(Hosea 1:2 ff, 2:14-23, 3:1 ff)

Reference is given to Hosea as the prophet of God's unlimited love. He portrayed God's constant love for his own people who continued to be rebellious and sinful.

Even when Hosea saw that God's judgement and punishment would fall on Israel; he declared that such was redemptive and therefore, an act of love.

Hosea demonstrated God's love for the people of Israel by marrying Gomer who was an adulterous and a prostitute woman.

He showed that God continued loving Israel even when she kept turning to and worshipping other gods.

The prophet declared that the Lord was going to take Israel into the desert again and win her back with words of love.

To show His love for Israel, the Lord promised to give back to Israel the vineyards she had and make Trouble Valley a door of hope.

The Lord promised to let Israel, His people live in peace and safety. He would protect them from wild animals and birds and remove all weapons of war from their land.

Hosea said that the Lord would show His constant love and mercy to Israel. In the process, He would make them His people forever.

Hosea prophesied a time when the Lord would answer the prayers of His own people, Israel. He would make rain fall on the earth for it to produce corn, grapes and olives.

The prophet said that the Lord would establish His own people in their land and make them prosper once again.      

According to Hosea, the Lord promised to show love to those who were once called "Unloved" They would experience the Lord's love the way they did before.

Even those who were once called "Not-my-People" would now become the Lord's own people and He would be their God.

To Hosea, God's love for Israel started long before they were born. He chose and made them His special people not because they outnumbered others but because He loved them so much.

When Israel was a child God loved him and called him out of Egypt as His son. He showed that the Lord's mighty act of delivering Israel from their slavery was because He loved them.

Hosea noted that even when Israel continued turning away from the Lord, He still cared for them because of the love He had for them.

Hosea said the Lord taught Israel how to walk when she was still young because of the love he had for them.

For the love he had for them, the Lord took Israel up in His arms even though they did not acknowledge that it was Him who cared for them.

God loved Israel that He drew them to Him with affection, picked them up and held them to His cheek and fed them.

Hosea said that the Lord made a covenant with Israel as a means of giving a good foundation of life. He attributed this to the love God had for them.

God loved Israel even though she became unfaithful to Him in her childhood. His love for them made Him understand their human nature.

God would punish Israel out of love. It would be like a father punishing a son. He was willing to forgive them even when they were unrepentant.

Hosea showed God's willingness and readiness to continue being a father to Israel. Being a father to them, He was ready to accept them the way they were.

God wondered how He could give up on Israel. His love for them could never let Him abandon and destroy them.

Hosea observed that God would only use the Assyrians and the Egyptians as instruments of punishment in order for Israel to realize and understand her mistakes and turn back to Him.

The prophet showed that God sent him to warn people about their sinfulness so that they could escape His punishment. This was because He loved them.

Hosea portrayed God's love for Israel as being beyond human understanding. It was only the Lord himself who could explain his love for them.

Hosea portrayed God promising to love with His entire heart. For this reason, He would no longer be angry with them.  

Hosea said that God was more interested in Israel's repentance rather than her punishment and destruction.

Like the faithful husband, Hosea said that the Lord would keep Israel for Himself forever because He loved them.

Revision Questions

1.    How did Hosea portray God's love for the people of Israel?

2.    In what ways has God continued to show his love to Christians today?

3.    How can Christians today portray their love for one another?