Hosea 13

Week 8, Thursday: Redemption is coming
The wrath of God is not His last Word to His people. It is an important Word, and a sure one. But the promise of ransom and redemption comes with it, to give His people a future and a hope.

Read Hosea 13

Meditate on Hosea 13.14-16
1.  “Ransom” and “redemption” are two sides of the same grace coin. Explain.

2.  In verse 14 God turns His wrath to two new objects. What are they? How can you see that this introduces a larger and fuller dimension to God’s promise to ransom and redeem His people?

3.  Verse 15 is difficult. Who seems to be referred to by “he”? If “he” is Israel, this is a Word of judgment. But if “he” is death and the grave, how might we understand this verse?

4.  The note of terror and sadness returns in verse 16, with its portent of death. But if we read this verse against the backdrop of verses 1 and 15, how can it lead to hope?

5.  Death is an instrument in God’s hand. He wields it as He will. But a day is coming when even death will come to its end. How did Paul understand Hosea’s message here (1 Cor. 15.54, 55)? What can we learn from this about reading the prophets in general?

Summary
God is not finished with His people yet. A day of ransom and redemption is coming, when even death will hold no power over the people of God. For now, we must endure the consequences of our sin; but we look ahead and hope for the coming day when death will be no more.

Closing Prayer
The LORD is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
Forever.

Psalm 23

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.