So who will start the bidding?
No bids?
Surely she can work in your fields.
Anyone?
All right, let me see this for a second.
Hey, I'm playing!
All right, ladies and gentlemen, we've got
a state-of-the-art technological achievement
of the 21st century.
Who'll give me $5 I'm looking for five, five, five?
I'll give you two.
Oh, we got our bidder!
- Steve! - I've got two.
But I'm looking for five, who will give me five?
How about you beautiful young lady?
Well, if you put it that way.
I'll give you five if you don't give it back to me.
Going once.
Going twice.
Sold back to the original owner for five dollars.
Congratulations.
Next on the menu we have Carrie's sleeping bag for $2.50.
Hello.
Miss Helen, come on in.
Well, we're here Brother Stuart.
You got her to come?
It was a struggle,
but she finally agreed.
Good, good it's gonna be a great trip.
I'm so glad.
Sometimes I don't know what to do with her.
Well, teenagers.
Then just before we left her mother called
making all kinds of promises about how she was gonna come
and take her with her again.
Well, that makes it hard.
I feel so sorry for her.
Deep down inside she is a sweet girl.
I hope she cooperates for you.
I'm sure she will.
Ashley, it's good to see you again,
I'm glad you're coming camping with us.
Not my choice.
Don't you worry about a thing, all right, Miss Helen.
We're gonna take good care of her.
Thank you.
Have fun sweetheart.
Unlikely.
Hey guys, ready to go?
Where are all the kids?
This is us.
But there are 30 kids in our youth group.
Thirty in the youth group, 10 who signed up,
six had to cancel at the last minute,
so this is all of us.
Well, this isn't gonna be any fun.
I don't wanna go if I'm the only girl.
Well, as it turns out, you're not the only girl.
We actually have Ashley coming with us.
Ashley, you remember Carrie?
- Hi. - And we have Cooper.
Call me Coop.
Steve.
And, lastly, we have Gameboy.
And here right on time is my beautiful wife.
Hi, hon. Hey.
Guess what, we have Ashley coming with us.
Oh, fantastic, Ashley good to see you.
I'm Beth.
Have you been camping before?
- No. - Neither have I.
But I'm sure it'll be fun.
Plus, the cabins are supposed to have
air conditioners and whatnot.
What's he talking about, there aren't any cabins.
Steve.
Honey, do you have everything you need?
You know what I have to run to the office.
If you don't mind getting everybody loaded up,
I'll be down in a sec.
Ashley, why don't you come with me to the van.
I'll get your bag.
Okay.
Look at her bags.
We're only gonna be gone for two days.
What, she's never been camping before,
so she over packed.
Yo, Steve, are there gonna be bugs?
Yeah, Coop, we're camping in the woods.
There's gonna be bugs.
I hate bugs.
We're not even there yet,
and she's already doing her nails.
Bugs bite.
You can borrow my bug spray, Coop.
- Thanks, man. - No problem.
I know what you're thinking.
What?
She's out of your league.
Carrie's right.
She only dates guys with money.
How do you know?
I know what I know.
Are they big bugs?
Yes, big enough to bite your head off.
You don't know that.
Ashley only dates guys that can buy her lots of stuff.
And you're not rich enough.
There's more to life than money.
I'm just saying I think she's out of your league.
It's not like I'm gonna date her.
Then what?
I think she just needs a friend, that's all.
Carrie, do you think one can of bug spray will do it?
- Do what? - Keep the big bugs away.
- Cooper! - What?
Let's go everybody, load up!
The bags aren't gonna pack themselves!
All right, you guys, you heard the man.
Let's load up!
By the way next item on the menu is Carrie's sleeping bag.
Stop, give it back!
All right, everybody.
Let's get out and check around.
This is gonna be your home for the next two nights.
Is this it?
This is it.
Where are the cabins?
There's no cabins, Coop, this is wilderness living.
No cabins, but Carrie said there would be cabins.
Why do you think they asked us
to bring our own sleeping bags?
So you mean we actually have to sleep on the ground
with the bugs?
Oh, wait, you know what we might not even have tents.
No tents, what if it rains?
Don't worry, Coop, we brought tents.
You know what, Stuart?
I like it, looks good.
What about snakes, any snakes up here?
No, I don't think we get snakes this time of year.
That's a relief.
At least I don't think so.
Hey, Ashley, we're only gonna be here for this weekend.
Do you really need all that luggage?
I couldn't decide what to wear.
"I couldn't decide what to wear."
Come on, be nice.
She's just different.
It doesn't make her a bad person.
No, but the fact that she's stuck up,
spoiled, and self-involved does.
Guys, guys.
Is there something on me?
No!
Thought I felt something.
He's a funny kid.
Well, we're back.
Yeah.
We love this place, don't we?
Yeah, we sure do.
Something good always happens up here.
All right, everybody let's go!
Grab your tents!
Gameboy, what are you doing?
What, I'm making another hot dog.
That's like your third one.
It's my fourth.
You cook a mean hot dog, Stuart.
Thank you very much, Gameboy.
It's the only thing I learned how to do right
at culinary school.
What kind of school?
Culinary?
You know, cooking.
You went to a school to learn how to cook hot dogs?
No, Coop.
Stuart's kidding, but that's what culinary school is.
A school where you learn how to cook hot dogs?
