November 15, 2019: Day 62 – Hosea 7

The metaphor which repeats itself in these Scriptures is that of heat which is brought to a high temperature because of the consistent misdeeds performed by the people of God.  The entire chapter is a castigation against the people of Israel because they have turned their backs on the Lord.  There isn’t really any redeeming aspect of this chapter which might provide some hope.  And that happens periodically.  We see that happening where God simply tells the people: you are defiled, you are sinful, you do not deserve any of my grace.  You see that in a few Psalms and also in this chapter.  

Now, while there may not be any glimmer of hope in this chapter, almost  always in the Psalms we find that God has heard the plea of the sinner and the sinner returns back into God’s good favor.   It might be a few chapters before that happens to the people of Israel in Hosea, if it happens at all.

The last call of despair we read when God says that I am the one who trained them and showed them the way forward, and yet they have turned their back on me.  It sounds like a parent who has poured their time and their money into their child only to see him or her cast it aside without any recognition of the sacrifice that the parent may have made.  It reminds me of the prodigal son who did not care for what the father represented but only wanted what he considered his due.  The Father embraces the son when he comes back.  We expect our Father to do the same for Israel, but we will see.