Hosea Chapter Two

       Now, here is a very interesting prophecy. I realize the context and this is God's call for his people. The tribes of Israel to return to Himself but I also think this is much, much more. Especially after coming back from Goshen, Indiana. Yesterday where Pastor Pruitt is in jail for refusing to bow to the state, (not him personally, but refusing to submit the church to the state's authority.)

V. 1. Ammi= my people.

              Ruhamah= having obtained mercy.

       We are his people because we have not only been adopted but also born again and all by his mercy.

V. 2. Plead with your mother-- The threat of coming. Judgment upon mom, (v. 3). The pleading with mom to turn back to the Lord God before she is judged. There is judgment coming just as sure as there is a God in heaven.

       Note there are two people here: 1.) My people who have obtained mercy. 2.) V. 4, her people, the children of her whoredoms.

       Again, I realize the context but this is to pointed to pass up or avoid. The application is today.

       The mother is the church. The children are the members.

       As God in his mercy moves upon his people, the members, they are to call the mother back to God. She is to turn back also, and for her to refuse is to bring judgment upon herself.

       God has not forgotten tho be gracious rather the mother has a harlots forehead; refusing to be ashamed, Jer. 3:3. --They cannot blush, Jer. 6:15, and He cannot be. They absolutely refuse to heed his call.

       The child here, not bound by the pride nor covetousness has responded to the call by God to be his people. Now God calls upon his people to plead with their mother to return to God and stop her whoredoms. Too much leaning in the ways of the heathens. In fact, heathen philosophy taught in "Christian schools." I guess we could say "over educated" because before the emphasis on education the 'lordship' of Christ was never questioned.

       For she is not my wife any longer. She is no longer united to Him by faith, love and obedience but now united to someone else. She is now a whore.

       His people are to plead with her to return, be reunited to their Father. They now are orphans without His protection.

       Might mention here, that if 'she' won't stop her whoredoms and return to here husband then His children need to get away from her.

       Let her put away her whoredoms--- Great beyond description is the mercy of God. If she will return there will be forgiveness as though it never happened but (prov. 28:13, 14), it all depends on her breaking of her adulteries.

       Attachments to other authorities other than the one who bought her. Remember the illustration here in Hosea. A husband married to a harlot.

       Adulteries, whoredoms. Adulteries= to become another's other than HIS. He who is the ONLY Lord, Saviour, Husband to the church. Whoredoms= to have other objects of love, affection.

       Mercy, what an application. The 'church' has even paid her lovers. She has hired them.

       First, through the incorporation, not-for-profit of our day the church has recognized another Lord over her. Another authority, another Husband. Another protector and provider.

       Second, not only has she become another's (the state), but she paid the state for the privilege of submitting to their authority. With the initial fee filled with the incorporate name (2:5).

       There is judgment coming upon her. God's people which by his mercy have seen or do see the issue had better warn her. If she won't listen then they had better get away from her.

       from before her face, from between her breasts. She has submitted herself to other authorities, loves, lords, completely shamelessly. She has a whores forehead which cannot blush at adultery or whoredoms.

       This is exactly where we are today wit the 'church' as a whole. The lie has been so well accepted that those caught in it believe it so strangely, they cannot even blush over their submission of the 'church' to another lord.

       V. 5, she has gone after her lovers believing that they are the source of her protection and provision, when actually it was the Lord God, v. 8.

       Verses 6-13, but the day of judgment is coming.

       Look at the "Christian schools, colleges," "mission boards, "churches." That have left their husband, the LORD GOD. Yet, they feel no shame, rather quite the opposite. They are proud they are not-for-profit religious organizations rather than servants to the most High God. You cannot be both.

       Verses 14-23. Just a quick overview.

       Look at his promise. I will allure her---

       The grace of God calling her back to her true LORD and Husband. Will he call back the 'churches' mission board, schools of whoredom and adulteries?

       Will he open their eyes? He alone can and this should be our prayer.

