Devastating Judgment and Outlandish Grace

Devastating Judgment and Outrageous Grace
Hosea 1-5
“I will go away and return to My place until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face: In their affliction, they will earnestly seek Me.” (Hosea 5:15)

Hosea ministered during a time when the northern tribes of Israel and the southern tribes of Judah were beginning to become entrenched in their worship of Baal, the chief god of the Canaanites. It was a time when Assyria was rising to power and starting to pose a genuine threat to Israel. As a result, they faced the threat of war and uncertainty. We see the same thing in our country today. There is growing apprehension and fear that our nation is on the brink of disaster. We fear the uncertainty of our geopolitical world. Even though our economy is doing well, there is apprehension that economic disaster is just around the corner. We see an increase in natural disasters and attribute it to global warming. However, the problems we face are not political, economic, or environmental. The problem goes to the heart of each one of us. Like Israel, we have abandoned God.

In these first chapters, we see the characteristics of a people who have forsaken God. First, it begins with forgetting God and no longer having him as the object of our worship (1:2). It is a reminder that spiritual apostasy is not just the denial of God’s existence, but it is to make him secondary in importance. Second, spiritual apostasy means no longer looking to God for daily needs; instead, people trust in themselves and their own ability (2:8). Third, people embrace other religions and forget that God alone is enthroned in heaven. People affirm that there are “many ways to god” rather than only one way (2:13). Fourth, they are no longer faithful in obedience, and there is no “knowledge of God in the land” (4:1). As a result, there is social upheaval and an increase in crime and lawlessness (4:2). Instead of affirming the truth of the Bible, they change the Bible to fit their own morality (5:10). Because of this, God will bring judgment upon the land, and he will abandon them until they seek Him (5:15).

However, amid this pronouncement of judgment, there is also a message of hope. While God brings judgment upon sin, he is willing and ready to forgive and restore. Just as the warning of judgment is woven throughout the passage, so too the hope of forgiveness and restoration is central. Even though God promises judgment, He also promises that redemption and the restoration of Israel to the land will come. Not only will He restore them to a right relationship, but He will also reunite the two nations into one nation (1:10-11). Furthermore, after judgment, He will again demonstrate compassion and forgiveness so that they might seek Him again (2:14-23). While God will judge sin and those who ignore or reject him, He is also a loving, compassionate God who is extravagant in His grace.

When we look at our nation and our country, the problems are not the result of political divisions, environmental disasters, global warming, or economic greed and misuse. These are merely symptoms of a far deeper problem that goes to the heart of each one of us. The problems stem from our abandonment of God and his word. When a nation abandons God, the result is the moral and spiritual collapse of our nation. Therefore, the answer is not found in electing the right politician or embracing the right economic plan. The answer involves seeking God and reaffirming His word as the basis of our life. The answer lies in the heart of each one of us, where we again affirm God’s supremacy in our lives and, subsequently, live by the commands of His Word. Then we will no longer experience His severe judgment but His outlandish grace.