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I LOVE GOMER HOSEA 3:1-5 Pastor Stephen Muncherian October 11, 2009 |
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Today we're going on in our look at marriage. What we've been looking at is the bottom line stuff of male
female relationships and what makes marriage work or not work. Our desire - looking at marriage -
is to see more clearly God's design for marriage - and to see more clearly
from God's word how our marriages can keep getting better. We've been exploring three cycles
that can describe where we are in our relationship as husband and
wife. Cycle number one is the Weakening Cycle - which is a description of what we struggle with in our marriages. We saw this cycle when we looked at the first three chapters of Genesis - especially Genesis 3:16 - God explaining the consequences of sin to Eve - in Genesis 3:16 - God nails the bottom line of our husband wife struggle. God says to Eve, "yet your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." Literally - the Hebrew has this idea: "Your desire is going to be to control your husband. And He is going to exercise control over you." What's gone wrong with the honeymoon. Without love - Adam protecting Eve
from the serpent - Eve insecure - reacts without respect for Adam - takes
leadership away from Adam who's let her down - desires to control her
husband - and Adam - not respected by Eve - because she's taken the role
of protect and provide away from Adam - Adam reacts without love towards
Eve. Adam demanding to
exercise control over Eve.
Eve desiring to control her husband. For those that were with us does that sound
familiar? The second cycle we looked at is the Energizing Cycle. We looked at this cycle when we
looked at Ephesians 5 - some very practical things that we can do as
husbands and wives to cut-off the destruction of the weakening cycle and
get us moving forward together as husbands and
wives. The number one need of a man is what? Respect. The number one drive of a man is
what? to provide and
protect. As a husband is
giving himself to do that providing and protecting thing - he needs the
unconditional respect of his wife. The number one need of a woman is what? Love. She desires love - especially love
that fosters a feeling of relational security. Security coming from a husband who
will be there for her in the way she needs him to be there for her -
unconditionally loving her.
That love provides the protection she needs to feel - what allows
her to feel secure. Looking at the Energizing Cycle. As the husband loves his wife it
motivates her to respect him which motivates him to love her. That energizes our marriage -
energizes us to do what God has purposed and enabled us to do as a married
couple. When we looked at Ephesians 5 we saw some very practical ways
that both husband and wife can work together or alone to make that
happen. We also saw that God
really puts the weight of responsibility for all this on the husband. The husband needs to get the cycle
started. We husbands are called to follow the example of Jesus. We're called to sacrificial
headship towards our wives.
Marriage isn't about getting our spouse to conform to our needs or
grousing when they fall short - and then we'll love them. Those are conditions placed on
love. That's the Weakening
Cycle. Jesus didn't wait until we we're lovable to love us
unconditionally - sacrificially - on the cross. Sacrificial headship means the we
husbands go first - we risk everything - rejection - disrespect - to love our
wives. That all is the basis of the third cycle we looked at - briefly
last Sunday - the Rewarding Cycle - our marriages humming along - firing
on all eight cylinders - which happens as we learn to express
unconditional love towards each other. All of which is not easy. Amen? Someone said, "Marriage teaches you loyalty, forbearance, self-restraint, meekness and a lot of other qualities you wouldn't need if you stayed single." Where we'd like to focus this morning is on that third cycle -
the rewarding cycle - to focus together on unconditional love and how we
can go there together. To do
that I'd like to have you turn with me to the book of Hosea. Hosea is a little to the right of
half way through the Bible.
In the Old Testament - Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos
Obadiah. In my Bible its on
page 1,252. We're going to come to Hosea chapter 3. But before we get there we need to back up to chapter 1 - starting at verse 1 - and understand together the big picture of what's going on. Let's say that together, "The big picture." Hosea 1 - verse 1:
The word of the Lord which came to Hosea the son of Beeri,
during the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and
during the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of
Israel. Let's pause.
There's a ton of information here we need to grab on
to. You all remember Hezekiah. Remember him? Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah
were all kings of Judah - the southern kingdom. Of the four kings which one led
God's people away from God?
Ahaz. Ahaz was
perverse - immoral. If there
was a way to sin against God Ahaz did it and did it
well. Hezekiah was a good king.
Remember this? 180
degree turn around from his father Ahaz. Cleaned out whatever wasn't of
God. Led God's people back to
God. Point being that during the days of Hosea - Judah - the
southern kingdom - was hanging on spiritually. Overall they were doing okay in
their relationship with God.
