Please read Hosea 1 again.
Meditate on verses 10.
Yet the number of the sons of Israel will be like the sand of the sea,
which cannot be measured or numbered;
and in the place where it was said to them, “You are not My people,”
It will be said to them, “You are the sons of the living God.”
There can be
little doubt that life was not turning out the way Hosea had planned. He must
have felt like Moses at the burning bush, “I’m supposed to do what?!” or Peter
asking, “Did You really say we can eat this stuff?” (Exodus 3-4; Acts 10).
Hosea was
told to do the unspeakable for an upright Jew and prophet of God. God commanded
him to marry a prostitute and have children of prostitution as an illustration
of Israel’s adulterous behavior toward Him. Hosea obeyed; he married a
prostitute named Gomer.
As living
illustrations, their children were named to reveal God’s judgments:
- The
firstborn was a son named Jezreel. God will destroy Israel in the valley
of Jezreel (Hosea 1:4-5).
- The second
was a daughter named Lo-Ruhamah meaning, “not pitied or no compassion.”
God will not have compassion on Israel (Hosea 1:6).
- The third
child was a son named Lo-Ammi meaning, “not My people.” God said to
Israel, “You are not My people, and I am not your God” (Hosea 1:9).
Because idol
worship was rampant in Israel and the worship of the true God was corrupted or
non-existent, God was going to have no pity and totally destroy Israel. Yet
verse 10 begins the theme of the remnant. The remnant was a group of people who
survived the judgment by God’s divine will and reformed with His blessings.
Believers in Christ understand what it means to be saved from a judgment of
death to life as “sons of the living God” (Hosea 1:10).
Pray Hosea
1:10-11b over Israel and those for whom you stand guard as faithful, prayerful
watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).
“LORD
thank You that the number of the sons of Israel
will be
like the sand of the sea, which
cannot be measured or numbered.
And in
the place where it was said to
them, “You are not My people,”
It will
be said to them, “You are the sons of the living God.”
Thank you that the sons of Judah and the
sons
of Israel will be gathered together,
and they
will appoint for themselves one leader, Jesus.
Jesus,
cause _________ to appoint You as their
leader.
LORD, please make them Your sons.
In Your
name, Jesus~”
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