What's so funny?
It's a school where you learn to cook,
not just hot dogs.
Man, you don't know anything.
I didn't know.
It's okay, Coop.
We learn something new everyday.
I actually wanted to study hamburgers.
We had to go for an extra year to do that.
My family and I camp out like this a lot.
This will be a fun weekend, you'll see.
Okay, look, I don't really wanna talk to anybody, okay?
I mean, no offense,
but I hate it out here.
And I'm just trying to get through this
as quick as possible.
Okay, I understand.
Appreciate it.
All right, since we're all gathered around,
let's take a moment to get to know one another
a little better.
All right, I wanna ask everybody a few questions.
Is this gonna be one of those dumb games, Stuart?
No, this isn't "gonna be one of those dumb games, Stuart."
Think of it as an experiment, all right,
and everyone has to answer.
So, here's the question.
What is your favorite book in the Bible?
Coop, you go first.
My favorite book.
How about the Gospel of John.
Gospel of John.
Carrie?
Do I have to?
Yeah, you have to, come on.
Matthew.
Steve, how about you?
Romans.
Romans, good.
Gameboy?
I prefer Amos.
What are you laughing at?
Amos?
Yes, Amos, it's in the Old Testament.
I know where Amos is.
Leave it to Gameboy to be different.
Gameboy says he likes Amos.
There's some good stuff in Amos.
We'll go with that.
And last, Ashley?
Stuart.
Ashley, please.
Matthew, John.
It really doesn't matter.
You gotta choose one.
Matthew.
Matthew it is.
Okay.
Now, can each of you tell me
something about your favorite book?
It can be a verse, something that spoke to you, anything.
Coop?
Me?
Yeah.
Now?
Tell me something about John.
I don't know.
I can't think of anything right on the spot.
Okay.
Carrie?
Let's let Steve go.
Come on it's your turn.
I can't really think of anything right now.
Okay.
Steve how about you?
"For all have sinned
"and have come short of the Glory of God." Romans 3:23.
Excellent.
That's why we all need Jesus.
How about you, Gameboy?
You want me to tell you something about the book of Amos?
You said it was your favorite book.
Yeah, but I didn't know we were gonna have
a pop quiz on it.
Oh, all right, sorry.
Ashley?
Yes?
Can you tell me something about Matthew?
No.
I can't.
All right.
Thanks for being honest.
All right, last question.
If you could change one thing about your character,
what would it be?
Coop?
I don't know, I never thought about it.
Okay, well, take your time.
I guess, not to be so scared of everything.
Like bugs.
Hey, that's a legitimate fear.
Doctors diagnose it all the time.
Yeah, bug doctors.
I agree with Coop.
It's a legitimate fear, I accept it.
Carrie?
Stuart, no offense but these questions?
They have a purpose.
Please, just give me something.
I don't know, reach out to more people I guess.
That's good.
Steve?
Be more sensitive to others.
I realize that a lot of people look good on the outside,
but on the inside they're really hurting.
Okay, good.
Gameboy?
I guess be more attentive.
My mind wanders sometimes.
Sometimes?
Okay.
And Ashley?
I don't like this.
I know.
It's the last question.
Come on, Ashley, it'll help him prove his point.
Be more neat.
"Be more neat?"
Ashley, you're like the neatest person I've ever met.
No, this is good.
It's good we could all,
present company included,
be a little more neat.
Okay.
What's the point?
The point is that all of you gave really good answers,
for the most part,
and if you noticed, they were all pretty different.
I mean, that's the point.
It's okay to be different.
We don't all have to try to be like everyone else.
We need to recognize that we were
all created by God to be ourselves.
Instead of just criticizing each other
and tearing each other down,
we should see each other as special in the eyes of the Lord
and help each other.
Sound like a plan?
Sounds good, Stuart.
Good.
Oh, also, I think just while we're here,
it might be a good idea to brush up
on our favorite books in the Bible.
Do I see a bug?
A bug!
A big bug!
No!
What's wrong with him?
Coop, I was just messing with you.
It's just a twig, not a bug.
- Not funny, Steve! - What's wrong?
Steve put a bug on my face.
It was a just a twig.
- Steve? - Didn't feel like it.
I almost had a heart attack.
Man, I was just trying to help you overcome your fear.
Well, surely you can find a better way to do that.
Now, come on it's night time, turn in.
Not funny Steve.
Okay, okay, I'm sorry, Coop.
At least it wasn't a real bug.
Yeah, well, just for that I'm not paying you back
for your can of bug spray.
It was just a joke.
No, jokes make people laugh,
not fear for their lives.
I said I was sorry.
Still hoping?
Hoping for what?
You know, I saw you trying to talk to her earlier.
Well, someone has to.
Maybe you should.
You said you wanted to reach out more.
Is that your motive, reach out?
Why, you jealous?
Of her?
- Yeah. - No way.
- I think you are. - I think you like her.
Have some compassion.
My mom knows Ashley's grandmother.
And, Ashley's living with her
because her mom's living with her new boyfriend.
I guess her Mom's always finding guys
that have money who can buy her things.
Maybe Ashley is the way she is
because she doesn't know any better.
Or maybe she's just the way she is because she likes it,
and she uses guys to get nice things just like her mother.
Has it ever occurred to you that maybe one of the purposes
of this trip is to show her a better way?
