HOSEA LESSON 2


     We will begin this lesson in Hosea 2:1 "Say ye unto your
brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ruhamah."

     These two names tell us that God will not have pity on them,
because He has ceased to call them His people. This is spoken to the
Jezreel, who is spoken of as the seed sown. Not only is the physical
house of Israel seed, but the Christians are, as well. This warning is
to all who fall away from God.

     Hosea 2:2 "Plead with your mother, plead: for she [is] not my
wife, neither [am] I her husband: let her therefore put away her
whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her
breasts;"

     The same message is in this chapter that was in chapter one. It
is just expressed more fully. The "mother" is speaking of the harlot
wife, Israel. Christians must remember, that Jesus is coming back for
a bride that is without spot or wrinkle. He does not want a bride that
is committing spiritual adultery either. The worship of false gods is
spiritual adultery. We must be faithful to Him, if we are to be His
bride. The "adulteries from between her breasts", possibly, speaks of
hidden sin. This is just another warning to keep the first
commandment. Mark 12:30 "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all
thy strength: this [is] the first commandment." To not keep this
commandment is spiritual adultery. Sins that are hidden are just as
bad as those out in the open.

     Hosea 2:3 "Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that
she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry
land, and slay her with thirst."

     The house of Jacob was in this condition, when God sent Moses to
bring them out of Egypt to the promised land. They had nothing. They
became the wife of God, when they made covenant with Him to keep His
commandments.  This was, also, the condition of a sinner, before he
was saved. We make covenant, when we receive Jesus as our Saviour and
Lord. The righteous do not hunger and thirst, they are filled. Those
who wander away from God, do not benefit from the things of God,
because He withdraws from them. This is what this is saying here. They
must repent or God will let them get back into the condition He found
them in.

     Hosea 2:4 "And I will not have mercy upon her children; for they
[be] the children of whoredoms."

     God greatly blesses the children of those who are faithful to
Him. Let us see what happened to those who worshipped false gods.
Exodus 20:5 "Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them:
for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of
the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation]
of them that hate me;"  We see then what verse 4 above, is speaking
of. These children can repent and come to God on their own, however.
The mother generally has a great deal to do with the moral character
of her children. She has not taught them correctly, in this particular
instance. Sometimes, the mother could be speaking of the church. In
that case, a church which does not teach truth could cause the members
to fail.

     Hosea 2:5 "For their mother hath played the harlot: she that
conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my
lovers, that give [me] my bread and my water, my wool and my flax,
mine oil and my drink."

     The "mother", here, is Israel. It could, also, be the church.
Israel had been unfaithful to God. The lovers, here, are, possibly,
speaking of the countries around them. God did not want Israel mixing
with the heathen nations around them, because they would pick up bad
habits from them. The worship of false gods was introduced to them by
the people around them. They made treaties with these nations and
picked up much of their culture. Israel belonged to God, and He had
provided for all of her needs, and had even fought her battles for
her.  Now, she is turning from God's help to worldly people's help.
God was sufficient for them. He is sufficient for us today, as well.
There is no need to look to the world for answers. The world does not
have answers. Only God has answers to our problems.

     Hosea 2:6  "Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with
thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths."

     She was determined to go her own way. She does not follow in the
path God has made for her. When she decides to do this, God covers His
path, that He had left for her with thorns. She will not be able to
find her way back, unless God removes the thorns. Christians know that
Jesus is the Way. To try to get to heaven other than by Jesus is
impossible. To walk in sin, even now, obscures the path that leads to
God.

     Hosea 2:7 "And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall
not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find [them]:
then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then
[was it] better with me than now."

     You cannot try out the world, and then come back to God anytime
you want to. That is what Israel found out, and it is what Christians
find out, also. God did not want part of their love, He wanted all.
Loyalty to God involves forsaking all of the world. Israel suddenly
realizes that she was much better off, when she was with God.

     Hosea 2:8 "For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine,
and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, [which] they prepared for
Baal."

     It was God that had provided her with all her needs. He had loved
Israel so much that He gave her far beyond her need. He had showered
her with silver and gold, as well. Since we are looking at this
spiritually, we must remember that "silver" symbolizes redemption and
"gold" symbolizes God. God had redeemed her, and provided all of her
needs. She repaid Him by giving that gold to the false god Baal. She
had great wealth, but did not appreciate the fact God had showered the
wealth upon her. She took God for granted.  The saddest thing was, she
used the gold and silver to worship a false god.

     Hosea 2:9 "Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the
time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my
wool and my flax [given] to cover her nakedness."

     Her unfaithfulness to God causes Him to remove all the blessings
she had known before. She will be in the same condition she was in,
when He saved her out of Egypt.

     Hosea 2:10 "And now will I discover her lewdness in the sight of
her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand."

     "Lewdness" means disgrace. God does not want her anymore, because
she has been unfaithful. No husband wants an unfaithful wife. He will
bring punishment upon her for her sins. She deserves His punishment.

     Hosea 2:11 "I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast
days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts."

     All of these times were when she communed with God. All
communication with God is cut off. These had been times set aside,
when God and His people fellowshipped.

     Hosea 2:12 "And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees,
whereof she hath said, These [are] my rewards that my lovers have
given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field
shall eat them."

     God had given them the vines and fig trees. Since they had
abandoned Him, He takes away the blessings He had given them. God will
not cause them to be fruitful anymore. All of these things belong to
God. He can do with them whatever He wishes.

     Hosea 2:13 "And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein
she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings
and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith
the LORD."

