Hosea
It is a Thanksgiving tradition in our family that after the meal and before dessert, we all take turns sharing what we are thankful for. It usually lasts close to an hour, and everyone is expected to participate. As you can imagine, it is one of the sweetest moments of the holiday. The little ones thank God for Mom and Dad. The teenagers mention friends and family. The adults often speak of children, the church, and even the blessings God has brought through hardship. It is a meaningful tradition that we look forward to every year.
Now imagine that in the middle of this special family moment, an uncle suddenly stood up and said, “Everyone stop! There is nothing to be thankful for! This was the worst year ever! I lost my job, I got sick, and the turkey was dry!”
It would be shocking, to say the least. The joyful atmosphere would come to a screeching halt.
That is something like what happens in our passage this Sunday.
The people of Israel are celebrating the Feast of Booths, the happiest festival on their calendar. Held each autumn after the harvest, it was an eight-day celebration of God's covenant faithfulness. They rejoiced over His abundant provision, remembered how He brought them out of Egypt, and lived in temporary booths to recall His care for them during their forty years in the wilderness before bringing them safely into the Promised Land.
Then, at the height of the celebration, Hosea delivers a stunning command:
"Rejoice not, O Israel!" (Hosea 9:1)
Why? Because everything the Feast of Booths celebrated was about to be taken away. They would lose the harvest. They would lose the land. They would lose the privilege of worship in God's presence. Having broken God's covenant, they were about to experience its curses instead of its blessings.
It is one of the most sobering chapters in Hosea, but it also asks a question every one of us must answer: Am I trusting God or myself for blessing? It is all too easy to forget the Lord when life is good and to begin trusting in our own strength, wisdom, or success. Yet every good gift comes from God alone, and apart from His gracious hand we have no true reason to rejoice.
To come prepared for the sermon, take time this week to read and to meditate upon Hosea 9, Leviticus 23:42-43, Numbers 20:1-13, Deuteronomy 8, John 7:37, and this article on the Feast of Booths.
As we gather to worship our loving Father this Lord’s Day, we will join our hearts in song, singing the Hymn of Praise “All Praise to God, Who Reigns Above.” the Acclamation of Praise “He Will Hold Me Fast” and the Hymn of Response “Arise, My Soul, Arise” Let us come to worship this Sunday prepared to hear God’s Word, to receive it in faith, to love and treasure it in our hearts, and to practice it in our lives that we may continue to glorify and enjoy Him!
Sermon Information
Text: Hosea 9:1-17
Title: No Cause For Celebration
Outline:
- Don’t Rejoice — You Are Not Home (vv. 1-4)
- Don’t Rejoice — You Are Not Holy (vv. 5-9)
- Don’t Rejoice — You Are Not His (vv. 10-17)