That girl is nothing like us and she never will be.
You don't know that.
She may be tough on the outside,
but on the inside I think she's really hurting.
And you can be the one to rescue her, right?
Yeah.
Good pancakes Beth.
Yes, they sure are.
Thank you.
I'll have some more for you in just a minute.
It's actually Stuart's recipe.
Stuart?
No, I don't think so.
Oh, come on.
Beth makes the pancakes.
I make the French toast.
Hey, Gameboy, how you liking your pancakes?
I'm finding them very palatable.
Palatable?
Yeah, it means he likes them.
You speak a different language, Gameboy.
Hey, Carrie, why don't you go see
if Ashley would like some pancakes?
I would really prefer not to.
Please, I think it'd be a nice gesture.
Okay.
We're having pancakes for breakfast.
How many do you want?
Who said I wanted pancakes?
This isn't a restaurant.
She's making pancakes so how many?
I don't want any.
She says she doesn't want any.
They're not good enough for her.
So, Stuart, what are we gonna do today?
Well, we're gonna change the oil on the van
and rotate the tires, and since we're there,
we may as well vacuum cleaner out
and, you know, just kind of spruce it up a little.
We came here to camp, not work.
He's just messing with you, Cooper.
Yeah, plus, there's not an electrical outlet
to run the vacuum.
I mean, why do you think
I brought extra batteries for my game?
Always thinking there, Gameboy.
So what are we gonna do?
I have an idea.
I say we go scuba diving in the lake.
That sounds like fun.
You can't go scuba diving in a lake.
You got to go scuba diving in the ocean.
Did you bring the scuba gear?
You know what, I didn't.
You know what I did bring though?
- What? - Fishing poles.
All right, everybody, we about ready to go?
I am.
Hey, Stuart, thanks for letting me borrow this net.
Don't thank me thank Beth.
She's the one who thought you might need it.
Thanks, Beth.
You're welcome.
I'm ready too.
Where's Gameboy?
Oh, he's coming.
Okay, Steve, where is it?
- What? - My game.
I can't find my game.
What did you do?
Did you try to sell it to somebody again?
I didn't take your game.
Your laughing, see, you can't keep a straight face.
I know you took it.
I didn't take it, honest.
Coop, did you take it?
I didn't take it.
Well, I can't go fishing until I find my game.
We didn't take it.
Well, where is it then?
Stuart, do you know?
I'm sorry Gameboy, I don't.
Do you remember the last place you saw it?
We'll help you find it.
Well, I know I had it in my tent last night
before Steve took it.
Hey, Ashley?
Hey, you ready to go?
Home, yes.
Fishing, no.
Everybody's got to go fishing, Ashley.
Yeah, I know, but I don't want to.
We're gonna have a good time.
I'd much rather stay here.
Everybody has to go okay?
Come on, Stuart's rule.
I'm ready!
And I love fishing!
It's my favorite thing about camping!
I can't wait!
Well, that's the spirit, Carrie.
Listen, why don't you go ahead,
and tell Stuart we'll be there in a minute.
Thank you.
Ashley, I'll be expecting you.
We have to find this game, boys.
What's wrong?
I can't find my game.
Steve took it,
but he won't admit it.
For the last time I didn't take your game.
See you're laughing.
Guilty as charged.
You mean the game that you left
behind the log after breakfast?
There it is.
Thanks, Carrie.
You're the best.
Okay, guys, thanks for helping me look for the game.
Now let's go, the fish are waiting.
Gotta love, Gameboy.
Told you I didn't take it.
You know if somebody doesn't catch a fish,
we're not gonna have anything to eat for dinner.
We'll catch some.
Maybe we should give a prize out
to the first person who catches one.
What they get to change the oil on the bus?
That's funny.
I know who's not gonna catch the first one.
Gameboy, you got one.
Hey Carrie, you ever been fishing before?
Yeah, all the time.
Really, when?
My Dad used to fish in tournaments,
and I would go with him.
Being in the boat doesn't make you a fisherman, Carrie.
I beg your pardon.
Oh, sorry, a fisher woman.
I bet I've been fishing more than you have.
Nope, not a chance.
Coop man grew up with his own personal fishing pond
right in his backyard.
I've been fishing ever since I was a little bobber.
Got you there, Carrie.
Well, we'll see who catches the first one.
Would you mind taking a drink to Stuart for me?
I guess.
Thank you.
You know what you're supposed to do if you catch
a big one Carrie?
"A big one" in this lake?
Sure.
Kind of like the big ones you used to catch in your pond.
Oh, she got you there, Coop.
Well, when you think you got one,
the first thing you gotta do is step back
and pull your pole hard like this.
Hey!
I'm sorry, Ashley.
You are such an idiot!
Ashley!
Do you know how much this outfit cost?
I said I'm sorry.
Yeah, well, I'm gonna send you the dry cleaning bill.
He said he was sorry.
Like it matters now.
Why did you even come on this trip anyway?
You obviously don't wanna be here.
You think I wanted to be here?
And you certainly don't fit in.
Carrie!
My grandmother made me come on this trip, okay.
I hate this church stuff.
Why, because you think you're too good for us?
All right guys, just keep fishing.
I'll be back in a minute.
Carrie.
I don't wanna talk, all right.
I don't like her,
and she doesn't like me and that's that.
