Return to the bosom of God’s love! -5

 ⁷ 뜨거운 사막이 변하여 못이 될 것이며 메마른 땅이 변하여 원천이 될 것이며 시랑의 눕던 곳에 풀과 갈대와 부들이 날 것이며 ⁸ 거기 대로가 있어 그 길을 거룩한 길이라 일컫는 바 되리니 깨끗지 못한 자는 지나지 못하겠고 오직 구속함을 입은 자들을 위하여 있게 된 것이라 우매한 행인은 그 길을 범치 못할 것이며 ⁹ 거기는 사자가 없고 사나운 짐승이 그리로 올라가지 아니하므로 그것을 만나지 못하겠고 오직 구속함을 얻은 자만 그리로 행할 것이며 ¹⁰ 여호와의 속량함을 얻은 자들이 돌아오되 노래하며 시온에 이르러 그 머리 위에 영영한 희락을 띠고 기쁨과 즐거움을 얻으리니 슬픔과 탄식이 달아나리로다. ⁷ the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. ⁸ And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. ⁹ No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. ¹⁰ And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. (Isa. 35:7-10)

¹³ 저가 귀고리와 패물로 장식하고 그 연애하는 자를 따라가서 나를 잊어버리고 향을 살라 바알 들을 섬긴 시일을 따라 내가 저에게 벌을 주리라 나 여호와의 말이니라 ¹⁴ 그러므로 내가 저를 개유하여 거친 들로 데리고 가서 말로 위로하고

 ¹⁵ 거기서 비로소 저의 포도원을 저에게 주고 아골 골짜기로 소망의 문을 삼아 주리니 저가 거기서 응대하기를 어렸을 때와 애굽 땅에서 올라 오던 날과 같이 하리라 ¹⁶ 여호와께서 이르시되 그 날에 네가 나를 내 남편이라 일컫고 다시는 내 바알 이라 일컫지 아니하리라 ¹⁷ 내가 바알 들의 이름을 저의 입에서 제하여 다시는 그 이름을 기억하여 일컬음이 없게 하리라 ¹⁸ 그 날에는 내가 저희를 위하여 들짐승과 공중의 새와 땅의 곤충으로 더불어 언약을 세우며 또 이 땅에서 활과 칼을 꺾어 전쟁을 없이 하고 저희로 평안히 눕게 하리라 ¹⁹ 내가 네게 장가들어 영원히 살되 의와 공변됨과 은총과 긍휼히 여김으로 네게 장가들며 ²⁰ 진실함으로 네게 장가들리니 네가 여호와를 알리라 ²¹ 여호와께서 가라사대 그 날에 내가 응하리라 나는 하늘에 응하고 하늘은 땅에 응하고 ²² 땅은 곡식과 포도주와 기름에 응하고 또 이것들은 이스르엘에 응하리라 ²³ 내가 나를 위하여 저를 이 땅에 심고 긍휼히 여김을 받지 못하였던 자를 긍휼히 여기며 내 백성 아니었던 자에게 향하여 이르기를 너는 내 백성이라 하리니 저희는 이르기를 주는 내 하나님이시라 하리라. And I will punish her for the feast days of the Baals when she burned offerings to them and adorned herself with her ring and jewelry, and went after her lovers and forgot me, declares the LORD. ¹⁴ "Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her. ¹⁵ And there I will give her her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth, as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt. ¹⁶ "And in that day, declares the LORD, you will call me 'My Husband,' and no longer will you call me 'My Baal.' ¹⁷ For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be remembered by name no more. ¹⁸ And I will make for them a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land, and I will make you lie down in safety. ¹⁹ And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. ²⁰ I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the LORD. ²¹ "And in that day I will answer, declares the LORD, I will answer the heavens, and they shall answer the earth, ²² and the earth shall answer the grain, the wine, and the oil, and they shall answer Jezreel, ²³ and I will sow her for myself in the land. And I will have mercy on No Mercy, and I will say to Not My People, 'You are my people'; and he shall say, 'You are my God.'" (Hos. 2:13-23)

FCF: We may betray God by idolatry and commit spiritual adultery.

