The Bible records an amazing love story about a man who remained faithful to his wife in spite of her unfaithfulness.  Hosea was a prophet primarily to the Northern kingdom of Israel and he spoke of God’s love for the nation of Israel in spite of her unfaithfulness.  God gave Hosea a strange assignment, He told him take an adulterous wife (most likely speaking proleptically anticipating her future unfaithfulness).  Despite her unfaithfulness Hosea never gave up on his wife.  Hosea personally realized how God felt about His wayward people.  Although his wife followed a life of degradation and ended up as a slave, Hosea bought her out of slavery to be his wife again,

The LORD said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.”  (Hosea 3:1)

Just as Hosea was married to an unfaithful partner so God was devoted to an unfaithful people.  G. Campbell Morgan writes, “Sin in the last analysis, in its most terrible form, is infidelity to love.  It hurts God.  It destroys the sinner.”  Hosea closes his book with a passionate plea to return to the Lord,

Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.  (Hosea 14:9)

 Are you wise?  Are you discerning?  Do you realize God’s amazing love for His people – do you realize His amazing love for you?  We see three principles in Hosea’s closing exhortation:

1.  The ways of the LORD are right.  We may not not understand them or even agree with them but God’s way is the best way.

2.  The righteous walk in them.  The word walk is synonymous with obedience.  God is looking for obedience in His people, “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,”  (Deuteronomy 10:12)

3.  Those who are rebellious stumble over God’s words.  “Israel’s arrogance testifies against them; the Israelites, even Ephraim, stumble in their sin; Judah also stumbles with them.”  (Hosea 5:5)

Perhaps you’re feeling estranged from God, maybe you’ve gone your own way.  Realize that He has not given up on you – He’s waiting for you to come back to Him.  He is the One who loves you with an everlasting love.

Rick Higgins

Associate Pastor – Discipleship.  The Church at LifePark

Professor of Discipleship, Columbia International University