The Lord's Love for Israel
11:1 When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and out of Egypt I called my son.
2 The more they were called,
the more they went away;
they kept sacrificing to the Baals
and burning offerings to idols.3 Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk;
I took them up by their arms,
but they did not know that I healed them.
4 I led them with cords of kindness,
with the bands of love,
and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws,
and I bent down to them and fed them.5 They shall not return to the land of Egypt,
but Assyria shall be their king,
because they have refused to return to me.
6 The sword shall rage against their cities,
consume the bars of their gates,
and devour them because of their own counsels.
7 My people are bent on turning away from me,
and though they call out to the Most High,
he shall not raise them up at all.8 How can I give you up, O Ephraim?10 They shall go after the Lord;
How can I hand you over, O Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart recoils within me;
my compassion grows warm and tender.
9 I will not execute my burning anger;
I will not again destroy Ephraim;
for I am God and not a man,
the Holy One in your midst,
and I will not come in wrath.
he will roar like a lion;
when he roars,
his children shall come trembling from the west;
11 they shall come trembling like birds from Egypt,
and like doves from the land of Assyria,
and I will return them to their homes, declares the Lord.
12 Ephraim has surrounded me with lies,
and the house of Israel with deceit,
but Judah still walks with God
and is faithful to the Holy One.
What hit me is this- God chooses us, loves us even as we constantly deny and rebel against Him, holds our hand and gives us every good thing in our life, and we curse Him because nothing is ever enough and His will doesn't satisfy so we keep pursuing idols. Eventually the love and mercy of God requires that a measure of His wrath is brought upon us to strip us bare of the death we cloaked ourselves in, so that we will return to Him. Only when we are naked and bleeding, exposed and raw, do we realize that the only satisfaction we'll ever know is found in Him.
Some might say that if God exists and that He is love there would be no suffering in the world. There is suffering in the world because we are sinners, and God's love is the patience He has with us to not completely and utterly destroy us all. The perfect and Holy God who created all things has every right to incinerate us all, but His love continually heals the broken and woos them to Himself.
I mean not to say this in a general sense-- sin isn't "out there" and for someone else. I am no different from Israel and Ephraim, chosen by Jesus and taught to walk yet whoring myself out for idols. I have long worshiped at the altar of Self and I don't deserve this umpteenth (umpmillionth?) chance to be clean, to repent and walk in the Spirit. Though it is completely undeserved, I rest in the mercy of God. That He will not come in the wrath I deserve, but instead to have warmth and tender compassion toward me, as a loving Father, is humbling.
Verses 8-11, again:
8 How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, O Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart recoils within me;
my compassion grows warm and tender.
9 I will not execute my burning anger;
I will not again destroy Ephraim;
for I am God and not a man,
the Holy One in your midst,
and I will not come in wrath.
Lord, teach me to believe you. Burn this word on my heart, that Your love covers a multitude of sins and in You I am clean, forgiven, restored, and loved. You truly are God and not a man, and your patience is unending and far more than I could ever dream of, let alone deserve. Thank you, Father, for loving me and teach me to walk in this truth so that it every step I take paints the canvas of my life with the colors of Your love.
