The Love of God

Sunday, August 10th, 2014 (Sunday Worship)

Hosea 3:1­‐5 & 11:1­‐11 | Reverend Ryan Hughs

Hosea 3:1­‐5 & 11:1-­‐11

Hosea 3:1­‐5: And the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by another
man and is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, though
they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins.” 2 So I bought her for fifteen
shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley. 3 And I said to her, “You
must dwell as mine for many days. You shall not play the whore, or belong to
another man; so will I also be to you.” 4 For the children of Israel shall dwell
many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or
household gods. 5 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 to his goodness in the latter days.

Hosea 11:1‐11: When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. 2 The
more they were called, the more they went away; they kept sacrificing to the
Baals and burning offerings to idols. 3 Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk;
I took them up by their arms, but they did not know that I healed them. 4 I led
them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, and I became to them as
one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them.
5 They shall not return to the land of Egypt, but Assyria shall be their
king, because they have refused to return to me. 6 The sword shall rage against
their cities, consume the bars of their gates, and devour them because of their
own counsels. 7 My people are bent on turning away from me, and though
they call out to the Most High, he shall not raise them up at all. 8 How can I
give you up, O Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel? How can I make
you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils within
me; my compassion grows warm and tender. 9 I will not execute my burning
anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not a man,
the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath. 10 They shall go after
the Lord; he will roar like a lion; when he roars, his children shall come
trembling from the west; 11 they shall come trembling like birds from Egypt,
and like doves from the land of Assyria, and I will return them to their
homes, declares the Lord.