Hosea and the U.S.A.

While I started my new job back in June, today was my first official day where I was formally leading our staff meeting, our devotions and our prayer time. Things went really well and my coworkers appreciated the connections I was making between the Old Testament book of Hosea and our current situation here in the U.S.A. This Bible study below was the format that I used for our 45 minute devotional and discussion. I hope it challenges you to seek the Lord on behalf of our country!

Hosea

and the United States of America*

-Hosea is the longest of the “minor” prophets ("minor" being “smaller,” not less important)

-written to Northern Israel from the 750s BC to the 720s BC

-deals w/ their lack of faithfulness to God, illustrated by Hosea’s marriage to Gomer

“Israel’s past is stained with disobedience and rebellion, Israel’s future holds the ominous threat of calamity, and Israel’s present demands an immediate and complete change of heart if that calamity is to be averted” (Overview in The Daily Walk Bible,” pg. 1152).

“Hosea sees clearly that it is Israel’s spiritual adultery, her harlotry, which has undermined and drained the nation’s moral fiber” (W. Dumbrell, The Faith of Israel, 185).

1.    “Israel’s Past” ~ Hosea 4:1-3

a.     What does this text say? Especially with the 10 Commandments in mind?

b.    With the U.S.A. in mind, what does this text mean?

2.    “Israel’s Future” ~ Hosea 8:7-14

a.     What does this text say? How have they reaped what they have sown?

b.    With the U.S.A. in mind, what is coming to harvest here?

3.    “Israel’s Present” ~ Hosea 10:12-13; 12:6; 14:1-9

a.     What do these texts say about turning back to God?

b.    How can we be agents of repentance for our families, our churches, and our communities, so to bless and help turn the U.S.A. back to God?

“Oh, how can I give you up, Israel? How can I let you go? How can I destroy you like Admah or demolish you like Zeboiim? My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows. No, I will not unleash my fierce anger. I will not completely destroy Israel, for I am God and not a mere mortal. I am the Holy One living among you, and I will not come to destroy. For someday the people will follow me”

 (Hosea 11:8-10a, New Living Translation).

“From 2000 B.C. (Admah and Zeboiim) to a time yet in the future for us, the long view on Israel was given. There was no excuse for anyone who listened to Hosea to fail to see the plan of God. Paul says with regard to his description of Christ’s coming again, “Therefore encourage one another with these words” (1 Thess. 4:18). From the past to the future, the history of the people of God has always been under the control of the God of that people. This was surely encouraging to the faithful who heard Hosea preach, just as it is to us who read his prophecies from the printed page”

(D. Stuart, Word Biblical Themes: Hosea – Jonah, 44).

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*In this devotional, my purpose is not to make a one-to-one correlation between 8^th century Israel and 21^st century America. Nevertheless, God’s Word is Truth; it is applicable to our individual and corporate lives today as we live here in the USA and as we live in these critical times.