Come and Returnமாதிரி

Day 2: God will bring you back

There is no way to know the God of the Bible without engaging with the story of Hosea. It was a time of great apostasy from the ways of the Lord. Both the priests in the temple and the kings in the government were corrupt. People's conversations were far from God. There was an accumulation of information but not knowledge, the YADA of God. Great spiritual apostasy and social disintegration existed in the land.

The Lord then told Hosea to do something strange to illustrate God's relationship with the Hebrew people.

Throughout the Bible, the marriage covenant serves as an illustration of God's relationship with us and ours with Him. At that time, the marriage with God was broken because of the people's infidelity. They committed adultery against the Lord because they clung to other loves, other idols. God called Hosea to tell them about His love despite their constant unfaithfulness.

As a result, Hosea, a single man, a holy prophet, married a prostitute, an immoral, adulterous woman named Gomer. God wanted this marriage between Hosea and Gomer to illustrate His unconditional love in the face of the people's spiritual adultery. Regardless of their unfaithfulness, God would be faithful to them and bring them back to be His and His alone.

The story would also be told through Hosea's family. They had three children and each one was given a name that God gave them. Salvation is individual, but God's plan is for the family.

The first was called Jezreel, which means “God scatters” – what God would do to Israel for their unfaithfulness. The second daughter took the name Lo-Ruama, which says “No mercy.” Imagine this girl introducing herself to other people with this name! What a weighty message this family carried! And the third was called Lo-Ami, meaning “Not my people.” What God was saying was serious! By not being faithful to the covenant with God, the people would lose their land, the blessing of God's mercy, and no longer be called His people!

But after all the times that Gomer betrayed Hosea, God tells him: go back to her, buy her back, because she had sold herself as a slave to immorality, and love her again. This is what God wanted to do with Israel. The people committed adultery, were unfaithful, and became slaves to others, but He said that He, through Hosea, would remain faithful, that He would forgive them, heal them, and bring them back into the fellowship and intimacy of the covenant because God loved them.

We are like Gomer. We are guilty of unfaithfulness to God, prioritizing ourselves, our desires, and our possessions above God. This spiritual adultery is a constant struggle. We love and serve ourselves more than the Lord. But there is a tireless search for God's love, expressed in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Despite our countless failures, God's love continues to seek and rescue you and me—a kindness that transcends human understanding.

In fact, God hates sin but never stops loving us unconditionally.

His heart breaks when we commit sin. God is saddened by our rebellion against Him. But He never stops loving us.

There can be natural consequences for our sins as a result of our poor decisions and choices. He can even impose discipline on us because, as a Father, God disciplines those He loves.

But Jesus never tires of calling and bringing you back—He knows exactly how to do that with each one of us. He will do anything to keep His covenant with you. He is a jealous God. He will reveal Himself to you as your Husband.

My Prayer:

Father, I know I am flawed. I recognize my unfaithfulness against the Lord. I'm far from what You planned for me. Thank You for loving me and being so faithful to Your covenant. I often feel dirty and unworthy of Your love. Thank You for calling me back. Holy Spirit, give me knowledge of God. I don't want to make any more mistakes. In the name of Jesus, Amen.