Ages 7-10 5

Sin Separates Us From God

Memory Verse Also: practice the Minor Prophets Song

Hosea 2:19 - “And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord.”

Chapter 5​:

This chapter talks about how the sins of have separated them from God. Verse 4 describes how their deeds do not permit them to return to God. At the end of the chapter, God says through Hosea that the people must acknowledge their guilt and earnestly seek God’s face.

Color the picture. Underneath the word “SIN”, list the sins that are in your life, separating you from God.

SIN

Review 1 John 1:9 with your family and discuss it together. Why is confession such an important part of our relationship with God?

Text Questions​:

Read ​Verse 1​: List the 3 groups that Hosea is speaking to: “Hear this, O ______! Pay attention, O ______! Give ear, O ______! ” This tells us that, like Chapter 4, Hosea’s warning is for the leaders​ ​of Israel.

Verse 3​ says:​ “I know , and Israel is not hidden from me.”​ I​ s it possible to hide our sins from God? ​ *​ Circle one* ​ Y​ ES NO​ Who else is in the tried to hide their sin from God? ​(*Hint: Read Genesis 3:1-10)​ ______

Verse 4​ says:​ “Their deeds do not permit them to return to God.”​ Israel’s sin separated them from God just like the sins you listed on the first page can separate you from God. Skip ahead to ​Verse 15​. G​ od warned the people that the separation would continue until the people “acknowledge their ______and seek my ______, and in their distress earnestly ______me.”

Verses 11-14​ use very strong language to describe God’s judgment on Israel and . Read these verses in an ESV Bible and fill in the blanks: “​ 11 Ephraim is oppressed, ______in judgment, because he was determined to go after filth.12 But I am like a ______to Ephraim, and like ______to the house of Judah. 13 When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to , and sent to the great king. But he is not able to cure you or heal your wound. 14 For I will be like a ______to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will ______and go away; I will ______, and no one shall rescue.”

It can be frightening to think of God like a lion, tearing and carrying off his people, but we need to look to God’s Word to know that his punishment is always for our protection and our ultimate good. God is the ONLY Rescuer that can save us from our sins! Israel turned to Assyria instead of to God. His harsh punishment was a reminder that HE is their only Rescuer! Read the following verses as a family and discuss what they tell us about God:

Deuteronomy 8:5 ​ ·​ Job 5:17 ​ ·​ Proverbs 3:11-12 ​ ·​ Hebrews 12:11 ​ · ​ Revelation 3:19

Consider reading together as a family C.S. Lewis’ novel: ​The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe​. Discuss the novel as it relates to the .​ (Questions to consider: How is Aslan being “away” from Narnia similar to Hosea 5:15? Peter asks the question: “Who is Aslan?” What would you say if a stranger asked you “Who is God?” How would you describe God to someone who had no idea who He is? Read some of the Psalms describing God {Psalms 93 & 97}. How are these similar to the descriptions of Aslan? Why does God choose to describe himself as a Lion in Hosea 5? If you were in Narnia, whose side would you choose to be on: the White Witch or Aslan? Why? Why do you think Edmund chose to ally himself with the White Witch? What is the difference between power and authority? Which does the White Witch use? What about Aslan?)