God established His covenant with Israel and said, “Now, therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples.
“Indeed, the whole earth is mine, but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation” (Exodus 19.5-6).
The identity of the nation was centered in their relationship with Jehovah. They were God’s agents in the world and called to reveal His nature to the rest of humanity.
Unfortunately, they didn’t obey His word and failed to keep their part of the covenant (the Ten Commandments).
During much of the 8th century B.C., they enjoyed a period of prosperity. However, rather than demonstrating to their neighbors that adherence to God’s principles resulted in blessings, they credited their success to Baal, a false god.
The nature of the God or gods people worship often reflects in their behavior. In Israel, the corruption of their worship had a negative impact on the way they interacted with one another.
The people actively violated the first four of the Ten Commandments, which concern their relationship with Jehovah (Exodus 20:2-11), and they also failed to uphold the remaining six commandments that govern their relationships with each other (Exodus 20:12-17).
One trait of false prophets is that they tell people they can continue in their sin and yet still receive God’s blessing.
Even though they were very unpopular, faithful prophets like Hosea told the people the truth. The nation had broken their part of the agreement with God and judgment was at hand.
Children – The Sign
Over six years, Gomer and Hosea had three children. Since Israel had abandoned Jehovah, the children’s names were to be a continual reminder of the nation’s fate.
And the Lord said to him, “Name him Jezreel, for in a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel.
On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.”
She conceived again and bore a daughter. Then the Lord said to him, “Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer have pity on the house of Israel or forgive them.
“But I will have pity on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the Lord their God; I will not save them by bow or by sword or by war or by horses or by horsemen.”
When she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son.
Then the Lord said, “Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not my people, and I am not your God.” (Hosea 1.4-9).
Naming children with negative names was unthinkable. What action of God did the name of each child represent?
Jezreel
The children’s names are message names. Their names serve as a constant reminder of Jehovah’s message through Hosea.
Jezreel means “God sows,” “has sown,” or “planted.” Seen in this light, it is a positive name.
On the other hand, the Jezreel can refer to the past or serve as a reminder of judgment, recalling the brutal slaughter at Jezreel which brought Jehu, the first king of the dynasty of which Jeroboam II was the head, to power.
Jehovah now announces that the nation will experience trouble like what happened at Jezreel.
No Compassion
“No Compassion” is the name of Hosea’s second child. For a child to be called “No Compassion” or “Unpitied” must have been very striking indeed. This is an outrageous name for a daughter.
To this point in history, Israel’s identity has been understood in terms of a special relationship that of a people and a God. Both elements are now negated.
Not My People
Obedience led to kinship. Disobedience must lead to being disowned or divorced. Since Israel’s very identity was that of a covenant people, they are now formally cut adrift.
God has not abandoned His people permanently. Hosea prophesies extremely difficult times ahead, but he also envisions God bestowing favor on the nation following their repentance.
Not Your God
The message of this verse is dramatic. Jehovah’s union with His people is dissolved.
Jehovah Himself reverts here to the first-person form of the name, looking back to the original use of His name in Exodus 3.14.
God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I am has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3.14).
Like the average American, Israelites may not have known a great deal about their religion. However, this one aspect of their faith they would certainly have known.
They knew God has a sacred name that pronounced His faithfulness and reliability.
In effect, God is now saying to them, “You have continually broken the covenant that is central to our relationship. I am confirming your decision and withdrawing from you.”
Return to Me
False prophets promise success and prosperity without repentance. The consistent message of God’s faithful prophets is summarized by Malachi.
“From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 3:7).
James, the Lord’s brother echoed the prophets, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8).
A group of Christians in Ceaușescu’s Communist Romania during the 1970s were ridiculed and called “repenters” as a form of derision.
One pastor exhorted his congregation with the phrase “It’s time for the repenters to repent,” leading to a covenant of repentance among the people.
This action led to a significant change in their behavior, which was noticeable to those around them and contributed to a broader religious revival in the region.
We may not be able to influence world events, but we can be one “repenter” who repented.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross and I discuss this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 