Though we may want to carry on reading about the compassion of God and that He cannot let go of His people and that it will be all okay in the end, we cannot. We are not there yet. Hosea continues. The pain is still there. God’s people are still in trouble.
“Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, Israel with deceit. And Judah is unruly against God, even against the faithful Holy One.” (Hosea 11 v 12)
Just like Gomer did not keep her vows to Hosea, God’s people have broken their vows to God.
The northern kingdom (Ephraim/Israel) were lying and deceitful before God. They broke their own covenant law which stated they should be truth-telling.
The southern kingdom (Judah) was also guilty and their sin was wandering off away from relationship with God.
And all this was done against the faithful One.
Interestingly the words ‘Holy One’ are plural in the Hebrew text and it reveals not only were His people lying, deceitful and wandering away from God the Father but also the Son and the Spirit.
And that is exactly what has happened throughout the generations.
Whether to Jesus the Holy One who was rejected by his own or the Holy Spirit poured out but who again is grieved.
The lying, deceiving and wandering off continues and it is found in people who should know better.
Surely in 2023 there is a need to respond to the call of repentance and to get right before the Holy One. He will not be lied to nor deceived and He will not stand back and let the godly be unruly.
Missions Paul 