July 12th, 2026 - Good Medicine for Divisiveness

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Proverbs: " a joyful heart is
yah-TAV geh-WAH"
Good Medicine

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Human maladies = "sins"

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Hosea: we have some qualms
Or heebie jeebies

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But it's Good Medicine

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Hosea's setup:
H & G marry, children with harsh names,
G runs away, H pays to rescue G & brings home

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Ch1: marriage, child birth
Ch 2: overview via poem (caution)
Ch 3: H rescues & reconciles G

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Ch 4-10: God's complaints, Israel unrepentant, judgement
Ch 11-13: Israel as prodigal son
Ch 14: a way back home

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What a story!
Israel: an unfaithful wife and prodigal son.
Murder, adultery, anger, betrayal...

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A serious malady.
A specialist and aggressive treatment is needed.

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Hope in the prognosis
"... they will be loved... my people"
Tenderness, restoration, love and compassion!

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A word from Spurgeon

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Why is this medicine for us?
We turn to Romans, a sermon on prophets

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Paul's intro to Romans:
Greetings, a horrifying list of sins, & " you who judge do the same things."

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Wait... No no no!
Shouldn't we judge them?

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Human Gomerism:
Unfaithfulness via hurting & judging.
Divisiveness & hypocrisy.

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Trust the story:
Gomer and the Prodigal Son redeemed!

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Good Medicine: We are people of God like Israel.
We are both Hosea and Gomer

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Called to forgive and reconcile like H
Called to come back home like G
By the God who heals us.

Karin TerpstraJuly 10, 2026