Hosea 9

Week 6, Wednesday: Back to slavery
The name Egypt held ominous and frightening metaphors for the people of Israel. Egypt was the place of enslavement, oppression, and death. But Israel had become enslaved to the no-gods and ways of Assyria and other nations, so now He would let out their tether and lead them back to enslavement again.

Read Hosea 9

Meditate on Hosea 9.1-9
1.  Meditate on Leviticus 18.24-30. Comment on the dangers of ignoring God’s Law and failing to live within His covenant.

2.  Apparently (v. 4), the people of Israel were still offering sacrifices to God and worshiping Him. How did He regard their worship? Why? Is there in this a general principle to guide us in worshiping God?

3.  According to verses 7-9, how had the prophets of Israel failed the nation? Rather than help the people into the liberty of God’s Law (Jms. 2.10-13), they had instead ensnared them (v. 8). How? Does this still happen today?

4.  Hosea referred to the prophets as “watchmen.” Meditate on Titus 1.5-11. What are the duties of the watchmen (“overseers”) of God’s churches today?

5.  Assyria is the “new Egypt” for Israel. If the Church today were to fall into judgment, what would be the nature of our “Assyria”?

Summary
Hosea continues his message of judgment against Israel because the nation has violated God’s covenant and rejected His Law. The prophets of Israel bore large responsibility for this disaster, for they were sent to watch over the flock of the Lord according to His Law. Preachers and teachers in churches today bear this same responsibility (Jms. 3.1).

Closing Prayer
Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer;
And attend to the voice of my supplications.
In the day of my trouble I will call upon You,
For You will answer me.
Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord;
Nor are there any works like Your works.
All nations whom You have made
Shall come and worship before You, O Lord,
And shall glorify Your name.
For You are great, and do wondrous things;
You alone are God.
Teach me Your way, O LORD;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name.
I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And I will glorify Your name forevermore.

Psalm 86.6-12

T. M. Moore

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Each week’s studies in our Scriptorium column are available in a free PDF form, suitable for personal or group use. For all available studies in Hosea, click here.

A primary theme of the book of Hosea is Israel’s failure to keep covenant with the Lord. God’s covenant is a central theme and provides the organizing motif for all of Scripture. Learn more about God’s covenant by ordering a copy of T. M.’s book, I Will Be Your God, from our online store (click here).

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.