This chapter begins by reminding them of God’s love (v1), how He called them out of slavery in Egypt, some 500 years before. He could have left them there to suffer, but He did not, rather He brought them out and rescued them. Here we have a prophecy concerning Jesus. In Matthew 2:15 we read about Jesus having been taken to Egypt by Mary and Joseph to escape the edict of Herod that all baby boys under two years were to be put to death, in his puny effort to try to destroy this ‘King’ who the wise men had come to worship. It is clear that it could have taken those wise men up to two years to arrive, otherwise why murder all boys under the age of two years.
Having been miraculously rescued from Egypt and led on their journey towards the Promised Land, Israel had gone to serving false gods, Baals.
God reminded them of His loving kindness, as a father to them, gave them information as to how He taught them to walk (v3,4). We who are parents no doubt remember taking the hand of our children and teaching them to walk, and the thrill of seeing them take their first steps unaided. No doubt we remember taking them in our arms, displaying our love for them. ‘Draw them with cords of love’ indicates how we deal with our children – not beating them into submission or forcing them but ‘drawing them’, speaking to them lovingly and tenderly, encouraging them in their young, growing lives, even to ‘feeding them’. Most parents want to lead their children to walk in the right ways, sadly, some children are neglected but that is never the case with God our Heavenly Father.
These verses are an intimate picture of the love of God. The family is the closest we can get to that. Nothing saddens us most, if we are true believers, than to see our children and grandchildren go away from The Lord. God in His tenderness shows the same thoughts about Israel.
God works, often behind the scenes, in each of our lives. Sometimes we thank Him, but sometimes we don’t recognise that what we have comes from God, and we overlook giving Him thanks.
Despite the tender care of God, Israel had refused to repent, therefore, the Assyrian shall be their king because they were bent on backsliding from The LORD. Even though they called Him, The Most High but they didn’t exalt Him (v5-7). They were saying one thing but doing another and destruction and exile would be theirs, but God would never forsake them.
Verses 8,9 give them assurance that even though they are chastised, God still loves them. In fact, the Bible says that ‘God loves those He chastens’. If we were not chastised, we could doubt that God loved us at all. He says that He cannot give Israel/Ephraim up. They would not be destroyed like Admah and Zeboiim. These were cities destroyed with Sodom and Gomorrah (Deuteronomy 29:23). Whilst God was chastising them for their sin, He said that His heart churned, and His sympathy was stirred. He promised not to destroy them but to leave a remnant, who would return from exile.
God is a Holy God, and this guarantees His word, unlike man, who’s word cannot be trusted. This God is long suffering and full of compassion and forgiveness. Forgiveness is something which we, mere mortals, have a problem with. Someone has said that forgiveness is a wonderful thing, until we have someone or something to forgive. We are told in the Bible that we must forgive as Christ has forgiven us (see Colossians 3:13). It is not easy, but it is absolutely essential. God’s forgiveness is amazing and beyond our comprehension. We are often reticent to forgive. Many of us look to revenge rather than forgiveness. Revenge is totally unbiblical, in fact, the Bible says that vengeance belongs to God and He will repay. We often hold grudges and find it difficult to let them go.
God makes it clear in v9 that He is God and not man, He is the Holy One and He is a faithful God and a forgiving God. Why do I say ‘faithful?’ He had made His covenant with them in Genesis 12, and He would not go back on that. It does not mean that he would not punish them or withdraw His blessings, but He would keep His covenant. The Gospel message is clearly one of sin and rescue from the clutches of it. God wants to change our lives, to make us new creations and give us a new heart. Human nature wants to push people down and let them wallow in the morass of their sin, but God offers redemption and restoration to a new life in Christ.
The chapter concludes (v10-12) with God speaking of mercy and restoration for Israel/Ephraim. God will roar like a lion, and they will come back to Him. Israel/Ephraim were living in lies and deceit, but God still promised restoration to them. He reminded them that Judah was still walking with Him.
