Verse: “I will plant her for myself in the land; I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one.’ I will say to those called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people’; and they will say, ‘You are my God.’”  Hosea 2:23,

The northern kingdom of Israel sinned. The Lord sends a prophet Hosea and explains how the Lord sees their actions through the life of Hosea. What a man of obedience was the prophet Hosea who was ready to marry a prostitute at the command of the Lord to display the Lord’s view of the people

Date of Writing: Hosea, the son of Beeri, prophesied for quite some time, from 785 to 725 B.C. The Book of Hosea was likely written between 755 and 725 B.C.

Purpose of Writing: Hosea wrote this book to remind the Israelites—and us—

1. Lord’s Love: that ours is a loving God whose loyalty to His covenant people is unwavering. In spite of Israel’s continual turning to false gods, God’s steadfast love is portrayed in the long-suffering husband of the unfaithful wife. 
2. Lord’s Standards: Hosea’s message is also one of warning to those who would turn their backs on God’s love. 
3. Sin’s Consequence: Through the symbolic presentation of the marriage of Hosea and Gomer, God’s love for the idolatrous nation of Israel is displayed in a rich metaphor in the themes of sin, judgment, and forgiving love.

Beginning of the story, when the LORD first spoke to Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, “Go, get yourself a wife of whoredom and children of whoredom; for the land will stray from following the LORD.” – Hosea had 3 kids and Lord asked them to name so people will see Lord immediate judgements,

1. “Soon punish“– So he went and married Gomer daughter of Diblaim. She conceived and bore him a son, and the LORD instructed him, “Name him Jezreel; for, I will soon punish the House of Jehu for the bloody deeds at Jezreel and put an end to the monarchy of the House of Israel.
2. “No longer accept “ She conceived again and bore a daughter; and He said to him, “Name her Lo-ruhamah; for I will no longer accept the House of Israel or pardon them. (But I will accept the House of Judah. And I will give them victory through the LORD their God; I will not give them victory with bow and sword and battle, by horses and riders.)” 
3. “Not My people “ After weaning Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. Then He said, “Name him Lo-ammi; for you are not My people, and I will not be your [God].”

Verse: And he answered them, saying, who is my mother, or my brethren? Mark 3:33

Background: His brothers and His mother: Perhaps these relatives of Jesus sent to Him to carry out the plan described in Mark 3:21, to lay hold of Him, thinking that Jesus was out of His mind.

Who is My mother, or My brothers? We might have expected that Jesus’ family would have special privileges before Him. 

Whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother: Mark 3 ends with a huge contrast. There are religious leaders in danger of damnation and an invitation to be part of Jesus’ family.

Thoughts: For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother sister, and mother. This is what Jesus said, from this statement, it is very clear we are supposed to do God’s will to be part of His family. What is the will of God, let us study 5 things that are explicitly mentioned about God’s will in the Bible.

1. Thanksgiving: 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus “. So, the Lord is expecting us to give thanks in every situation
2. Sanctified: 1 Thessalonians 4:3 “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality” We should live a blameless life, the Lord wants us to be Holy for our Lord is Holy.
3. Do Good: 1 Peter 2:15 “For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people”. As a result of salvation, the grace we received was free but at the same time, it is transforming. We are created to do good work.
4. Be Filled: Eph 5:17-20 “Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” To be filled with the Spirit, Holy Spirit to indwell in you, will lead and control your life.
5. Renewal: Rom 12: 2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will” We no longer think like the world, our priorities are not things of the world, we carry the burden of the Lord and obey the word of God.

Final Thought: Do you know the Will of God, Are you living to fulfill it ?

Verse: “Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘children of the living God.’  Hosea 1:10

Introduction: What is the longing of the Lord? – To redeem His people, across human history, we see how the Lord reached out to redeem. We are so precious to him that He sent His only begotten son Jesus. Story of Hosea

Background: It records the events from 753-715 B.C. including the fall of the Northern Kingdom in 722. The key personalities are Hosea, Gomer, and their children.

