God's Faithful Love



When Israel was a child, I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son.  As they called them, So they went from them; They sacrificed to the Baals, And burned incense to carved images.  I taught Ephraim to walk, Taking them by their arms; But they did not know that I healed them.  I drew them with gentle cords, With bands of love, And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them. (Hosea 11:1-4, NKJV)

Have you ever wondered if it hurts God to execute judgment on His people?  Consider the heart of a parent who, though punishment is needed to correct a willfully rebellious child, it still breaks the parent's heart to have to do so.  Our lesson from Hosea shows rather poignantly how much anguish God experienced over His future judgement of the nation Israel. As we see in the Scriptures, His burning anger over their sins was then replaced with a burning compassion for His people.

Does God grieve over decisions to rubuke us, chastise us, or punish us when we go astray? You bet He does. Just like any loving father, He feels no joy in inflicting any pain on us or in our lives. But like any WISE father who truly loves his children, the Lord disciplines those children that He loves so dearly. When warnings and rebuke do not turn us back, we reach a point where God must punish us to get our attention.  Israel was at this point - they had turned away from God by putting other things in their life - money, sexual immorality, and even worship of man-made gods.
 

My people are bent on backsliding from Me. Though they call to the Most High, None at all exalt Him.  How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? (Hosea 11:7-8, NKJV)


We see in this passage the absolute anguish in God's heart over this decision. Justice must be served but it is not without pain on the part of the Lord. Above all else, we must understand God's faithfulness. He loves us through the most trying of times. Never does he tolerate our sin; by the same measure, never does He stop loving us. This is of great comfort in a day where sin is so prevalent in our society. The pressures of temptation are great but our Lord is greater.  His grace is sufficient to enable us to overcome anything we face. We must always trust Him at His Word.
 

My heart churns within Me; My sympathy is stirred.  I will not execute the fierceness of My anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim. For I am God, and not man, The Holy One in your midst; And I will not come with terror. (Hosea 11:8b-9, NKJV)


God has always promised save a remnant of His people to rebuild the country. Israel will not face God's full wrath but His wrath will be lessened. An interesting play on words here is that God's "fierce" anger is rendered from a word which means "burning" - a burning anger. But that burning anger is replaced by compassion that is aroused, a word that means to grow warm, to be kindled. Thus God's burning wrath is replaced by burning compassion for His people. At the hands of the Assyrian army, God still enacted a horrible judgement on the people. Nevertheless, He preserved a remnant of people through their captivity.

How do we respond to God's faithful love for us? What can we do to return His love? Sow the seeds of righteousness, righteous living before God and men:
 

Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you. (Hosea 10:12, NKJV)


Come soon, Lord Jesus! And Praise be to your Name and your unfailing love!







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Copyright 7/12/2000, Randy Lariscy.