       I realize this is just an application, but we cannot avoid what those who claim to be His 'BRIDE' have done. They have submitted themselves to other lords.

       Will he see fit to call them back to him in these last days. ONLY HE knows.

       Is this the coldness and indifference spoken of just before his return to this earth?

       ONLY HE knows his time table. Our job is to be a faithful 'wife' 'bride' to our Lord God. Lord give us a soft, tender heart toward your authority.

       Adulterous wife is bringing it upon herself. If she will return to her Husband she will be spared. (The righteous have always had to 'pay' with the wicked. Remember Jeremiah).

       V. 4. There seems to be two types of children of the same mother.

1.) There seems to be two types of children of the same mother.

2.) The illegitimate children of the improper relationship with another authority. I would suppose it is very difficult to tell one from the other.

       Looks like thought the proper children can see the improper relationship. (V. 2), and are to plead with mother to break off the improper relationship. The illegitimate children evidently cannot see it.

       There is no mercy upon her, nor upon her children because she will not break off her adulterous relationship. God always uses the heathen to chastise his people. We are seeing grow today.

       Answer, the church break off from the other authority and recognize only His and we can expect mercy rather than judgment. The only means of stopping the curse is to turn back to him in repentance.

       children of whoredoms--- is this why immorality, sickness and family breakups are so common today in the 'church'. The mother ignores her Husbands demands upon her as her Lord, therefore, this tendency is inborn in the children. (Just a question.)

       V. 5. --I will go after my lovers-- Now, keep a couple of things in mind here. 1.) This is an application, not the context. The context is the tribes of Israel, Judah going after their false gods (Jer. 44:17-18, etc.). 2.) The argument, application which I am using here is based upon the little booklet call, "The Non-church," from I Ki. 14 and Dan. 3, which shows how the church has submitted to other authority other than Her LORD who bought her. To follow the line of thought here in Hosea it is recommended that this booklet be read.

       I will go-- Notice, the church here is the one taking the active part of going after the "benefit' of the other authority. She is going uninvited, unbidden, unsought after the other 'man.'

       The state did not come forcing these things upon the 'church' but only made them available and at times even under pressure from the 'church.'

       Example would be S.S. tax. It was not even applied to 'God' when first brought in. The 'church' went to them and demanded to be covered so then it became optional. Then (1984) it became mandatory.

       The 'church' said, I will go after my lovers---. The lovers did not make the first move.

       The same goes for the incorporation and not-for-profit as well as the many other programs. The first move was made by the church who is now not only being encouraged, but at times being forced to do these things.

       Why? I think this is part of the judgment. They made the first move to turn from the Lord, now the Lord is allowing the 'lovers' to take control.

       One more thing here. To seek anything outside of the Lord God is to seek it from devils.

       Barnes says here, (pg. 30), "For whoever receives the gifts of God, except from God and in God's way receives them from devils. Whoso seeks what God forbids, seeks it from Satan, and holds that Satan, not God loves him; since God refuses it Satan encourages him to possess himself of it. Satan, then, is his lover."

       Notice then, v. 5. To seek protection from the state, provision and life not only is spiritual adultery, whoredoms against the Lord God, but it makes SATAN the one the adultery, whoredoms, are committed with. Might add here, not-for-profit as this also is sought in order to get federal aid for mailing, etc.

       So then a large percentages of 'churches' so called, are seeking after their lover and not only seeking after him, but 'shacked up' with him as they keep the tie for the benefits involved. The lover is none other than SATAN, the enemy of God, the rightful husband of the bride.

       Again, this is an application which fits beautifully. I realize the context is the tribes of Jacob, Israel the wife of Jehovah God who turned from him. This is just to close to ignore.

       The application here (1-5), then would be ANY PROVISION OF ANY KIND FROM ANY SOURCE WHATEVER other than that source being the Lord God is to 'go after my lovers.' Job, civil government, etc.

       "Well, the Lord provides for us through the civil government." That would be like saying, "The Lord provides for my physical needs through the neighbors or husband, wife." In fact, that is just the comparison God makes here, adultery.

