Dwell in the Word: Hosea 11:1-12:1

Contemplate these questions as you dwell in Hosea 11:1-12:1:

1. The passage illustrates a recurring pattern of God's people turning away despite His constant calling and mercy. How can this pattern in ancient history serve as a reflection of the human inclination to prioritize personal desires over a relationship with God in contemporary times?

2. The text portrays God's eagerness to restore His people despite their consistent rebellion. In what ways can individuals today align themselves with this narrative by recognizing God's call for restoration and responding to it, especially in moments of personal struggle or spiritual disconnect?

3. The passage highlights the power of God's Word in calling His people back to Himself. How can modern believers actively listen and respond to the "roar" of God's Word in their lives, ensuring that they continually seek restoration and renewal through the message of the Gospel?

Transcript:

 The situation here is spelled out for us clearly once again, and we see it in verse 2. Even though God has called his people to himself, even though he has rescued them, we see that the more they were called, the more they went away. They kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols. Now, you don't have to read the entire Old Testament to see the truth of this.

We see throughout the Old Testament how God continues to call his people, he continues to be faithful to his people, but they turn away from him in idolatry. They forsake him. They go after the idols. They go after the Baals. They sacrifice not to him, but to the false gods. And this is really the nature of the human heart.

We desire what we desire. We, we do not seek out the one who is true God. We... Seek out that which we want that which brings us what we think we need and so we go after the things of the flesh and that is what is real. This is what Judah has done historically We see this all throughout the Old Testament and so God sums it up here in verse 7.

My people are bent on turning away from me and though they call out to the most high he shall not raise them up at all He says that they're just that's all they can think about they're incessant on turning away from me. And even though they call out to me  Not going to raise them up,  but we see that God is in fact merciful While he has been talking of judgment We see here that that he is pained by this and so we read in verse 9 He is not going to execute his burning anger  Says for I am God and not a man the Holy One admits and I will not come in wrath  And we see why as we look at verses 10 through 12, and we see it really clearly God's goal is restoration for his covenant people.

It says they shall go after the Lord. He will roar like a lion when he roars his children shall come trembling from the West. They will desire to seek him out. Why not because they are doing it on their own. We've seen what the desires of their hearts render, right? It is rebellion It is idolatry but when God speaks when God roars like a lion his people will come to him because he has called them to himself and they will return to him and God promises they're going to return to their homes.

Even though all this stuff has happened, even though Ephraim is surrounded God with lies, and the house of Israel has been filled with deceit, Judah is still walking with God. They are faithful to him, but God is going to call them all back to himself. He calls his people. He restores them.  And so, as we think about what this passage means for us, I think it's important that we remember that we need to hear the Word of God, because this is what calls us.

The Word of God roars to us with the Gospel, and it says, Return to me, for I am faithful to you. I am slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. So, we need to ensure that we are hearing the roar of God in the Gospel, that we are hearing the Word, that we are knowing the Word, and we are remembering this truth.

That God calls his people and he restores them And so may we be restored by our hearing of the word today May the spirit work in us and may we depart from our homes today May we go out into the world and may we love others because God has first loved us.