After she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, Gomer had another son. 9 Then the LORD said, "Call him Lo-Ammi, for you are not my people, and I am not your God. Hosea1:8-9
Gomer's third child is a son who is named "Lo-Ammi" ("Not my nation/people".)
In the third child, the full extent of Israel's failure and God's justified wrath is made known.
We have seen the progression from:
- Jezreel: God scatters
- to Lo-Ruhamah: Not loved
- to Lo-Ammi: Not my people.
Hosea is helping us understand why God is justified in allowing judgment to come on Israel.
- Jezreel: The nation is steeped in senseless bloodshed
- Lo-Ruhamah: The nation has been so self-reliant that they have stepped out of the reach of love.
- Lo-Ammi: They have not lived as the people of God and they have not been devoted to God in sincere worship.
Hosea is the earthly father of these children - they could have the security of his love and protection. But the heartbreak of Gomer's children is three-fold:
- They are scattered by the ongoing cycle of her unfaithfulness
- They have been brought out of the reach of love
- They have lost their identity and belonging.
This is a very sad and sobering picture.
But it is not the end of the story: There is a surprise coming...
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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
