H O S E A The Greatest Love Story of All Time Welcome to Calvary Women’s Bible Study! We are blessed you are joining us on our journey through the Old Testament book of Hosea, a book rich in revealing the love Jesus has for His Church. The book of Hosea is said to be the greatest love story of all time, for in it we see the relentless love of God as He pursues His Bride. Though Hosea is not your typical love story, nevertheless, this book is God’s story of how He redeemed His Bride when she was in rebellion to Him. The thread that runs throughout Hosea is God’s steadfast faithfulness even when we remain faithless (2 Timothy 2:13). Despite all of our sin, rebellion, and idolatry, God remains faithful to us because He loves us with unconditional love, and He promises He will never leave or forsakes us. As you study each chapter, you will see the recurring theme of the faithfulness of God. God doesn’t remain faithful to us because we are good but because He is so good. This study is fourteen chapters long and fifteen weeks in duration. It’s designed to help you dig deep into the Word of God and pull out jewels for you to treasure. We pray you will be blessed as you gain insight and understanding in God’s plan for your life. Be sure to take your time each day as you complete this Bible study. Don’t try to cover all the information each chapter has to offer in one sitting; otherwise, you may end up rushing and miss some important gems. Pray before you begin each day and ask the Lord for understanding. If you are new to Calvary Women, don’t become discouraged if you can’t answer all the questions. That is what we are here for, to help you grow! Just be sure to show up and be blessed as you sharpen your group and they sharpen you. If ever we needed encouragement, it’s now! I pray that you are blessed this year as we learn and grow together. Love you all, Michelle 2 Visit www.calvarywomen.net to watch LIVE on Friday 9 a.m. and Monday 6:30 p.m. We add each study to the website soon after the Bible lesson is complete. CALVARY WOMEN’S MINISTRY email: [email protected] website: www.calvarywomen.net Instagram: @calvarywomensjc 3 HOSEA The Greatest Love Story Ever Told ©2020 by Michelle Randall A Daily Walk Publishing 31612 El Camino Real San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 949-443-2572 ©2020 A Daily Walk Publishing All Rights Reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version of the Bible. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Translation emendations, amplifications, and paraphrases are by the author. Quotes throughout this Bible study were referenced from commentaries per author mentioned. Written by Patti Randall & Carol Kusunoki Cover design: Alexandra Dishno Editor: Allie Kagamaster 4 HOSEA WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY 2020-2021 SCHEDULE SESSION BIBLE STUDY LESSON DATES 1 HOSEA KICK-OFF SATURDAY, SEPT 26 FRIDAY, OCT 2 2 HOSEA INTRODUCTION MONDAY, OCT 5 FRIDAY, OCT 9 3 HOSEA CHAPTER 1 MONDAY, OCT 12 FRIDAY, OCT 16 4 HOSEA CHAPTER 2 MONDAY, OCT 19 FRIDAY, OCT 23 5 HOSEA CHAPTER 3 MONDAY, OCT 26 FRIDAY, OCT 30 6 KOINONIA MONDAY, NOV 2 FRIDAY, NOV 6 7 HOSEA CHAPTER 4 MONDAY, NOV 9 FRIDAY, NOV 13 8 HOSEA CHAPTER 5 MONDAY, NOV 16 FRIDAY, NOV 20 9 HOSEA CHAPTER 6 MONDAY, NOV 23 THANKSGIVING / CHRISTMAS NOV 27 – JAN 1 THURSDAY, DEC 3 WOMEN’S CHRISTMAS DINNER FRIDAY, DEC 4 AND SATURDAY MERRY MARKET SATURDAY, DEC 5 FRIDAY, JAN 8 10 HOSEA CHAPTER 7 MONDAY, JAN 11 FRIDAY, JAN 15 11 HOSEA CHAPTER 8 MONDAY, JAN 18 FRIDAY, JAN 22 12 HOSEA CHAPTER 9 MONDAY, JAN 25 FRIDAY, JAN 29 13 HOSEA CHAPTER 10 MONDAY, FEB 1 FRIDAY, FEB 5 14 HOSEA CHAPTER 11 MONDAY, FEB 8 HOLIDAY BREAK FRIDAY, FEB 12 LINCOLN DAY / WASHINGTON DAY MONDAY, FEB 15 FRIDAY, FEB 19 15 HOSEA CHAPTER 12 MONDAY, FEB 22 FRIDAY, FEB 26 16 HOSEA CHAPTER 13 MONDAY, MAR 1 FRIDAY, MAR 5 17 HOSEA CHAPTER 14 & KOINONIA MONDAY, MAR 8 FRIDAY, MAR 12 18 WOMEN’S RETREAT SATURDAY, MAR 13 SUNDAY, MAR 14 5 6 PRACTICAL HELPS FOR YOUR BIBLE STUDY YEAR PERSONAL “BE”-attitudes: BE DETERMINED - Examine your daily schedule then set aside a consistent time and place to do your study. BE PREPARED - Gather the materials you’ll need: the Bible (we use NKJV), your workbook, and a pen. Try to get your answers from the Bible before going to a commentary. Sometimes another version (NLT, ESV) can help. BE INSPIRED - Begin each day with prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to be your teacher