Not great. But
okay. In the northern kingdom - Israel - where Hosea was - the
opposite was going on.
Jeroboam was an evil king - perverse - ungodly. What follows after the reign of
Jeroboam - for Israel - is a slide into disaster. Of the kings that come next. They all were evil. Kings became kings by
assassination. Reigns were
generally very short.
Finally in 732 BC - the Assyrians - remember them? Brutal guys - a whole nation
focused on war and conquest that made the Klingons look like a bunch of
flower children - in 732 the Assyrians under Tiglath-pileser III came and
carved up Israel - the northern kingdom where Hosea was. Finally in 722 Shalmaneser V -
comes and hauls God's people off into captivity in Assyria - ending the
sovereignty of Israel as a nation.
All of which was God's judgment on the ungodliness of His
people. Point being that Hosea was living through all
that. By giving us the names of these kings we know where Hosea fit
into that time of history.
Under Jeroboam and Uzziah - the kings that were on the throne when
Hosea got started - under Jeroboam and Uzziah there was great
prosperity. The borders of
Israel and Judah were extended almost to where they were under David and
Solomon. Luxuries were
common. Life was
good. But what was pleasing to the people wasn't pleasing to
God. In prosperity the people
had no time - no place - for God.
Beneath the surface of Disneyland was a growing tide of perversity
- immorality - ungodliness - unrest - people treating other people lower
than dirt - the fabric of society coming apart at the seams. Does that sound
familiar? God had sent them prophets like Jonah and Amos. In the south Isaiah and Micah were
around. But God's people kept
rejecting God and God's love for them. Until the Assyrians rolled over
Israel and hauled God's people off into captivity. Hosea saw all that.
Was called by God as a prophet calling God's people back to
God. One other thing we need to know. Hosea's name means
"salvation." Its closely
related to the names Joshua and Jesus. Hosea was known as "the love
prophet." That's really
true. In this book Hosea
represents God. What were
going to see - is that while God's people are rejecting God - we're going
to see through Hosea - God's unconditional love - His persistent love -
for His people who are anything but lovable. Let's go on: Hosea
1 - verse 2: When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to
Hosea, "Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of
harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the Lord."
We're together on the symbolism. Right? Hosea represents God. His wife is a prostitute - who
represents God's people - who are out committing spiritual adultery with
other gods and the stuff of the world. The children are the result of
that sin. God speaks to Hosea and says, "Go marry a prostitute." Can you imagine - with a real time illustration like this - can
you imagine the layers of sin that God was trying to break through to get
the attention of His people? Verse 3: So he - Hosea - went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. And the Lord said to him, "Name him Jezreel - which means "God scatters." - for yet a little while, and I will punish the house of Jehu for the bloodshed of Jezreel - which is a bit of history for another time - and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel." Which happened - right?
Israel hauled off to Assyria.
God scatters. Verse 6: Then she - Gomer - conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. And the Lord said to him - Hosea - "Name her Lo-ruhamah - which means "not pitied" - for I will no longer have compassion - pity - on the house of Israel, that I would ever forgive them. But I will have compassion on the house of Judah - that was doing sort of better spiritually - and deliver them by the Lord their God, and will not deliver them by bow, sword, battle, horses or horsemen." When she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and gave birth to a son. And the Lord said, "Name him Lo-ammi - which means "not my people" - for you are not My people and I am not your God." Hosea and Gomer have children together.
Each child is given a name - by God - that shows where the relationship of God and His
people have gone - where its going - because of the spiritual adultery of
God's people. These are harsh names.
Imagine showing up a school.
"What's your name?"
"God scatters." "Do
your parents hate you or what?"
Imagine what kind of teasing did these kids got. Brutal. There's "not pitied." Her dad is that wacko prophet
dude. Her mother's a
prostitute. When people saw the child. When they heard the name. They should have understood. Should have been appalled at where
sin had taken them in their relationship with God. Should have turned back to
God. But God's people persisted in sin. They continued to reject God's love. And God gave them over to the
reality of what it meant for them to not be His people - the reality of
what it meant for them to live apart from the blessings of a covenant
relationship with God. Verse 10: Yet - meaning even though my people continue to reject me - even
thought they're going to get hauled off into captivity - scattered over
the face of the earth - yet - this is what will happen - this is what I - God - am going to
do for My people - Yet the number of the sons of Israel will be like the sand of
the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered; and in the place where it
is said to them "You are not My people," it will be said to them, "ou are
the sons of the living God."
