Hosea 12 – The Dove and the Bow

Hosea 7:11–16

 

“Ephraim is like a dove, easily deceived and senseless—calling to Egypt, pleading with Assyria. When they go, I will spread my net over them and bring them down like the birds of the sky. I will discipline them according to the warnings given to their assembly. Woe to them, because they have strayed from me! Destruction awaits them, because they have rebelled against me! I long to redeem them but they speak lies against me. They do not cry out to me from their hearts but wail upon their beds. They gather together for grain and new wine, and rebel against me. I trained their arms and made them strong, yet they plot evil against me. They return, but not to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because of their insolent talk. This will be their derision in the land of Egypt.” Amen.

 

I. Two Images Symbolizing Israel

Two distinct images are used in today's text to portray Israel: one is the senseless dove, and the other is the faulty bow.

 

What image comes to mind when you think of a dove? Perhaps the sight of a dove soaring high into the sky, or a painting of a dove holding an olive branch in its beak. These are all symbols originating from Noah's Ark. When God gave humanity, judged by the flood, the message to "enter rest," the dove came to symbolize peace and rest. In the New Testament, the dove symbolizes the Holy Spirit, described as "the Spirit descending like a dove."

 

The True Meaning of the Senseless Dove

However, the tone of today's passage is different; it speaks of the senseless dove. In the ancient Near East, wild doves were said to lack common sense, paying little attention to their surroundings once food was placed before them. They were easily snared or led astray. This explains why the terms "senseless" and "lacking understanding" were often applied to the dove.

 

Today’s text speaks of such a dove. We might think Israel's lack of wisdom lay in its failure to manage its diplomacy between Assyria and Egypt, leaning toward the stronger side and eventually facing invasion and ridicule from both.

 

Yet, the core issue is not merely the act of choosing to rely on Assyria or Egypt.

 

 The Key is Reliance on God, Not Just Choice

In Genesis, Abraham went down to Egypt during a famine, and God was not furious; in fact, he returned with great wealth, foreshadowing the later Exodus. Jacob also went to Egypt at God's command. Jeremiah even told the people of Israel, "Go to Babylon; that is the way of life."

 

My main point is that the problem was not which nation they chose—Babylon, Egypt, or staying in Jerusalem. The problem was whether they relied on God wherever they were.

 

In the Bible, "lacking wisdom" does not simply mean a lack of discernment or knowledge. As Proverbs states, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of all knowledge and wisdom." Therefore, "lacking wisdom" means "lacking the fear of God." Israel has departed from God and is not returning. By leaving God, the fear of God, which is true divine wisdom, vanished.

 

Ultimately, the issue was not a lack of judgment or knowledge but a lack of reliance upon God. The crucial question is not "Which nation should I go to?" but "Whom do I rely on?" If they relied on God, even in Babylon, God emphasized, "I will go with you, and there you will build houses and plant fields." That was the hope of the Israelites.

 

Similarly, the most critical issue now is not what you choose, but whether you are relying on God. The message is clear: whether in Babylon, Egypt, captivity, wealth, or poverty—there is only one standard for evaluating all things.

 

"Am I relying on God and fearing Him?"

 

Do you hold this sincere, holy, and profound question in your heart?

 

Moment-by-Moment Choices and Reliance on God

When great and difficult issues arise—"Should I close the business or expand it?"—everyone asks God.

 

They pray, "God, what is the best way? God, give me wisdom." They try to rely on God, praying, "Lord, I trust Your guidance." When changing jobs, deciding on a spouse, or facing major life issues, a believer will at least pray to God.

 

II. Trust in Small Matters

But what about in the small matters? In the daily routine spent with your children, do you ask, "Am I relying on God right now?" When you quarrel with your child, argue with your spouse, or worry about how to manage your daily life amidst financial strain, do you rely on God?

 

When you go shopping and debate, "Should I buy this or not?" do you check only your wallet, or do you rely on God? Do you remember this question at the moment of decision—when you are eating or meeting people?

 

"Am I relying on God?"

 

Of course, all these situations require our common sense and experience. We cannot ignore reason, and we must consider the circumstances and conditions when making decisions.

