Hosea 11:1-11 “Take Me Home”
INTRO: A son grows up and abandons his father; Israel is like that to God; now they will go to exile away from home
-But amazingly, God has a LOVE THAT WON’T GIVE UP on His people, and will one day bring them back!
-THIS IS GOD: God has A LOVE THAT WON’T GIVE UP on His people but brings them back home!
CONTEXT: Prophet Hosea proclaiming God’s word to the North Kingdom
-Hosea and Gomer=God and Israel.
-God is calling Israel back to Himself and promising a future redemption.
MI: Because God has A LOVE THAT WON’T GIVE UP, we can hope in face of our own sin and faithlessness
RELEVANT TO US: We need to see that this is what God is like in the midst of our own failures and sin.
-God’s ‘never giving up’ love leads us back to Him and motivates a fresh repentance
11:1-7: A FATHER’S LOVE REJECTED
The first half of the chapter teaches about God’s fatherly for Israel was rejected.
-God’s FATHERLY LOVE: 1, 3-4
1 When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son…. 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.
NOTICE: God’s fatherly LOVE for Isarel.
–HISTORY: God lovingly brought Israel out of Egypt; fed them; gave them water; pillar of fire and cloud; law
Moses and leaders; shoes did not wear out; gave them the land.
-RELEVANT TO US AS WELL: Acts 17:24-27, 30-31
-God has shown you love and kindness in more ways than you could even count or conceive.
-Consider all the material blessings, relationships, and fact you are still alive today.
SUMMARY: Unlike the Baals and false gods of our world, our God has a tender love for His people.
-A TERRIBLE Betrayal: 2, 5b, 7a
2 The more they were called, the more they went away; they kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols.
5…because they have refused to return to me…7 My people are bent on turning away from me,
-Israel has turned away from God!
-Chosen the path of sin and idolatry.
-Rejected God.
-THIS rejection is awful and evil: Jeremiah 2:19b
US: We too have rejected God: Rom 3:23
-We have suppressed the truth about God in our hearts Rom 1:19-21
-GOD’S RIGHTEOUS RESPONSE TO ISRAEL’S SIN: EXILE
-God spoke through Moses about consequences of forsaking God and His good design for their lives
-Exile was warned: “I will scatter you among the nations” (Lev 26:33)
A Time of Exile in Assyria is Coming: 5a, 6-7
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.
-Fulfillment of this in 722
US: We too are estranged and far from God: Eph 2:11-12
-We are not naturally lovers of God, but His enemies.
-Left to ourselves, this is a hopeless state.
11:8-11: A LOVE THAT WON’T GIVE UP!
-A LOVE THAT WON’T GIVE UP! 8-9
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.
-God won’t give up on Israel (8a)
-Exile will happen, but God’s love for faithless Israel continues
-This is a beautiful love, a love that overcomes even our faithlessness.
-God’s heart Revealed (8b) My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender.
-This is the very heart of God toward His people! He does not delight in the death of the wicked, but is compassionate
–JESUS: Matt 9:36: Jesus having compassion, looking on us as sheep without a shepherd
-MERCY is coming (9): “I will not execute my burning anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim….I will not come in wrath”
-They will experience exile, but that is not the end for them.
-A LOVE THAT TAKES US HOME 10–11
Return from Exile 10-11
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.
-God will bring His people back from exile
-Partial fulfillment in Ezra and Nehemiah
-True fulfillment in Christ: Jere 16:16; Matt 4:19
-GOSPEL CONNECTION: The mercy and redemption shown to Israel find their fulfillment in the gospel.
-Prodigal Son: Luke 15:11-32
-‘Home’ by Edward Sharpe and Magnetic Zeros
ALEXANDER: Alabama, Arkansas; I do love my ma and pa; Not that way that I do love you.
Well,… me oh my, You’re the apple of my eye, Girl, I’ve never loved one like you.
JADE: Man, oh man, you’re my best friend, I scream it to the nothingness, There ain’t nothing that I need.
Well, … pumpkin pie, Chocolate candy, … Ain’t nothing please me more than you
CHORUS: Oh, home, let me come home, Home is wherever I’m with you.
Oh, home, let me come home, Home is wherever I’m with you
APPLICATION: “Home” is being back with God, in a restored relationship with Him—enjoying God.
-Jesus takes us home to God; Rescues us from our estrangement and brings u back.
-Come back to God again today (Hosea 6:1-3)
CLOSE: God’s love is a never-giving up love, and He will have His people back, even if it cost the life of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ
-Remember God’s never-giving up love for you, and let that propel you to come back to Him.
