his wife. And this is what God does -- marries whores because he loves us. Definitely not a book for the faint-hearted.

Anyone else getting something out of the beginning?

 

[Joidevivre]

I noticed that the only child that was for sure from Hosea was the first one. From that point on, it just said she bore other children. No mention of being Hosea's children. We don't really know if some were born out of her promiscuity or not.

 

[Joidevivre]

I also feel sorry for Gomer. What happened to her that made her so needy and unfulfilled?

And maybe when she understood just how faithful and loving Hosea was, it made her feel even more unworthy. So many of us feel that unworthiness and guilt. And run because we have trouble believing that in the same condition we could really be accepted and loved.

I think Gomer struggled with a lot more things than Hosea did. She must of been tormented between her compulsion to run and satisfy an emptiness in herself and being the mother that her children deserved.

Finally, Hosea proves his love for her by buying her back - and it seems that she settled into this relationship. She finally believes he really loves and accepts her. This is a picture of how through love restoration happens. Not only spiritual restoration, but even in marriages.

I lived this story.

And I can so identify with the pursuit of God, who never gives up showing his love to those who are unfaithful to Him. He knows how to tenderly woo them back into His embrace.

 

[Depleted]

Sorry, very busy day yesterday, so didn't have time to come back.

The beginning of this book is so matter-of-fact, I never considered if Gomer loved Hosea too. It's also connected, (only in my mind), with which generation I am. I'm from the generation where if a girl got pregnant, she married the father of the child and hoped they'd make it for the child's sake. So many marriages started without love and went from there. Odd way of thinking considering it says plainly that they did marry before having children. So, obviously, Gomer wasn't covering herself in marriage because she got pregnant.

I love how you connected it to us. Yeah, it's hard not to love someone who loves you even knowing who you are. But changing because of that is a struggle, isn't it?