Hosea - History Repeats Itself

Posted on December 12, 2010 by Unknown

Scripture: Hosea 12:2-14 - Listen
Sermon Audio: Click to Listen
Fun lesson as we look back and consider what we should learn from the past and history.
Intro
The Fall of Rome - some factors

  • Deemphasis and decline of moral values 
  • Divorce rate had exploded to %50
  • Life was devalued
  • High unemployment of working classes.
  • Expansion of the welfare estate to take care of above 
  • Entertainment culture to appease the masses
  • High-inflation, high taxation.
  • Over-extended military engagement.
"Those that don't know history are doomed to repeat it"
So what does this have to do with Hosea. Hosea, in this passage uses a similar theme, giving Israel a history lesson, and reminding them from whence they came.
  • This first indictment is to Judah (the northern kingdom). Hosea is acknowledging how far gone Israel is (southern kingdom), but is warning Judah how very close they are to their own judgement and destruction. 
  • This is in legal language.  God the plaintiff is bring a case against Judah.
  • This is meant as a taste of his judgement but also an acknowledge of God's mercy and grace. In order to bestow grace, there must first be judgement. God' people must first know the state of affairs. 
  • This indictment prompts the solution, that his people may turn from their sin, and turn back to God, so that he may be once again in fellowship with his people.
To Illustrate Hosea Shows Three Lessons from Israels Past
  1. The lesson of God's grace to a depraved patriarch (12:2-6)
    • Grandson of Abraham, a son of the promise.
    • There are different interpretations of the life of Jacob however...
    • Jacob seems to be a bit of a scoundrel, yet perhaps no other character has been shown more of God's grace. What is this about?  (I wonder that like David, you have a character in Jacob with many flaws, but who seems to have the one thing God most desired, a man that seeks after him. They were both, men who were very flawed, which therefore shows the real power of God's grace. They did not deserve it of themselves. Still with Jacob it very often seems that he wanted the blessing more than God.)
    • Three events: v3 - 
      • In the womb he took his brother by the heel. He did not wait on God, and he did pay the consequences. He was forced into exile and God's promises were delayed.
      • The wrestling contest with God - Jacob deceived his father-in-law and was kicked out, then had to return to his brothers land. Fearing his brother, his sends gifts, then sends his family ahead into danger. Then in the night he wrestles with God. "I will not let you go God, until to bless me." After this Jacob for the first time refers to God as his God, instead of the God of his fathers. Even after that he did not always "live it", but God's promises remain true.
      • v4. - Bethel - the dream of the staircase, on his way to his uncles home. In the dream God reiterates the promises he gave to Abraham, and God would be the one to do it. All Jacob had to do was trust God. But this is before the wrestling event. Jacob in the end was impatient and fearful God was not capable. 
    • Jacob was ignoring God's grace, forgetting it, and not living it out in his actions. God's faithfulness would be shown, but he was missing out, delaying God's blessing. Hosea is saying, "look Israel and Judah, you are like this". Only in God can they truly be blessed.  Hosea is warning them that they are doing this.
    • How not to repeat v.6 - "return, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God."  By the help of your God....Repent, show love and seek justice, and abide in God.
    • We can not do this on our own strength.  Jacob tried over and over to do it himself. It is not our strength that we need. We pray so often for God to give us strength, but I think was we want is our strength, not his.  We can to be able to do it ourselves. Yet, it is His strength we need, not the strength of "our hands", but the strength of "his hands". 
    • At present, Rebecca and I are overworked, over-committed, and without regular sleep. This is my conviction, that we need to learn the lesson of Jacob's life, and not seek our own strength to finish, but ask God to finish in his strength. 
  2. The lesson of God's to a fallen nation. (12:7-9)
    • To be continued.
  3. The lesson of God's s to an d people. (12:10-14

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