Hosea is a book that tells a heart-breaking story—for some a perplexing story—about a prophet told to marry a prostitute. It’s a book that is filled with cycle after cycle of promises of judgment. But, according to David Murray, professor of Old Testament and practical theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Hosea is a book that gives teachers the opportunity to present people with vivid pictures of God as a faithful husband intent on loving his unfaithful wife, a parent whose heart is twisted up inside him over the impact of his child’s sin, and so much more. In context of all of God’s uncomfortable promises to judge his people in heart-breaking ways, Murray points out God’s repeated promises throughout the book to live, to save, to redeem, and to restore his people to himself after they’ve wandered away from him. 

Mentioned in this episode

• Preparing a sermon using The Compelling Communicator (video demonstration)
• Murray’s Top Online Articles on Christ in the Old Testament
• 30 “I Wills” from Hosea
• Jesus on Every Page by David Murray
• Exploring the Bible Together: A 52-Week Family Worship Plan by David Murray (releases May, 2020)
• Meeting with Jesus: A Daily Bible Reading Plan for Kids by David Murray (releases March, 2020)
• The Word of the Lord video session on Hosea by Nancy Guthrie