Bible Study Institute

1. Bible Study Institute Presents

2. QuikStudy The Book of HOSEA

4. The BIG Picture When it happens? Records events from about 753-715 BC Where it takes place? The Northern Kingdom of Israel, Samaria, Ephraim The Writer�s Purpose? To illustrate God�s love for His sinful people

5. Worksheet 2 Hosea�s Wayward Wife (1:1-3:5) God�s Wayward People (4:1-14:9) Summarize the book by tying together the main headings of the Book Outline into one sentence. In the Hosea�s case: �Hosea parallels his relationship with his wayward wife and God�s relationship with His people, Israel.�

6. Outline of Hosea Hosea�s Wayward Wife (1:1-3:5) God�s Wayward People (4:1-14:9) To target a passage for study, tie together the key words��the words that are different��in each main heading of the book outline In this case, the key words are: Hosea and wife, in the first main heading God and people in the second

7. Outline of Hosea Study Bibles normally give a brief outline of a book in the main Introduction In Hosea�s case, the outline divides a 14 chapter book into two parts: The first part is 3 chapters in length The second, 11 chapters in length This outline helps you to see a Big Picture of the book, but you need more detail to zoom in on passages for a closer look

8. Outline of Hosea Outlines with parts longer than a chapter make it easy to see the BIG Picture, but it�s very hard, if not impossible, to study texts larger than a chapter in length, at a time. Good Study Bibles normally break down the text into smaller units than that.

9. Outline of Hosea That�s why many Study Bibles provide a more detailed outline��in the text of the book The Life Application Study Bible, for example, further subdivides the first part of the main outline, �Hosea�s Wayward Wife,� into 3 shorter passages: Hosea�s Wife and Children (Ch.1) Israel Punished and Restored (Ch.2) Hosea�s Reconciliation with His Wife (Ch.3) In the outline in the text�

10. One More Thing

11. Rule of Context To carefully target a passage� First, show how the book leads up to and prepares the way for the passage Then, show how the passage leads up to and prepares the way for what comes after it

12. Rule of Context Use words that express the idea of getting the reader ready for what comes next, like: After the writer says... he goes on to say... The writer braces us for (what�s next) by first saying... The writer tells us... to build up to (what�s next) The writer equips us for (what�s next) by telling us...

13. Rule of Context The writer establishes (what�s next) by starting with... The writer gears up for (what�s next) by explaining... The writer gets us ready for (what�s next) by informing us... The writer launches into (what�s next) after he says... The writer lays the foundation for (what�s next) by saying... The writer opens the door for (what�s next) with...

14. Rule of Context The writer says...to pave the way for (what�s next) The writer prepares us for (what�s next) by describing... The writer primes us for (what�s next) by advising us... The writer rigs us for (what�s next) by beginning with... The writer develops an...to set up (what�s next) The writer sets the stage for (what�s next), by proposing...

15. Worksheet 2 Hosea�s Wayward Wife (1:1-3:5) Hosea�s Wife and Children (1) Israel Punished and Restored (2) Hosea�s Reconciliation with His Wife (3) To target Chapter 1 Show how the book leads up to and prepares the way for it Show how Chapter 1 leads up to and prepares the way for what comes after it

16. Target the Passage Hosea�s Wife and Children (Chapter 1) Starts the book. So, the circumstances behind writing the book, in the Big Picture, leads up to and prepares the way for it Chapter 1 (Hosea�s Wife and Children) leads up to and prepares the way for Chapter 2 (Israel Punished and Restored) Hosea primes us for Israel Punished and Restored in Chapter 2, by telling us first, about his Wife and Children in Chapter 1

17. Worksheet 2 Who wrote or speaks in it? The Lord (through Hosea) Who does he talk to? Israel (Northern Kingdom), God�s people everywhere Who or what is he talking about? Hoseas highlights parallels between his relationship with his wife Gomer and God�s relationship with the nation of Israel Anything special said about them? Israel made a covenant with God, yet went after false other gods In the same way, Hosea married Gomer, knowing ahead of time that she would leave him

18. A Snapshot of Chapter 1 Where it takes place? The Northern Kingdom (Israel) When it happens? Around 753 BC, during the end of the prosperous but morally declining reign of Jeroboam II of Israel What is its purpose? To show that God was merciful toward the people of Israel despite their sins, as Hosea dealt tenderly with his wife in spite of her sin

19. Color-Tag the Text As you read the text: Apply the Rule of Repetition

24. The Color-Tagged Textsheet Debrief by counting how many times you tagged words, people, places, and things Decide which ones to define and describe Define words with Strong�s and an English Dictionary in the Notes column Describe people, places, and things with an IVP Bible Background Commentary and a Bible Dictionary in the Notes column

25. The Color-Tagged Textsheet Map the flow of events in Hosea Since Hosea is a story, ask each verse whether it: Adds new details Fills in missing details Brings out details you couldn�t see before Write what the verse does, beside it, in the Flow column

26. Worksheet 3 Before you probe the passage, to penetrate its secrets Summarize it. Based on how many times you tagged items on the Textsheets, either: One will stand out from all the rest, or Several will share the spotlight Write a 1-sentence synopsis of the passage using one or more of the items you chose

27. Worksheet 3 Hosea mentions the Lord, 20X in Chapter 1 He stands out from everything and every-one else in the text. You can sum up what the Lord does in Chapter 1, two ways: He tells Hosea to marry a prostitute and to love her no matter what He also promises to love his unfaithful bride, Israel, no matter what In a single sentence you might say: The Lord tells Hosea to demonstrate toward his wife��the same unshakable love He has for Israel

28. Worksheets 3, 4 People learn by asking questions As you read the text: Questions will naturally come up as you struggle to grasp what the passage means The text will answer some by itself The Text will need help from your Notes (definitions and descriptions) to answer others This is when you put two-and-two together

29. QuikProbe

32. Worksheets 3, 4 Here are some of the questions that came up as I read the text: Why would God tell a godly man like Hosea to marry an adulteress? Did Hosea�s wife have children with other men while married to Hosea? Why did God call Israel, �Jezreel�? Why did God choose such odd names for Hosea�s children?

