Hosea

2. Hosea • Prophet to the Northern Kingdom – Israel • Worked 750 -725 BC • Time of prosperity – yet moral corruption and idolatry • Point: warn of idolatry & immorality

3. Hosea • I. Israel’s Adultery Illustrated by Hosea & Gomer (1-3) • II. Inevitable Doom (4-13) • A. Guilt (4-8) • B. Doom (9-11) • C. Retrospect & earlier history (12-13) • III. Restoration / Pardon (14)

4. Hosea 4 Charge of her guilt (v. 1) • Forgotten God by their multiple sins (vv. 1-2) • Turned from the law of God (v. 6) • Ceased obeying God (v. 10) • Harlotry & wine enslave them (v. 11) • Turn to idols for counsel (v. 12) • Judah should take heed seeing Israel (v. 15) • Israel gone too far (vv. 16-19)

5. Hosea 4:17 "Ephraim is joined to idols, Let him alone.” • “Ephraim” – Israel (one tribe standing for all) • They are stubborn / rebellious (v. 16, 18) • God will let them go (v. 16) • Love doing things ought to be ashamed of (v. 18) Point: Israel chose a life of sin – God will let them go

6. “Ephraim Is Joined To Idols Let Him Alone” I. God’s People Can Turn Astray

7. I. God’s People Can Turn Astray A. Warnings are abundant 1. Gal. 5:4 2. Heb. 10:26-28 3. Gal. 6:1

8. I. God’s People Can Turn Astray A. Warnings are abundant B. Happen to any of us 1. Did to Judas (John 17:12) 2. Did to Peter (Luke 22:32; Gal. 2:11-14) 3. Heb. 3:12-13 – “in any of you”

9. I. God’s People Can Turn Astray A. Warnings are abundant B. Happen to any of us C. How it happens 1. Neglect – Heb. 2:1 2. Carelessness – 2 Pet. 1:5-10

10. I. God’s People Can Turn Astray A. Warnings are abundant B. Happen to any of us C. How it happens D. How far we could go 1. Point of unbelief (Heb. 3:12-13) 2. Point of no return (Heb. 6:1-6)

11. “Ephraim Is Joined To Idols Let Him Alone” I. God’s People Can Turn Astray II. Man Has Free Will – Choice

12. II. Man Has Free Will – Choice A. Ephraim had a choice – chose idolatry B. God does not force submission (though he could) C. Liberty to choose 1. Josh 24:15 – choose you this day 2. Luke 15:11-32 – young man had a chose 3. Rom 6:13 – chose who we serve

13. II. Man Has Free Will – Choice Contrast in Proverbs A. Ephraim had a choice – chose idolatry B. God does not force submission (though he could) C. Liberty to choose D. Liberty to chose – not mean all choices are equal 1. Right – Wrong 2. Good – Bad 3. Wisdom - Foolishness

14. “Ephraim Is Joined To Idols Let Him Alone” I. God’s People Can Turn Astray II. Man Has Free Will – Choice III. Man Is Stubborn

15. III. Man Is Stubborn A. Israel is like a stubborn calf (vv. 16, 18) B. Stubbornness Defined 1. Not a matter of knowing 2. Refusing to be lead by God’s will (v. 6) 3. Not going to give up own will 4. Break all restraints (v. 2)

16. III. Man Is Stubborn A. Israel is like a stubborn calf (vv. 16, 18) B. Stubbornness Defined C. Reasons are varied 1. No one (including God) going to tell them what to do 2. Not going to give up what doing 3. Think they know best 4. Prophets of doom – overstated case

17. III. Man Is Stubborn A. Israel is like a stubborn calf (vv. 16, 18) B. Stubbornness Defined C. Reasons are varied D. Man must suppress own will (Mark 8:34)

18. “Ephraim Is Joined To Idols Let Him Alone” I. God’s People Can Turn Astray II. Man Has Free Will – Choice III. Man Is Stubborn IV. Man Faces Consequences For Choices

19. IV. Man Faces Consequences For Choices A. Consequences come with choices (Rom. 2:8-11) 1. Step in from of train – killed! 2. Reach hand into lion’s cage – bit off!

20. IV. Man Faces Consequences For Choices A. Consequences come with choices (Rom. 2:8-11) B. Way of the transgressor hard (Prov. 13:15) C. Different kinds of consequences: 1. Some – Spiritual (Jas. 1:15) 2. Some – Eternal (Rom 6:23) 3. Some – Relational (Prov. 6:33; 1 Cor. 5) 4. Some – Personal (self respect Prov. 5)

21. “Ephraim Is Joined To Idols Let Him Alone” I. God’s People Can Turn Astray II. Man Has Free Will – Choice III. Man Is Stubborn IV. Man Faces Consequences For Choices V. Reason Man Sins – He Likes It

22. V. Reason Man Sins – He Likes It A. Where heart is (4:8) B. Love doing dishonorable things (4:18) C. Love darkness – what want to do (Jno. 3:19-21) D. Pleasure in sin (Heb. 11:25) E. Man tries to explain & reason: 1. Does so to justify / excuse / rationalize 2. “Born that way” – justify homosexuality 3. “Sickness – Disease” – justify drinking 4. “In poverty –deprived” –justify stealing

23. “Ephraim Is Joined To Idols Let Him Alone” I. God’s People Can Turn Astray II. Man Has Free Will – Choice III. Man Is Stubborn IV. Man Faces Consequences For Choices V. Reason Man Sins – He Likes It VI. God Let’s Man Go

24. VI. God Let’s Man Go A. If man wants to live in sin – God lets them go 1. V. 16 – turns them out to pasture 2. V. 17 – let them alone

25. VI. God Let’s Man Go A. If man wants to live in sin – God lets them go B. Father let the son go (Luke 15:11ff) C. Comes a time God gives them up (Rom. 1:24, 26)

26. “Ephraim Is Joined To Idols Let Him Alone” I. God’s People Can Turn Astray II. Man Has Free Will – Choice III. Man Is Stubborn IV. Man Faces Consequences For Choices V. Reason Man Sins – He Likes It VI. God Let’s Man Go VII. God Still Cares – Calls To Repentance

27. VII. God’s Still Cares – Call To Repentance A. Illustrated in Hosea 1-3 – Hosea’s love for Gomer B. Calls them to repentance (6:1) -Change C. Never beyond his love & care & willingness to forgive * No matter how stubborn, rebellious & sinful!

28. “Ephraim Is Joined To Idols Let Him Alone” I. God’s People Can Turn Astray II. Man Has Free Will – Choice III. Man Is Stubborn IV. Man Faces Consequences For Choices V. Reason Man Sins – He Likes It VI. God Let’s Man Go VII. God Still Cares – Calls To Repentance