       Prov. 21:17, --He that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

       The "people of God" today love the provision which is provided by these other sources. They tell us today as the women told Jeremiah 44:17-18: 1.) We will keep our commitment to the queen of heaven. 2.) Look at what happens to us when we don't.

       Today "God's people' say, "We will keep our commitment to the (state), or whatever their source of provision might be, regardless of what God says.

       Verses 6-7. God is going to make the way of adultery, whoredom very difficult and painful. So painful and futile in fact, that she (His people), will return to him. It was better with HIM than it is with her lovers.

       Again, an application. Those of His people who have sought provision and protection in places other than HIM, are in for a very painful and difficult time. All may seem 'roses' right now, but God is going to build up a hedge of thorns and a wall so that they have no place to turn except back to Him.

       Once again, we see God in complete control in the dark hours. Allowing the heathen to rise to power in order to call HIS people back to himself. WHEN will he do this? Only He knows his timetable or what the future holds. We can know this though:

1.) A large, large majority have turned from him.

2.) MOST of those have no desire to return to Him, in fact, see no need to.

3.) Right now this path (of adultery) seems the smoothest and easiest path to follow.

4.) We can see the thorns on the horizon, but they can't.

   a. They don't want to see the thorns but one day they will cut so bad that HIS people will have no choice but recognize the way of adultery is wrong.

   b. As with all adulterous relationships there is only 'pleasure' in it, but the thorns are growing.

5.) Notice the worse thing about this. The only thing which will cause Her to return to Her rightful husband. (Remember, prodigal son, Lk. 15:18.)

   a. Hedge of thorns. The physical pain.

   b. Wall, she loses her way.

   c. Cut off from her provisions which she thought she had with her lovers.

       Total misery will have to come upon her before she realizes what she had done and is willing to repent and return to her husband. Only then will she know what she had done. Remember how good her Lord is to her and return to HIM.

       Notice it wasn't the pleading with her which caused her to return.

       It was (is) the physical difficulties which make her return and God brought them about.

       Here is our situation to day. God's people right now are experiencing a certain amount of physical pleasure in their adulterous relationship with another authority other than the LORD GOD.

       All the crying, weeping and warnings which we can do are falling on deaf ears because of the benefits. The benefits have shut the ears to the truth, (covetousness always does).

       The only thing which will cause them to hear and return is physical, emotional, spiritual suffering. (Again, the prodigal son did not come to himself until he was suffering.)

       So now what?

1.) Problems which are completely out of hand will have to develop before His people will return to Him.

       These problems will have to be worse than what the boy who stayed under his fathers authority has. The way-word wife, son,will have to be able to look over and say, "He has it better than I do." "I had it better back before I got out from under my fathers authority."

       Those people who have forgotten God will have to get caught in the thorns, face the wall, lose sight of their 'lovers' before they will return.

       The individual who has denied the Lord's authority over their life will also have to get caught in the thorns, face the wall, lose sight of their 'lovers' before they will return.

       Then we need to pray for, we need to expect, a tremendous hedge of thorns, walls (really, pressure persecution or something), to arrive upon the scene to call His people back to HIS authority, Heb. 12:27-29, we are seeing the shaking taking place and it will get worse.

       Question, the areas which we deny his authority in. What will it take to make us submit them back to him? He has been known to bring whatever is required to call us back into the lives of HIS people in order to get them back where they should be.

       What kind of civil turmoil, unrest, persecution, 'shaking' is gong to have to come about to call his people back from their dependence upon the other sources? The civil government? Are we to pray for this unrest to come upon those who have denied him?

       I believe HE is going to bring it about unless those who are called by his name humble themselves, seek his face and return to the LORD.

       If they do not (we do not), then there are some very hard times in store. GOD WILL NOT SHARE HIS GLORY WITH ANYONE AT ALL.

11?187 P.M.

       Let's observe something here.

1.) Those who have denied the Lord, whether a 'church' through incorporation, not-for-profit.

2.) Those individuals who have denied the Lord in areas of their lives.

