Hosea
I could tell by the look on her face that she had been here before. I had met her brother in downtown Athens, Georgia, during an outreach event to the homeless. He asked if I could give him a ride to his sister's house the next day. I agreed, and we drove about thirty minutes out of town to a well-kept two-bedroom home along the highway in rural Georgia. He went inside to get a meal, a shower, and a change of clothes.
While he was in the shower, I asked his sister if there was any way he could stay with her and get off the streets. That was when I saw the look on her face. She said he was more than welcome to live with her while he got back on his feet. She had only one condition: he had to stop doing drugs. They had tried this several times before. He would make big promises. I'll never touch the stuff again. I'll get a job and start helping out. And for a while he would keep his word. But eventually he would get some extra money, return to drinking and drugs, and end up back on the streets. His sister was not angry with her brother; she was exhausted. She didn't want to give up on him. She just didn't know what to do.
In the opening verse of our passage for this Sunday, I imagine the Lord expressing the same frustration. He had shown mercy to Israel time and again. They would return for a season, enjoy prosperity, forget the Lord's blessings, and return to their sin. So in verse 4 He asks, "What shall I do with you?"
What follows is a series of vivid images that reveal Israel's deeper descent into hypocrisy. They make promises they do not keep. They proclaim loyalty they do not live out. They speak of faithfulness only to betray the Lord in the end. Like an addict who continually returns to his drug, Israel is addicted to its sin. They promise, This time will be different, but their words are empty.
And so the Lord asks, "What shall I do with you?" This Sunday we will see that the only answer to Israel's hypocrisy—and to our own—is the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone was faithful to the end. To come prepared for the sermon, take time this week to read and to meditate upon Hosea 6:4-7:16, Psalm 86:11, Proverbs 25:28, Matthew 9:13; 23:1-36, James 1:8, Revelation 3:15-18, and this article: What is Hypocrisy.
As we gather to worship our loving Father this Lord’s Day, we will join our hearts in song, singing the Hymn of Praise “O Worship the King,” the Acclamation of Praise “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” and the Hymn of Response “Blessed Assurance” 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 6:4-7:16
Title: A Portrait of Hypocrisy
Outline:
- A Morning Mist (6:4)
- An Unattended Oven (7:4)
- A Half-Baked Cake (7:8)
- An Aging Hipster (7:9)
- A Silly Bird (7:11)
- A Treacherous Bow (7:16)
One of the great blessings of singing older hymns is that they teach us rich biblical truth through beautiful poetry. At times, however, some of the language can feel unfamiliar. Here are a few expressions from this Sunday's hymn, O Worship the King, that may help you appreciate its meaning as we sing together.
Verse 1
- "Ancient of Days" (Daniel 7:9, 13, 22) – A biblical title for God that emphasizes His eternal nature and everlasting reign.
- "Pavilioned in splendor" – A picture of God dwelling in a magnificent royal pavilion, surrounded by His glory and majesty.
- "Girded with praise" – An image of God being clothed with the praise of all His creatures.
Verse 3
- "Round it has cast, like a mantle, the sea" – God has wrapped the earth with the seas as though covering it with a mantle, a loose cloak or cape.
Verse 6
- "Ineffable" – Too wonderful or glorious to be fully expressed in words.
- "Though feeble their lays... lisp to Your praise" – Compared with the perfect songs of the angels, our praises may seem weak and childlike. Yet God delights in the sincere worship of His people as they offer Him heartfelt adoration.