God will judge Israel for their sin.

• Judgment – God will judge Israel for their sins. Assyria will come against them, and Israel will fall.  God hates sin.  Do you?  Do you take it seriously?  What sin in your life is God calling you to turn away from?
• Return to the Lord – In chapter 14, God calls for Israel to return. If they do, God will restore them.  Are there ways you need to return to the Lord?  God calls them to walk in his ways.  Are you?

Hosea is called to illustrate in his own life Israel’s unfaithfulness and God’s love.

• Righteousness or Iniquity – Hosea calls Israel to sow and reap righteousness and love, but instead they sow and reap iniquity and injustice (10:12-13). What are you sowing and reaping?  How do you need to repent?
• Eating Lies – Israel is eating the “fruit of lies” (10:13). What lies do you see in our culture?  How is our culture eating the fruit of those lies?  How are you tempted to do the same?

God wants Israel to seek and know Him, but they have turned away and refuse to return.

• Sin – Hosea recounts some of their sin in 4: 2. They swear, lie, murder, steal, and commit adultery. The latter three you may avoid in practice, but what about your heart: do you hate or get angry, covet, or lust (Matthew 5:21:30)?  And how do you use your tongue?  Do you swear or curse?  Do you lie or deceive?  Is there sin in your life for which you need to repent?
• Know God – God wants his people to love him, to know him in a real relationship (6:6). But Hosea makes clear that they do not know God (4:1, 6; 5:4).  How well do you know God?  Not about God – how well do you know him?  Are you seeking to grow in your relationship with God?  Will you press on to know Him (6:3)?

Hosea is called to illustrate in his own life Israel’s unfaithfulness and God’s love.

• Unfaithfulness – Hosea marries a wife who is unfaithful – a vivid picture of Israel’s unfaithfulness to God. In what ways can we be unfaithful to God?  How does this picture reveal the horror of our sin?
• Redeemed – Hosea redeems his wife and brings her back home. God will judge his people, yet he promises restoration.  Jesus redeems us from our unfaithfulness.  A day is coming when peace and righteousness and faithfulness will reign, and we will know the Lord (2:18-20).  Praise the Lord for his incredible love for us!