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• betray - to hurt someone by breaking a promise, lying, or siding with an enemy
• prophet - a messenger for God

God wanted Israel to know how he felt about their wicked behavior and worship of idols. So he told Hosea to marry an unfaithful woman. She bore him children, whose names meant, Jezreel (God plants), Loruhamah (no  more mercy), Loammi (not my people). But Hosea's wife was not faithful, and she left Hosea, which caused him much pain.

God compared this pain to the sorrow he felt when Israel left Him and worshipped idols. He loved Israel, and loves us. He wants to be with us, and for us to learn about Him. When we turn away from Him, and don't talk to Him or include Him in our lives, he is sorrowful. He will not tolerate being betrayed, and when we leave Him, He will not claim us as family any more. That's why he had Hosea name his children "No more mercy" and "Not my people".

Leaving God out of our lives is also dangerous. He is the light, and when we walk in the dark we stumble. The only safe and rewarding place to be is near God, because not only does He know what's best for us, He will provide it if we are near Him. God said Israel's destruction came from a lack of knowledge about God. We need to study and get to know God better in order to be saved.

1. God thinks of us as His family.   T
2. God will tolerate all behavior.   F
3. We must always put God first.   T
4. We always know what's best for us.  F
5. Some people worship idols today.  T

• Memory Work
  • Hosea 4:1 Hear the word of Jehovah, ye children of Israel; for Jehovah hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor goodness, nor knowledge of God in the land.
  • Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge...
  • Hosea 6:6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
• Making Words: See how many words students can make from the phrase "The Prophet Hosea" (e.g. sheep, rose, ropes, poor, etc.)
• Demonstrate how God stays in one place and we either walk with Him or walk on our own. Place a Bible near a flashlight in the room. Turn the lights off. Have students face away from the light and start walking away from it. Note how it's easier to stumble or walk into objects when farther from the light. Then have them turn around and see how easy it is to pick out the light from the darkness. Light will always banish darkness; darkness can never extinguish light.
• Name that Object
• Craft draw a picture of your family (or family tree for older students)

1. What did Hosea's children's' names mean (name one). "Not my people" "No more mercy" & "God plants"
2. What is a prophet? one who delivers a message for God.
3. Fill in the blank: My people are destroyed for a lack of ________. Hosea 4:6  (knowledge)

1. Sing: Jesus loves the little children
2. Draw a picture of Hosea feeling sorrowful. (unhappy face, head in hands)
3. Craft an idol from play clay. Discuss how Israel betrayed God for an idol

1. How did Hosea feel when his wife left him? sorrowful, betrayed, angry
2. How do we feel when a friend won't talk to us? sad, mad, hurt
3. How do you think God feels when we don't talk to him?

1. How can we always do what's best for us? by doing what the Bible says.
2. Does God leave us or do we leave God? we leave God, He is always there.
3. Why is it important to be faithful to God? we have made a commitment

1. Is Hosea in the New or Old Testament?  Old (minor prophets)
2. Why did Hosea preach to the people? to convince them to repent
3. Was Hosea's wife faithful to him? No

1. How do we get to know God? study, pray, act like He wants us to
2. Why did God want Hosea to feel how He felt? so he could tell the people of Israel.
3. How can we remain faithful? remember God daily, study, practice his will, avoid things that drag us away from him