The prophet Hosea offers us one of the boldest and most controversial metaphors for God in the Bible, controversial then and now. He compares God to a husband who loves the people of Israel as his wife. A heartbroken husband because his beloved has been unfaithful, a heartbroken husband who wrestles whether to continue to pursue his beloved or to divorce her.
In the end, God expresses his unconditional love. We read in Hosea chapter 11: “How can I give you up, oh Ephraim? How can I hand over, oh Israel? My heart recoils within me, my compassion grows warm and tender. I will not execute my fierce anger, I will not again destroy Ephraim. For I am God and no mortal, the holy one in your midst, and I will not come in wrath.”
For us Christians we see the fulfillment of this prophecy in the person of Jesus. In Jesus God did not come in wrath.
- How have you seen God express God’s unconditional love?
- “God will not come in wrath.” What do you feel when you read these words?
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more from Hosea // the complete #30SecondBible series
// CREDITS //
Written & spoken by Tom Boogaart
Music by Alex Fitch
Footage by VideoBlocks
Edited by Jim Kast-Keat
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