Reading the book of Hosea in the ESV version of the bible, a mixture of thoughts and feelings arose across the story. God told Hosea to marry a prostitute, made him name his children names that seemly undesirable (‘Lo-ruhama, which means No Mercy’ and ‘Lo-ammi, which means Not my people’). God had order Hosea to call her back, even after deserting him and sleeping with other men ( and also after receiving the punishment she deserved), and to love her ten folds as much as he had love her before.
After reading through previous books of the bible on prophecy (Jonah, Joel and Amos), there always is a similar pattern( some may call it structure) of how prophecies were written. There always seems to be a structure of punishment and judgment, and God’s promise of greater goodness and positive end for those who repent and follow.
The book of Hosea had shown similarities to this pattern as well. The book of Hosea remind me of some really deep theme, mercy and forgiveness, compassion and unconditional love. Mercy for the prostitute who doesn't deserve to be forgiven after committing sins of adultery, compassion of a Father who took pity on the suffering of what the prostitute had gone through in her suffering, and the unconditional love God show by making Hosea reaching out to his wife even after the sins she committed, and love her even more than before. As I read and reflect upon the passage, I realized how great God’s love is to his people, and that he’ll not forsake us, no matter what we had done in the past.
How great thou art, oh Lord.
- on behalf of Emily Khong -
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