Broken Heart, Broken Home

“Broken Heart, Broken Home”
Hosea 13:9-16

Introduction

Let us get a little background on Hosea before we start the main points of the message that I believe God wants us to hear this morning.
Let me preface this message first with a truth… God always prepares His servants for each task, for each situation, and each battle in the ministry.
God’s people go through certain trials and tribulations that will prepare them for the future “IF” they listen to God and follow His leading in their life rather than following friends and family member’s advice and leading.
The name “Hosea” means…salvation, which is the same as Joshua and Jesus.
Hosea was commanded by God in Hosea 1:2 to marry a woman named Gomer.
This woman (Gomer) becomes a harlot and has many children from other men’s seed.
Why would God command a man to marry a woman knowing that she would become “a wife of whoredoms” mentioned in Hosea 1:2.
I believe it is for Hosea to be an example to Israel then, and us today, of the unconditional love God has for His people no matter their sin.
When you become a believer in God and start living for Him, talking to Him and base all your decisions according to His plans for you, and you love God with all your heart… it is a marriage.
Since God “…so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten (virgin born) Son” to die on the cross for the salvation of our souls, we are MARRIED to God.
Israel was God’s chosen people (God’s wife). God was married to Israel and Israel married to God.
But Israel continued to play the harlot by worshiping other idols, listening to their friends and family’s advice and not God’s advice.
When people forsake God and continue in sin, God gives them “a bill of divorce” as he did later to Israel in Jeremiah 3:8…And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.
The “theme” of Hosea is God’s loyal love for His covenant (married) people, Israel.
Hosea’s life with Gomer was an example of God’s life with Israel. Married to a harlot, creating a broken home and a broken heart.
God knows we are no good to begin with and will continually break His heart which destroys His home (the church) but yet He still loves us.

I. Cause of a Broken Home, Broken Heart

A) No Devotion/Dedication

What do we mean by “No devotion or dedication?” IT means that a person is not faithful to one thing, or one person.
This is rampant in the world today. The world, and sad to say many Christians are not faithful to one spouse, one church, one job, one way of life, one service, one government.
Dedication to one thing or person requires a mutual agreement to help, love and cherish each other until death do you part.

EXAMPLE; People are not faithful to their spouse because the spouse is not faithful to them in showing support or love and affection causing pain to the other creating animosity and anger within the heart of the unfaithful that leads to a separation or divorce.

EXAMPLE; People are not faithful to their work because they get low wages and never are appreciated, and sometimes have little to no benefits creating hatred towards their boss or others which leads to them a separation from their work to look for another job.

EXAMPLE; Church members are not faithful to a church because of issues within the church that may lead to resentment and unjust anger which causes many to leave the church and go elsewhere or drop out of worship to God anywhere.

All these examples of issues with sin in a marriage, a work environment and a church can be fixed “IF” you are a dedicated person.
A dedicated or devoted person will stick with it no matter what happens and no matter who is involved, and no matter how wrong it may seem.
I have said it before and I’ll say it again… God is in the “remodeling business” not the “Destruction business.” God loves to repair while Satan’s goal is to destroy.