 

But before all these decisions, there is an attitude and a question that must exist within your soul: "Am I relying on God now?" The question is whether you are relying on God, not just on your own decisions and choices, and whether, in all circumstances, you are finding strength, comfort, and thus the ability to decide, to be thankful, and to be humble because of that God.

 

The Attitude of True Reliance

When I speak of "relying on God," I don't mean that you must pray about every tiny thing every day. Some people call this a "flash prayer"—a brief "Lord, what should I do!" That can be a good spiritual discipline.

 

I once realized who the most devout person was when we almost had a car accident. While I said, "Uh..." the child in the back seat exclaimed, "Lord!" I realized then, "Ah, the most faithful person in our house is the child." Such moments can also be good spiritual training.

 

However, if we do that for every single thing, we might become paralyzed. We would keep saying, "I must pray, I must pray," and then be unable to make a decision when needed. I am not talking about that, nor do I mean that you must receive some special answer or revelation every time.

 

If you go to buy a washing machine and are deciding between Samsung and LG, would you pray, "Lord, Samsung or LG? Please tell me. 'Buy Samsung!'"? I am certainly not talking about that. What I intend to convey is this:

 

Do you truly reflect on and remember what you prioritize and how you use your money in life, and what kind of happiness it brings you?

 

Do you realize that in the process of making any decision, God is also shaping your character?

 

And when dealing with your children, your spouse, your husband, do you question whether the grace of God is holding you, allowing you to live a life that truly receives God's comfort and strength—even if you make mistakes, or even in difficult, hard-to-understand circumstances?

 

III. Because God Is My All

We must not think that our decisions determine our lives. Too many people think that the fact that "I decided, I bought this house, I bought this car, I chose this church, I selected all of this"—while important—is all there is.

 

With the heart of Job, who confessed, "He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold," we must ask ourselves if we live believing that God's hand is in all our affairs, situations, and life, and if we are relying on that God who will ensure we come out like gold.

 

Do you rely on that peace, on God's comfort, on God's truly benevolent hand? That is what I am asking.

 

Therefore, relying on God is not merely saying, "God, I rely only on You," or asking about everything in prayer, or receiving a special answer. Rather, it is the attitude of life that says:

 

"God, because You are with me, shape me today into the image of Christ. Be my comfort and my strength in all my life's decisions and choices. I love You, Lord."

 

Many people think their lives are complicated because they made the wrong choice. From the world's perspective, this may be true. Not attending a certain school, quitting a job, or misusing money—these judgments and choices may have caused difficulties or brought great good to your life. Because you chose them.

 

However, the question is not about your choice; it is whether you are relying on the fact that God is everything in your life, and that despite any choice you make, God will lead your life to a place of His glory. Do you rely on God even in those moments in your life when it is difficult, sometimes hard, and even when you cannot feel Him?

 

This is what Israel lacked. Why was Israel a senseless dove? Because instead of relying on God, they relied on their own decisions, or on Assyria or Egypt—or, in our terms, they too easily relied on their bank account or the things they possessed.

 

IV. Discipline Is God's Persistent Love

In verse 12, Hosea describes what happens when a believer lives without relying on God, making decisions only according to self-interest, emotion, and experience.

 

"I will spread my net over them and bring them down like the birds of the sky. I will discipline them according to the warnings given to their assembly." (Hosea 7:12)

 

Does this sound warm to you? Hosea is a difficult book because it constantly preaches harsh words like "I will discipline," "Woe to you," and "You are finished." When you hear the word 'discipline,' does it evoke fear and a desire to say, "God, please stop for a moment," or a feeling of "Thank you"?

 

The Purpose of Discipline: Shaping with Love

If you feel troubled, afraid, or fearful, I hope you change that perspective today. No. Although the word used is "discipline," we should read it as: "God's persistent and deep love that makes me righteous, beautiful, and holy." This is discipline. Discipline is not God taking revenge on you, saying, "Now you must suffer," or a punishment to make you "pay back what you owe." Discipline is far more astonishing than mere punishment.