주제: 하나님의 사랑은 변치 않기에 그분 사랑의 품으로 돌아와야 합니다.

Theme: Since God’s love is unchanging, we must return to the bosom of His love.

Introduction: Mammon worship is rampant throughout the world. A dark cloud is currently forming over the specter of economic depression all over the world now. People have an ever-growing thirst for security, peace, and prosperity through money. A public opinion poll was taken among seventeen advanced countries. Only the Koreans picked materialistic happiness as the most important. This suggests Mammonism dominates the hearts of people in Korea. Indeed, Mammon worship is so popular all over the world. People flock together to churches, temples, or cathedrals to listen to the messages of success, materialistic prosperity, and so imbibe their hearts with hope in materialistic happiness. They are passionate about God because they believe their devotion to God will bring them wealth and health for happiness. This is the most popular, potent form of idolatry religiously endorsed and publicly practiced in the world. God condemns it as idolatry. Idolatry never makes us happy. Obviously, true happiness goes beyond materialistic abundance. But people are blind to materialistic happiness. They love and trust possessions as the ground of their beings. But such things have wings and fly away anytime. Only God is the One to whom we must trust and love. He is only the proper Object of worship. Only He deserves our love and devotion. This is the message of Hosea.

However, the northern kingdom in the 8^th century was deeply indoctrinated with the gospel of power and prosperity. They worshiped the god of fertility Baal. So, God would expel them from the Promised Land, as He forewarned in His law. But it was all about God’s unchanging love that would call His people back. God likens His covenantal relationship to marital relationship. A husband-and-wife demand exclusive love from each other. Adultery is a violation of marital trust and bond. The Israelites broke the covenantal bond by worshiping Baal. In so doing, they provoked the Lord’s anger. An 85-year-old man felt his 78-year-old wife had an affair with one of his neighbors. So, he wielded a hammer to hit her. She was seriously injured. He was indicted of physical assaults. He was sentenced with three-year imprisonment and five years’ probation. He was known to suffer delusional doubt. This case reveals even a little doubt about one’s loyalty to marriage may cause disaster. Married couples are to keep their faithfulness and cement their marital bond through exclusive, mutual love. As shown in many marriages, however, marital faithfulness is easily compromised, broken, or dissolved through extramarital affairs. This is true of our relationship with God, which requires of us exclusive loyalty to God. People in the church trust and love something or someone more than God, which is spiritual adultery. We have been thinking about it for several weeks. The people of Israel committed idolatry in which they went after Baal to find security, significance, and success. Instead of exclusively trusting and loving God, they abandoned their covenantal faithfulness as if they had abandoned their old, dilapidated shoes. They wounded the heart of God. God had to discipline them because He couldn’t give them up. It was His unchanging love that would restore and transform them from idolatry to true worship. So far, we have been dealing with the characteristics of God’s unchanging love, which is disciplinary, tender-hearted, determinate, and restorative. As we study God’s unchanging love, we are called to return to the bosom of God’s love. Today, I will call your attention to the final point, which is…

I.               징계하시는 하나님 사랑의 품으로 돌아오라.

Return to the bosom of God’s love that disciplines us.

II.             포기하지 않으시는 하나님 사랑의 품으로 돌아오라.

Return to the bosom of God’s love that never gives up on us.

III.           회복시키는 하나님 사랑의 품으로 돌아오라.

Return to the bosom of God’s love that restores us.

IV.           변화시키는 하나님 사랑의 품으로 돌아오라.

Return to the bosom of God’s love that transforms us.

            God never forces us to love Him. He gives us freedom to choose. We can choose whether we love God or not. If we are forced to love God, then our love for God will not be genuine. The way God works is that He pours out His love into our hearts through His Spirit, so that we can freely love Him. As we love God, we love our neighbors as an expression of our love for God. God’s love transforms us so that we can love God and neighbor. We can find many who experienced the transforming power of divine love in the Bible. One of them is the apostle Paul. He used to arrest Christians and destroy their churches. But after he experienced God’s love, he became a new person willing to live and die for Jesus Christ. It was God’s unconditional love that transformed his entire life.