B) Seeking wrong advice

When a person is broken, they often seek help or advice from someone they trust. This often leads to more trouble and lousy advice from incompetent advisers.
Look at our text verse beginning in Hosea 13:9…O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help. 10) I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes?
Isn’t this a huge truth “…O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself;” All of issues can be blamed on other people, but the fact of the matter is that the blame is YOU not other people. We want to blame God. We want to blame our spouse. We want to blame the boss. We want to blame the pastor or church members. But the blame really falls on our own front door step. WE ARE GUILTY!
Guilty of what? Wrong advice, no forgiveness, no devotion, no compassion, no unconditional love, no mercy or grace. All of which are Godly examples.
Listening to “wrong advice” has always been a fault since day one when Eve listened to the advice of Satan and not God. Then Adam listened to his wife and not God. The reason for the fall of man since day one has been failure to follow God’s advice.
God created us right? Why would you not take the advice of the person who created you? You don’t go to a doctor for advice on how to fix your car. You do not go to a farmer for advice on how to live in the city. You don’t go to an atheist to find out the truths of God. So why would you go to your friends for spiritual guidance in leading your family.
God has given you His word (The Bible) and given you a pastor to lead you and teach you spiritually, so why do you not obey God or listen to the voice of God as your minister speaks to you?
The cause of a broken heart and a broken home is not listening or doing as God has commanded.
This was Israel’s problem in Hosea 13:9…they had destroyed themselves. God didn’t destroy them, their enemies did not destroy them, they destroyed themselves by the things they did and did not do. Their own actions destroyed them.
This world today is so caught up in blaming everybody for their failures. When in reality, they have no one to blame but themselves.
But, listen to this advice from our LORD… but in me is thine help.” God told Hosea to tell Israel… “Hey you guys caused all the problems and diseases and failures and tribulations on yourself, but if you want me to help, all you have to do is call on Me. God is saying “Let Me help.”
Why is it that we are just as stupid as Israel? Huh? As Jesus said in John 8:44 (KJV) Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.”
What does God’s word say about seeking advice (counsel)?
1. Psalm 1:1…Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3) And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Psalm 33:10…The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. 11) The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
Psalm 106:13 (KJV)…They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: WOW! Is this ever true of God’s people. We have forgotten the work of God in our life and how he brought us out of the situations and tribulations that could have destroyed us.

We forget the times God rescued us from danger.
And we then fail to wait on His answer to our prayer, then we go ahead and do it on our own, it leads us to destruction. How dumb is that?

II. Getting What You Want Is Not Always Best

A) Pacified for a time

Look again at our text verses of Hosea 13:11…I (God) gave thee (Israel) a king in mine anger, and took him (Ephraim) away in my wrath.
Israel wanted a king when God said no and He got tired of their complaining and worshiping other idols out of their rebellion towards God and He gave them one.
Now look at the problems you face sometimes when God gives you what you think you want in verse 12) The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is
Note that God said “The iniquity of Ephraim” meaning that His sin of perversion of God’s truths “…is bound up,” or is registered in God’s court of justice. There is a warrant out for the life of Ephraim.
The judgment is to come for those who are not patient and wait on the Lord. For Ephraim the judgment is mentioned in the next few verses 13) The sorrows of a travailing woman (A woman in labor with child, meaning that he will have painful things happen to him that will increase in its magnitude as he nears the end of his reign) shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children. 14) I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes. 15) Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind (Assyria) shall come, the wind of the LORD shall come up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels. 16) Samaria shall become desolate; (***Pay attention to the reason why God’s wrath (anger) is poured out upon Israel)…for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword (This means that they will lose the battle against Assyria): their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.
Does this sound like something that God would do? Wow, this makes the Menendez brothers look like saints.
You have heard the saying “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” God’s wrath is worse than that of a woman scorned.
God gave Israel what they wanted and begged for…a king, but he did not turn out to be a good king. In fact, that king was the reason why God’s anger was kindled against Israel. This king was rotten to the core, which lead to his and Israel’s demise.

III. Repairing a Broken Heart and a Broken Home

A) The Lord heareth

To get to the root of a problem (broken heart) first you must recognize the problem. At the root of every broken heart is “sin.”
Sin has caused a heart to be broken or sin is the result of a broken heart.
To heal a broken heart will require the help of God first and the help of loved ones, your church, your family.
Listen to the comforting words of David in Psalm 34:17…The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
The word “cry” here represents a troubled heart, a broken heart, and a heart that is weary in times of trouble. BUT, (Things will change now) David reminds us that God will deliver us out of “ALL” our troubles.
Look at what David tells us about people with a broken heart in verse 18) The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite (worn out from deep sorrow)
No one knows more about afflictions of the righteous (except the apostle Paul) and shares this truth with us concerning the later in verse 19) Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
Truth is… that Christ does not promise us a rose garden life. He does not promise that all our troubles will end when we become a child of God.
In fact, Christ promises the opposite!
John 15:18…If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19) If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20) Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
What we must remember when someone breaks your heart, they broke the heart of Christ (which is God in the flesh) If anyone knows how to heal a broken heart it would be Christ.
The LORD is the only one who can heal your broken heart. Psalm 147:3…He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
Matthew 5:44…But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
All the events in Matthew 5:44 will cause a broken heart and a broken spirit. Christ tells us that we are to to do what? “Love them,” “bless them,” “do good to them,” and above all we are to what? “pray for them.”