 

This is because God does not stop until He has made you into His image. It is not a simple matter of getting struck once; He relentlessly pursues you, cares for you, comforts you, empowers you, and simultaneously causes you to repent until your tears run dry.

 

Why does God not stop this work? Because He loves you. It is an act done out of love.

 

God's Net That Misses Nothing

When the text says, "I will spread my net over them and catch them," it means that just as a dove flies everywhere, God will catch them all in His net, letting not a single one escape, no matter where they go.

 

God says: "In all the events that happen in your lives, nothing escapes My eyes, My power, My love, and My heart for you."

 

Frankly, even Laozi, a non-believer, said, "Heaven's net is vast and wide, and its mesh seems large enough for anything to slip through, but nothing escapes it." Even those who do not know God observe the world and are amazed at how all events seem to fit together perfectly, wondering how this could be.

 

In the daily rising of the sun, the turning of the Earth, and the operation of the universe, it seems like the heavens are so vast that nothing can be held, yet nothing is lost.

 

God misses nothing in your life. There is no other reason: He loves you that much.

 

If even someone like Laozi was astonished by this, how should you, who believe in God, react? You must confess: "God misses nothing and holds me to make me His child. Not a single event in my life—not a word I spoke thoughtlessly, a path I walked, or a task I undertook to earn money—has occurred outside of God's grace."

 

As you contemplate this grace of God, this truth brings us to another important realization in verse 13.

 

God Seeks to Redeem Sin's Slaves

The latter part of verse 13 says, "I long to redeem them but they speak lies against me." The word translated as "deliver" or "rescue" is the Hebrew word for 'redeem' or 'ransom'. It means, "I long to redeem them."

 

The Meaning of Redemption and Enslavement

Redemption is easy to understand by thinking of a slave. It means paying a price to set free a slave who is held somewhere. We use the word redemption when we speak of being released from the bondage of sin by Jesus Christ to live for God.

 

When God told Israel, "I sought to redeem you," it meant they were already slaves—servants of someone. Israel was enslaved. They were slaves to the choices made by those who chose to leave God and not rely on Him. This means that what you choose eventually becomes your master.

 

If you pursued money without God, that money becomes your master. You thought you were spending the money, but you realize the money is controlling you. The same applies to health. You thought you were exercising diligently to protect your health, but you were enslaved to it. You thought you were living to take care of your body, but in fact, your health had become your god.

 

The same is true for us; they didn't even realize they were slaves. That is why they resist, saying, "I am not a slave!" Jesus also encountered this when speaking with the Pharisees.

 

When Jesus said, "You were slaves," they protested, "We are free people; what do you mean, slaves? We have been free since the time of Abraham. We have never been slaves." Then Jesus said, "You belong to your father, the devil; you were slaves of the devil."

 

It must have made those who heard it boil with anger. "How dare He call us children of the devil outright?" But the Lord spoke the truth precisely.

 

"To whom do you belong now? I came to deliver you from that, so you should be grateful and joyful. But instead, you do not recognize Me and seek to kill Me." That was the Lord's stern message.

 

Therefore, the fact that Israel became slaves makes us realize how easily we, too, can become slaves to sin.

 

The Completion of Redemption: The Blood of Jesus Christ

God had redeemed Israel before. Deuteronomy 7 states, "Because the Lord loved you... He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt." That was the Exodus from Egypt. How astonishing were the things God did then? All the firstborn of Egypt died, as did the firstborn of their livestock. God led Israel out even at that cost.

 

God parted the sea and made a path, which the Bible describes as "giving them baptism." "I will renew you. I will make you My people. You are not slaves belonging to them. You are My friends, My children, My people." Thus, He declared.

 

However, even that great event was not the finished product. Israel became slaves again. They became slaves even after entering Canaan, and later they lost their nation and became slaves once more. The cycle repeated. In other words, the Exodus was not the final completion.