So whatever you came over here to say you can just save it.
She needs our help.
She's beyond our help.
What if the Lord had that attitude about us?
She's the one with the attitude.
Can't you see that?
Okay, even if she does, how should we react?
I'm not sorry for what I said.
It was the truth.
- Like I said... - Steve, just save it!
Okay.
- Ashley. - Just leave me alone, okay?
Ashley it was an accident.
You know what, she was right.
Okay, I don't belong here.
I don't belong anywhere.
That's not so.
We love having you here with us.
I just wanna go home.
Look, I think if you would just meet everyone halfway,
you'd see their a great group.
And that's just gonna fix everything?
Look, I understand that your life's
been hard with your family situation.
No, you don't understand.
I've never met my father
because he left when I was little,
and I've lost count of how many boyfriends my mom has had.
Because of all of them, Ashley's always in the way,
and I get shuffled to some family member.
Is that how life is for you, is it?
Because if not,
please do not tell me that you understand.
Well, that didn't look good.
That girl is really troubled.
Well, can you blame her?
I mean, the way she's been passed around.
How's Carrie?
I don't know.
Probably feels terrible the way she blew up at her.
What can we do?
Nothing for now.
Just let both girls be alone for a while.
Ashley just needs a huge dose of unconditional love.
What'd you just say?
Ashley needs a huge dose of unconditional love.
All right, since this is our last night here,
I think it would be appropriate to end with a story.
Can we tell ghost stories?
Let me tell one.
Hey, tell them about the guy with the hook.
No, no, I'm gonna tell the story, all right?
It's gonna be a love story, not a ghost story.
There's more guys than girls.
We should be able to pick.
Can it at least
still have a guy with a hook in it?
Yeah, that'll work.
A love story about a guy with a hook.
Yeah.
This is actually a Bible story about a man named Hosea.
He's a prophet in the Old Testament.
Come on Stuart, the Old Testament?
Yeah, this is the now, not the then.
You haven't even heard the story yet.
It's a good one, I promise.
And you might be surprised to find out how it applies to us.
I'd rather hear a ghost story.
No offense against Hosee.
It's Hosea.
You don't know the guy.
Yes I do.
I've read Hosea before.
- You have not. - Yes I have.
- You have not. - Guys.
All right.
Now, in order to understand the story of Hosea,
you gotta know something about the times he was living in.
In those days, God's people, Israel,
was divided into two kingdoms,
the northern kingdom and the southern kingdom.
Now, the southern kingdom was faithful in following God.
But, the northern kingdom, not so much.
They had chosen to worship pagan gods
from neighboring countries instead of following the Lord.
And because of this lack of faithfulness
by the northern kingdom,
God was sending in the Assyrians to attack and enslave them.
But even in his judgment,
God loved his people.
He wanted to give them every opportunity
to come back to him.
And so he sent them a warning.
He sent them a prophet, a man named Hosea.
"For I desire mercy and not sacrifice,
"the knowledge of God and not burnt offerings,"
so says the Lord our God.
"Therefore shall the land mourn
"and everyone who dwells therein shall languish
"with the beasts of the field
"and with the fowls in Heaven.
"Yeah, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away."
I thought you said that this was a love story.
This sounds depressing.
Sounds like the making of an awesome video game
where those Assyrian guys come to attack.
Yeah.
- Stuart? - Don't worry, Carrie.
Don't worry, the love story part is coming.
I just gotta keep setting the stage a little bit, all right?
To God, the people of Israel are like his wife,
his one true love.
Only she keeps being unfaithful to him
by worshiping other gods.
What God really wanted was for someone
to understand how he was feeling.
That's where Hosea comes in.
Hosea was a good man,
and God knew that he could relate to him.
That's also where Hosea's future wife, Gomer, comes in.
Wait a minute.
Gomer what kind of a name is that?
What, that's her name.
I don't see anything wrong with it.
Right up there with Amos, huh?
Hey, what if Gameboy married Gomer?
Gameboy and Gomer.
Like I was saying, this is where Gomer
comes into the picture.
The Bible tells us that Gomer was a woman of harlotry.
But what we don't know is was she already a harlot
or was that just something that was in her heart
that she would one day act out on?
That's not even really the point.
The point is that she would never be faithful to one man.
She would sell herself and her love
in exchange for expensive jewelry
and a place of status in their society.
In a way, she was kind of like
the people of the northern kingdom,
never being faithful to their God,
always looking to other false gods
for prosperity and prestige.
And then God said to Hosea,
"Take this woman as your wife."
Such beautiful bracelets.
Yes, they are indeed.
Are you buying them for someone?
They're for my wife.
A very fortunate woman.
Yes, she is.
I wish I were that fortunate.
Maybe one day you will be.
Gomer.
- Hosea. - There you are.
I have been looking for you.
Why did you leave the temple?
I have heard your sayings before.
They are not just sayings.
These are prophecies from the Lord.
I decided to come to the marketplace ahead of you.
Such beautiful bracelets.
You know we can not afford them.
Sometimes it is better not to even gaze
upon the things we can not have.
So beautiful.
Do you remember this place, Gomer, hmm?
This is where I first approached you to tell you
that God wanted me to marry you.
I never understood why you would
wanna marry someone like me.
Because it was the Lord's will.
And I promise to love you a lifetime.
