Dwell in the Word: Hosea 2:14-23

Think on these questions as you dwell in Hosea 2:14-23:

1. The passage depicts a profound shift in God's relationship with Israel, from pronouncing judgments to speaking tenderly and offering mercy. How does this transformation highlight God's enduring love and grace even amid human unfaithfulness? What does this reveal about God's character?

2. The text uses vivid imagery of a betrothal to illustrate God's commitment to Israel, promising righteousness, justice, steadfast love, mercy, and faithfulness. How do these attributes portray God's ideal relationship with His people? How can these attributes shape our understanding of our relationship with God today?

3. The reversal of names from "no mercy" and "not my people" to "my people" and "you are my God" signifies a remarkable shift in God's grace toward Israel. How does this transformation reflect God's willingness to extend mercy and redefine relationships based on His love rather than merit? How does this narrative resonate with the Christian understanding of redemption through Christ?

Transcript:

 As we start out here in verse 14, as you're, if you're watching on video, you'll see I highlighted just the four words, speak tenderly to her. I thought that was interesting as I was reading this because the previous part of chapter two was not God speaking tenderly. He was speaking a judgment, but yet God loves his people and now he is bringing them grace.

The commands, the judgments of God were harsh. But now as he brings good news, he is speaking tenderly to his people. How amazing is that? And we see that at this time, God is going to remove the names of the Baals from their mouths, and they shall be remembered by name no more. God is going to make them solely his people.

They won't even remember the name of the Baals. He's going to cause them to worship him alone and notice in verse 19 that he is going to betroth them. Look at that language there We have this marriage language going on with Hosea and Gomer and now God is using it about Israel. He's going to be betrothed to them forever.

And how will that happen? He'll betroth them in righteousness and justice in steadfast love. There's that important phrase We see that all through the book of psalms that steadfast love this this Undying love that God has for his people and also in mercy and in faithfulness and notice what it says It says and you shall know the Lord.

They are going to know their God Intimately because he has come to them in mercy And so as we get down to the end of this passage that we've read today we see in verse 23 Arguably some of the most beautiful stuff we're going to see in this entire book And I will have mercy on no mercy,  and I will say to not my people, you are my people,  and he shall say, you are my God.

Now, the reason I think that is just so beautiful is because the turn of the words here, these names had special meaning, but now the one who does not have mercy, God shows mercy.  They don't deserve it, but God gives it to them anyway. It's a reversal of fortune, right? They don't have mercy.

They don't show mercy. They don't deserve mercy. But now God is showing mercy, and now they were not the people of God because they were being judged. But now what is God saying? In my grace, I will make sure that you are my people and he's going to do this to the ends of the earth. Right? This is the, the idea here is that this is going to last.

And then he says and he shall say you are my God  And so, what has happened not only a reversal in how God sees them but a reversal in how “no mercy” and “not my people” are seeing God themselves, right? They have a reversal in their lives. They are they are turning towards God, now, ultimately, we understand this, how this all points forward to the fact that Christ has come.

He lived for us. He died for us. He rose again, and now he's ascended to the right hand of the Father on our behalf. Because we did not deserve mercy in our sin, but in Christ, God showed us mercy. We were not the people of God, not only because of our sin and our rebellion, but for you and I, more than likely, for the majority of people who are hearing this, we were Gentiles, we were not the people of God, but Christ came and reversed that.

And so, how do we respond to that good news? We are able to say here, along with the book of Hosea, You are my God. Because He has come to us, and He has shown us mercy, and He's made us a people for His own possession. What amazingly awesome news that is. And so it is that news that motivates you and me.

And it all comes from the verse that says that God has spoken to us tenderly in His Word. Yes, he has spoken words of judgment, but those are also words of love calling us to repent of our sin. And then God speaks the word of the gospel to us tenderly, and he comes to us with his Holy Spirit and gives us the gift of faith. And so, may we remember this amazing, good news this part of the story here. How even though we didn't deserve mercy, he showed us mercy. Even though we were not his people We became his people.

May we praise him and say every day, you are my God, and may we serve him in faithfulness.