 

About 1,500 years after Hosea wrote this passage, the final completion arrived. This truth is found in 1 Peter:

 

"For you know that it was not with perishable things like silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." (1 Peter 1:18-19)

 

Remember that Peter wrote this with the Israelites in mind. He tells them to remember "the Passover Lamb, the blood of Jesus." Remember the Exodus. You sang, praised, glorified Moses, and treasured the Law. But now, the true Lamb, Jesus Christ, who saved you once and forever, has come, and He paid the price.

 

God gave Himself. This is the Good News, the Gospel.

 

The Exodus was a great event that astonished even the world. But it cannot be compared to the cross of Jesus Christ. The unseen death of Jesus and the eternal life resulting from it are far more momentous and spectacular than the parting of the sea.

 

But we often forget this. So God says again, "I sought to redeem you, but you spoke lies against Me."

 

The passage states that the people who experienced such an astonishing work still did not return to God. Regrettably, the typical errors they committed are recorded in Hosea.

 

V. Israel's Typical Errors: The Wrong Path and Lies

 

The Wrong Path Away from God

One of Israel's errors was that they continuously took the wrong path. Going down the wrong path means not returning to God but going the way they wanted. The wrong path is the one that moves them further from God, and this is a great mistake for a believer.

 

Despite knowing God's grace and love through faith, one of the most common mistakes we make is stubbornly going a different way. Furthermore, while taking the wrong path, we often fail to realize that we are intentionally distancing ourselves from God. This is because we do not seek to restore fellowship with God but try to solve problems through worldly means, like Assyria or Egypt. We should draw closer to God, but the door of our heart gradually closes. Moving away from the Lord is the wrong path. Our thoughts, emotions, and hearts are becoming hardened.

 

It is strange that although we feel like we could firmly turn away, saying, "Get behind me, Satan," it is often difficult to escape that path. As your heart grows cold, you should move closer to the fire, but instead, you dislike the fire. Physically, we seek warmth in winter, but spiritually, as our body grows cold and our heart hardens, we do not seek warmth; instead, we go to colder places, try to become colder, and try to close our hearts more.

 

A Warning for the Chilled Heart

Dear friends, do not do that. There are times when God's Word is hard to hear. You may listen, but the message might not resonate, or you might hear it with bias. Sometimes, reading the Word can be frustrating rather than comforting. There are times when you lack the desire to read the Bible or find prayer very difficult.

 

At those times, remember this: you must think, "I must go towards a warm place." You must realize that your heart is becoming cold and acknowledge the "coldness." "It's cold. I'm entering a freezer. The temperature keeps dropping, but I don't feel it; I'm adapting to the temperature like a frog, and eventually, I will freeze to death." Realize this, and quickly feel the "coldness."

 

Coldness is a signal that you are slowly drifting away from God. If God's Word is not being read, you must strive to read even one verse. If you cannot pray, you must try to approach the Lord, even if it is just a single word, crying, or shouting in frustration, "Lord, I cannot pray." You must head toward warmth, because otherwise, your body will gradually become cold.

 

Therefore, dear friends, if reading the Bible is hard, that is the time you must read the Bible. If praying is becoming too difficult, and prayer is losing all feeling for you, that is the time you must pray.

 

You must strike yourself, submitting and yielding to God's grace and mercy more, and more diligently. Because we must go near the fire. The wrong path can torment us like this, and we make these mistakes often, wasting too much energy and strength.

 

Religious Acts for Self-Interest: 'Lies'

Another error is lies. Verse 14 states, "They do not cry out to me from their hearts but wail upon their beds." It says they gather for grain and new wine but actually rebel against God. Even from this verse, we know that "not seeking God sincerely means seeking God only for myself."

 

Why does God exist? Only for me. This verse has a difficult interpretation: the word "gather" for grain and new wine can be interpreted literally, but it can also mean 'to cut themselves.' That is, it can be read as "they cut themselves because of the grain and new wine." What they want are the crops and the new wine, and to get them, they inflict wounds on their bodies—an act common among those who serve foreign gods, which constitutes a form of worship.

 

The common point of both interpretations is the premise that God exists for them. They seek to gain what they want, even by doing this; ultimately, they are using God. Therefore, we always say to God, "God, You say You love me. Why don't You give me this? If You give it, You are a good God; if You don't, You are a fake God." It sounds childish, but we live like that. If God answers my prayer, He becomes the God who answers my prayers.

