I’m going to confess that during the few weeks of going through Hosea, my mind has been occupied with much internal noise. A friend died, my computer crashed and some other thing. The truth is this affects reading and meditation on Scripture.
Having said that there’s still some poignant things to get from this book.
- The Heartbreak of God
It’s true. God is utterly heartbroken at the rejection from his people and his now need to bring judgment. Almost the entirety of the prophets has been to warn them about the judgment, then to call them to repentance within that judgment.
It was so bad that the only way for Hosea to truly be his mouthpiece, he instructed him to marry a prostitute. Then he would understand a little of the agony of God. - God will bring judgment and punishment when necessary.
God says clearly he does not delight in judgment but rather delights in mercy. But make no mistake. He is not a pushover God. He will not be trampled upon forever just because he waits a long time for repentance. There will be a time of judgment and when it comes, it will be horrific - Righteous people suffered too
Certainly there were righteous people among the Israelites. There is always a remnant. Always. But when God brings judgments upon nations, the righteous are in the same boat as the unrighteous. That is why it is important to pray for our respective nations. - We see the tenderness of God
The LORD here in Hosea recounts how tenderly he led Israel. They were stubborn, rebellious children, and yet he stuck with them. He led them out of slavery, through a harsh desert, and into a land that had been made prosperous not of their own effort. He really took care of the people. He lavished upon them his lovingkindness. And yet they spurned it. - Immorality makes weak nations
Nations are made up of individuals and when a mass number of individuals go the way of immorality, a nation is made weak. Not just weak spiritually but weak practically and internationally. Morality comes from the heart, not an external force, and is the fruit of a person in right relationship with God. When righteousness is normal in the land, big or small, nations are made strong.
