Unconditional love from a broken heart

Unconditional love from a broken heart

Recently, I was privileged to hear a sermon by Reverend Lim Kar Yong who spoke on the Minor Prophet Hosea Chapters 1-3. Studying further into these chapters, we find a wonderful picture of a loving God loving an unfaithful people even when it breaks His heart.

Now Hosea served God across the reigns of four kings of Judah and King Jeroboam the son of Joash of Israel. In those days just as before, the Israelites began to follow the detestable practices of the Canaanites that were driven out before them. They worshiped the pagan god of fertility Baal, they built high places that were abominable to God and even sacrificed their children in the fire. They would still worship God but also other gods for they wanted the best of everything. All that they did was akin to spiritual prostitution, breaking the covenant they had with the Lord God who had been so faithful to them.

It is against this backdrop that God commanded Hosea to take a prostitute as a wife to himself who would be symbolic of the nation of Israel. And so Hosea took Gomer. And as Gomer bore Hosea three children, the name of each child became a message from God. The firstborn was named Jezreel, a beautiful place that became associated with great violence because of the killing of Queen Jezebel and the royal family. And his son was named Jezreel to prophetically declare that the kingdom of the house of Israel would cease and this became true with the coming of the Assyrians who took the people away into captivity.

Hosea’s second child, a daughter, was called Lo-Ruhamah which means “no mercy” and her sister later was called Lo-Ammi which means “not my people”. Their names painted for us a sad picture of God forsaking His people Israel because of their prostitution and adultery saying “I will no longer have mercy on you. You will no longer be my people, and I will no longer be your god.”

Still, in spite of this, at the end of the chapter, there is a prophecy that the Israelites would number like the sand of the sea, and, “in the place where it was said to them, you are not my people, they will be called the sons of the living God”. And in a direct reference to the Messiah, there was the prophecy of the children of Israel and Judah coming out in glory under one Head, which can only be Jesus Christ. Basically, the promise is that God will once again bring them back and accept them in latter days

In Hosea 2, the illustration continues of a harlot behaving shamefully chasing her lovers to give the picture of Israel shamefully chasing after other gods. There is also the powerful mention of the hedge of thorns that stops her from pursuing her sinful ways. And as she is left all alone, she realizes that she should go back to her first husband. Just as God raises up obstacles and troubles to turn Israel back to Him before they are utterly destroyed, so too God sometimes creates obstacles or difficulties for us so that we will return to the correct paths.

Even in calling the shameful wife back to repentance, we see the heart of the husband that speaks to her tenderly and gives her blessings and hope in spite of all the betrayal she has done. This is exactly the situation with God and His people whom He will later call and receive back in loving kindness. At the end of this chapter, there is also a prophetic reference to God also including us, the Gentiles in His great plan of salvation:- “I will say to them which were not my people, Thou are my people, and they shall say “Thou art my God”.

Finally, in Hosea 3, we see a touching scene where Hosea goes and buys back Gomer for fifteen pieces of silver and a homer of barley which is a sizeable sum. We do not know how Gomer became a slave but the act of Hosea buying her back gives us the picture of a faithful and forgiving husband redeeming a adulterous and unfaithful wife.

Throughout these imagery and examples, we see a loving God hurt and betrayed by a people He chose for His own who had turned away and chased false gods. Yet in spite of all they had done, God still loved them, and provided a way out for them to return again to Him and be with them forever.

Hence, in all this, we see the depths of God’s undeserved mercy and kindness upon us who are unworthy and wretched, having turned away from God in our sin. For us, our false gods may be work, interests, hobbies, anything at all that takes the place of our passion for God. The apostle John declared “We love because He first loved us”. As we begin to understand and feel the love He has for us, we too will begin to learn to really love others.

Thank You Lord for Your loving kindness and mercies that are truly new every morning. Help us always remain in Your love and be loyal and faithful to You as our Savior and Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.