Hosea 2:14-23 Arms Wide Open
As angry as God was with Israel’s behavior, He STILL waits with arms wide open for their return. THAT’S LOVE.
Hosea has become the living allegory to God’s relationship with Israel. He has taken a woman from a life of prostitution and made her his wife. He has had two children with her that God specifically named with names that spoke of His displeasure. They are a family; a dysfunctional one, but a family none the less. At one point, Hosea’s wife will leave him for her lovers. But, like God, he will bring her back to himself.
God’s words of consequences and judgment for Israel actions sounds HARSH. Stripping her naked, kill her with thirst, removing EVERYTHING from her. But this was the ONLY way she would stop and take stock of her life. The ONLY way to get her attention. Often, we have to be brought to our knees before we can stand correctly again.
Consequences and judgment were not the ONLY thing God was doing with Israel though. He was also speaking tenderly to her and alluring her. The Oxford Language Dictionary defines the verb of allure as: “powerfully attract or charm; tempt.” To me, this means that God would show His wayward wife the HE is the BEST option for her life. He would remind her of all He had given and done for her in the past. He would renew His promise to care for her once again. And He would rescue her from her place of despair.
These are EXACTLY the things God did with Israel! He promised to love her again if she would just ‘come home’ to Him. Not IF but WHEN. God KNOWS that His character will prove itself to those who He has had a relationship with. He KNOWS that His character and evidence will woo MANY to Him; of which I’m one.
Israel would come back to the Lord and recommit to following His Laws. And He welcomed them with open arms and a promise of an even better covenant. He calls them His people and has had MUCH mercy on them.
We KNOW that there is MUCH MORE to come. As a nation, Israel’s relationship with God doesn’t include Jesus and the new promise. They are struggling with legalism and haven’t been able to walk in the full mercy God has for them. This WILL change as the end of days approaches. We have seen God’s promise in Revelation regarding that very thing. When Jesus rules on earth, there will no longer be distance between Him and His people, INCLUDING all of us who have been grafted into His family through faith in Christ Jesus. And, faith in Christ Jesus will be required for ALL who come to Him, INCLUDING those born into the nation of Israel. God’s faithful bride of faith will no more remember even the names of the gods they once served.
Father God, today was a disjointed day as ‘visitors’ and tasks broke up our time. Thank You for allowing me to flow back into Your word when all my other tasks were done. THANK YOU for helping me manage my husband’s care today while we were out. Help me figure out better ways to do the jobs that caused us so much struggle. It could have been MUCH worse!