You have business left with Zedekiah.
Go ahead.
I will see you at home.
Ho, there, Hosea!
Zedekiah my friend.
And what have you for me today?
Another jar I hope.
Yes.
Here you are.
A beauty.
I can see that you work hard on these.
Creating these from the dust and clay
help me to understand the Lord better.
I see how fragile we all really are.
Well, I just hope you keep bringing your work,
so I can sell to my customers.
Yes, of course I will.
It is our only means of provision.
And here is your share from the last one.
Thank you.
I was afraid, I must confess.
That my jars might stop selling.
You were speaking to the people again today.
Yes, I deliver to them the words of the Lord.
Why do you talk of such great judgment?
Times are good.
To some it may seem so, Zedekiah,
but the truth is we have abandoned our true God
in exchange for little statues that we pretend are gods.
Something terrible is coming,
and if the people of the northern kingdom
do not repent and turn from their ways,
we will all suffer a horrible fate.
Your God does not sound so kind.
He is not only my God, Zedekiah.
Have you forgotten the name of your true God?
His name is Jehovah.
Let us not talk of such things.
I do not want to upset the working relationship
that we have.
A horrible fate.
I see that Gomer was about the marketplace today.
Yes, she came with me.
She is a very beautiful woman,
but she has a wandering eye.
I see the way she looks at other men.
Please do not say such things, Zedekiah.
It is the truth.
She is not a woman you can trust with your heart.
I do not understand why you married her.
The Lord told me to do so.
Surely, there were finer and purer women for you to marry.
She is in need of love like everyone else.
Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, has never lacked in love.
She's being faithful to me now,
and there is a difference
between the love she's used to receiving
and the love that I have for her.
Only a broken heart will this woman give you, Hosea.
I will see you again soon.
So long my friend.
They have been talking about you.
The people do not like what you are saying,
so why do you persist?
The words I speak are from the Lord.
But they are harsh.
No, my wife, they are truth.
Always the truth.
Because of your words,
they do not speak well of me either.
I cannot change what the Lord instructs me to say.
But why does God not show mercy to the people?
God has shown great mercy with his people
by allowing them to live in their sinful ways
for such a long time.
The people have forgotten the great things
the Lord has done for them.
Perhaps if God was not so judgmental,
the people would respond.
Lord God, I pray that your words might affect the people.
I pray that they would turn their hearts back to you again.
Please, God, forgive us our sins.
Help us to turn away from sacrifices to idols.
Cause us to be the people who long for you and only for you.
Uh, Stuart?
Yes, Steve.
I don't mean to interrupt you here.
But, I've read the story of Gomer and Hosea before,
and I don't remember any of this.
Well, you are not wrong.
The book of Hosea doesn't go
into detail about how Hosea and Gomer met
or the circumstances surrounding their marriage.
It simply says that God told Hosea to marry Gomer
and so he did.
What I'm doing is just, I don't know,
coming up with a way that it might have happened,
so you can get a little more appreciation from the facts.
We do know from the Bible that Hosea married Gomer,
and that Gomer gave birth to a son.
And the Lord told Hosea to call the child Jezreel,
because he would put an end to the kingdom of Israel.
Okay, what was his name, Jez who?
Jezreel.
You see, the judgment was coming,
and the Lord was trying to warn the people.
It was God's will that the child be called Jezreel
as a prophecy against the northern kingdom.
Well, wait a minute, Stuart, I've got a question.
If God knew that Gomer was gonna be unfaithful,
then why would he have Hosea marry her?
Especially, because you said that he was a good man.
God wanted Hosea to understand him.
I mean, that's the key here.
He wanted Hosea to love so deeply
knowing that it would never be returned.
But, it's a hard lesson.
But in the end...
Well, I'm getting ahead of myself.
He's finally sleeping.
I have to go the temple again tomorrow.
To sell another jar?
Yes, and I need to speak to the people again.
Hosea, why can you not just be concerned
about taking care of us?
We have enough food.
We have a place to live,
a place for our son to sleep.
It is the people we need to be concerned about.
These are good times for the people.
The harvest was plentiful.
Merchants are selling their goods.
But we don't acknowledge the one who is providing for us.
We have traded the living God for silent statues,
no more than pieces of clay.
Hosea, what have you gained by obeying your God?
How can you say such a thing?
He is your God, too.
We need money, Hosea,
not more prophecies of doom.
"Hear this, you priests.
"Hearken, you house of Israel.
"Give ear, O' you house of the king.
"For judgment is toward you.
"I know Ephraim and Israel is not hid from me.
"For now, O' Ephraim, you commit prostitution
"and Israel is defiled."
He speaks of prostitution,
while his own wife is a harlot!
"They do not frame their doings to turn unto their God.
"For the spirit of prostitution is in the land,
"and they have not known the Lord.
"And the pride of Israel does testify to his face.
"Therefore, shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity.
"Judah also shall fall with them.
"They have dealt treacherously against the Lord.
"For they have begotten strange children."
So says the Lord our God.
The only person bearing strange children is your wife.
You speak of this judgment to come
only to provoke the people.
My heart breaks for God's people.
Your words are false.
The words that I deliver to you are the words of the Lord,
and they are true.
We need to take heed before it is too late.
If you keep speaking these words,
we shall deal treacherously with you, Hosea.
