Category: Devotions

After many chapters of rebuke, Hosea 14 is one of hope. God offers to Israel a chance to be saved and to be healed. God desired to “heal their backsliding” and offered to “love them freely” for ‘[His] anger is

“O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.” Hosea 13:9 Self-destruction is a sad thing to watch and an even sadder thing to endure. But that is what Israel was doing and what so many people

Once again, the Lord points out his problem with Israel (“Ephraim”). They are daily increasing lies and desolation, making covenants with other nations (v.1). They deceive and oppress (v.7). They covet (v.8) and disregard God’s prophets (v.10). They worship idols

Much of Hosea denounces the sins of Israel and the judgment that will come. But judgment and chastisement come from hands of love, not hatred. In Hosea 11, we see how much it pained the Lord to chasten His people

Life for the farmer is very dependent on two things: his work and the weather. Israel was a farming nation and so God speaks to them in these terms. Despite their own efforts, they were an “empty vine” (v.1) and

God’s assessment of Israel was dire. I have a feeling that the way they viewed their society was far different from the way He viewed it. They were engaging in all sorts of “liberated” practices such as idolatry, drunkenness, partying,

The most significant event in the history of the nation of Israel was their deliverance from Egypt. Over and over again, it is referred to and remembered as a great demonstration of God’s redemptive power. Yet in Hosea 8:13, God

The nation of Israel was carrying on as if there was no God. They were doing their own thing, living their own life, making their own decisions, and trying to get ahead without any thought for God and His Word.

We live in a wicked world, surrounded by brokenness, selfishness, pain, violence, and lewdness. Our world is not much different than Israel was during the days of Hosea. Even their goodness was corrupt. It was short-lived, like a morning cloud

Hosea 5 is a very sad chapter that describes the destructive impact of sin on Israel. It shows us what happens when we forsake the Lord and go our own way. v.1 We ensnare ourselves and set a trap for