God's Tough Love



Hear the word of the LORD, You children of Israel, For the LORD brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land: "There is no truth or mercy Or knowledge of God in the land. By swearing and lying, Killing and stealing and committing adultery, They break all restraint, With bloodshed upon bloodshed.  Therefore the land will mourn; And everyone who dwells there will waste away With the beasts of the field And the birds of the air; Even the fish of the sea will be taken away. (Hosea 4:1-3 NKJV)

Imagine a court room scene where you are the defendant and God Almighty is the judge, prosecutor, jury, and witness! Justice would be swift and sure! I believe that most of us would go ahead and plead guilty, asking a just and loving Lord God to be merciful. This is exactly the scene played out during a period in Israel's history about 750-740 b.c., approximately 20 years before the Northern Kingdom fell into the hands of the Assyrians. Speaking through Hosea the Prophet, "here comes the Judge."

God's people had degenerated into the lifestyles and practices of the pagan nations around them. They were so corrupt that they did not even recognize their own sins. They committed spiritual adultery, if not desertion, by worshipping Baal and other false idols right along with God Almighty.  Their hearts were calloused towards each other, too, as God enumerates their sins of cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery. God said that they broke all bounds.

How could these people, who had experienced the direct intervention of God throughout their history including the miraculous delivery from slavery in Egypt, turn so far away from the God who saved them? God says a little later: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6a, NKJV).  They were not being fed God's Word on a regular, meaningful basis. The priests were just as guilty as the people for not setting forth God's commands and principles. Their love for the Lord had turned into religious ritual, devoid of true adoration and worship of the Lord God Almighty. The priests were punished along with the rest of the people.
 

They consult a wooden idol and are answered by a stick of wood.  (Hosea 4:12b, NIV)


The Israelites, like so many today, were turning to mere "things" to get answers to their problems. In this case, a stick of wood supposedly gave guidance to their lives. This is rather silly but think about it for a moment.  People today heartily believe what's printed in the newspaper or what Dan Rather says on TV.  These same people reject God by their open disobedience to what God says in His Word, the Holy Bible. Many do not even know what the Creator of the universe even says in His Word. Very clearly, the Lord God wants to lead us for "... people who do not understand will be trampled" (Hosea 4:14b, NKJV).

Though the Lord yearns for His people to turn from their selfish desires and follow Him, He burns at the thought of their rebellion:
 

Woe to them, for they have fled from Me! Destruction to them, Because they have transgressed against Me! Though I redeemed them, Yet they have spoken lies against Me.  They did not cry out to Me with their heart when they wailed upon their beds. (Hosea 7:13-14a, NKJV).


They feared punishment but did not repent and turn to God for the mercy He so desperately wanted to give. Therefore the Just and Mighty God enacted judgement to destroy their position, their nation, and - for many - their lives. God's tough love says that there are indeed eventual consequences for our sins.







Our Creator God loves you and wants you to know Him! If you would like to contact this ministry for further information or questions, please send your e-mail to:
Email: ministryrequest1@WordTruth.Com
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Copyright 7/12/2000, Randy Lariscy.