And the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel - both the southern and northern kingdoms - will be gathered together - two kingdoms separated and scattered over the face of the
earth - both will be united together again. - and they will appoint for themselves one leader - meaning one ruler - one government - over both kingdoms -
and they will go up from the land - back on the land I gave them - for great will be the day of Jezreel. Grab that. Not
until May 14, 1948 - the independence of the State of Israel - 2,669 years after the
fall of the southern kingdom of Judah - not until May 1948 was it possible
to speak of a truly autonomous - undivided - nation of Israel - on the
land promised by God - in the way that God prophesied through Hosea. God drawing His people back to
Himself. Reestablishing them
as a nation - as His people.
God never giving up on His commitment to His
people. That's unconditional - persistent - love. God loving His people - not
because His people deserve it.
But, because God chooses to love them.
Verses 10 and 11 - here in chapter one - in the Hebrew text
verses 10 and 11 are actually the beginning of chapter two. Chapter two expands on this
reality of the disaster of God's people removing themselves from their
covenant relationship with God - and how greatly God loves His
people. God choosing to love
His people. Let me give you just a taste of this. Two examples to help us cement in our minds this reality of unconditional love. Look with me down at chapter two - verse 19 - God speaking to His people of what He - God - is going to do for them. Verse 19: "I will betroth you to Me forever. Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, in lovingkindness and in compassion, and in faithfulness. Then you will know the Lord." The name "Lord" here translates the Hebrew "Yahweh" - the name
of God that describes God as always existing - the eternal creating
God. And yet its the name of
God that describes His intimate saving relationship with His people. The God who saves His people -
pulls them out of Egypt - brings them back from exile - redeems them from
sin. The eternal God of creation - who could have justifiably spoken
one word and none of this would exist - poof - gone - no more unfaithful
people. God - takes His
people - who have prostituted themselves with every known form of
perversity - and makes them to be righteous - made right before Him as a
virgin bride - and justified - set free from condemnation for their sin -
and He - God - commits Himself to faithfully pouring out his love and
compassion on them - forever. Go down to verse 23:
"I will sow her for Myself in the land. I will also have
compassion on her who had not obtained compassion, and I will say to those
who were not My people, 'You are My People!' And they will say, 'You are my
God!.""
God here is the Hebrew "Elohim" which describes God's divine
power. Nothing in creation -
not even guys like Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria or Adolf Hitler
dictator of Nazi Germany or Ahmadinejad President of Iran - is going to
keep the Almighty God from reestablishing His people in the land that He's
promised them. Are we together? Unconditional love is the choice to love - regardless. And committing everything we are to acting on that choice to love. Let's say that together, "Unconditional love is the choice to love... regardless. And, committing everything we are to acting on that choice to love." That's the background to chapter 3. Chapter 3 - verse 1:
Then - after the wedding - the kids - and Gomer leaving Hosea and
living as a prostitute again - then the Lord said to me - Hosea - "Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet and
adulteress, even as the Lord loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to
other gods and love raisin cakes."
So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver and a
homer and a half of barley. Chapter 3 is "A homer for Gomer." Let's say that
together, "A homer for Gomer." We're not talking
baseball. We're talking the cost of unconditional love. What would this be like?
Buying back your wife who's out selling herself as a
prostitute? Bidding for her
at a public auction? Buying
her back from slavery to her sin?
Humbling?
Sacrificial?
Sacrificially setting aside our pride and our prerogative to reject
her? This is an amazing picture of
God purchasing us - redeeming us - buying us back from our sins - in Jesus
Christ - on the cross - the cost of unconditional love. Verse 3:
Then I - Hosea - said to her - Gomer - God speaking to His people - "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." For the sons of Israel will remain
for many days without a king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar
and without ephod or household idols. Afterward the sons of Israel will
return and seek the Lord their God and David their king; and they will
come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the last
days. Do you hear God pleading with His people? "Seek Me. Come to Me. Dwell with Me. Live in the goodness of relationship with Me. Forever." Turn forward with me to Ephesians 5 - to the verse we skipped
over last Sunday. Ephesians 5
- verse 32. Remember in
Ephesians 5 - the verses we looked at - Paul is writing about
marriage. That whole
discussion about marriage - in the larger picture of Ephesians 5 - that
whole discussion about marriage is really a discussion about Jesus'
relationship with His Church. Ephesians 5 - verse 32:
This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to
Christ and the church. The mystery begins in Genesis. After the fall - the
honeymoon is over - God is describing the disastrous effects of sin - in
the same conversation when God speaks to Eve about the struggle we have
between husbands and wives - Genesis 3:16 - back in verse 15 God speaks to
the serpent - to Satan - God says, "I will put enmity between you and the woman - Eve - and between your seed - your descendants - and her seed - her descendants - He shall bruise you on the head and you shall bruise him on the heel." (Genesis 3:15) There's going to be ongoing warfare between Satan and His
minions and God's people. But
God's people will be victorious.