The same love of God would change the people of Israel from self-love to true love for God and neighbor. The people of Israel sought power for happiness. So, they turned to the god of storm, fertility, or dominance, that is, Baal the god of the Canaanites. They fell in love in the god of power so that they could establish their own power and happiness. However, they were thrown into the wilderness where they lost everything they sought after. In other words, they would be taken captive by the Assyrians. They would be serving false gods in a foreign land, as Moses warned the people of Israel in the book of Deuteronomy. But the captivity in a foreign land was intended to bring them back to their minds. It was intended to punish them for their idolatry of power. It was intended to discipline and correct them. It was intended to let them realize they were wrong and repent of their sin and return to the covenantal love of God. As they were reminded of God’s unchanging love, they would be moved to return to their covenant God Yahweh. When they came to Him, they would call Yahweh “my Husband,” no longer calling Him as “my Baal.”

In the text, Israel would confess twice as a response to Yahweh's love, "You, O Yahweh, is my Husband" and "You are my God." They would no longer call the name of Baal. They would be totally committed back to Yahweh. Yahweh would rejoice in the fact that they solely were of the LORD. As He promised in His word, Yahweh would betroth Himself with Israel, bring her the gifts of morality, peace, mercy, prosperity, and status. This is the purpose of repentance. This purpose is fulfilled by the unfailing love of God. The Hebrew word “Ish” refers to husband. It was used of the relationship between Adam and Eve. Hosea may be recalling the words of Adam to Eve: 이는 내 뼈 중의 뼈요 살 중의 살이라 이것을 남자에게서 취하였은즉 여자라 칭하리라. This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; She shall be called “woman” [isha], because she was taken from man [ish]. (Gen. 2:23).

Hosea had in mind the marriage between Yahweh and Israel. The husband-and-wife relationship stands on something quite other than power, dominance, or ownership as suggested in Baal worship. The only relationship able to bind them together without the use of force is marriage as covenant – a bond of mutual loyalty and love in which each makes a pledge to the other to serve one another. This is what Yahweh intended in His covenant with Israel. This is what Yahweh promised to restore to the repentant Israelites. Sadly, Israel betrayed Yahweh, unfaithful to Him in the covenantal relationship. She went after other lovers, whoring after them. But God brought them back to His love and transformed them into saying, “Yahweh is my only ‘Ish.’” She was not forced to say her love and loyalty to Yahweh. She was freely saying it to Yahweh. The relationship of affection would be renewed. Her loyalty would be reinvigorated.

She would no longer call Yahweh “my Baal.” The Hebrew word “Baal” implies husband, lord, possessor, or master. It suggests the idea of power and dominance. It implies physical, legal, and economic dominance. It was also the name of the Canaanite god. Baal, often portrayed as a bull, was the god of the storm, who defeated Mot, the god of sterility and death. Baal was the rain that impregnated the earth and made it fertile. The religion of Baal is the worship of god as power. Hosea contrasts this kind of relationship with the other Hebrew word for husband, “ish.” God reaches out to us not as power – the storm, the thunder, the rain – but as love, and not an abstract, philosophical love, but a deep and abiding passion of love revealed in the cross of Jesus Christ. We may not always behave lovingly toward God, but God still loves us and will never cease to do so.

Due to its similarity in sound to the Canaanite fertility god Baal, the true people of Israel would be so spiritually sensitive that they would refrain from even uttering this neutral term for fear of recalling her former idolatry. The purpose of God’s discipline was to end her Baal worship and to remove syncretism. So, the name ‘Baal’ would be removed from her heart and lips. She would be the LORD’s and the LORD would be hers. The bond of intimacy and affection would be solidified. This is what God’s unchanging love does for her unfaithful spouse, making her realize God is her only true Lover. Then, she would love Him with all her heart and strength. The gist of the covenant with Yahweh is found in Deut. 6:5-너는 마음을 다하고 성품을 다하고 힘을 다하여 네 하나님 여호와를 사랑하라. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