       Both see no need to turn to the Lord or even that they are not in his way many times because of the prosperity in those areas.

       The only answer then is for the Lord to cause the thorns to grow and the wall to be built in that way. They will not turn from the false way (adulterous ways), as long as they are prospering.

       All of the 'minor prophets' are absolutely full of this prospect of coming judgment upon the people of God who have turned from Him, (example: Zeph. 3:2; book of Haggai).

       Notice the problem today:

1.) These prophecies of course were to Israel and the warning of her being punished with captivity for her turning from her LORD.

2.) Some of these prophecies though can only be placed in the future, (example, Zeph. 3:8-20).

3.) Because of the hyper-despensationalism this is all placed in the future as well as are the kingdom requirements. The demands of the LORD upon his people.

       "We are in the age of grace, not law. Just so we are saved that is all God cares about." That is a fool talking.

       They cry out, then, Zech. 1:12, the Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil, (judges), and go on with their LORD denying and lives programs, Zeph. 1:13 will come to pass.

4.) Because God's people do not believe that God will chastise His people for denying the LORD, they go on and ignore His claim of authority. Thereby bringing s swift and sure judgment.

5.) Notice here though in the 'minor prophets' the glorious promise of:

a.) Grace. God turning hearts.

b.) His protection of a faithful remnant, (Zep. 2:3, etc), who refuse to compromise on His claim of Lordship, authority over them.

       The promise of which seems to be just as sure as the promised judgment against those who deny his lordship.

c.) Zeph. 1:5, clearly shows what brought what brought (is bring) the judgment. Trying to serve both the Lord and Malcham.

(1.) Serving both the state (self) and the Lord. Cannot be done. ONLY BRINGS JUDGMENT.

       It is absolutely unbelievable how much this is dealt within these 'minor prophets.' I don't see how anyone can read these and not see this. But Hosea 4:6, explains how this had (is happening) happened.

       God's people have been taught that the OT doesn't apply nor speak to the situations we face today. We are now under a different dispensation today. One of "do your own thing," "do whatever you feel best about," and the results of this is just around the corner. "The inwrought divine will."

       Is there hope? Good question, but again, Zeph. 2:1-3. God's people have right up to the day of judgment to turn back to him and his ways of righteousness (God's word), and he will turn His anger, judgment away. This was the warning of Jeremiah as he pleaded with God's people to turn back to Him, yet they refused.

       We also must plead with those we come in contact with to return to his claim of LORD over all and especially over the 'church.' Is there an area that you have a problem in. What will the Lord have to allow before you turn back to Him. Others? Pray for them that it will come to pass and they will return.

5/14/86

       Hosea 2:8. --she did not know-- The problem here seems to be that as she perused her lovers she prospered. In her prosperity she forgot where it came from. Remember now this is spiritual adultery she is involved in.

       This has seemed to be the problem forever. I heard Bro. Dixon mention as we were up at Goshe (5/8/86), for Brother Pritt. He said, "It seems the more a pastor has the less he is willing to stand up for it." In other words, the bigger the church the less they are willing to stand even when they understand the issues, and the smaller the church the more willing to risk all.

       The same with the individuals. The more he has usually, the less risk he is willing to take.

       Why?

       They forget where it came from. Therefore, unwilling to risk it. God provided it all then they took it and gave it to the false gods of this world system.

       (Now, I know the context. God's warning against the people here but the application is meant for us today just as sure as if it was written in 1980, II Tim. 3:16. The time is coming quickly when we will have a federal approval number to have a bank account or for you to mark the giving off your taxes. 1/18/87

1/25/87

       Verses 9-13. God is going to espouse all the adulteries and whoredoms. He is going to remove all the prosperity from the ones who have compromised.

       Notice v. 13. The days of Baalim. Remember this rascal. His plan was not to deny the Lord God, but to bring sin within the camp. Thereby bringing the anger (judgment) of the Lord God down on His people.

       This was only the first step. Once sin was tolerated within the camp the next step was the denial of the Lord God. Then God's destruction, judgment.