 

"Be patient, endure." "God, is this something to endure? Change places with me and think about it. Even You couldn't endure it." I once prayed that way in the past.

 

(I once had the thought, which was quite presumptuous, that "even Jesus couldn't manage this church's ministry," when I was serving as an assistant pastor, realizing the church's situation was such that God might move its lampstand.)

 

The reason for this is that the idea, "If God listens to me and things go the way I want, He is real; if not, He is fake," is deeply rooted in us. However, your mind knows that this is not true.

 

VI. The Faulty Bow and the Arrogance of Leaders

 

Arrows Missing the Target

This fact naturally leads to the final metaphor: the faulty bow. God said, "I have raised you. I gave you strength, your arms, and allowed you to shoot the bow." But when they shoot the arrow toward the Lord, saying, "Lord, my God!" the target hit is not God. Even when they shoot, crying, "Lord!" the target hit is money. The mark is misplaced. They shoot, shouting "God's glory," but the arrow lands right on 'my glory.' That is the faulty bow. It goes the wrong way and misses the mark. The Psalmist says this:

 

"They were disloyal and faithless, like their ancestors; they were as unreliable as a faulty bow." (Psalm 78:57)

 

It misses. The faulty bow calls out to God but shoots a misplaced arrow. What does it ultimately hit? What I want, and what I desire to do.

 

The Arrogance and Anger of Leaders

The text therefore says that "they return, but not to the Most High." They return, but not to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow. They say, "I am coming to the Lord. Lord, I repent. I was wrong." But their repentance was so vague and inadequate that it was effectively no repentance at all. It was a faulty bow deceiving God. What do they want to lodge in place? It is the secret thought, held unwittingly by the leaders—the leaders of the church, you might say—that "I am not significantly wrong. This happened because of them."

 

The passage states that the leaders' tongues are harsh. This is a mild interpretation; the word truly means that their speech is full of arrogance and rage.

 

These leaders harbor rage. Rage toward whom? If it were rage toward themselves, they would have repented. No. Is it rage toward Assyria? No. Since they seek to align themselves for self-interest, they have no need to curse Assyria. So, who remains? The Israelites, the common people. These leaders pour out their wrath toward the Israelites. They vent their fiery hearts, saying, "It's because of you! I tried to do so well and worked hard for you, but this is happening because of you!"

 

From the beginning, Hosea intensely urged these priests and leaders to repent. It is the same here. He says that such rage and arrogance are in their very speech.

 

The Delusion: 'It's Not My Fault'

Broadening the interpretation, the result of this attitude is that their words escalate from rage to a curse. Not merely cursing the Israelites, but because the word is often associated with God, they end up cursing God Himself. They shift the blame to God. This is characteristic of sin, so it is not surprising.

 

But they do not overtly tell God, "God, it's Your fault," without realizing it. Instead, they subtly shift the blame. "God, if You had just given me kind, faithful, and good church members, how well I could have done?" (Like a pastor's wife nodding because she thinks, "If only the congregation hadn't caused so much trouble, my husband could have lived longer and healthier.")

 

Yet, looking at this verse, I wondered, who, then, will repent? And I was deeply struck by the phrase "You leaders, you priests!" or, today, "You church leaders." They bear the greatest responsibility amidst the struggles and difficulties of the church, and not only do they bear responsibility, but they are also too easily shaken or prone to sin. We see this not only in the Korean church but also within our own congregation and within ourselves. We often fail to realize this, and even when we do, true repentance is incredibly difficult.

 

This is not about someone else, is it? Because it was my own story, I became very passionate when preaching this part.

 

I Myself Am the Oven

I felt that if I didn't repent before continuing this study of Hosea, I would collapse while preaching. This is because so much of it is my own story.

 

I spoke about the oven, didn't I? I too burn a lot of fuel.

