Hosea

Hosea 9: Cast away for not listening

Begin in prayer

Before we hear why the LORD casts out a people who will not listen, please bow your heads together. Ask Him to give us ears that hear His voice today.

Therefore, even as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you will hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, like as in the day of the trial in the wilderness,

Hebrews 3:7-8

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Give us ears that listen to You, and show us what happens to a people who will not. Show us Jesus, who casts out no one who comes. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

The LORD tells Israel not to rejoice at the harvest like the nations, because she has been unfaithful to her God. The threshing floor and the wine press will not feed them, and they will not stay in the LORD's land. The days of reckoning have come, yet Israel calls the prophet a fool and the inspired man insane. The LORD says He found Israel like grapes in the wilderness, and like the first ripe fruit on a fig tree. But at Baal Peor they gave themselves to a shameful idol and became as shameful as the thing they loved. Ephraim's glory will fly away like a bird, and the LORD says He will drive them out of His house. Hosea says his God will cast them away because they did not listen, and they will wander among the nations.

As you read Hosea 9, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

The LORD found Israel like grapes in the wilderness, yet He casts out a people who will not listen.

Harvest was a time of joy in Israel, with feasting at the threshing floors where the grain was beaten out. Hosea breaks into that joy, because Israel had been unfaithful to her God. Verse 3 says they will not stay in the LORD's land, and Egypt and Assyria wait for them. In verse 10 the LORD remembers the beginning, when He found His people like grapes in a dry wilderness. At Baal Peor, before they entered the land, Israel joined in worshipping Baal (Numbers 25 verse 3). The LORD names it as the place where they gave themselves to shame. Gilgal had been the first camp in the land, and now sacrifice there was corrupt (verse 15). Verses 11 to 16 are hard to read, for they speak of babies who are never born and of children who die. The last verse gives the reason in a line, because they did not listen to Him.

How does Hosea 9 show us that the LORD found Israel like grapes in the wilderness, yet casts out a people who will not listen?

The LORD found Israel like grapes in the wilderness.

He saw them as the first ripe fruit on a fig tree (verse 10). The LORD began with Israel in kindness. Everything good in their beginning was His gift.

Israel turned to idols and would not listen to the LORD.

At Baal Peor they gave themselves to a shameful idol and became like what they loved (verse 10). All their wickedness was in Gilgal (verse 15). The LORD says they did not listen to Him (verse 17).

The LORD will drive out those who will not listen.

He says He will drive them out of His house and they will wander among the nations (verses 15 and 17). Jesus has promised that He will in no way cast out anyone who comes to Him (John 6 verse 37). Listening to Him means coming to Him.

Memorise

My God will cast them away, because they did not listen to him; and they will be wanderers among the nations.

Hosea 9:17

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, will I listen to the LORD today, or will I harden my heart?

Hosea says, “My God will cast them away, because they did not listen to him”. The LORD had found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. Yet they turned to idols and would not hear Him, and they were driven out to wander among the nations.

Jesus was cast out for sinners. He was forsaken on the cross for His people, bearing the judgment they deserved for their sin. God raised Him on the third day, and His work is finished. His payment cannot be undone.

So come to Him. Turn from your sin and put your trust in Jesus. He has promised not to cast out anyone who comes to Him, and everyone who trusts Him is forgiven.

Parent's note

Tell your children that the LORD casts away those who will not listen, and that Jesus casts out no one who comes. Parents, please explain verses 1 and 10 to 16 yourself, since they speak of sexual sin and of babies who die. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that Jesus welcomes everyone who comes to Him, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

I am inquired of by those who didn’t ask. I am found by those who didn’t seek me.

Isaiah 65:1

Father, thank You for Your voice and for Your Son. Please give us ears that listen when You speak. Forgive us for the times we would not hear. Bring each one of us to Jesus, who casts out no one who comes. Amen.