33. Worksheets 3, 4 Why did God threaten to punish the house of Jehu? Wouldn�t a name like �unloved� harm a child�s self-esteem? What did God mean when He promised to reunite Israel and Judah? How could �Jezreel� mean something good? Who is God referring to when He says that Israel and Judah will appoint one leader?

34. Worksheet 5 Many people find it difficult to stay inside the boundaries of the book They want to tie what the passage teaches to other parts of the Bible What you have done so far has laid a solid foundation on which you can build Now is the time to involve other parts of the Bible in your study of Hosea

35. Worksheet 5 Reflect on what you have learned so far Reread your Textsheets with help from Worksheets 3, 4 Look for something familiar. Look until you can say: This reminds me of�, or I can relate to this because� When you recognize something in the passage that resembles something you already know or know about, STOP!

36. Worksheet 5 Compare what the passage teaches with lessons from other passages you have already studied If the passage Backs up what you already know, use the top of Worksheet 5 to explain how Teaches something different from what you already know, or Shows you something you�ve never seen before, use the bottom of Worksheet 5 to describe it

37. Worksheet 6 Bible study isn�t over until you bring God�s Word to life: One event at a time, for a story One thought at a time, for an idea or argument To divide a story into events, look for: Changes in location (where events take place) Change of time frame (periods during which events take place) Changes of characters (who are involved)

38. Worksheet 6 Hosea 1 breaks down by characters: Introduction (1:1) Hosea marries (1:2, 3) Jezreel (1:4, 5) Lo-Ruhamah (1:6,7) Lo-Ammi (1:8-11)

39. Worksheet 6 Bringing God�s Word to life is a process called Application, in 6 steps� Divide the passage into events, ideas, or arguments Ask: Is the writer for or against what he says? Ask: Does the writer inform, educate, or persuade? Ask: Does the writer expect you to adopt, adapt, or adjust to what he says? Reexamine old thoughts on the subject in the new light Develop an action plan to carry out the writer�s goals for you

40. Lo-Ruhamah 1:6, 7 1. We have already divided the passage into events vv.6, 7 talk about Lo-Ruhamah�s birth & naming 2. Hosea is obviously for what he says, because God told him what to say 3. When writers: Report or describe events��they inform Instruct or explain ideas��they educate Reason, plead, or coax��they persuade Hosea reports Lo-Ruhamah�s birth; so he informs Hosea also explains the idea of her name; so he educates

41. Worksheet 6 4. When writers: Inform, they expect you to adopt what they say Educate, they expect you to adapt to what they say Persuade, they expect you to adjust to what they say When Hosea informs us of Lo-Ruhamah�s birth; he expects us to adopt it as a fact, period! When Hosea educates us about Lo-Ruhamah�s name, he expects us to adapt to what he explains about it: � To modify our views of God�s love based on what he says

42. Worksheet 6 4. When I reexamine my old thoughts about God�s love in the new light Hosea presents about it: I must adapt to the idea that I cannot earn His love Hosea still loves �Unloved� (probably an illegitimate child) Unloved (undeserving) Judah still gets loved, only because God chooses to love them I must adapt to the idea that God shows love in a personal way, not through force, circumstances, etc. He will personally rescue His undeserving people without help from their armies or weapons

43. Worksheet 6 5. Develop an action plan in 7 simple steps: Always make prayer for divine guidance and support, a part of your plan Let the writer reset your goals; make his expectations for you��your dreams Plan the journey step-by-step, asking: Where does he want me to go? (Spell out his goal for you) Where am I now? (Be honest with yourself about how close you are to reaching the goal: near or far from it)

44. Worksheet 6 How did I get here? (Think about what you have done up to now, to get where you are) How can I get where I should go? (List course corrections [changes] you need to make in order to reach the goal) Where do I go from here? (Plot the moves you must make in order to pull off these changes and reach the goal)

45. Worksheet 6 I must pray for divine guidance, support, and strength: To carry out this action plan To make Hosea�s goals for me��my dreams Hosea expects me to accept God�s love, unconditionally But I am still trying to earn God�s love I am a performer who has always lived by report cards I must start accepting the fact that God loves me, in spite of myself I need to pray whenever I think I can make God love me and spend more time with Christ as my Savior who loved me before I was born, as my High Priest who loves me in spite of my sins, and as my King who loves me enough to come back for me

46. Journaling Don�t forget to log what happened as you personally interacted with Christ during the study Consider Him from all angles; He is a never-ending study Think as you report: marry imagination and inventiveness to the stream of truth that flows from your interaction with Christ Instead of writing what you gather from the text, record Christ�s insights into it

47. Sample Journal Entry Date: 04/07/07 Book: Hosea Passage: 1:6, 7 What I will never forget from my time with the Master As I read about Lo-Ruhamah, it dawned on me that I didn�t deserve God�s love any more than she did; and I began to feel guilty about the way I have self-righteously taken God�s salvation for granted. I prayed for forgiveness and imagined Christ rushing to my defense. I cried��tears of joy. What I can pass on to others from my personal experience Christ�s love is tireless as it is unconditional. Even when we insult Christ with our useless efforts to bypass Him and save ourselves, He still pleads on our behalf. His love keeps love alive in the world; we only love because He loves us first.