Chuck Larsen

Hosea is all about the unfaithfulness of God’s people in contrast to His faithfulness. We turn our backs. We violate his commandments. We worship other gods. But He always calls us back to Himself. He always wants us back. We break our marriage contract with Him, but he will never break His covenant with us. He is not like us! He is perpetually faithful.

In a closing passage from Hosea, God expresses the depth of His love and enduring faithfulness for His people. In Hosea 13:14, God asks, “Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol? Shall I redeem them from Death? O Death, where are your plagues? O Sheol, where is your sting?” The assumed answer to the first two questions is “yes” I will. The assumed answer for the last two questions is “nowhere.” The plagues of death and the sting of death have been defeated for God’s people. God will never go back on His word. View full article »

Hosea calls for God’s unfaithful people, Israel, to “break up the fallow ground” in their hearts.  Jeremiah 4:3 includes the very same exhortation. We all have a little fallow ground.  It must be broken up. When that’s done, then we will be able to “Sow for yourselves righteousness” as we sow righteousness we will then “ reap steadfast love” (See Hosea 10:12)

Israel’s hard, unfaithful heart broke God’s heart. It’s all a matter of the heart; God’s heart for His people and His people’s heart, or lack of heart, for their God. The heart is the center of our lives. Scripture often uses agricultural language when it illustrates the character of our hearts.  Before seed can be sowed or harvest reaped, the ground must be prepared. Weeds must be removed. Jesus told the parable of the four soils and interpreted it for us as representing hard, fallow hearts, rocky hearts, weedy hearts and finally good soil hearts. If the crop is bad the farmer does not try to fix the plants, vines, trees or the sprouts. He focuses on the soil. You have to get to the heart of the problem. Solomon pleads with his son, “above all else guard your heart.”

It’s so easy to let our hearts become callous and hard-packed.  Hosea calls us to break our own hearts. Make it soft! Make it receptive to God’s work.  Remove the rocks, pull the weeds, plant the good seeds of God’s Word, fertilize it, water it, watch over it carefully and watch God bring true growth as we experience a harvest of His steadfast love.

Chuck

“Create in me a pure heart, O God.” (Psalm 51) “Blessed are the pure in heart.” (Matthew 6)

Hosea’s marriage was a nightmare. His wife, Gomer, had other men’s children and had numerous affairs, leaving her husband with a broken heart.  But Hosea would not turn his back on her. He still loved her and cared for her and was always there for her when she had enough of her immorality. His heart was broken, but his love was steadfast. She was forgiven but it would be naïve to think her episodes of betrayal would be without consequence in the relationship. This might be the focus in Hosea 7:2. God speaks of his unfaithful people and although he stands ready to forgive them he says, “But they do not consider that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds surround them; they are before my face.” View full article »

Hosea is the story of God’s broken heart over man’s sin. Moses brought God’s covenant down from Sinai and all God’s people acknowledged it. At the end of Deuteronomy we see the nation saying “I do” as Moses read the moral laws to the people. But, people are not faithful to their promises as God is. They broke every one of the 10 commandments. In Hosea 4, God points out specifically how the Israelites have violated the 10 commandments and broke their marriage covenant with God. Verses 1 & 2 say, “There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land;  there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.” View full article »

Hosea is a story of a broken heart. God’s people, whom he loves with an undying love, have abandoned him for other lovers. They did not appreciate the depth of His love for them. They did not return His love for them. They wanted the pleasure & excitement of playing the field instead of the blessings of a wholesome and honest monogamous relationship. With Hosea’s life, God held up a mirror in which His people could see and appreciate what they’ve done to Him. Hosea 1:2 says, (ChuckLarsenVerson) God told Hosea, “Your wife will never be faithful to you. She will conceive and bear children from other men, but not for you. Her promiscuity will make you a laughing stock to the world.  But more importantly, because of your deep love for her, her affairs will break your heart. This will illustrate how my people have treated me.” View full article »