SOURCE FOR QUESTIONS
Hosea 8:1 through 14:9

‍KEY VERSE FOR MEMORIZATION
“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you” (Hosea 10:12)

BACKGROUND

Hosea 8, and the remainder of the book, demonstrate the anger of God upon a constantly backsliding people. Through the prophet, God began to describe the terror of judgment that would befall Israel because of sinful living. Even though the people were rejoicing because of their great harvest, and nominally recognizing Jehovah, it appeared that much of their celebration was really in honor of Balaam. The warning was loud and clear that their rejoicing would soon cease.

The more the people of Israel prospered, the more flagrant their moral and religious corruption became. Their hearts were divided, and they served idols rather than the one true God. They were instructed in the first commandment to worship only Him, and to have no other gods before Him. They had ignored this commandment, and because of that, retribution would come.

In chapter 11, the prophet referred to the early history of Israel. Even though God was full of wrath and judgment, His heart was still the heart of a father.

Although the book was written to the Northern Kingdom of Israel, the Southern Kingdom of Judah was equally guilty. Therefore, all of Israel’s glory would be turned to shame.

The thirteenth chapter begins a discourse on the rebellious attitude of Israel, and the people’s persistence in shameless idolatry. It opens with a reference to the tribe of Ephraim, which originally had occupied a position of prominence in the nation. Because of Ephraim’s apostasy and evil influence on all of Israel, God condemned it to total destruction.

In chapter 14, the people of Israel were called to repent and turn to God, the only One that could help them. Even though judgment was coming, God was giving hope, if only they would turn to Him. The prophet looked ahead to the day when Israel would return to the God of their fathers and love His laws. The result of obedience would be the bountiful blessings of a loving God.

SUGGESTED RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS

1. Why did the Lord refuse to respond when Israel cried out to Him in a time of trouble? Hosea 8:3,4
   
   The people of Israel called on God when they were in trouble and claimed to serve Him, but their profession was false. Their religion was corrupt and their worldly and sinful lives were evidence that they had turned from God. They were praising God with their mouths and their rituals, but at the same time they were refusing to follow His righteous ways.
   
   Discuss with the class that verbal repentance or just being present in the midst of those who worship God is not enough. Repentance requires a change of heart and conduct. Tragically, those who professed that they knew God rejected Hosea’s message. They did not repent, so divine retribution was sure.
   
   Israel had also set up leaders who were not qualified by God’s standards. Discuss the qualifications that should exist in leaders of the church today (1 Timothy 3:1-10). Hosea proclaimed that when godly leaders are not chosen, the result will be the destruction of the purpose of religion, a return to the worship of idols, and a seeking of selfish ends.
   
2. What doctrinal teaching is reinforced by God’s declaration that He would love the people of Israel no more? Hosea 9:15
   
   The doctrinal teaching is that God’s grace is not unconditional. People who repeatedly reject the mercy of God will one day experience His judgment. Many falsely teach that God’s grace is extended forever, regardless of what evil a person does, but this is contrary to Biblical warnings. This teaching gives a false sense of security to those who take the warnings of God lightly and continue to disobey.
   
   Discussion could lead to various ways this false teaching is proclaimed today (predestination, eternal security, no victory over sin, etc).
   
3. What type of ground did God condemn? (Hosea 10:12) How would following God’s instructions change the condition of the ground?
   
   Hosea spoke of fallow ground. This is ground that has been so neglected and hardened that seed will not penetrate it. Ground of this sort has caused famines even though rain has fallen. Tell your class that if they take a shovel and dig up the hard soil under a puddle after a rain, they will probably find that the moisture is no more than an eighth of an inch deep. Under that thin layer of moisture is dry, hardened earth. The fact is, rain does little good when the ground is too hard. The water just evaporates when the sun comes out. The ground must be broken up and cultivated in order to benefit from the rain.
   
   According to verse 13, the hearts of the people of Israel had become spiritually hardened. It was time to break up their hard hearts by repenting of their sins. True repentance for sin would open them to the will of God. They needed to sow seeds of righteousness through earnestly seeking God, until they once again would experience His mercy and love.
   
   Discussion could go into the condition of our hearts today. Revival is the result of preparing our spiritual ground so it can absorb the showers of blessing the Lord desires to send.
   
4. What do verses 1 and 4 of chapter 11 tell us about God’s love for Israel? What clue is God giving that would change judgment to mercy and blessing?
   
   Chapter 11 opens with an opportunity for the reader to look into the heart of God. The first and fourth verses show God reminiscing with a longing to see His people return to the day when their hearts were tender and they realized they were a needy people before God.
   
   God called them and they rebelled. In verse 3, God spoke of taking His children in His arms and binding up their hurts, but they didn’t even know that He had healed them. They so soon forgot.
   
   All Christian parents feel pangs of pain if they have wayward children. Discuss what joy it is to parents when they see their children return home with a repentant heart. God is giving a promise that He would respond like a father if the people would see that they were needy and cry out to Him that they could not continue without His presence. Then He would return and love them.
   
5. Hosea repeated one of the most important commandments ever given by God. What was it, and how does that command apply to us today? Hosea 13:4
   
   The command was that the people were to know no other god but Him. There is only one God, and He is the only One mankind should serve. Those in Israel were trying hard to find happiness and contentment, but those could only be found through God.
   
   In our day the thought is prevalent that we can do anything we set our minds to do. There is such a push to be something or somebody, and to set our sights high in earthly ambitions. It could be very easy to put material goals first, but God says that He is the only One who can give us peace, happiness, and contentment.
   
6. Amid all the judgment and anger God felt toward Israel, what hope did He give for those who had ruined their lives in sin? Hosea 13:9
   
   He told them that there was help in Him. The people of Israel had made a total wreck of their nation. Sin and rebellion against God had caused them to reach the end of themselves. But even though sin had destroyed all the good that God had intended for them, God offered this ray of light in the darkness.
   
   There are times when people have made such a mess of their lives that they may feel there is no hope. Yet if they would only look to God, they would hear Him say, “In me is thine help.”
   
7. When God reached out in mercy and called Israel to repent, what did He promise? Hosea 14:4-7
   
   After the people of Israel had gone through their punishment, God would heal them, restore them, and love them freely as a father cares for his children. Their lifestyle would be godly and pure. They would be strong and highly prized, and deeply grounded in God’s Word. All the figures of speech in these verses show how precious His restored people would be to Him.
   
8. Who does the God of Israel say is wise? Hosea 14:9
   
   The just. Bring out that the wisdom God is talking about involves understanding God and His ways, and it is demonstrated through a life lived in accordance to His standards of right. Wisdom in the Bible is not merely having great knowledge. It is having the right attitude of heart and a right relationship with the Lord.
   
   The ninth verse summoned the people to respond from their hearts to the message given them by the prophet Hosea. This is very similar to what Jesus said in Matthew 11:15: “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” A wise person is one who listens and does what is right.
   
   Discuss with the class the importance of striving to know the will of God and living in it. In this area of life we cannot afford to follow what others may do, but we must personally search our hearts and find the will of God.

CONCLUSION

The judgments of God are sure for those who choose not to listen to His warnings. The mercy of God is also sure, and it reaches out to all mankind, but it will not be extended forever. The wise person will let God take charge of every part of his or her life.