God’s Purpose in Discipline

MEMORY VERSE: “And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” —Hebrews 12:5,6

HOSEA 2:13,14,18-23; 3:4,5

GOD’S purpose in disciplining his people is to train them in the ways of righteousness and in a more complete devotion to him. The Lord chastens those whom he loves. Those who continue willfully to disobey him are eventually cut off from life. (Acts 3:23) Fleshly Israel frequently went contrary to God’s laws of righteousness and worshiped other gods. For this they were disciplined in various ways and finally were permitted to go into captivity. But God did not cease to love them, and he made provision for their eventual return to him.

It is difficult for us today to visualize the extent to which Israel, and frequently Judah, practiced idolatry. “She burned incense to them [the false gods], and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgot me, saith the Lord.”—ch. 2:13

But despite this the Lord’s hand was upon them. He said, “I will allure [urge] her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.” In the plan of God a due time was coming when he would urge the people of Israel and Judah to return to him, which was to include a returning to the land which was promised to Abraham and to his seed. Jeremiah wrote, “Lo, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah: … and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.”—Jer. 30:3

We believe that we are now living in the time when this prophecy is being fulfilled. One would think that it would be a time of unmitigated rejoicing for the descendants of Abraham. Eventually it will be, but now these returning captives are more or less in a “wilderness.” For them it is a time “of fear, and not of peace.”—Jer. 30:5

For this reason they are in need of comfort, and the Lord said that he would speak comfortably unto them. This is now being done to the extent that the people of spiritual Israel are able to reach them. But in due time, through the agencies of the messianic kingdom, these people of natural Israel will be truly comforted with the assurance of God’s redeeming love, which makes it possible for them to return to him and to live forever.

Verse 18 of Hosea, chapter 2, foretells a wonderful change to come in Israel’s experience. Symbolically, all the beasts of the field are to speak peace and good will to this ancient people. The implements of war will be no more, and war itself will be destroyed, and the people shall be made to “lie down safely.” The Lord saith, “I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord.” (vss. 19,20) This passage might well apply, also, to spiritual Israel.

Verses 21 and 22 continue the description of all nature co-operating to bless the people of God. The heavens are shown as beseeching God to fill their clouds with water, that they might water the land; and the earth is represented as calling upon the heavens to pour down rain. The fruits of the ground call also on the earth to furnish them with supplies, and they are heard. This is all doubtless highly figurative language, but it well conveys the idea of peace and blessedness.

Verse 23 gives us a further thought. The Lord says, “I will sow her unto me in the earth”—a reference perhaps to the dispersion of Israel at the first advent of Christ. But not all were thus treated. The Lord continues, “I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.” In Romans 9:23-26 Paul quotes this prophecy of Hosea and applies it to the remnant of Israel at the first advent who accepted Jesus and to the Gentiles who were coming in to become a part of spiritual Israel. See also I Peter 2:9,10

The 4th and 5th verses of Hosea 3 present us with further details concerning the dispersion of Israel. This could well refer to the great dispersion which began shortly after Jesus’ first advent. They were indeed scattered throughout the Christian era, “without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim.” But now they are beginning to return to their land, and soon, we believe, they will seek the Lord, and the antitypical David will be their King. They will then truly know the Lord’s goodness.

QUESTIONS

What is God’s purpose in disciplining his people?

When, in the plan of God, does he “lure” his people to return to him?

To whom does Hosea 2:23 apply?

When will Israel again have a King?

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