The God of Faithfulness
One main argument that critics have against the Holy Scriptures is that it is filled with laws and characters that seem to be flawed or immoral in teachings. From Abraham the "Father of Faith" showing no faith to David the "Man after God's Own Heart" committing adultery and conspiracy to murder. Even the wisest King which is Solomon made very unwise decisions. The people of God in these stories are living lives as if they were children of the Devil.
The tendency we have in studying the Scriptures is that we try to find morals in the people that the stories present. This is not the purpose of why it is written. These passages are not made to show us what we can do and follow but present to us God and the wonderful character He has in spite of our our failures.
The same purpose is presented in the Book of Hosea. The Book presents God as the Savior, saving even though His people are not worth saving.
I. God the Frustrated Husband
The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea. And the Lord said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord.
Hosea 1:2 KJV
Then said the Lord unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.
Hosea 3:1 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/hos.3.1.KJV
Why would a holy God command His prophet to marry and love a prostitute? It a passage that is difficult to explain. One important thing to take notice though is that this is how God sees His people whenever we are distracted and start loving other things rather than Him.
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1 John 2:15 KJV
Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images.
Hosea 10:1 KJV
The more Israel experienced success and blessings, the more they were distracted and lived in self centeredness and idolatry.
II. God the Faithful Father
In spite of Israel's unfaithfulness, in spite of us being distracted on things of this life, God is faithful bringing us back to Him.
Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. And it shall be at that day, saith the Lord, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali. For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name. And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord.
Hosea 2:14â€-‬20 KJV
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
Ephesians 2:1â€-‬5 NKJV
This is the what the book of Hosea teaches us. God, just like what the prophet Hosea did, chose to love us though we did not deserve to be loved. And just like what He exemplified to the nation Israel, which still has the tendency to be unfaithful, He still is faithful in showing His love towards us.
Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.
Hosea 6:1 KJV
When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
Hosea 11:1 KJV
May we reciprocate that love. May we turn back to our loving Husband. May we be obedient to our Faithful Father as He constantly calls us back.
Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.
Hosea 10:12 KJV
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