Its purpose was to illustrate the spiritual adultery of Israel and God’s boundless love for His sinful people. Hosea brings God’s message to the wicked Northern Kingdom.

During this time, they are active in oppressing the poor in slavery and worshipping idols. God, because of His grace, sent another opportunity for Israel to repent and turn to Him. Shortly thereafter, the Northern Kingdom went into permanent captivity.

Lesson: In chapters 1-3, God gives Hosea instructions to marry an unfaithful woman, and he obeys. His unfaithful wife Gomer leaves him and finds another man. Hosea is faithful; he finds her, redeems her and brings her back home to him. 

We see the heart of God the Father in these 4 verses

• My People: In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘children of the living God.’  Hosea 1:10 

1. Stay With Lord: “Then I said to her, ‘You shall stay with me for many days. You shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man; so I will also be toward you” Hosea 3:3
2. Change Identify: I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one I will say to those called ‘Not my people,[j]’ ‘You are my people’;  and they will say, ‘You are my God.’”  Hosea 2:23
3. Loved Us: “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. Hosea 11:1

Verse: As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. Psalm 42:1

Background: Psalm 42 is associated with the “Sons of Korah.” These were probably groups descended from the infamous family punished after the exodus (Numbers 26:9–11). Some commentators believe the Sons of Korah became influential worship leaders during the time of David and Solomon.

The psalm begins expressing a desperate longing for God. This famous comparison depicts an animal panting with thirst. The desire to know and commune with God is an urgent, vital need. 

7 Questions in Psalm 42

1. When shall I come and appear before God? Psalm 42:2  – The author asks the Lord
2. “Where is your God?” Psalm 42:3,10 Enemies asking Author
3. How I would go with the throng Psalm 42:4 Author asking the Lord
4. Why are you cast down, O my soul, Psalm 42:5,10 – The author asks himself
5. why are you in turmoil within me? Psalm 42:5, 10 The author asks himself
6. Why have you forgotten me? Psalm 42:9, The Author asks the Lord
7. Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” Psalm 42:9– The Author asks the Lord

Even faithful people can be tempted to despair. The writer turns to express a sense of overwhelming grief. This is compared to a brutal chain of oncoming waves or the relentless pounding of a waterfall. 

Emotional State of the Author

1. Pants: As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. Psalm 42:1
2. Thirsts: My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Psalm 42:2
3. Tears: My tears have been my foodday and night, Psalm 42:3
4. Remember: These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: Psalm 42:4
5. Hope: Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. Psalm 42:11

Deep spiritual need crying out for an equally deep response. Enemy attacks tempt the psalmist to despair, but God is the solid Rock worthy of trust. Being mocked by unbelievers is painful but should not override our trust in God’s goodness. Instead, the psalmist looks to the future with hope 

Verse The sound of a tumult is on the mountains as of a great multitude! The sound of an uproar of kingdoms, of nations gathering together! The Lord of hosts is mustering a host for battle. Isa 13:4

Background: Isa 13:4 – The word of God “Yahweh of hosts is mustering an army for battle.” This was the prophecy that came to Isaiah regarding the nation of Babylon. The Lord passed judgment on the wickedness of the Babylonian Kingdom and told them their evil deeds were going to be punished, their kingdom was going to be destroyed by the Medo-Persian kingdom, we know in Daniel that this happened.

Lesson: People thought the Lord was not acting, he was not punishing the wicked. Remember like the nature of the Lord, we say “Love, Sovereignty, All-Powerful, Almighty” ” judge and Justice are also our Lord’s nature, A few verses to ponder

• 2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ”
• Romans 2:16 “On the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.”
• Revelation 19:11 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness, He judges and wages war.”

Are we in !! The final judgment of the world is coming, and he is mustering an army for war to punish the wicked, the question is are we at the Lord’s side, are we in the victory team or are we the victims?

Are we Out!! Victims are the ones who continue to sin and have not accepted Jesus as their personal savior, for Jesus paid the price for our sins on Calvary, Jesus rose again from the grave, did we rise again from the grave, are we living a victorious life in Jesus, living a blameless walk with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.