God’s striking instance of His love for fallen humanity is found in

the story of Hosea. God commanded the prophet Hosea, “ ‘Go, take

yourself a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry, for the land has

committed great harlotry by departing from the Lord’  ” (Hos. 1:2,

NKJV). Hosea and his unfaithful wife were to be a living object lesson

of God’s love for His people, even despite Israel’s unfaithfulness and

spiritual harlotry. That is, it is a story of God’s freely bestowed love on

those who do not deserve it.

Indeed, despite God’s faithfulness and love, the people rebelled

against Him, again and again, too. Accordingly, Scripture repeatedly

describes God as the unrequited lover of an unfaithful spouse. He had

loved His people perfectly and faithfully, but they had scorned Him and

served and worshiped other gods, deeply grieving Him and breaking

the relationship, seemingly beyond repair.

Read Hosea 14:1–4. What do these verses reveal about God’s steadfast

love for His people?

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In the aftermath of repeated rebellion by His people, God declares: “ ‘I

will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely’ ” (NKJV). The term

“freely” in the phrase “ ‘I will love them freely’ ” translated a Hebrew

word (nedabah), which connotes that which is offered voluntarily. It is

the same term used of the freewill offerings in the sanctuary system.

Throughout Hosea, and throughout the narratives of Scripture, God

shows amazing commitment and compassion to His people. Even

though they repeatedly went after other lovers, breaking the covenant

relationship, seemingly beyond repair, God of His own free will continued to bestow His love on them. The people did not deserve God’s

love; they had rejected and forfeited any rightful claim to it. Yet, God

continued to bestow love on them without any compulsion, moral or

otherwise. Here and elsewhere, Scripture consistently displays God’s

love as free and voluntary.

Many people think of God as a distant and harsh ruler and

judge. How does the imagery of God’s being scorned and grieved

as the unrequited lover of an unfaithful spouse help you see God

differently? How does it change the way you view your own relationship with God?