Ages 7-10 10

Fruit: What could yours look like?

Parents, this is a very thorough covering of the material today. You may wish to select activities for your child or to not do it all in one sitting.

Memory Verse Also: Practice the Minor Prophets Song :3 “So let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the ​ dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”

TEXT QUESTIONS: Hosea Chapter 10

Hosea 10 lists ’s many serious sins and the consequences God would allow in hopes of bringing about r​ epentance​ and proper worship of Him. As a reminder from the Hosea 6 lesson, “​repentance is a big word for being sorry for doing the wrong thing. It starts with understanding that you did something wrong, and asking for forgiveness. The big part of repentance is that you don’t keep doing the wrong thing that you did. If you keep doing the bad thing - are you really sorry?​” Israel’s actions showed that they were not sorry and were not showing signs of repentance. However, stay tuned for Chapter 11, where we will see that God’s love and mercy are more powerful than Israel’s sin (and our sin as well).

Hosea 10:1-6 - Draw a luxuriant vine spreading it around the words, then read the passage.

1 Israel is a luxuriant vine that yields its fruit. The more his fruit increased, the more altars he ​ built; as his country improved, he improved his pillars. 2 Their heart is false; now they must bear ​ ​ their guilt. The LORD will break down their altars and destroy their pillars. 3 For now they will ​ ​ say: "We have no king, for we do not fear the LORD; and a king--what could he do for us?" 4 ​ They utter mere words; with empty oaths they make covenants; so judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field. 5 The inhabitants of tremble for the calf of ​ ​ Beth-aven. Its people mourn for it, and so do its idolatrous priests-- those who rejoiced over it and over its glory-- for it has departed from them. 6 The thing itself shall be carried to as ​ ​ tribute to the great king. shall be put to shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his idol. Fill in the table below:

Verse Sin Consequence

2

4

5-6

The vine illustration is a word picture to show how Israel is spreading sin and a false religion compared to living out the love of worship of God alone. That’s a sad picture isn’t it?

Application: W​ hat kind of vine are you spreading around your home, school and friends?

Hosea 10:7-10 - ​Read the passage below.

7 Samaria's king shall perish like a twig on the face of the waters. 8 The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed. Thorn and thistle shall grow up on their altars, and they shall say to the mountains, "Cover us," and to the hills, "Fall on us." 9 From the days of Gibeah, you have sinned, O Israel; there they have continued. Shall not the war against the unjust overtake them in Gibeah? 10 When I please, I will discipline them, and nations shall be gathered against them when they are bound up for their double iniquity.

Again we see sin and consequence:

Vs. 7 - Samaria’s king will ______.

Vs. 8 - The high places shall ______.

Vs. 9 - The war will ______.

Vs. 10 - God says, “I will ______them”. Application: Think of a time when you were disciplined and even though you didn’t like it you knew it was right and that it was good for you. What did you learn from that experience? Did you repent of that sin?

Hosea 10:11-15 - Read the passage below. ​

11 Ephraim was a trained calf that loved to thresh, and I spared her fair neck; but I will put Ephraim to the yoke; must plow; must harrow for himself. 12 Sow for yourselves ​ ​ ​ righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you. 13 You have plowed ​ ​ ​ iniquity; you have reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your warriors, 14 therefore the tumult of war shall arise ​ ​ among your people, and all your fortresses shall be destroyed, as Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle; mothers were dashed in pieces with their children. 15 Thus it ​ ​ shall be done to you, O , because of your great evil. At dawn the king of Israel shall be utterly cut off.

Complete the Word Search on the next page to find 4 phrases that appear in vs. 12. These phrases tell Ephriam, Judah and Israel what God wants them to do to the soil of their hearts. (Hints: a longer word is substituted for the word “up” in the verse and you can see ​ starting letters for the words on the younger children’s page if needed.)

Hosea 10:12 - W​ rite the 4 phrases below using the words that you found. Write one letter for each space. Look back at verse 12 for help. (​Note: F​ allow ground is ground that hasn’t been used to plant anything for a while.)

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Circling back around to the theme of repentance, look up Matthew 3:8 and write it below. In this passage, John the Baptist is speaking to Pharisees about the condition of their hearts. His message, capsulized in this one line is very similar to what Hosea is imploring Israel to do. Look it up in several translations.

Matthew 3:8

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What would fruit “​that is consistent with repentance​” look like in your life this week?

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The result of repentance is found is the last part of Hosea 10:12. What does it say that the LORD will rain on you? ______

The Israelites saw a rain of judgment that they deserved. See verses 13-15. Next week we will read of God’s steadfast mercy after judgment.

Spend a few minutes seeking the Lord in prayer. Ask Him to show you how to sow seeds of righteousness, reap steadfast love and to break apart fallow ground in your heart in order to bring Him glory and love others well. Thank Him for wanting to rain righteousness on you.