The prophet has been using the image of an adulterous wife to illustrate the relationship between God and Israel. Now the image changes…Israel is like a rebellious child. But there is hope for this rebel…
Read Hosea 11: 1-4 and 8-11
In chapter 11 of Hosea, God doesn’t speak as the betrayed “husband” of adulterous Israel, but rather as the betrayed parent of a much-loved child. Taking the different images a stage further, it might be possible to divorce an adulterous wife, but rebellious children can’t be divorced and even if they could, God displays a great tension that he is feeling in verse 8, “How can I give you up, Israel?”. The rebellious child could be thrown out of the house and the parent have no more to do with them, or the parent could choose the path of painful discipline, followed by restoration and comfort. God chooses the latter path.
It is a great temptation for us to attempt to caste God in our own image, and believe that God should react angrily when let down. God, however, bluntly reminds us that he is the Holy One, not a mere human, and his plan is not to destroy but to save. Israel will face the consequences of their rebellion, as we have said before, in exile and the loss of land and Temple worship, but God’s desire is for a chastened Israel to return to him and , in turn, return to their land and a renewed worship. God’s tenacious love gives them hope.
How can God give them this hope when justice should surely demand that Israel is punished for their rebellion? If Israel is God’s son, then surely God also has in mind another Son, yet to be revealed. Matthew 2: 15 reminds us that Jesus was also “Called out of Egypt” right at the beginning of his life. Jesus is the Son who went on to live, die and rise again so that all could become recipients of God’s grace, those who lived before the time of Jesus being just as much beneficiaries of that grace as those who have lived since. And actually, Jesus changed something else in this prophecy… he could say I am the Holy One AND a human.
Look back over your life at the times that God has needed to discipline you out of his love for you. Thank God for restoring you and changing you.
Pilgrim Traveller 