Hosea, Prophet to Israel

Unit 14 • Session 2

Use Week of: Unit 14 • Session 2 Hosea, Prophet to Israel

BIBLE PASSAGE: Hosea

STORY POINT: God is faithful to His people even when they do not love Him.

KEY PASSAGE: 2 Peter 3:9

BIG PICTURE QUESTION: Why should we obey God? We should obey God because He made us, He loves us, and His plans are good.

INTRODUCE THE STORY TEACH THE STORY APPLY THE STORY (10–15 MINUTES) (25–30 MINUTES) (25–30 MINUTES) PAGE 92 PAGE 94 PAGE 100

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Younger Kids Leader Guide 88 Unit 14 • Session 2 LEADER Bible Study Hosea was a prophet to the Northern Kingdom of Israel for at least forty years. God sent Hosea to tell Israel of God’s hatred toward sin and of His coming judgment. (See Hos. 4:1,6.) God also sent Hosea to bring a message of love—a love that never gives up. (See Hos. 11:7-9.)

To get the message across to the Israelites, God used Hosea’s own life to show Israel what a never-gives-up kind of love looks like. Hosea obeyed God’s instructions to marry a prostitute. Hosea loved Gomer as his wife, 2 even though he knew she would not be faithful to him. Gomer gave birth to children who were conceived with other men. Can you imagine Hosea’s grief each time he realized his wife’s unfaithfulness?

It would have been easier for Hosea to end his marriage covenant—to throw up his hands and say, “Enough! I’m done with you!” Yet God’s people were no different than Gomer. They were spiritual adulterers. Their hearts chased after other lovers by loving and worshiping idols.

It would have been easier for God to end the Mosaic covenant—to throw up His hands and say, “Enough! I’m done with you!” But God’s love never gives up. God gave Hosea a love for his wife that compelled him to buy her back from the slave market after all she had done. In the same way, God sought after His unfaithful people even after all they had done. God paid a high price—the life of His Son, Jesus—to bring them back to Himself.

Remember to present the story of Hosea in an age-appropriate way. God used Hosea’s unfaithful wife to show the people of Israel that they were unfaithful to Him. Even when God’s people worship false idols, He is ready to forgive those who turn back to Him. God’s love is deep, and it never gives up. He goes after His people and loves them back to Himself.

The Northern Kingdom of Israel 89 The BIBLE Story

Hosea, Prophet to Israel Bible Storytelling Tips Hosea • Draw people: God wanted to send a message to His people. So God gave Use stick figures instructions to the prophet Hosea. “Marry a woman who will not be to represent Hosea, Gomer, and their faithful to you,” God said. “Be a father to her children.” children—Jezreel, God was going to use Hosea’s life to show His Lo-ruhamah, and people in Israel what God’s love for them Lo-ammi. Write their names below each was like. Hosea’s wife would love figure. other men instead of Hosea, just • Use body like the people of Israel loved movement: Stand at one side of the and worshiped other gods room when telling instead of the one true God. about Gomer’s actions God was telling Hosea to and the other side do something very difficult. when addressing Israel’s actions. It is hard to love someone who doesn’t love you back! But Hosea obeyed God. He married a woman named Gomer. Gomer had three children: Jezreel, Lo-ruhamah (LOH-roo HA muh), and Lo- ammi (lo-AM igh). Each child’s name had an important meaning. Jezreel was the name of a city, so this name was warning to Israel that God was going to punish Israel. They would be defeated by their enemies. Lo-ruhamah, which means “No Mercy,” let Israel know that God was not going to show them mercy anymore. They would get the punishment their sin deserved.

