Scriptures for Sunday

I am teaching a series at my church on the minor prophets. We are in Hosea right now. The tragic marriage of Hosea and Gomer is a vivid portrait of the Israelites and how God views his relationship with them. Gomer was a prostitute before she married Hosea and she went back to her lovers. Hosea had to buy her back. What was Hosea’s response? Considered these verses.

Hosea 2:14-16 New King James Version (NKJ)

“Therefore, behold, I will allure her,
Will bring her into the wilderness,
And speak comfort to her.
I will give her her vineyards from there,
And the Valley of Achor as a door of hope;
She shall sing there,
As in the days of her youth,
As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.

“And it shall be, in that day,”
Says the Lord,
“That you will call Me ‘My Husband,’
And no longer call Me ‘My Master,’

Hosea 2:19-23 New King James Version (NKJV)

“I will betroth you to Me forever;
Yes, I will betroth you to Me
In righteousness and justice,
In lovingkindness and mercy;
I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness,
And you shall know the Lord.

“It shall come to pass in that day
That I will answer,” says the Lord;
“I will answer the heavens,
And they shall answer the earth.
The earth shall answer
With grain,
With new wine,
And with oil;
They shall answer Jezreel.
Then I will sow her for Myself in the earth,
And I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy;
Then I will say to those who were not My people,
‘You are My people!’
And they shall say, ‘You are my God!’

Hosea 3:1-3 New King James Version (NKJV)

3 Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery, just like the love of the Lord for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love the raisin cakes of the pagans.”

So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver, and one and one-half homers of barley.And I said to her, “You shall stay with me many days; you shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man—so, too, will I be toward you.”

And aren’t we just like Israel? We go after other lovers in the form of things that become more important than God. Even good things can get in the way of our relationship with God. Anything that is put before him is considered an unfaithful act. Such as people, tasks, job, trying to get ahead no matter what, duty to family or church, etc. What do the Scriptures say about this?

1 John 2:15-17 New King James Version (NKJV)

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

We too have been bought with a price—the blood of Jesus.  Hosea bought Gomer for himself for fifteen shekels of silver, and one and one-half homers of barley. God loves us so much that he sent his only begotten son that whoever believes him shall have eternal life. See John 3:16-17

1 Corinthians 6:2For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Is there something that you are placing in your life above a relationship with Jesus? Are you ready to turn towards God instead?

All Scriptures from www.biblegateway.com

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