Love and Justice

The Book of Hosea has such a powerful metaphor representing Israel’s rejection of Jehovah. Hosea is instructed to marry a local prostitute named Gomer. He obeys and they have three children. Jezreel, the firstborn, is named after the valley and area of Jezreel that witnessed many important events in Jewish history and most famously, Jehu’s murder of wicked Omri’s dynasty (2 Kings 9-10). Hosea’s second born was named “No Mercy.” The third was to be called, “Not My People.” God was clearly and deliberately demonstrating that His chosen people had prostituted themselves to the surrounding religions, and had therefore incurred God’s just wrath. 

The remainder of the book follows a typical pattern of Judgment, explanation, judgment, explanation, a call to repentance, and more judgment. However, lest this book be viewed as hopeless and futile, God is intentional to sprinkle bits of hope throughout. For example:

“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.’” (Hos. 2:23)

“My heart recoils within me; 

     my compassion grows war and tender. 

I will not execute my burning anger;

     I will not again destroy Ephraim;

For I am God and not a man,

     The Holy One in your midst,

     And I will not come in my wrath.” (Hos. 11:8-9)

Perhaps your life is filled with a similar pattern: sin, confession, guilt, sin, guilt, sin, confession, sin. We can become hopeless and even lose tack of our purpose here on earth. I imagine Hosea felt those pangs of hopelessness as he preached a message of judgment and repentance to a hostile audience. As the book draws to a close, God calls on Israel to repent, but His explanation of repentance is very interesting.

“So you, by the help of your God, return,

          Hold fast to love and justice,

          And wait continually for your God.” (Hos. 12:6)

What is the evidence of one who has truly turned to God in repentance? That one will be committed to love ad justice. How do you maintain love and justice? Really focusing on just one of these lofty qualities is a task, and both can feel truly overwhelming. Success comes from a heart that is patterned after Christ and His example.  He demonstrated such love that He willingly served sinful people to the point of death. He maintained a commitment to justice through His own holiness and also by obeying justice’s decree to the bitter end. But suffering and death were not Jesus’ end, nor will they be the end of His people. 

Will you wait continually for Christ by loving others and seeking to maintain justice in your life? We will conclude with Hosea’s own admonition:

“Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;

     Whoever is discerning, let him know them;

For the ways of the Lord are right,

     And the upright walk in them,

     But transgressors stumble in them.” (Hos. 14:9) 

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