            God’s love won’t stop until it fulfills its purpose, which is to make His people love Him with their entire being. The ultimate purpose of repentance is to make us fall in love with God. If we fall in love with God, then we cannot but to love those around us. Our relation to God affects our relation to others. God’s love transforms not only our relationship with God, but also our relationships with others. The Israeli society in the eighth century B.C. was built on corruption and exploitation, that is, one where might prevails over right. It was because of Baal worship, that is, worship of power and dominance. The love of husband and wife – a love at once personal and moral, passionate and responsible – is as close as we come to understanding God’s love for us and our love for Him. Such love is to be expressed in our relations to others. We are to love God with all our hearts and love neighbor as ourselves. But the problem is our love for the world, which makes us pursue power, success, or money, that is, the spirit of idolatry. The apostle John warns us this way: ¹⁶ 이는 세상에 있는 모든 것이 육신의 정욕과 안목의 정욕과 이생의 자랑이니 다 아버지께로 좇아 온 것이 아니요 세상으로 좇아 온 것이라 ¹⁷ 이 세상도, 그 정욕도 지나가되 오직 하나님의 뜻을 행하는 이는 영원히 거하느니라. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world-- the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life-- is not from the Father but is from the world. ¹⁷ And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever (1 Jn. 2:16-17).

Only God’s love restores and transforms us so that we can do the will of God. Peter denied Jesus the Lord three times. He was in agony for his denial of the Lord. Even after he met with the risen Christ, Peter still felt distant from the Lord. He went back to his fishing. He and his friends caught nothing. The risen Lord, whom they didn't recognize at first while attempt to catch fish, said, "Cast your net on the right side of the boat." When they followed His word, they caught 153 fish, which was a miracle. Jesus on the shore waited for them and cook for them. He dined with them. It was a time of affectionate fellowship. Jesus and the estranged disciples felt close to one another once again. At that moment, Jesus asked His head disciple three times, "Do you love me?" Peter denied the Lord three times. He was reminded of his denial three times. But he still loved the Lord. So, he answered Him, "You know I love you." The Lord recommissioned him, "Feed my sheep." The Lord reestablished His intimate, affectionate, close relationship with Peter, so that Peter would be fully restored and ready to do His commission.

God’s love will certainly fulfill its purpose. "In that day" suggests the idea that God has designated a certain day in which Israel would be restored. And the certainty of her restoration is guaranteed by the Lord's Word. He said it. And it would come to pass in that day. What would come true is that Israel would say, "Yahweh is my Husband!" The word "Ish" is a term of affection used for husband. The repentant Israelites will completely remove any memory of Baal worship from their hearts. They will remove any vestige of syncretism. They will be purely devoted to the love of Yahweh. They will be truly satisfied with Yahweh alone. The power and love of Yahweh would secure Israel's return through the wilderness.

Indeed, repentance is a response of God's people to God's unchanging love. In the text, Israel will confess twice as a response to Yahweh's love, "You, O Yahweh, is my Husband" and "You are my God." They will be totally committed back to Yahweh. Isaiah describes how Yahweh’s love would transform His people and how He would rejoice in them as follows: ² 열방이 네 공의를, 열왕이 다 네 영광을 볼 것이요 너는 여호와의 입으로 정하실 새 이름으로 일컬음이 될 것이며 ³ 너는 또 여호와의 손의 아름다운 면류관, 네 하나님의 손의 왕관이 될 것이라 ⁴ 다시는 너를 버리운 자라 칭하지 아니하며 다시는 네 땅을 황무지라 칭하지 아니하고 오직 너를 헵시바 라 하며 네 땅을 쁄라 라 하리니 이는 여호와께서 너를 기뻐하실 것이며 네 땅이 결혼한바가 될 것임이라 ⁵ 마치 청년이 처녀와 결혼함 같이 네 아들들이 너를 취하겠고 신랑이 신부를 기뻐함 같이 네 하나님이 너를 기뻐하시리라.  ² The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will give. ³ You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. ⁴ You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate, but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the LORD delights in you, and your land shall be married. ⁵ For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you (Isa. 62:2-5).

