Hosea 11-12

Hosea 11-12

Unchanging Love

I.                    Even though we struggle against God’s grace, thankfully we can never change His unconditional love; but we must not stubbornly reject His amazing love, and we must trust in His tender mercy (11:1-11)

a.       God’s guidance and provision for people during their exodus from Egyptian slavery, reveals the nature of His unchanging love for His people. As a loving Father He held their hand and encouraged them as they learned walk. When they fell, He lifted them in His arms, set them back up right, and mended their wounds. When they were hungry, He bent down to them and fed them. They slaved under the heavy Pharaoh in Egypt, but God led them gently, calling for their obedience as their response to His great love and provision. However, the more God did for them, the more they held onto Egypt. They turned to false and worthless gods then, and they’ve continued on that trajectory since. They still tried to profess themselves as God’s people, but still held on senselessly to idols. They boasted in their own strength and capabilities, relied on false gods, and other nations, instead of trusting in the One who provided for them from the beginning. God freed them from captivity, but they chose to be enslaved again because they refuse to repent and turn to God. But, even in the midst of His rejected His love, God’s heart is moved with compassion for His rebellious people. His people won’t feel His full wrath like Sodom, Gomorrah, and the cities on the plain. He must discipline their sin, but He will never stop loving them or fighting for them, and they will eventually return to Him. He isn’t going to force them to choose Him, but He alone knows what is best for them. Our only freedom from captivity and the ultimate expression of God’s unchanging love is Christ. We’re all held captive and enslaved by our wayward sinful choices which reject God’s love, but Jesus fulfilled God’s promised exodus from captivity to sin so all who stop stubbornly rejecting God’s love and trust in Him, can experience the reality of His unchanging love and tender mercy in their lives. (11:1-11; Gen. 14-15, 19; Exod. 4:22; 15:22-26; 32:1-35; Numb. 11:4-6; 24:8-9; Deut. 7:7-12; 29:23; Isa. 1:10; 29:13; Jer. 25:30-38; Ezek. 16:46; 33:11; Joel 3:16; Amos 1:2; Matt. 2:14-15; 15:7-9; John 3:16; 8:30-36; Rom. 3:21-26; 5:6-11; 6:23; 8:15-17; 9:18-33; 11:5-12, 25-36; Col. 2:9-14; 1 Tim. 2:3-6; 1 John 3:16a; 4:9-10)

II.                 Even though we struggle against God’s grace, thankfully we can never change His unconditional love; but we must submit to Him and cling to His amazing grace for true life (11:12-12:14)

a.       Israel and Judah lie about their true source of loyalty and security, and try to deceive God into working on their behalf. They speak of God, but their trust is really in their own strength, idols, and the foreign nations. Israel is playing with fire, and they’ll be burned, but there’s still time for Judah to repent, turn back to God, and avoid discipline. God compares the manipulation and scheming of His people to Jacob. He was born holding onto his twin brother Esau’s heal, he later connived to swindle him out his birthright, deceived his father out of Esau’s blessing, and ultimately ended up on the run. But God met him on the run and assured him of a greater birthright than he had connived his way into. Touched, but still unchanged, Jacob proceeded to Aram where he engaged in a 20-year battle of deceitfulness with his future father-in-law over acquiring wives. Jacob ended with the upper hand, but on the run again. However, running back home, he found himself faced with confronting his brother. He took every measure he could in his own strength to manipulate his circumstances and preserve his life, but ultimately he found himself terrified and alone. But God stepped in again and confronted Jacob who refused to submit and wrestled with God until He injured his hip so that he couldn’t fight any more. The deceiver who wrestled for approval and control his whole life was humbled, finally realizing God was his greatest need. God gave him a new heart, the new name “Israel”, and peace with his brother. God’s wayward people were acting like Jacob and not Israel. They tried to deceive God, but only put up barriers to His grace. They rejected God’s love, mercy, and grace, and His word through His prophets. They will be disciplined for their sinfulness, but God’s love and grace is always available to those who submit to Him in repentance, live obediently to His commands, and trust faithfully in His amazing grace, mercy, and love. Going our own way in our own strength, leads only to struggle, fatigue, bitterness, and disappointment. But when we submit to God and cling desperately to His grace in Christ, we live satisfied, purposefully, and renewed in His unchanging love. (11:12-12:14; Gen. 25-36; Exod. 19:4-6; Lev. 23:33-44; Ps. 37:1-11; Prov. 11:1-8; 20:23-24; 29:18; Isa. 3:8; 40:28-31; Jer. 2:24-31; Matt. 5:5; 11:28-30; 19:16-30; 23:23; Luke 6:43-49; Rom. 12:1-2; Rev. 3:14-21)