Remember our discussion about Hosea’s marriage at the opening of the book? Just as Gomer returned to Hosea, so will Israel at last return to God.
The promise contained in this “returning” is that it is never too late to tell God we’re sorry when we’ve wandered away from Him.
While we’re away from God, we’re in misery because He is the only One who can satisfy our deepest needs and longings. But the joy of returning to Him can be compared with nothing else in our experience. We find peace and rest of heart.
Hos 3:1-5
God’s Love Offers Hope…
The LORD said to me, “Go again and show your love for a woman who is committing adultery with a lover. You must love her just as I still love the people of Israel, even though they turn to other gods and like to take offerings of raisins to idols.”
So I paid fifteen pieces of silver and seven bushels of barley to buy her. I told her “that for a long time she would have to wait for me without being a prostitute or committing adultery; and during this time I would also wait for her.”
In just this way the people of Israel will have to live for a long time without kings or leaders, without sacrifices or sacred stone pillars, without idols or images to use for divination. But the time will come when the people of Israel will once again turn to the LORD their God and to a descendant of David their king. Then they will fear the LORD and will receive his good gifts.