Indeed, the love of God transforms our lives. As soon as we realize God disciplines us to correct us, never gives up on us, and restores us to an intimacy with God, we are changed into loving Him with all our hearts. Our love for God changes the way we worship and we conduct in life. It changes the way we relate to and treat others. It makes us love them as ourselves. So, God’s love is transforming everything so that there will be reconciliation, sacrificial love for neighbor, that is, relational change. It is preceded by moral change such as holiness, and righteousness. Then it brings about emotional change in our hearts, that is, we are filled with joy and happiness. God’s love causes moral, social, relational, and emotional change in us. Hosea describes such changes in the text. Yahweh would bring about circumstantial change, moral change, and relational change. There would be no more Baal worship. God would remove Baal worship from the hearts of His people. God certifies His covenant renewal as He changes the natural world for peace, security for Israel. No more Baal worship, no more war, no more crop failures, no more fear; rather, God would gift Israel with righteousness, justice, love, compassion, and faithfulness, which are like divine wedding gifts. Only God’s love transforms the way we are.  

A lady in her thirties testified of the love of God. She said it was the love of God who transformed her entire life. She grew up in a broken, dysfunctional family. So, she turned to drugs for comfort. In the meantime, she met with good people who tried to help and care for her. But she still lived a life of debauchery. She was beaten by a sense of guilt, abandonment, and despair. When she was left alone, she met with the risen Christ. She met with the One who died for her and called her back to His unfailing love. Christ extended His loving hands and embraced her as she embraced Him in love. When she felt like the whole world turned around against her, she realized God was there for her. He now preaches the love of Christ to those who are struggling in sin. He shares her story of salvation with the broken-hearted, drug addicts, abandoned kids, etc. She tells them God loves them in Christ. Indeed, God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to the world. God’s love is powerful enough to transform us.  

The confessions “you are my Husband” and “you are my God” are so powerful. The implications of these two statements are profound. They convey the idea of the renewal of God’s covenant with Israel. “My husband” suggests the idea of marital oneness and joy, whereas “my God” suggests the idea of God’s sovereignty and providence. God as the spiritual Husband will love and take care of His spouse. Yahweh as God deserves utter devotion and worship. Truly repentant people are privileged to call God as “my Husband” and “my God. Repentance is intended to transform our wrong attitudes toward God. Our flippant, whimsical, self-centered attitude toward God will be changed into a serious, steady, and God-centered attitude toward God. Affection and dread, closeness and distance, joy and awe, best friend and transcendent Deity, etc., exist in balance in biblical spirituality.

We should keep the balance between our closeness to God and our fear of God. We tend to choose one over the other. Some overemphasize our affection and intimacy with God, whereas others overemphasize the fear of God. We need both for healthy spiritual life. However, fear of God is conspicuously lacking in modern Christianity. So, sanctification seems to be forgotten today. People misunderstand justification by faith. They freely take the gift of justification by faith. Yet, they don’t exercise their faith in sanctification. However, if they sense the holy presence of God, they will fear God in love. Fear of God, according to Solomon, is the beginning of wisdom. It is the principal spirituality of OT saints. Without it, people act impudently. Indeed, the Israelites in the northern kingdom acted against the covenant with God. They burned incense to Baal and committed lewd acts before Baal to secure materialistic prosperity. Through a foreign captivity, they would learn they could die if they treated God idolatrously. So, they would realize all things are under God’s sovereign control, which is revealed in their confession of Yahweh as my “God.”

Fear of God would make them reaffirm “You are my God,” vowing to love God alone with their hearts and keep His covenant words. The northern Israelites built altars for Baal in Bethel and Dan. They lost true worship of Yahweh in Jerusalem. Their worship became idolatrous and adulterated because they had no true temple in their midst. They had no high priest who would atone for them once a year by entering the Holy of holies with the atoning blood. Only the high priest was allowed to enter the secluded, holiest room in the temple. He had a rope around his waist attached with a little bell. People outside noticed their high priest was alive or dead while ministering for his people in the Holiest place. If the bell stopped ringing, it might indicate he was dead because he misbehaved against Yahweh. The holy of the holies was the most scared place in the temple. It represented the holy presence of God.

