So, as we come to the end of the book of Hosea, we have seen an interesting flow to the story, right? It all started out with Hosea being told to marry Gomer and it's a picture for us of the unfaithfulness of the people of Israel, the people of God and the faithful one who is God. Hosea represents the faithful one and Gomer is Israel who has, has turned aside to adultery.

 Now I know what you are thinking today. This is exactly what I wanted. This is the kind of imagery I wanted for devotional thoughts today as I looked at God's Word. Obviously, nobody is thinking that. This is very harsh language. This is difficult stuff to read, difficult. stuff to hear. But what it shows us is the unfaithfulness of Israel.

 So, as we come here to the 12th chapter, we see Hosea using the story of Jacob as an example of what Israel should do, right? So, we start here that that all the way back in the womb Jacob was seen by us as we read the book of genesis to be struggling with God and that's the idea there. He took his brother by the heel and in his manhood, he strove with God in other words from the time that he was young until he was a man he fought with the angel and prevailed He wept and sought the favor of the angel and notice what it says He met God at Bethel and there, God spoke with us.

 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.

 As I said, that's a lot of text there, but you can see why it's really one thought. It's a flowing judgment that is coming from God. And we see it starts out, hey, people, don’t rejoice. Don't be like people who are allowed to have joy. You have forsaken your God. And so, the prophet goes on here to speak of what is going to happen.

 Oh, Israel, things are not going well for you and for Judah and for Ephraim. Nothing good is happening here, is it? Even when they make claims that they are following God, God exposes their idolatry and their wickedness. And we see this right as we come to verse 2 here. To me they cry, my God, we, Israel, know you.

As we start out, I just want to ask you a question, if for no other reason for you to consider it. Have you spent some time in Hosea before? Have you done anything other than just read through it to read it? Have you stopped and thought about what is happening here and, and the harshness of this language?

 As I've mentioned several times as we've been reading through Hosea, there is so much here that is hard for us to read and so much that is hard for us to hear because it involves the punishment of God. But we have to remember that God is a God who he disciplines his children. The people of Israel had turned away.

 This is arguably some of the harshest language we have read so far, isn't it? And it doesn't feel like this was where we should be going, right? Uh, didn't we just look at the end of chapter 3? Afterward, the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the Lord.

And so, we see here the life of Hosea, once again, reflecting what God is doing with Israel. And so, it's interesting, God tells Hosea to go and buy back, to redeem Gomer. He buys her back, even though she is unfaithful. Even though the average person would say, I'm done. I am not returning to this. I'm not going to put myself through this.

As we start out here in verse 14, as you're, if you're watching on video, you'll see I highlighted just the four words, speak tenderly to her. I thought that was interesting as I was reading this because the previous part of chapter two was not God speaking tenderly. He was speaking a judgment, but yet God loves his people and now he is bringing them grace.

 So, as we come to chapter two, we see the root of the issues that are happening between Israel and God are basically idolatry, right? God is using this imagery of an unfaithful wife to help us to understand how Israel has been unfaithful to him. And so, what do we see here? What are the issues that happen as we see in verse eight?

As we start out, we see that the word of Hosea is coming to both the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Remember, there was the split after King Solomon where Israel was divided into two and one, the Northern Kingdom was Israel, and the Southern Kingdom was Judah. But here we have the word of the Lord coming to Hosea, and he is speaking to both kingdoms.