Younger Kids Leader Guide 90 Unit 14 • Session 2 Hosea, Prophet to Israel Lo-ammi, which means “Not My People,” told the Bible Storytelling Tips Hosea Israelites that they were no longer God’s people. They had broken their covenant to love and worship God. • Draw people: God wanted to send a message to His people. So God gave Gomer was not faithful to Hosea. She often ran away. Use stick figures instructions to the prophet Hosea. “Marry a woman who will not be In the same way, God’s people turned away from Him. to represent Hosea, Gomer, and their faithful to you,” God said. “Be a father to her children.” They worshiped false gods. God told Hosea to go after children—Jezreel, God was going to use Hosea’s life to show His his wife. So Hosea found Gomer and paid to get her Lo-ruhamah, and people in Israel what God’s love for them back. Lo-ammi. Write their names below each was like. Hosea’s wife would love “Stop being unfaithful,” Hosea said. Gomer had not figure. other men instead of Hosea, just loved her husband like a wife should, but Hosea loved • Use body like the people of Israel loved her anyway. God gave Hosea a love that would never give movement: Stand up. God wanted the people of Israel to understand that at one side of the and worshiped other gods room when telling instead of the one true God. they were like Gomer. The Israelites did not love God about Gomer’s actions God was telling Hosea to like they should, but God loved Israel anyway. and the other side do something very difficult. Hosea warned the Israelites that God was going to judge when addressing Israel’s actions. It is hard to love someone them for their sin. He pleaded with Israel to turn back to who doesn’t love you back! God. “Come, let us return to the Lord,” he said. “Let us But Hosea obeyed God. He strive to know the Lord.” married a woman named God was going to punish the people for turning away Gomer. from Him, but He would keep the promise He made to Gomer had three Abraham. Abraham’s family would be a big family, and one children: Jezreel, Lo-ruhamah day Jesus would come from Abraham’s family. Just like (LOH-roo HA muh), and Lo- Hosea paid a high price to get back his wife who did ammi (lo-AM igh). Each child’s not love him, God had a plan to get His people back no name had an important meaning. matter the cost. Jezreel was the name of a city, so this name was warning to Israel that God Christ Connection: God used Hosea’s unfaithful wife to was going to punish Israel. They would be show the people of Israel that they were unfaithful to Him. God defeated by their enemies. gave Hosea a deep love; Hosea was willing to buy back Gomer Lo-ruhamah, which means “No Mercy,” let Israel know that God even after all she had done. God’s love is deep, and it never was not going to show them mercy anymore. They would get the gives up. He goes after His people and paid a great price to get punishment their sin deserved. us back.

The Northern Kingdom of Israel 91 INTRODUCE the Story

SESSION TITLE: Hosea, Prophet to Israel BIBLE PASSAGE: Hosea STORY POINT: God is faithful to His people even when they do not love Him. KEY PASSAGE: 2 Peter 3:9 BIG PICTURE QUESTION: Why should we obey God? We should obey God because He made us, He loves us, and His plans are good.

Welcome time Note: Be Greet each kid as he or she arrives. Use this time to collect sensitive to kids the offering, fill out attendance sheets, and help new kids from difficult connect to your group. Prompt kids to talk about a time backgrounds. If a kid discloses abuse they thought about running away from home. or neglect, always SAY • Sometimes when we are angry or hurt by our report to the families, we think about running away to escape proper authorities. our frustration or pain. Today we will learn about a woman who ran away from a loving husband to make sinful choices. How do you think her husband felt when she ran away?

Activity page (5 minutes) • “Find the Pictures” Invite kids to complete the “Find the Pictures” activity page. activity page, Challenge the kids to search the picture to find the outlines 1 per kid • pencils or markers of items hidden in the picture. SAY • That picture shows a man named Hosea and his wife, Gomer. She doesn’t look very happy, does she? Hosea loved Gomer, but Gomer did not love Hosea the way a wife should love her husband. Today we will hear about how Hosea’s life provided a picture of God’s love for Israel.

Younger Kids Leader Guide 92 Unit 14 • Session 2 Session starter (10 minutes) OPTION 1: To and fro Stand at one side of the room. Instruct the kids to rush toward you if you say something good, or to rush away from you if you say something bad. Suggested statements: • You have no homework. • You won’t get dessert. • Your sibling was mean to you. • You got $20 for your birthday. SAY • Our game had you running back and forth over and over. Today we will learn about a man whose wife kept going back and forth. She would run away, and he would go rescue her. Who else tends to run away and need rescue? We’ll learn more about that soon.

