The reason why this book of Hosea is so important for us is that it demonstrates God’s judgment but also His compassion. It reveals what He does with His own judgment. He doesn’t withdraw it. Look what did happen to the northern kingdom, Ephraim/Israel: “In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria.” (2 Kings 17:9) That did happen. They went into exile and never came back. But God does not let His judgment have the last word. He always chooses a remnant, a shoot or branch, hope rises.
“Also for you, Judah, a harvest is appointed. “Whenever I would restore the fortunes of my people, whenever I would heal Israel, the sins of Ephraim are exposed and the crimes of Samaria revealed. They practice deceit, thieves break into houses, bandits rob in the streets; but they do not realise that I remember all their evil deeds.
Their sins engulf them; they are always before me.” (Hosea 6:11-7:2)
In God’s appointed time there will be restoration. Those who are His are never forgotten.
But what is the process for that restoration?
Firstly it is to uncover the sin. God will ‘expose’ the crimes.
God’s people were simply religious but not relational people of God. They had knowledge but no intimacy. They had lost His presence. In its place came politics and pain, corruption and darkness. Whether or not God calls out robbery as taking place definitely or whether it was imagery of what was being stolen from people’s lives. They were not caring for one another. What was being done in hiding, God saw it all.
Painful that it might be but there are times when it seems like a whole community shakes, when no one knows what is really happening, but God does, for He is bringing to the surface what lies underneath. Everything is laid bare. I have seen it many times. It is not nice to walk through but you do so trusting in God who knows all things. It is part of the restoration though it doesn’t feel like it at the time.
The uncovering needs to happen.
The opening of the wound before the healing for restoration comes after the exposing.
Missions Paul 