Hosea, so good to see you my friend.
I thought you had found yourself another business partner.
No, no.
It has been hard for me to find time
to make jars these days.
I'll purchase this one?
Perhaps if you would spend less time warning the people
and more time tending to your jars,
you would find yourself better suited.
The Lord and his work must always come first.
Be careful with the people, Hosea.
I do not want to see anything happen to you.
Neither do I.
I will see you next time.
Yes.
Hosea, you forgot your pay.
Why wouldn't the people listen?
Because they probably thought Hosea was a nut case
with all that judgment talk.
Yeah, and you heard Zedekiah times were good.
Sometimes it's hard to hear God when it's going well.
Yeah, but these people are deaf.
Well, it's easy to forget that he's the one
who allows us to prosper.
Well, I'm not forgetting, and I would have listened.
No you wouldn't have.
Yes, I would've.
And I would've helped Hosea too.
You know what, Coop,
I bet Hosea would've appreciated the help.
You have returned so soon?
I have said what I needed to say to the people.
Did you get a good price for the jar?
Yes, yes, I did.
Zedekiah he is always fair with me.
Where is the payment?
I do not have it.
I have forgotten to take it from Zedekiah.
That money is our only means.
Zedekiah is a loyal friend.
He will keep the money for me.
I shall go there tomorrow and get it.
I am tired now from today's journey.
And you are bringing us to poverty.
The Lord is providing.
And soon we'll have nothing at all.
Gomer, where are you going?
To the marketplace to get your payment from Zedekiah.
Tomorrow will be soon enough.
Gomer!
Zedekiah.
Gomer?
What brings you to the marketplace at close?
I have come for my husband's pay.
Yes, of course.
Hosea left in such a hurry.
I tried calling out to him.
Here you go. Thank you.
We need this payment.
You have a fine man in Hosea.
A man that is bringing us to poverty.
His jars always bring a good price.
But he does not make enough of them.
He spends too much time being concerned about the people.
Indeed, your husband speaks boldly for his God.
Have you noticed?
No one is listening.
What I have noticed
is that your husband loves you very much.
I will be on my way.
Shh, shh, shh.
It is you.
I did not mean to scare you.
You surprised me.
I've been looking for you each day at the marketplace.
I do not come here often.
I wanna see you.
But you are married.
I'm giving my wife a bill of divorcement.
I have a husband who loves me.
Your husband's of no concern to me.
But you, you're a very beautiful woman,
and you deserve beautiful things.
So beautiful.
Beautiful things that I can give you.
I have been waiting for you.
Hosea, you frightened me.
I was unable to sleep.
You said that you were going to the market to see Zedekiah,
but this was many hours ago.
My wife, where have you been?
I went also to see my father.
I thought it'd be best to spend time with him.
He isn't feeling well.
Diblaim's health is failing?
I thought it'd be best I spend time with him.
Yes, of course.
I wish you to see Diblaim as often as you like.
This Gomer, what a loser.
Hosea should have dumped her.
Hosea was doing what God told him to do.
He couldn't dump her.
That's right.
When you make a vow to the Lord, you keep it.
No matter what the circumstances are or the situation,
you stay true to your word,
and marriage is a vow.
The Lord put that deep into Hosea's heart.
Well, I didn't mean for him to really dump her.
I know you didn't.
You just don't like her unfaithfulness to Hosea
just as God didn't like his people's unfaithfulness to him.
The Bible tells us that Gomer conceived again
and gave birth to a daughter.
The Lord told Hosea to name this child Lo-Ruhamah,
that he would no more have mercy upon the house of Israel.
"Hear the word of the Lord, you children of Israel.
"For the Lord has a controversy
"with the inhabitants of this land.
"There is no truth, nor mercy,
"nor knowledge of God in the land.
"There is only cursing and lying,
"killing and stealing and committing adultery.
"Therefore, shall the land mourn,
"and everyone that dwells in it shall anguish."
These are the words of the Lord our God.
Hosea, dare you continue to speak
these words of judgment against us.
I say to you, Jahaz, and to all the people,
you bow down to gods that are no gods.
And you have rejected the Lord God, your true maker.
But we are blessed.
Our purses are full.
We have no need for the ways of your God.
The ways of the Lord are right,
and the just shall walk in them.
Hosea is jealous because we are prosperous,
and he has come into poverty.
Do you see this barren olive tree?
Such will be the result of your prosperity.
You shall, all of you, become as barren as this tree
if you do not turn back to the true God,
the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob.
It is you that is barren.
Our gods have well taken care of us.
To all the people I say.
After the judgment,
your God will not forget his children.
The day will come when all Israel will return unto the Lord
and this tree shall be full again.
Hosea is jealous because we are prosperous,
and he has come into poverty.
It is you that is barren.
Our gods have well taken care of us.
Did she steal it?
Cooper, would you stop interrupting?
I just wanna know if she stole it.
No, the rich guy bought it for her.
What makes you say that?
Because that's what rich guys do,
they buy things for women.
That's how they get them to like them.
How do you know?
I know what I know.
Plus, Hosea's savings were still in his safe spot.
It was the rich guy.
But money can't buy true love.
Yeah, but that's not what Gomer was thinking.
I'm sorry, Stuart, but this Hosea guy,
may be a prophet and all, but he's not very smart.
