Some Questions
- Which ‘bits’ of Hosea’s charge against the community of his day might apply equally to our society?
- Once you have taken the text in its most literal form (eg they had prostitution, we have prostitution) try to explore different levels. Identify different kinds of prostitution and idolatry in your every day world and try not to limit it to the way other people behave.
- Which elements of our society need to hear Hosea’s message today, and why? Who is most likely to hear it? With whom is it most likely to be unpopular?
- Re-read one or two verses which ‘spoke’ to you particularly and write down what they said.
Some Activities
- See how many different kinds of broken relationships you can identify. Choose one or two and work out how each different situation brings out a different nuance in the message.
- Choose one broken relationship you are familiar with but preferably not personally involved. Set down on paper the damage which it is doing and what has been done by anyone (including the contenders) to heal it.
- Study Hosea on a broad canvas (much wider than your own experiences). Use the ideas to analyse broken relationships in your favourite play or novel, and pay some attention to the other characters in the situation who are not in contention but are caught in the crossfire.
- Meditate on the hymn, ‘Make me a channel of your peace’.