OUR FATHER WHO IS FAITHFUL TO US AND TO WHOM WE MUST BE FAITHFUL

The book of Hosea chapter 1 verses 5 - 6 says this;

In that day I will break Israel’s bow in the Valley of Jezreel.”

Gomer conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. Then the Lord said to Hosea, “Call her Lo-Ruhamah (which means “not loved”), for I will no longer show love to Israel, that I should at all forgive them.

This passage continues with the narrative in the first chapter of Hosea where God is displeased with the northern kingdom of Israel for their unfaithfulness when they pursued other gods.

The Lord instructed the prophet Hosea to marry a promiscuous woman who would symbolize Israel's unfaithfulness to God. 

Hosea married a woman named Gomer and she bore him a son whom the Lord told Hosea to name Jezreel because the punishment against Israel would be the same punishment of being conquered that was brought against Jezreel.

Gomer then gave birth to a daughter who was to be named Lo-Ruhamah which means 'not loved' to symbolize the absence of the Lord's love for Israel such that they would not be forgiven for their unfaithfulness.

Hosea's wife gave birth to another son and he was to be named Lo-Ammi which means , 'Not My people'.

The naming of the sequence of children born to Gomer showed the  progression of detachment from the Lord that Israel underwent because of  unfaithfulness. 

(First: Jezreel the conquered city) They were going to be punished in the same way that Jezreel was.

(Second: Lo-Ruhamah meaning 'not loved') The Lord was going to withdraw his love from them and deny them the possibility of forgiveness.

(Third: Lo-Ammi meaning 'not my people) The Lord was going to disown Israel altogether.

As a result of going down this progression of steps unchecked, Israel ultimately disappeared from history leaving the southern kingdom of Judah to be the locus of the Lord's presence.

If God's people are unfaithful by pursuing other god's  and if they do not heed correction, they too can become dislocated from God.

Let us pray for grace.

Amen.