We see here a picture of fear of God. Fear of God recognizes God as the Holy One of Israel. If they violated the holiness of God, they would be killed before God like Nadab and Abihu who offered unauthorized fire before God (Lev. 10:1). Fear of God is directly related who God is. Also, it is related to our life and death. Belief in God who controls life and death leads to a dreadful sense of God. It is not slavish submission to God. It is voluntary trust in and submission to God (Matt. 20:28). The same God who has authority to kill and make us live is the One who numbers all our hairs, that is, the One who truly cares for us. True fear of God is an antidote to fear of people or circumstances. A healthy sense of God’s holiness is fear of God. It is aware that violation of God’s holiness is mortal or fatal.

God’s love renews, and restores our relationship with God. It makes us love Him as intimately as a wife loves her husband. At the same time, it makes us Him as reverently as a loyal citizen honors his king or a faithful believer honors his or her God. The twofold aspect of our relation to God is intimacy and reverence. God is both transcendent and immanent. When we are aware of God’s transcendency, we feel a fear of God. But when we are aware of God’s immanence, we feel a closeness with God. We are to have a balanced relationship with God in terms of God’s both characteristics. We are not to sacrifice the one at the altar of the other. If we overestimate God’s transcendence, we are like to lose a blessing of intimacy with God. If we overestimate God’s immanence, we are likely to lose a blessing of fear of God. God is not a genie we can’t control at our disposal. God is an unknown Other. He is among us, with us, and within us. We have an intimate fellowship with God in Christ.

Christ is our Bridegroom and we are His Bride. We are forever one with Christ. We are already one with Christ. This doesn’t mean we are allowed to treat Him at our disposal. We love Him exclusively, profusely, and single-mindedly. At the same time, we have reverential awe before Him. We can’t get close to Him as the Israelites were afraid of listening to His Word directly from Him at Mount Sinai. We have a sound sense of fear of God, which always reminds us that God are infinite and we are finite, and God is the Creator and we are His creatures. We are keenly aware that we can’t be God. We are so keenly aware of our sinfulness that we are humble before God and reliant on Him. True repentance as a response to God’s transforming love brings us a balance of fear of God and intimacy with God. It makes us taste heaven because we feel intimate with God and reverential before God. This is what we are promised to enjoy through true repentance. This is the same promise given to the people of Israel. God’s unchanging love will make it happen, calling His people to repentance.

Moses already said of God’s unchanging love for His covenant people. In his last sermon, He called on the Israelites to be faithful to Yahweh. Listen to what he said: ² 너와 네 자손이 네 하나님 여호와께로 돌아와 내가 오늘날 네게 명한 것을 온전히 따라서 마음을 다하고 성품을 다하여 여호와의 말씀을 순종하면 ³ 네 하나님 여호와께서 마음을 돌이키시고 너를 긍휼히 여기사 네 포로를 돌리시되 네 하나님 여호와께서 너를 흩으신 그 모든 백성 중에서 너를 모으시리니 ⁴ 너의 쫓겨간 자들이 하늘 가에 있을찌라도 네 하나님 여호와께서 거기서 너를 모으실 것이며 거기서부터 너를 이끄실 것이라 ⁵ 네 하나님 여호와께서 너를 네 열조가 얻은 땅으로 돌아오게 하사 너로 다시 그것을 얻게 하실 것이며 여호와께서 또 네게 선을 행하사 너로 네 열조보다 더 번성케 하실 것이며 ⁶ 네 하나님 여호와께서 네 마음과 네 자손의 마음에 할례를 베푸사 너로 마음을 다하며 성품을 다하여 네 하나님 여호와를 사랑하게 하사 너로 생명을 얻게 하실 것이며. ² and return to the LORD your God, you and your children, and obey his voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your soul, ³ then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you. ⁴ If your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there he will take you. ⁵ And the LORD your God will bring you into the land that your fathers possessed, that you may possess it. And he will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers. ⁶ And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live (Deut. 30:2-6).

