September 15, 2011
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
Hosea 1
Scott Kedersha
Central Truth
The names we have are often significant for many reasons. Even more important is the name God calls us – specifically, whether or not we are called His children.
Key Verse | Hosea 1:10
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,
"You are the sons of the living God."
(Hosea 1:10)
Hosea 1
1 The word of the LORD that came to Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.
Hosea's Wife and Children
2 When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD.” 3 So he went and took Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.
4 And the LORD said to him, “Call his name Jezreel, for in just a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. 5 And on that day I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.”
6 She conceived again and bore a daughter. And the LORD said to him, “Call her name No Mercy, 1 1:6 Hebrew Lo-ruhama, which means she has not received mercy for I will no more have mercy on the house of Israel, to forgive them at all. 7 But I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the LORD their God. I will not save them by bow or by sword or by war or by horses or by horsemen.”
8 When she had weaned No Mercy, she conceived and bore a son. 9 And the LORD said, “Call his name Not My People, 2 1:9 Hebrew Lo-ammi, which means not my people for you are not my people, and I am not your God.” 3 1:9 Hebrew I am not yours
10 4 1:10 Ch 2:1 in Hebrew Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, “You are not my people,” it shall be said to them, “Children 5 1:10 Or Sons of the living God.” 11 And the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall appoint for themselves one head. And they shall go up from the land, for great shall be the day of Jezreel.
Dive Deeper | Hosea 1
One of the most enjoyable, and stressful, privileges we have had as a couple has been naming our four boys. We had a great time coming up with their names, and each name has been picked with intention and purpose. For instance, Duncan is named after Tim Duncan, the greatest power forward in the history of the NBA. Drew's middle name is Dennis, which is the name of my biological father who died when I was 6 years old. Carson's middle name is Will. Will Hall is a friend who led me into a relationship with Jesus Christ. And we just like the name Lincoln.
You can't read Hosea 1 without being affected by the names of the three children of Hosea and Gomer – Jezreel ("God scatters"), Lo-ruhamah ("no compassion"), and Lo-ammi ("not my people"). We could have 400 kids, and none of those names would be anywhere near our radar. Dr. Tom Constable, one of my seminary professors, said it well when he said that Israel's unfaithfulness had become so obnoxious to Yahweh that He would not tolerate her any longer. The names the Lord gave Hosea's three children reflected the fact that God had given up on His people, and each name anticipated judgment.
The great news is that God quickly assured His people that they would be restored in their relationship with the Lord. "It will be said to them, 'You are the sons of the living God'" (Hosea 1:10). Through Christ, the Father has united and "unscattered" His people, shown us compassion, and called us His people once again. We are included in that group of people – through Christ we are sons of the living God. John 1:12 (ESV) says, "But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." Because of Christ, we are recipients of mercy (Luke 6:36) and are named sons or children of God.
Discussion Questions
1. Is there any significance to the name(s) your parents gave you? What are some names that you have heard in the past that had an impact upon you?
2. Why did God name these three children: God Scatters, No Compassion, and Not My People?
3. Why did God tell Hosea to marry a wife of harlotry? (See Hosea 1:2.)
4. How has God demonstrated mercy and compassion to you?
WEEKLY FAMILY ACTIVITY
DANIEL 10-HOSEA 2 (SEPTEMBER 12-16)
Read Daniel 10:10-12 & 14.
ACTIVITY: With your children make up a story. Include a faithful hero and an evil villain. Include a first, second, and a third act. During the third act, make sure the faithful hero wins, and the evil villain is destroyed!
How do Daniel 10:10-12 & 14 describe Daniel?
Why was Daniel receiving this message? (Daniel 10:14)
What is the end of Daniel's life story, according to Daniel 12:9-13?
What is the end of the story of the Bible according to Revelation 22:10-21?
Both the Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation tell us there is an end to time. We know it is going to come; we don't know exactly when.
How do we prepare and live our lives as we are waiting for Jesus to return?
Read John 3:16 (Believe).
Read 1 John 3:18-19 (Faithful).
FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITY: Write your life story until now. What do you believe? Are you living it faithfully as you wait with confidence, knowing Jesus will come back?