OPTION 2: Keep away Write each kid’s name on a slip of paper and place all the • slips of paper slips in a cup. Draw names one at a time from the cup and • pencil or pen • cup read them aloud. The kids must quickly move away from the kid whose name has been called. After playing for a few minutes, switch the rules so that kids must move toward the kid whose name is called. SAY • What might cause you to run away from someone else? Would you run away from someone who loves you and wants what is best for you? Today we will learn that God’s people did just that!

Transition to teach the story

The Northern Kingdom of Israel 93 TEACH the Story

Countdown • countdown video Show the countdown video as you transition to teach the story. Set it to end as the session begins.

Introduce the session (3 minutes) • leader attire [Leader enters wearing a rain slicker and rubber galoshes.] LEADER • Hey there, friends! Glad to see you again. Have Tip: If you prefer you ever heard people talk about sailors as being not to use “married to the sea?” It’s a funny way of saying that themed content some sailors love being out on the ocean waves more or characters, adapt or omit this than they like being on land. The truth is, the ocean introduction. is dangerous and unpredictable. If the ocean were a person, it would make a pretty bad husband or wife! I think most people would want to be married to someone gentle and kind, someone understanding and patient. As a fisher who has spent time in raging storms, I can tell you the sea is none of those things! But today, in our Bible story, we will learn about a prophet of God who was gentle, kind, patient, and understanding. God asked him to marry a woman who lived in sin and treated him badly. His name was Hosea, and he obeyed God and married the

Younger Kids Leader Guide 94 Unit 14 • Session 2 woman God told him to. Today I’ll tell you all about that story.

Big picture question (1 minute) LEADER • You may be wondering why Hosea would obey God if God told him to do something so difficult. Marrying someone who doesn’t treat you well sounds like bad news. But that brings us to our big picture question: Why should we obey God? We should obey God because He made us, He loves us, and His plans are good. Hosea may not have understood what God was doing, but his choice to obey God helps us understand a lot about God.

Giant timeline (1 minute) Show the giant timeline. Point to individual Bible stories as • Giant Timeline you review. LEADER • You see, Hosea was a prophet during a time when the Northern Kingdom of Israel was wandering further and further from God. The kings of Israel were evil, and each one led the people to disobey God more than the last king had. God sent many prophets to warn the people about their sin. Hosea was one of them. God planned to use Hosea’s life to show what God’s love for His people looks like.

• Bibles Tell the Bible story (10 minutes) • “Hosea, Prophet to Open your Bible to the Book of Hosea. Use the Bible Israel” video storytelling tips on the Bible story page to help you tell the • Big Picture Question story, or show the Bible story video “Hosea, Prophet to Israel.” Poster • Bible Story Picture LEADER • Make no mistake, what God told Hosea to do Poster would have been incredibly difficult. Hosea’s wife, • Story Point Poster

The Northern Kingdom of Israel 95 Gomer, did not love Hosea the way a wife should love her husband. She ran away from him and loved other men. Hosea’s sadness was a picture of the sadness God feels when His people run after false gods and worldly desires. God’s covenant with His people was similar in many ways to a marriage covenant between a man and a woman. When a man and woman get married before God, they promise to love one another and work together to love God and obey Him. They promise to stick together and not to chase after other people. God had promised to love His people and never leave them, and they agreed to love and obey only Him; but they did not love or obey Him! They broke their promise to God. Hosea’s wife did not keep her promise to Hosea, and her unfaithfulness was a picture of Israel’s unfaithfulness toward God. God gave Hosea the love and the strength to keep chasing after Gomer and loving her despite her behavior. That helps us picture God’s love for people. God is faithful to His people even when they do not love Him. God loved us in an incredible way: He sent His own Son to take our punishment and give us His Note: You may use righteousness. Just as Hosea paid to get his wife this opportunity to back, God paid a great price to buy us back from our use Scripture and slavery to sin. the guide provided to explain how to become a Christian. Christ connection Make sure kids LEADER • God used Hosea’s unfaithful wife to show the know when and where they can ask people of Israel that they were unfaithful to Him. questions. God gave Hosea a deep love; Hosea was willing to

Younger Kids Leader Guide 96 Unit 14 • Session 2 buy back Gomer even after all she had done. God’s love is deep, and it never gives up. He goes after His people and paid a great price to get us back. When we believe that Jesus died for our sins and rose again on the third day, God forgives our sins and gives us new hearts that love Him. Our new hearts give us the power and desire to obey Him. Why should we obey God? We should obey God because He made us, He loves us, and His plans are good.