and to illuminate your mind. BE COMPLETE - Read the suggested Bible passages and finish the homework each day. You will get out of this study what you put into it. BE PERSISTENT - Answer the questions as fully as possible. If you are unable to answer a question, move forward to the next question or ask your leader for further insight. BE CONSISTENT - Don’t get discouraged. If you miss a day, you can catch up the next. At the same time, remember there is grace here. Life gets busy sometimes, so do what you can, and come to the group time anyway! You will be blessed! BE HONEST - When answering questions, allow the Lord to search your heart and transform your life. BE BLESSED - Enjoy your daily study time as He speaks to you through His Word. SMALL GROUP “BE”-attitudes: BE PRAYERFUL - Pray before you begin your time together. BE BIBLICAL - Keep all answers in line with God’s Word; avoid personal opinions. BE CONFIDENTIAL - Keep all sharing in your small group confidential. BE RESPECTFUL - Listen without interrupting. Keep comments on track and to the point, so that all can share. Do not use your group as a platform for politics or solicitations, or personal businesses of any kind. It is our policy that literature, handouts, business cards, tracts, invites to home parties, etc., are not allowed. BE DISCREET - In some cases, you do not need to share more than is absolutely necessary. Some details about personal issues do not need to be made known. BE KIND - Reply to the comments of others lovingly and courteously. BE MINDFUL - Remember your group members in prayer throughout the week. 7 8 H O S E A The Greatest Love Story of All Time Have you ever treated someone terribly, yet they loved you in return? DID YOU KNOW? Have you ever rebelled against God, yet He in His loving kindness wooed The Major Prophets you to Himself? Or maybe you ran right past Him with His arms opened comprise the books of wide, not realizing His love was the true love you really were seeking, Isaiah, Jeremiah, yet He loved you just the same? Our God is a jealous God who will leave Ezekiel, and Daniel, the ninety-nine to go after the one who has strayed from the fold. This is while Minor Prophets what we will see in the story of Hosea, known to many as the greatest include Hosea, Joel, love story of all time. Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, The book of Hosea is about the carnal and corrupt state of Israel at the Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and time of the prophets. The prophets were God’s spokesmen to call Israel Malachi. Some refer to and Judah back to the covenant God had made with them on Mount the Minor Prophets as Sinai. But the people refused to listen, disobeying God and rebelling The Twelve, and its against His Commandments. So God allowed Israel to be divided and twelve books conquered by the Assyrians in 722 BC. He also allowed Jerusalem to be represent a period of destroyed, thousands of Jews killed, and thousands more to be taken 450 years of history into exile in Babylon. But not without warning from the Prophets of when God revealed whom Hosea, whose name means salvation, was one. Himself to His people. These prophets are Hosea ministered in the northern kingdom from 760 to 720 BC. Israel at referred to as minor primarily due to the this time had become very prosperous, but Hosea could see that the size and implications nation was rotten at the core. Honest government, pure living, godly of the books, and not homes, and personal integrity had all but vanished from the land. So God because of less raised up a man, Hosea, who faithfully preached the Word of God during importance. Major this carnal and corrupt time. But the nation refused to repent and was Prophets are classified finally swallowed up by Assyria. as major for length and content with After the death of King Solomon, his son Rehoboam, did not serve God broader implications. faithfully which ended up dividing Israel into two kingdoms, the Pastor John Randall A DAILY WALK Southern Kingdom and the Northern Kingdom. The Southern kingdom, Judah and Benjamin, was ruled by Rehoboam. The Northern kingdom, which made up the ten remaining tribes, was ruled by Jeroboam. Fearful that the people would go back to Jerusalem to worship, Jeroboam put golden calves at Bethel and Dan for the people to worship instead of traveling to the temple. The people were led astray by idol worship and became increasingly more immoral.