Broken Covenants
Opening Prayer
Give thanks to God for the way in which he has bound himself to you through Christ the Lord.
Read Hosea 1:1-2:1
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
[1] The word of the LORD that came to Hosea son of Beeri during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the reign of Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel: [2] When the LORD began to speak through Hosea, the LORD said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the LORD.” [3] So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. [4] Then the LORD said to Hosea, “Call him Jezreel, because I will soon punish the house of Jehu for the massacre at Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel. [5] In that day I will break Israel’s bow in the Valley of Jezreel.” [6] Gomer conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. Then the LORD said to Hosea, “Call her Lo-Ruhamah (which means “not loved”), for I will no longer show love to Israel, that I should at all forgive them. [7] Yet I will show love to Judah; and I will save them-not by bow, sword or battle, or by horses and horsemen, but I, the LORD their God, will save them.” [8] After she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, Gomer had another son. [9] Then the LORD said, “Call him Lo-Ammi (which means “not my people”), for you are not my people, and I am not your God. [10] “Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘children of the living God.’ [11] The people of Judah and the people of Israel will come together; they will appoint one leader and will come up out of the land, for great will be the day of Jezreel. [1] “Say of your brothers, ‘My people,’ and of your sisters, ‘My loved one.’ Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
How does God use Hosea's family to teach Israel?Often God would call a prophet to be a living picture of his message. This is the case for Hosea. The book opens with God saying to Hosea, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman” (2). Hosea is immediately obedient (3). Gomer, Hosea’s wife, bears a number of children, each of whom is given a symbolic name by God, including “Not loved” and “Not my people” (6,8). These are God’s statements of judgment against Israel for her unfaithfulness, an ongoing theme in this small book. God takes seriously the covenant he made with Israel, his bride. In the twenty-first century, God calls us to renounce our idols of comfort, romance, success, and so on. It’s clear that idol worship and unfaithfulness break our relationship with him (9). But there is hope. God promises his faithfulness. He will keep his promise to Abraham (cf. Gen. 15), explaining, “In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘children of the living God'” (10). God keeps his word. Even when we don’t.
Apply
How have you ignored God and gone looking for other things you thought would bring you satisfaction?
Closing prayer
Forgive me, Lord, for putting anything before You in my affections. Restore me to Yourself through Your faithfulness.
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