Questions from kids video (3 minutes) Show the “Unit 14, Session 2” questions from kids video. • “Unit 14, Session 2” Prompt kids to think about God’s faithful love. Guide them Questions from Kids Video to discuss stories from the Bible that remind them of God’s perfect and unfailing love.

Missions moment (3 minutes) Play the “Bill Wallace to China” missions video. • “Bill Wallace to LEADER • God is faithful to His people, even when they China” missions do not love Him. Many people in China did not video believe in God, and some even hated Bill Wallace for talking about God. He went to China and stayed in China even when it was dangerous because he wanted to obey God. Lead a brief prayer for missionaries who are witnessing in difficult places.

Key passage (5 minutes) Show the key passage poster. Lead the boys and girls to • Key Passage Poster read together 2 Peter 3:9. Then sing “The Lord Does Not • “The Lord Does Not Delay” song Delay.”

The Northern Kingdom of Israel 97 LEADER • Our key passage reminds us that what we may see as slowness is really God’s patience with sinners. Jesus could return today and destroy all evil and punish sinners, but the longer He chooses to wait, the more time we have to teach people the gospel. When a person repents of sin and believes the gospel, he or she receives new life from God.

Sing (4 minutes) • “Once and for All” LEADER • Let’s sing to God, who is faithful to us even song though we are unfaithful to Him. Sing together “Once and for All.”

Pray (2 minutes) Invite kids to pray before dismissing to apply the story. LEADER • Father, thank You for Your perfect faithfulness and unending love. Give us courage and strength to obey You even when the world around us tries to pull us away from You. Use us in Your plan to spread the truth of the gospel all around the world. Amen.

Dismiss to apply the story

Younger Kids Leader Guide 98 Unit 14 • Session 2 The Gospel: God’s Plan for Me Ask kids if they have ever heard the word gospel. Clarify that the word gospel means “good news.” It is the message about Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation. Use the following guide to share the gospel with kids.

God rules. Explain to kids that the Bible tells us God created everything, and He is in charge of everything. Invite a volunteer to read Genesis 1:1 from the Bible. Read Revelation 4:11 or Colossians 1:16-17 aloud and explain what these verses mean.

We sinned. Tell kids that since the time of Adam and Eve, everyone has chosen to disobey God. (Romans 3:23) The Bible calls this sin. Because God is holy, God cannot be around sin. Sin separates us from God and deserves God’s punishment of death. (Romans 6:23)

God provided. Choose a child to read John 3:16 aloud. Say that God sent His Son, Jesus, the perfect solution to our sin problem, to rescue us from the punishment we deserve. It’s something we, as sinners, could never earn on our own. Jesus alone saves us. Read and explain Ephesians 2:8-9.

Jesus gives. Share with kids that Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again. Because Jesus gave up His life for us, we can be welcomed into God’s family for eternity. This is the best gift ever! Read Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; or 1 Peter 3:18.

We respond. Tell kids that they can respond to Jesus. Read Romans 10:9-10,13. Review these aspects of our response: Believe in your heart that Jesus alone saves you through what He’s already done on the cross. Repent, turning from self and sin to Jesus. Tell God and others that your faith is in Jesus.

Offer to talk with any child who is interested in responding to Jesus. Provide I’m a Christian Now! for new Christians to take home and complete with their families.

The Northern Kingdom of Israel 99 APPLY the Story

Key passage activity (5 minutes) • Key Passage Poster Inflate a balloon and provide it to the kids. Form two • Allergy Alert teams and instruct each team to stand on one side of the • balloon • tape (optional) room. You may use tape to mark the middle of the room • beach ball (optional) and divide the two teams. Then toss the balloon to one team and challenge them to play a sort of volleyball game, bopping the balloon back and forth. Kids must say the words of the key passage each time they bop the balloon. See if the teams can say the entire key passage without the balloon hitting the floor. SAY • Peter was one of Jesus’ disciples and closest friends. Peter wanted people to know that God is patient with people. He wants people to repent of sin and obey Jesus. Why should we obey God? We should obey God because He made us, He loves us, and His plans are good.