Yep, I saw through this Gomer lady
at least a half hour ago.
You know what you're all pleading a very good case,
and I hear you loud and clear.
Which brings me to this.
There's a verse in the Bible,
all the way back in the book of Numbers, that says,
"You can be sure that your sin will find you out."
So what do you think's about to happen?
She's gonna get caught.
I doubt it.
At least not by Hosea.
Will you guys stop talking,
and let Stuart continue the story.
Keep going, Stuart.
You're the one who started talking first.
A couple of days later.
Diblaim.
Hosea.
I am surprised to see you.
How is my son-in-law?
I am well.
It is you I am concerned about.
Gomer says your health has not been good.
My health is very strong these days.
Gomer said you were ill.
But I am well.
How is my daughter?
I have not seen her in many weeks.
In many weeks?
She has lied to me.
She was not with her father,
so where could she have gone?
Hosea.
Where could she have gone?
I think you already know the answer to that my friend.
I did not want to say anything before,
but, there has been talk of Gomer.
Please, no, do not say it.
You need to know the truth.
Gomer has been unfaithful again.
You do not know this for certain.
I will ask her.
I would not trust the answer from that harlot.
Do not call her that.
Why do you defend her?
Because I love her.
Then you are a fool.
You would love her even though she has done this?
And more than once.
She is my wife.
Okay, Hosea, enough is enough.
Yea, she's toast.
First Gomer lies, now she cheats.
Time to throw this fish back in the water.
But not back in my pond I don't want her.
He's not gonna get rid of Gomer.
Why not, he knows she's doing wrong.
Yea, but you're missing the point.
She's been nothing but trouble.
I'm with Coop.
Hosea's not gonna get rid of her guys.
The next day, Hosea was working on a jar.
Gomer, where are you going?
I'm going to see my father.
- Father? - Yes.
I want to see about his health
and prepare him some food.
Ah, good, let me come with you.
We can ask Lydia to care for the children.
No, please stay here.
I would like to see him alone.
We can go see him together another time.
When will you return?
I will be back before sunset.
Gomer.
Yes?
Please give Diblaim a greeting for me.
Of course.
Please, God, I cannot take this anymore.
My heart will not last.
I would send her away,
but I know I cannot,
for it is not your will.
I have made a promise to you and I will keep it.
Man, I don't think I would have been like that.
I'd probably would have been mad at God.
Yeah, had to be tough to deal with.
Well, maybe that's why God chose Hosea
because he knew Hosea would understand,
and yet, stay faithful to his vow.
I think it's cool that Hosea's gonna stay with her,
even after what he found out about Gomer.
What Hosea was going through right now
is what God was going through with his people.
Hosea was feeling God's pain.
So the Bible tells us that Gomer had another son,
and the Lord told Hosea to call him Lo Ammi,
which has the meaning,
"You are not my people,
"and I will not be your your God."
Why do you insist on these names?
I name them as the Lord tells me.
But we are being ridiculed by our people.
The names of our children is not what is troubling us.
- What do you mean? - I see the jewelry
you are wearing, Gomer.
I know we cannot afford this
with what we make from the jars?
They are gifts.
It is wrong what you are doing.
I do not know what you are saying.
You do, Gomer.
It is wrong for you to be seeing another man.
I told you I could not be tamed.
He only wants you for what you can offer him.
I want to be with you for what I can give to you.
You give nothing, he does.
It is against God's Holy Law.
I do not need your God or you to pity me.
You speak of this doom that is to come, let it come.
Let your God destroy us all.
God does not want to destroy us.
He wants to save us.
Not all of us wanna be saved.
Today we celebrate the leaving of my wife.
I pray that no man here
ever gets married to one such as she.
We can see you are no longer lonely.
No, not at all!
For I have found one far lovelier!
A toast!
To the most beautiful woman in the land.
Here, here.
Why, why, why, why, why, why, why, Lord?
Why, why, why, why, why, why, why?
The idols of the people are silver and gold!
They are the work of men's hands,
nothing more than this piece of clay.
Mouths have they, but they speak not.
They have eyes, but see not.
Ears have they, but they hear not.
Nor is there even any breath in their mouths.
Everyone who trusts in them shall become like them.
Your people have rejected you
as Gomer has rejected me.
I feel sorry for Hosea.
He deserved better.
Here Hosea's doing right and Gomer's doing wrong.
Yet, Hosea is the one who has to pay.
Plus, nobody's doing anything about what he's saying.
So you got Hosea taking care of his kids.
He's busy making jars.
He's gotta speak God's word to the people,
and nobody's listening to him.
And what's Gomer off doing?
She's in some five-star hotel with a rich guy.
Thank you, Gameboy, for capturing that so eloquently.
However, there is a little more to the story.
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
"Because you have rejected knowledge,
"I will also shall reject you.
"You shall be no priest to me.
"For seeing as how you have forgotten the law of your God,
"I also shall forget your children.
"As they were increased, so they sinned against me.
"Therefore, will I change their glory into shame.
"I shall punish them for their ways,
"and reward them for their doings.
"For they shall eat,
"and not have enough,
"because they have left off to take heed to the Lord."
Son of Beeri, wait for me.
Zedekiah.
Those were strong words to the people.
The patience of our God will not endure forever.