(Romans 16:20) How -
we're not told. Its a
mystery.
God goes on through history - through Scripture - with the
Passover Lamb and the whole Old Covenant sacrificial system - clues to
help us understand the mystery - glimpses of what He's about
doing. Isaiah - inspired by God - Isaiah writes: "Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He
carried...He was pierced through for our transgressions...By His scourging
we are healed...the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on
Him." (Isaiah
53:4-6) Those are
clues. Ezekiel writes of God's people - Israel. "And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within
them. And I will take the
heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that
they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I
shall be their God." (Ezekiel
11:19,20) Joel writing of the day when God delivers His people - Joel
writes, "It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit
on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men
will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on the male and female
servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days." (Joel
2:28,29) God works in mysterious what? ways. There's a mystery that flows
through Scripture - flows through history - God at work. God unconditionally - by choice -
pursuing His people through ages.
When we see Jesus - God Himself dwelling with us - dying for us -
the mystery is revealed. When
we trust Jesus as the Savior - that mystery is revealed to us -
personally. Paul writes that this mystery is great. Its profound. Its beyond the scope of what we
can get minds around. Each of
us - our sins forgiven - restored to righteousness - each of us having an
intimate relationship - oneness - with God through Jesus Christ. Relating to each other as the
Church. That's
astounding.
Amen? Paul goes on to say - Ephesians 5:33 - "Nevertheless"
Meaning - don't forget what I wrote about husbands and
wives. Which is what we
looked at last Sunday.
Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own
wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her
husband. The kind of unconditional love - the pursuit of God for His
people - for Israel - for the Church - that's the unconditional love that needs to exist between a husband
and a wife. Love that
initiates with God - that initiates with the husband through sacrificial
headship - that's poured out - even at great cost to the one who
loves. In order to help us hold on to that reality of unconditional
love as we head out of here into the day to day stuff of life I'd like to
show you a short video clip.
As you're watching this think about unconditional
love. (video: "The Wounded Bride") How wounded is the bride?
How wounded are we? There are rival gods out
there - a tremendous number of voices and words coming into our minds all
the time - repeatedly offerring us protection and
security - other philosophies - points of view - offers being made to us
from other sources - that we really can't trust God fully with our
lives. Voices that tempt
us to
fornicate with our egos - our pride - our self will. Satan would love
to use any or all of that to get our focus off of God. To flirt with the sins
of this world rather than maintaining our covenant with God. We are so wounded by our sin. By our spiritual
adultery. And yet God loves us - intensely - deeply. Desires to sacrificially pour out
His love on us - even die for us.
To take the burdens off our shoulders. To bring peace to our hearts. To establish us and bless us and
watch out for us and heal us and care for us and guide and lead us through
life into eternity with Him.
To live in a deepening relationship with us - for each of us to
live in oneness with Him and with each other. God chooses to pursues us -
wounded as we are by sin - to love us unconditionally. Let me leave you with two thoughts. How all this may apply to
you. First: Marriage is a
whole larger than the trivial fallen in lust - have sex - get married -
selfishness that we see happening around us in the world - and even in the
church. Marriage illustrates
the reality of God's unconditional love for His people - us. May we realize the awesomeness of
what God calls us to be a part of and so cherish the opportunity.
Second: What choice will
you make? Each of us has a
choice of how we will love others - who like us have been wounded by
sin. Here in this
congregation. In our
homes. In our marriages. Will we love unconditionally? May God give us the strength - as
we begin to realize how greatly He loves us - may He give us the strength
to love others as we have been loved. _____________________ Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE (R), Copyright (C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. |