Hosea 3-4

Pastor Marshall Ochs | June 22, 2025

In this message, Pastor Marshall teaches from Hosea 3-4. These chapters use Hosea's personal story to reflect His covenant love and the coming restoration through Jesus, the true and faithful Israel. We explore how prophetic language — from Hosea to Isaiah to Paul — reveals that faith in Jesus grafts believers into the the people of God and asks are we living in steadfast love, or have we let compromise and comfort erode our loyalty to God?

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  1. In Hosea, we can plainly see the Redemption Story.  Israel is unfaithful to God and therefore there is a separation between God and His people.  Have you ever felt separated from God?  If so, why – what led to that feeling of separation?  Has someone ever been unfaithful to you?  How did that make you feel?

  2. Israel is promised that a new covenant is coming to the children of Israel.  Who are the children of Israel?

  3. Jacob changed his name to Israel and had 12 sons who became the twelve tribes.  Ten tribes were in the north (Israel) and 2 were in the south (Judah).  Notice in Isaiah 49 that “Israel” is also used to refer to Jesus.  Israel (Jesus) will come to bring Israel (God’s people) back to Him.  This is the work of Jesus – to show God’s faithfulness to his people.  How would you describe your faithfulness to God?

  4. Jesus was the faithful Israel that Israel was not.  Faith in Jesus grafts you into Israel, aka God’s people.  Would you consider yourself a child of God?  Have you accepted Jesus and follow Him and His will for your life, or do you treat your faith like a “to do” list?

  5. Hosea shows us what faithfulness to God looks like.  It is a steadfast love.  In Hebrew, this steadfast love is called “hesed.”  It is a “true heart devotion.”  The priests in Israel were not loyal or faithful to God.  Therefore, the people were not faithful.  What examples of faithfulness to God have you experienced in your life?  Did you have leaders (Pastors, Teachers, Parents, Friends, etc.) who taught you the ways of the Lord?  The corrupt ways of others will influence you.  Who are you spending time with?  Who are you listening to?  Do you long for the things of this world more than God?

  6. If you have struggled with having and/or developing a steadfast love for God through faith in Christ Jesus, this can lead to an empty or dead faith.  Is your love and faithfulness to God conditional on how easy and comfortable your life is?

  7. We cannot choose when we will be obedient or not be obedient to God.  We can’t be selective or conditional about our obedience.  This is lazy loyalty and leads you down a path of destruction.  God wants your WHOLE HEART – NOT A DIVIDED HEART!  What is your heart posture?  Do you desire to seek faithfulness, knowledge of His word, and a steadfast love?  If so, the word promises that if we seek Him we will find Him.  Mathew 7:7-8