• Bibles, 1 per kid Discussion & Bible skills (10 minutes) • Story Point Poster Distribute a Bible to each kid. Help kids find the Book of Hosea. Explain that Hosea is part of the Minor Prophets, but that only means it is a short book when compared to the Major Prophets, not that it is less important.

Younger Kids Leader Guide 100 Unit 14 • Session 2 Ask the following questions. Lead the group to discuss: Option: Retell or 1. How many children did Gomer have? (three, review the Bible Hosea 1:3-8) story using the bolded text of the 2. What did their names mean? (Jezreel would see Bible story script. trouble, God would no longer have compassion on Israel, and God would no longer treat Israel as His people; Hosea 1:3-8) 3. Was God going to give up on His people forever? (No, God would punish them but then He would restore them; Hosea 6:1-2) 4. How do we know God has stayed faithful to His people? Guide kids to talk about the Bible, God’s Word. Lead them to understand that it tells us of all the ways God restored His people, including sending Jesus to make the ultimate sacrifice for sin. 5. What are ways we are unfaithful toward God? Guide kids to talk about our tendency to put other things, like money, fame, or comfort, before God in our lives. We sometimes worship these things as the most important, when God is really most important. 6. If God remains faithful to us no matter what, why do you think it’s good to obey God? Help kids think through what it communicates to God and the world when we disobey God. Help kids see that God loves us and wants us to love Him. Explain how God’s mercy, grace, and love toward us awakens our hearts to love Him, and our love for God will naturally lead us to obeying Him. SAY • God’s love for us never gives up or fades away. It cannot be used up or run out. God is faithful to His people even when they do not love Him. He sent Jesus to save us and the Holy Spirit to help us obey.

The Northern Kingdom of Israel 101 Activity choice (10 minutes) OPTION 1: Secret church • Bibles Ask kids to take off their shoes and stack them neatly against the wall. Then guide them to sit with you in a circle on the floor. Sing a song quietly together, read a short Scripture passage, and pray. SAY • In some places, including China, it is dangerous to worship God in public. That’s why Christians Tip: Use this in those places practice something called “secret activity option church.” Many people around the world read the to reinforce the missions moment Bible, sing worship songs, and pray, just as we do— found in Teach the but they have to do so quietly so others cannot hear Story. them. This week, pray that Christians around the world will be faithful to obey God like Bill Wallace was. Why should we obey God? We should obey God because He made us, He loves us, and His plans are good.

OPTION 2: Stamp recall • rubber stamps Use a variety of rubber stamps and ink pads to give the kids • ink pad stamps of their choosing on the backs of their hands. After • paper • pencils or markers each kid has a stamp, select one kid and request that he or she give back the stamp. Give the kids a few moments to discuss the impossibility of such a task. Then give the kids time to decorate a sheet of paper with stamps and write out the story point. SAY • God is faithful to His people even when they do not love Him. Just as you cannot give back a stamp once it’s stamped on your hand, we cannot give back our salvation to God once we accept it. One wonderful thing about salvation is that it can never fade or get wiped away like a stamp can. God is

Younger Kids Leader Guide 102 Unit 14 • Session 2 patient with people and desires that all of us would repent of sin and obey Him. We only need to accept that gift once! After we are saved, we are saved forever.

Reflection and prayer (5 minutes) Distribute a sheet of paper to each child. Ask the kids • pencils and crayons • paper to write about or draw a picture to answer the following • Bible Story Coloring questions: Page, 1 per kid • What does this story teach me about God or about the gospel? • What does this story teach me about myself? • Whom can I tell about this story? Make sure to send the sheets home with kids alongside the Tip: Give parents activity page so that parents can see what their kids have this week’s Big been learning. Picture Cards for If time remains, take prayer requests or allow kids to Families to allow families to interact complete the Bible story coloring page provided with this with the biblical session. Pray for your group. content at home.

The Northern Kingdom of Israel 103