How does God feel when His people forsake Him? In the book of Hosea we get a glimpse into the heart of God, we see the hurt we cause Him by forsaking Him and going after other things.
Hosea was a prophet after the kingdom had split into the northern kingdom (Israel) and southern kingdom (Judah), but before either of them went into exile. It was a time of peace and prosperity, and as a result, God was largely forgotten about. Hosea is prophesying to the Northern Kingdom, God tells him to show Israel how badly they are treating him. He has to do this by marrying a prostitute, who continues to be unfaithful to him. Hosea has children with her, though it seems she had children from other men as well.
Each child was given a name that was meant to be a warning to Israel. Imagine Hosea calling his children at the school gate “no mercy, it’s time to come home”, “come on ‘not my people’ let’s go.” These names were a warning to Israel that if they carried on forsaking the Lord, He would stop having mercy on them and reject them.
It’s a strong warning, but it’s a loving warning. Time and again in this wonderful book we see the heart of God. His people have been like an unfaithful wife, wandering after other lovers, gods of prosperity and popularity, but He keeps on calling them back. Even as He warns of judgment, he simultaneously promises to “allure her…and speak tenderly to her.” (Hosea 2:14).
In chapter 3 we see that Hosea’s wife has left him, but he is to go and love her again, to redeem her, to buy her back from her prostitution. Hosea represents God, and his wife shows us the pain we cause God when we abandon Him.
Do you see the heart of God? Do you see His passion for His people? How much more clearly do we see it in our Lord Jesus. When we were going astray, He came and paid the price with His own life so that we can come back. In our reading from Matthew 16 we see what it cost Jesus – He told the disciples “he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things…and be killed, and on the third day, be raised.”
Do you see His commitment to you? Why chase after anything or anyone else? Will anyone else love you like this?
What does he want in response? He wants us to die to our own way, and start going his way instead.
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)
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