God Yearns for His Wayward People

MEMORY VERSE: “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.” —Jeremiah 31:3

HOSEA 11:1-4,8,9; 14:1-4

PREVIOUSLY in Hosea’s prophecy Jehovah speaks of himself as a husband and Israel as his unfaithful wife. In this lesson he speaks of Israel as a child, or a son, and tells of the time when he called this son out of Egypt. At least this is the thought we get from a surface reading of Hosea 11:1. However, in the New Testament, the statement is quoted, “Out of Egypt have I called my son,” and here it is applied to Jesus’ recall from Egypt, where he had been taken by his parents to escape the wrath of Herod.—Matt. 2:15

Hardly had the Israelites escaped from Egypt when they began to sacrifice “unto Baalim” and to burn “incense to graven images.” However, while from time to time God disciplined his wayward people, yet all along, and even in the case of the ten rebellious tribes, he manifested toward them the tenderness of a nursing mother toward her young child. “I taught Ephraim [Israel] also to go, taking them by their arms [as a mother does her child], but they knew not that I healed them.” (Hosea 11:3) They did not recognize the Lord’s tender love in caring for them, neither did they profit from it.

“My people are bent to back-sliding from me,” the Lord says, “though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.” Here was a people who professed to belong to the Lord but did little or nothing to demonstrate their allegiance to him. The statement “though they called them to the most High” could refer to the invitation which Hezekiah sent to the ten tribes to join in celebrating the passover.—II Chron. 30:6-10

Although the people of the ten-tribe kingdom [Ephraim] had grossly sinned against Jehovah, because of his love and compassion he was loathe to give them up. Strict justice within God’s law demanded that they be destroyed—referred to as being made like Admah and Zeboim, cities which were linked with Sodom and Gomorrah and destroyed together with them.—Gen. 14:3; 19:24-26; Deut. 29:23

We have another example of the Lord’s compassion in dealing with his people in the case of the two tribe kingdom of Judah. While the people of Judah were not so continuously idolatrous as those of the ten-tribe kingdom, yet the Lord finally punished them by permitting them to be taken captive to Babylon. In this case also, the strict requirements of the Law called for their destruction, but they were not destroyed. Jeremiah wrote about this, saying to the people of Judah, “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”—Lam. 3:22,23

Beginning with the 14th chapter of Hosea, there is quite a change from the general tenor of the preceding chapters. It has been suggested by some scholars that perhaps it was written after the ten-tribe kingdom had been destroyed and the people taken captive into Assyria and was addressed to the remnant of the ten tribes, who remained in Palestine, and who later associated themselves with the people of the two tribes. There would be some among this remnant whose hearts would be loyal to Jehovah, and under the circumstances these would indeed need encouragement.

The invitation to return to the Lord might lead others to repentance, and the Lord wanted these to realize that any who did turn to him would be received. Here again we see the great compassion of Jehovah exhibited, a compassion which never fails. This is in keeping with the sentiments in our memory verse, a text which expresses Jehovah’s “everlasting love” for his people as it will be demonstrated to them in Messiah’s kingdom.

While the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel was destroyed, God still loved the Israelites, and there is promise after promise that they would be restored to their own land in the latter days. “He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock,” wrote the prophet. (Jer. 31:10) In verses 31 to 34 of this chapter God promises to make a “New Covenant” with the house (or people) of Israel and with the house (or people) of Judah. In the making of this covenant the Law of God will be written in their hearts, and their sins will be forgiven. All will be fully taught of the Lord, and hence will no longer need to perish through lack of knowledge. See Romans 11:26-36.

The return of the Israelites will include those who throughout the ages have gone down into death. Even those of Hosea’s day will participate in the blessings of that happy new day, when death will be destroyed.—Hos. 13:14

QUESTIONS

What change of viewpoint is presented in this lesson?

How did God show his compassion toward the people of the ten-tribe kingdom?

What general change is seen in Hosea’s prophecy, beginning with the 14th chapter?

When will God’s favor return to all the Israelites, even those who have died?

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