 

I used to think, "I can become a great pastor, and I will walk the path of a great pastor." I never considered that this was greed or ambition. I thought I had a quite holy purpose. So I resolved to be a pastor who was "cleaner than anyone else, and undefiled by anyone else." Because it looked impressive and respectable. After I realized that wanting the biggest ministry was wrong, a new goal arose: "to be a cleaner, honester, better pastor than anyone else." Unaware that this was just the same thing with a different name, I pursued it diligently.

 

I thought it would go well, but it didn't. As I continued God's work, I used all the feelings of injustice, distress, the scars of slander, and wounds I received as fuel.

 

One day, while I was praying, I remembered every single hurtful word I had ever heard in any church; nothing was forgotten. I had thought I had forgotten everything and overcome it all through faith. But as I prayed, weeping, it all came back to me.

 

"Yes, that person did that. Ah, yes, that elder back then..." I remembered everything. That's when I realized: Ah, I had been stoking the oven, unaware that it was getting so hot, unaware that I was burning those things. I just thought I was managing it well and keeping it warm.

 

I realized then and truly repent: I am that oven that constantly burns with envy, jealousy, ambition, and greed. And sometimes it explodes. (The elders have struggled to handle me.) I am the kind of person who stokes that oven. Of course, it explodes sometimes! Sometimes the pancake flies off. But I thought I was the only one who wasn't like that. How senseless is that?

 

The Danger of the Unturned Pancake

Furthermore, there is the unturned pancake. It is burning on one side without knowing it, yet it thinks it has been turned. It believes, "I will always maintain harmony and balance, not take sides with anyone, and walk this path alone." As if it were the cleanest person in the world. But that wasn't true. Ultimately, both sides are displeased. So, it neither turns nor repents, becoming an unturned pancake that is easily swayed. What will happen to it? Yes, it is a difficult situation.

 

For me, as a pastor, while many struggle with various issues, I struggle most with preaching. There is no one who is as lacking in confidence about preaching as I am. Yet, strangely, God has called me to proclaim the Word. I truly count the days. "Just a few more days, and finally I can sleep without worrying about the sermon."

 

It is a daily burden to proclaim the Word, but God tells me to preach His Word every time, setting me up here every week. What am I to do? Furthermore, the real difficulty in preaching these days is that, especially when I preach on Hosea, I feel that some people may think, "Is he talking about me?" So, every time I prepare a sermon, I agonize: "If I talk like this, will that person be upset? If I talk about this, will this person be hurt?" I worry about causing "emotional wounds."

 

Living like this is wrong. This is truly going down the wrong path. But knowing it is the wrong path, and yet, in the name of sparing one person, I find myself on a path where I cannot preach God's Word freely, and I do not repent. I thought I was doing well.

 

"Am I not doing well to be so mindful of the congregation, cutting out this word and that word?" Since I thought this, I truly repent. And if you think, "That's not right," please do not keep it to yourself. Please come and tell me, "Pastor Han, is that passage appropriate?" How grateful I would be. Do not be like me, stoking a large oven until one day it explodes and causes distress; please speak up.

 

I believe this is the problem. I myself only felt misunderstood, clinging to the idea that 'this is a misunderstanding, not my fault,' for too long. I think I still hold that thought often. But that is precisely the faulty bow mentioned here. They have that word on their tongue. Why would they curse the Israelites? They must think they are without fault, and that the people failed to understand their words or know them, causing this situation.

 

I was like that. And knowing that the possibility always exists, I read this Scripture and am led to think, "Can I truly stand before God unless I repent and turn back?" Yes, this is true. Is this not the message God gives to all of us, as He leads and establishes His church: "Truly consider before the Lord whether I am an oven, an unturned pancake, a faulty bow, or a senseless dove?" I thought I would only be guilty of one or two of these, but I am guilty of all four.

 

All four were shameful. "Ah, perhaps it's because I'm a pastor that I am guilty of all four." But I cannot bypass this truth without speaking of it. This, too, must be my limitation. If I am this way, how about you?