You continue to warn us of this great judgment
that is to come, but nothing has yet happened.
All is well. No, Zedekiah.
All is not well.
The people do not worship the one who created them.
Nor do they even fear his holy name.
Judgment is coming.
Has Gomer returned?
Gomer, my love.
Come and dance with me.
Come dance.
Dance with me, dance.
I am not in the mood.
Dance with me.
I am not in the mood.
Your husband Hosea may have stood for your moods,
but I will not because I am in the mood.
Now, dance with me.
I will not.
You resist me?
I do not desire it.
- But I do. - No.
Was not I the one you left that false prophet
and all your other lovers for?
You ran into my arms because of all the nice things
I could give you.
Now, dance with me!
Leave me alone.
You will do as I say.
- No. - No?
Guards!
What are you doing?
Since you do not desire my charms tonight,
I do not care to see this one anymore.
Take her to auction.
Please, leave me alone.
Let me go, just please!
No, no, let me go!
Let go of me!
My Lord God, how can I love one who loves another?
Why did you want me to marry her?
She has been unfaithful so many times.
I know now how your heart grieves
over your people that have abandoned you.
So, how can you still love us?
How?
You love us because your love is not dependent on us.
Oh, my Lord God,
how great is your love.
And now what say you of this one?
Do I have a bid?
She is still of child bearing age,
if that suits you.
So, who will start the bidding?
No bids?
Surely, she can work in your fields.
Anyone?
A half homer of barley.
"Half homer of barley?"
Surely, this woman has many good years of work in her.
Who will give me one piece of silver for her?
One homer of barley.
"One homer of barley."
This woman is of strong stock.
She can bear your children.
One piece of silver.
One homer of barley, I said.
"One homer of barley."
Anyone else?
One homer of barley going once.
One homer of barley going twice.
Fifteen pieces of silver.
"Fifteen pieces of silver?"
And a homer of barley and a half homer of barley, too.
Sold.
Sold for 15 pieces of silver,
and a homer of barley and a half homer of barley too.
You shall not be for another,
and I will be for you always.
Come.
And he bought her back.
I call it "Amazing Love".
The story of Hosea is a picture.
It's a picture of God's amazing love for us.
And just as Hosea bought back his own wife
with all that he had,
Jesus Christ paid the 15 pieces of silver for us
when he died on that cross.
And he certainly gave all that he had.
And if we, through faith, believe in Jesus Christ
and receive him into our lives,
well, then all of our sins are forgiven,
and we enter into God's family forever.
You know, Stuart would never tell you this part.
But he is my Hosea.
When I was really little my parents were divorced,
and I was passed back and forth between them for years.
I felt so unloved like neither parent really wanted me.
Then, I met Stuart at church.
He made me feel so special.
I think it was the first time
that I really realized what love was,
and that he is my real Father.
I don't think I could do what Hosea did.
I'm not sure any of us could, Steve.
I don't know that any of us could muster up
that much selfless love to love someone
who had treated us like that.
It's hard enough just to like someone sometimes,
even when they're just a little bit different than we are.
But just like we need Jesus to get to heaven for salvation,
we also need him to live his life through us daily.
Jesus in you could love a Gomer.
What happened to the northern kingdom
and all of Hosea's prophecies?
Did they come true?
Yes, Cooper they did.
The people didn't turn back to God,
and so the Assyrians came.
And they enslaved the Israelites for many years.
Just goes to show how serious God is about his word.
You see, most of us don't revere the Lord the way we should.
Hosea did.
Yes, Steve.
Hosea did.
So, what you guys reading?
Figured it was time to read my favorite book
in the Bible again the Gospel of John.
That's good.
Gameboy?
Just reading a little bit of Amos.
Do you have a moment?
I guess.
Ashley, I'm so sorry about what I said earlier.
I shouldn't have said those things.
Yeah, well, you meant them.
At the time maybe, but it was wrong.
I just got so mad and said some stupid things.
Did that story change your mind?
Yeah, it did.
I know a little bit about your situation with your mom.
And I'm really sorry.
It must be so tough.
How would you know?
You probably have two parents who are there for you
and who care about you.
You don't have any idea what it's like.
Your right.
I don't.
But God does.
He can make it better if you just give him a chance.
Yeah, well, I can handle it myself.
I'd like to be your friend if you give me a chance.
I know I haven't acted like much of a friend on this trip,
but if you ever need someone to talk to.
All right, everybody, make sure you've got everything.
It's time to go.
I read the whole book of Amos last night, Stuart.
- Did you? - I did.
That's like eight chapters, isn't it?
Nine to be exact, I think that's the most
I've ever read the Bible in one time.
- Very impressive. - Thanks.
We're going home, Coop.
Yep, no more lumpy ground to sleep on.
- No more bugs. - No more bugs.
- I'm gonna miss it. - Yeah, me too.
Hey, Ashley, give me a sec.
I'll come get those for you.
It's okay, I got it.
Hang on a sec.
Do you mind sitting in the back?
Not at all.
- You ready? - Mm-hmm.
Hey, can I sit with you?
Mm-hmm.
We really love this place, don't we?
We sure do.
Good things always happen up here.
Jahaz?
Hosea, can we speak?
Yes, yes, we can speak.
I would like to know more about your God.
"The day will come when all Israel
"will return unto the Lord
"and this tree shall be full again."