            God’s love is faithful and transformative. Isaiah encouraged God’s people to have a hope of transformation as follows: ⁷ 뜨거운 사막이 변하여 못이 될 것이며 메마른 땅이 변하여 원천이 될 것이며 시랑의 눕던 곳에 풀과 갈대와 부들이 날 것이며 ⁸ 거기 대로가 있어 그 길을 거룩한 길이라 일컫는 바 되리니 깨끗지 못한 자는 지나지 못하겠고 오직 구속함을 입은 자들을 위하여 있게 된 것이라 우매한 행인은 그 길을 범치 못할 것이며 ⁹ 거기는 사자가 없고 사나운 짐승이 그리로 올라가지 아니하므로 그것을 만나지 못하겠고 오직 구속함을 얻은 자만 그리로 행할 것이며 ¹⁰ 여호와의 속량함을 얻은 자들이 돌아오되 노래하며 시온에 이르러 그 머리 위에 영영한 희락을 띠고 기쁨과 즐거움을 얻으리니 슬픔과 탄식이 달아나리로다. ⁷ the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. ⁸ And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. ⁹ No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. ¹⁰ And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away (Isa. 35:7-10).

Conclusion: In the darkest days of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem, God asked Jeremiah to go out and buy a piece of real estate—complete with witnesses, a deed, and money (Jeremiah 32:6–15). This act seemed to make no sense, since Judah was about to be conquered and its people taken into exile. But in seventy years, as God reminded Jeremiah, the people would be set free and return to the land to rebuild homes and replant vineyards. Jeremiah’s purchase of land was to provide a beacon of hope during the long years of captivity. The passage of Hosea today provides the same hope of restoration and transformation through God’s love. Hosea calls on us to return to the bosom of God’s unchanging love. What have we trusted and loved more than God? Nothing truly satisfies our souls apart from Jesus Christ who died and rose again for our salvation. As we think of God’s unchanging love, we are to come back to God in repentance and faith. The beginning of new blessing is promised to those who return to the love of God.

God’s love looks for us. God’s love restores us. God’s love transforms us. God’s love is tender-hearted, initiative, restorative, and transformative. The power and love of Yahweh would secure Israel's return through the wilderness. Indeed, repentance is a response of God's people to God's unchanging love. Israel will say as a response to Yahweh's love, "You, O Yahweh, is my Husband" and "You are my God." They will no longer call the name of Baal a false deity of fertility. They will be totally committed back to Yahweh. They will be affectionate, hearty, altruistic, and sacrificial toward God. Worshipers give themselves as God gives Himself to them. Likewise, we are to devote ourselves solely to God, not things given by God. Our Lord never proclaimed a cause. He calls on us to make personal, passionate, and holy devotion of love to God.

A doubting Thomas didn’t believe the words of his friends who testified of the risen Lord. The risen Christ appeared unto Him and said, 네 손가락을 이리 내밀어 내 손을 보고 네 손을 내밀어 내 옆구리에 넣어보라 그리하고 믿음 없는 자가 되지 말고 믿는 자가 되라. "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe" (Jn. 20:27). Responding to Christ’s tender love, Thomas exclaimed, “My Lord and My God!” I see here Thomas’ exclusive devotion of love for Christ. We will say with the repentant Israelites, “Your are my Husband and my God.” Can you say it to God with all sincerity? God truly deserves our total devotion of love in Christ. Now, let’s ask the Holy Spirit to impart the love of Christ to us so that we can love Him with much passion and affection. Let’s ask Him to help us love God with all our hearts, knowing God loves us for eternity in Christ.  

Let me close again with the same powerful passage of God’s unchanging love: 그러나 이 모든 일에 우리를 사랑하시는 이로 말미암아 우리가 넉넉히 이기느니라 ³⁸ 내가 확신하노니 사망이나 생명이나 천사들이나 권세자들이나 현재 일이나 장래 일이나 능력이나 ³⁹ 높음이나 깊음이나 다른 아무 피조물이라도 우리를 우리 주 그리스도 예수 안에 있는 하나님의 사랑에서 끊을 수 없으리라. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:37-39).

Benediction: ²⁴ 여호와는 네게 복을 주시고 너를 지키시기를 원하며 ²⁵ 여호와는 그 얼굴로 네게 비취사 은혜 베푸시기를 원하며 ²⁶ 여호와는 그 얼굴을 네게로 향하여 드사 평강 주시기를 원하노라. ²⁴ The LORD bless you and keep you; ²⁵ the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; ²⁶ the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace (Num. 6:24-26).