     The "days of Baalim" is speaking of the time when they were
practicing idolatry. They had given the love that belonged to God to
these false gods. The "burning of incense" in the temple of God
symbolized the prayers of the saints rising to heaven. It appears,
they had been praying to false gods. Outward show of beauty is not
Godliness. True beauty comes from within. You may appear to the world
to be in right standing with God, but God looks on the heart. They had
become worldly, and forgotten God. They were lovers of pleasure, more
than lovers of God.
     Hosea 2:14  "Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her
into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her."

     God will draw her to Him again, is the message in this verse. God
punishes His own, when they have sinned, but He is quick to forgive
and restore them. He is like a loving parent, who whips a child in
error, and then forgives him, and restores him, because he is his own.

     Hosea 2:15 "And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and
the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as
in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of
the land of Egypt."

     God's forgiveness is not just in words. He restores her vineyards
again. He pours out His blessings on her again. There is hope. Just as
God was the hope of the family of Jacob in Egypt, He is the hope of
the Israelites here. Achor is not very far from the fertile land of
Jericho. Achor is the entrance to that land. In Jericho today, the
fruit and vegetables are far more than they need for themselves. It is
so fruitful, they sell much of it. This is a prosperous area.

     Hosea 2:16 "And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, [that]
thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali."

     The fact that she is to call Him Ishi, indicates that she is
recognizing Him as her husband. She had acted like the false gods were
her husband before. This will be no more. She is the wife of God.

     Hosea 2:17 "For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her
mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name."

     Just as God discredited the false gods of Egypt, He takes the
names of her false gods away here. She will remember them no more. She
will have totally forgotten them.

     Hosea 2:18 "And in that day will I make a covenant for them with
the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and [with] the
creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword
and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down
safely."

     Zechariah 2:11 "And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in
that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of
thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto
thee."

     This is speaking of that time when the Root of Jesse shall rule.
This is that time of perfect peace, when the Lord Jesus Christ shall
reign. The 11th chapter of Isaiah explains it in detail. There will no
longer be one nation that belongs to God, but He will rule over all.
Everyone who believes in Christ will be His bride. Revelation 21:3 "
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle
of God [is] with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be
his people, and God himself shall be with them, [and be] their God."
     Hosea 2:19 "And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will
betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in
lovingkindness, and in mercies."

      The law of commandments will be no more. Ephesians 2:15 "Having
abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments
[contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new
man, [so] making peace;" Read the rest of the chapter to get the full
picture. "This is when He writes the law on the heart of man.  Hebrews
10:16 This [is] the covenant that I will make with them after those
days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in
their minds will I write them;" "Righteousness" is being put in right
standing with God. Jesus did it for us, all we have to do is believe.
All of these; righteousness, judgement, lovingkindness, and mercy
come from God to man.

     Hosea 2:20 "I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and
thou shalt know the LORD."

     Hebrews 8:11 "And they shall not teach every man his neighbour,
and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know
me, from the least to the greatest."  This knowing is a free gift from
God.

     Hosea 2:21 "And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear,
saith the LORD, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the
earth;"

     This is speaking of the time when the door to heaven is opened.
God has access to the people, and we have access to Him.

     Hosea 2:22 "And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and
the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel."

     The relationship with God and Israel is restored. This time, it
will never be separated again. When this great day comes, there will
be no enemy. The land will abundantly produce for Israel.

     Hosea 2:23 "And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will
have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to
[them which were] not my people, Thou [art] my people; and they shall
say, [Thou art] my God."

     This could be the wife of God, Israel, who had been rejected of
God. All relations had become new. God is starting all over again with
Israel. This could, also, be speaking of the unbelieving world, which
has been offered the opportunity to be God's people. Whosoever will,
regardless of nationality or blood line, shall have the opportunity to
be God's people, and Him be their God. Romans 3:29 "[Is he] the God of
the Jews only? [is he] not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles
also:" Romans 9:26 "And it shall come to pass, [that] in the place
where it was said unto them, Ye [are] not my people; there shall they
be called the children of the living God."

                          Hosea 2 Questions


1.  What do the two names, in verse 1, tell us?
2.  Who is the warning to?
3.  The mother is speaking of the ________ ______.
4.  Jesus is coming back for a bride that is without ______, or
    ______.
5.  The worship of false gods is __________ ___________.
6.  What speaks of hidden sin?
7.  Quote Mark chapter 12 verse 30.
8.  What was the condition of Jacob's family in Egypt?
9.  When did they become the wife of God?
10. Why did God not have mercy upon her children?
11. Quote Exodus chapter 20 verse 5.
12. Who could the mother of verse 4 be, besides physical Israel?
13. Who are Israel's lovers in verse 5?
14. What was wrong with them turning to the nations around them for
    help?
15. Why can she not find the path?
16. To walk in sin, even now, ___________ the path that leads to God.
17. When does she decide to come back to God?
18. Who had provided her with silver and gold?
19. "Silver" symbolizes _____________.
20. Does God allow her, to come back, when she wants to?
21. What does "lewdness" means?
22. What were the feast days, new moons, and sabbaths?
23. What does God do with her vines and fig trees?
24. What is the "days of Baalim" speaking of?
25. What did the "burning of incense" in the temple symbolize?
26. True beauty comes from __________.
27. They were lovers of ____________, more than lovers of ____.
28. What change takes place in verse 14?
29. Besides just saying He has forgiven her, what does God do?
30. What does her calling Him "Ishi" mean?
31. Quote Zechariah chapter 2 verse 11.
32. What is this time?
33. Where can we find a detailed explanation of this?
34. Quote Revelation chapter 21 verse 3.
35. Quote Ephesians chapter 2 verse 15.
36. What is righteousness?
37. Quote Hebrews chapter 8 verse 11.
38. Who are the people who belong to God?
39. Quote Romans chapter 3 verse 29.
40. Quote Romans chapter 9 verse 26.