Hosea 8 [2] How convenient of them to only call on God when they're in trouble, once again showcasing their fickleness. We aren't any different. We don't want Him, only what He can do for and give us, and that's why we utter a bunch of empty words thinking they will twist God's arm. But God is not moved, because actions speak louder than words. May we do well to remember the words Jesus spoke in Matthew 7:21-23. Verse 21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father Who is in heaven.

Hosea 4 [1-3] Seeing as God gave us dominion over the earth, our actions, good and bad, have a direct impact on the environment. Therefore Israel's moral failings meant that nature was also in distress.

Hosea 3 The rescuing of Gomer from slavery by Hosea is a symbol of God's redemptive power. He will always be there to pull us out from the quicksand we've trapped ourselves in. He doesn't write us off.

What stood out to me today was how the God kept pronouncing judgment on the Israelites because they kept sinning and going against him. They kept going back to worshiping idols, golden calf that they literally built with their hands…imagine worshiping that instead of God. Despite that, God just wanted them to turn back to Him, that’s basically why He was punishing them. So I’ll conclude with what Jeffery posted on the group chat which is…“God’s judgement is not absence of love”.

Aside many of the codified languages in the reading today, because many of them referred back to the law and technicality of Jacob, which can only be properly understood by knowing why those words are there, I think it’s intentionally used because the author and the audience has knowledge of his words, occurrences and happenings. I also think that, the totality of the reading isn’t primarily about physical adultery it’s a figure of speech for idolatry, again it traces back to the laws.