       Verses 1-13, of course in context is referring to the children of Israel. God's judgment against them for their turning from HIM to other gods.

       Verses 14-23, is talking of the church. Note v. 18, I will make a covenant-- Check Ezek. 34:25; 37:26; Isa. 11; 5:26, etc. (Check Conc. for many passages of this covenant.) Jer. 32:38-40, and many others. This covenant is made in CHRIST.

       Note, Hosea 2:23, --not my people, thou art my people--

       If there is any prophecy in Scripture this is. Over and over God says he is going to take a people who knew him not, nor were they looking for Him and make them His people. Grace shown in the church.

5/15/86

       These people are call the remnant, see Isa. 11:11. Those who are gathered around the cross of Christ in the last days.

       Paul gives us a clear reference to this in Rom. 9:26. Peter also points this out in I Pet. 2:10.

       The NT then makes this abundantly clear. The people of God from the time of Christ are not a physical people (as was the OT Israel), but a spiritual people. Those who have answered the call of the Holy Spirit and have come to Christ in simple faith in his redeeming work. I will allure her--

       So we see here in vv. 14-23, the prophecy concerning the church. Peter identified it as such.

       God judged his people Israel for their unbelief, idolatry, adulteries, whoredoms--their going after her lovers. (Devil worship, as Barnes said.)

       He replaces them with people who were not his people. People called by his grace, (Rom. 11).

       Notice the beautiful verse. V. 14, I will allure her--

       Jn. 6:37, all that the Father giveth me shall come to me--

       Jn. 6:44, no man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him--

       Jn. 10:27, my sheep hear my voice--

       Jn. 15:16, ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you--

       Jn. 16:13, How be it when he, the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you-- (Who controls history? To say man chooses God says man controls history. To say God chooses man says God controls history.)

       The NT is full of this. The drawing, the wooing, the alluring of the Holy Spirit if you please. Call out a bride (her) for the SON and this all by the grace of God.

       Notice the I wills of just this passage, vv. 14-23. 13 in 10 verses. It is all of him.

       For by grace are you saved through faith, Eph. 2:8, 9.

       He sure didn't call her because she is so good. Go back through the prophets and see how He must give a new heart to this people he calls out, (one example, Ezek. 36:21-38; vv. 26, 27).

       Check the NT in II Cor. 5:17, the principle explained the new heart, desires, loves, motives, in fact, the whole new inner man that comes with faith in Christ, answering the alluring of the Holy Spirit.

       The work is his. Our responsibility is to submit to his work, word. 1/25/87

Hosea 2:14, --into the wilderness-- Here again the picture of OT Israel, redeemed out of the world (Egypt) into the wilderness on their way to Canaan, the promised land.

       The life we are allured into is a wilderness when compared to the pleasure of Egypt, to the natural man.

       It is warfare and a struggle but when the Lord is depended on and as we grow we move on into Canaan as is shown here in v. 15. Vineyards, etc. The world considers it a wilderness to follow Christ, but we can rejoice around the throne of our Lord. Just as Merram rejoiced in the wilderness.

       V. 16, Jehovah in the NT is our husband. The church is the bride of Christ, who is the OT Jehovah (see the margin). A new relationship. A sweeter and more tender relationship under the new covenant of peace.

       Ezek. 37:26. This covenant is referred to many times over in the OT and fulfilled in Christ. We have peace with God through faith in Christ.

       V. 18 see Isaiah 11:6-9.

       V. 19, Betroth-- by God the father as the bride of His son, II Cor. 11:2.

       V. 23. We have already dealt with this. The prophecy of the Gentiles church. So vv. 14-23, these I wills. (God's grace) deal with the Gentile church. This is the only thing which will fit v. 23.

       To claim this is anything but the church will have to take quite a few scriptures out of Context.

       Now back to 14:8, as we look at the prophecy of this return of God's people and the prophecy referred to by Peter as the end-time sacrifice to God, 14:2. 3/15/87