 

Friends, let us know one another. When you think, "I somewhat understand what Pastor Han is saying," or "As I read this passage, I too will stand before God," let us repent while we are still together, smiling with good faces, before we lose everything because of this, before your hearts and faith truly fall into ruin. Should we not turn back? If we, as God's people, hide the fact that what pleases the Lord is our turning and repenting, and merely stoke the oven in our hearts, then all that will come out is black smoke. There will be only burned pancakes. And there will be nothing lodging but the faulty bow.

 

VII. The Persistent Love of God, Our Hope

Reflecting on these things, there is truly no hope. The Book of Hosea itself appears to offer no hope.

 

The message seems so dark, even as I share God's Word each week. Yet, the passage that gave me strength as I prepared this message, thinking of you and the Lord, was the one we saw earlier: "I am the one who redeems you for Myself."

 

God's Love Preceding Repentance

God truly knows all this. He is the one who marries and takes me, this Israel, as His wife. This is not because I understood all four points and repented, saying, "Ah, I repent. I was wrong." Truly, as a leader, this is unacceptable. How much pain must the brothers and sisters I wounded or who were wounded because of me feel? It is indescribable. I cannot sleep either, but the wounded person must hurt more. And the disappointment that comes when things you believed in do not turn out as expected—how immense is that? And all of that is not something that can be placed upon someone else; it cannot simply be passed over or ignored.

 

Even if we stand before God, even if we repent, that situation is not simply resolved by saying, "I was wrong." Yet, this God took even me—even us—as His wife through marriage, the unfaithful Gomer that I am, before I even repented, before I fully realized my sin. He bestowed that grace upon me.

 

Hosea was a man called to proclaim that very fact. He was called to love his wife to the very end. That was the nature of God. And God loved to the very end. Israel was within this Gospel. I confess that you and I are within this Gospel, beyond any worldly approach, common sense, or anything else.

 

The Forgiveness and Hope Given by the Gospel

We have heard and know the Gospel, and we know the truth of God contained within it. We truly believe that even in the place where we may fall, make mistakes, collapse, and cause each other hurt and pain, we can rise again, and because of the Gospel, we can forgive and love. I truly believe it. This is because the cross of Jesus Christ is not cheap. We are all called to this, and God is loving us with such persistent love.

 

If you read the Book of Hosea without this Gospel, our weeks would be very bleak, as I mentioned. What book could be darker? Every page is a warning, a rebuke, a wrath, and a curse upon Israel. I also felt great pain when reading this Word. I wished it weren't so. What joy could there be in realizing that I am the oven?

 

Am I truly this faulty bow? Was I this insincere with God? Yet, the true message of Hosea, which contains the phrase 'Woe to you,' is found right here, is it not? "In the very place where I said, 'You are not my people,' I will call you 'My people.'" In the very place where you abandoned Me, I will marry you, take you as my bride, and live forever. I will deliver you from the slavery of sin. I will pay the price, and God paid that price with His own blood. He paid it with His own life. I will take you, dress you, put a ring on you, and hold you in My arms.

 

Therefore, My darling, arise now. Turn back now, not to your hurt and pain, but look upon Me, the God who loved us and took us as His wife and bride. Look upon My face. My darling, My darling.

 

Let us pray.

Lord, we are truly thankful that You have called us in this way. We were wrong. Have mercy upon us, upon me, the stiff-necked people, and forgive us. Lead us to restore the grace and mercy of God, repentance and forgiveness, and the life as God's people once again within the Gospel.

 

Grant peace, Your rest, and Your comfort to the brothers and sisters who are hurting and struggling, and to their families. Grant us true repentance.

 

Forgive us, Lord, for deliberately ignoring the power of the Gospel, which cannot be stopped by anything, and for thinking only of ourselves so easily. Please comfort the hearts of our beloved brothers and sisters.

 

If causing one person's heart to stumble is so terrifying, how painful a thing it must be when many brothers and sisters are hurting and many people are wounded?

 

Also, in the lives of our families and all God's people, who are not enjoying the joy of the Gospel that God gives, but are striving to be restored in God, have mercy upon them, show Your compassion and pity, and restore them.

 

May we arise, Lord, according to the confession we made: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Lord, I love You." Grant us the joy of salvation, the mercy of God, and the grace You provide.

 

We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.