Hosea

Hosea 14: The LORD loves them freely

Begin in prayer

Before we read the last call of Hosea, please come before the LORD with your family. Ask Him to give us hearts that return to Him, and to show us His free love.

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us how You call sinners to return, and how You heal them and love them freely. Show us Jesus, who bore Your wrath. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

The last chapter opens with a call, “Israel, return to Yahweh your God”, for you have fallen because of your sin. The LORD even gives them words to say, “Forgive all our sins”, and they promise not to trust Assyria, horses or idols. They say that in the LORD the fatherless finds mercy. The LORD answers, “I will heal their waywardness. I will love them freely”, for His anger is turned away. He will be like the dew to Israel, who will blossom like the lily and send down roots like Lebanon. The LORD asks Ephraim, “what have I to do any more with idols?”, and says, “from me your fruit is found”.

As you read Hosea 14, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

The LORD calls His people to return, and He promises to heal them and love them freely.

Hosea ends with the call that every chapter has led to, the call to return. The people are told to take words with them, so a sinner can come to God with plain words and ask forgiveness (verse 2). They give up Assyria, war horses and idols as their saviors, and they say that in the LORD the fatherless finds mercy (verse 3). Verse 4 is the answer, for the LORD says He will heal their waywardness and love them freely. Freely means love with no price asked of them. God can turn His anger away from sinners because Christ bore the wrath in their place (Romans 3 verses 25 and 26). Dew gives life to dry land, and the lily, olive and vine picture a people made fruitful (verses 5 to 7). All the fruit Ephraim looked for from idols comes from the LORD (verse 8). The last verse says the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous walk in them while the rebellious stumble.

How does Hosea 14 show us that the LORD calls His people to return, and that He promises to heal them and love them freely?

The LORD calls His people to return and ask forgiveness.

They have fallen because of their sin (verse 1). He tells them to take words and say, “Forgive all our sins” (verse 2). They give up Assyria, horses and idols, for in Him the fatherless finds mercy (verse 3). The LORD Himself tells them what to say.

The LORD promises to heal them and love them freely.

He says He will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for His anger is turned away (verse 4). Christ bore the wrath of God in the place of His people (Romans 3 verses 25 and 26). So the love of God is free to them, and it cost Him dearly.

All the fruit comes from the LORD alone.

He will be like the dew to Israel, and she will blossom like the lily (verse 5). From Him, the green cypress tree, fruit is found (verse 8). Idols never gave Israel what she hoped for.

Memorise

I will heal their waywardness. I will love them freely; for my anger is turned away from him.

Hosea 14:4

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, will I return to the LORD today and ask Him to forgive me?

Hosea ends with the LORD's own call, “Take words with you, and return to Yahweh”. He puts the words in their mouths, “Forgive all our sins”. Then He answers, “I will love them freely”.

How can God love sinners freely and still be just? The price was paid by His Son. Jesus died for His people on the cross and bore the wrath that sin deserves. God raised Him from the dead. His payment is in full, and His love is free to every sinner who comes.

So come to Him. Turn from your sin and put your trust in Jesus. Say, “Forgive all our sins”, and mean it. Whoever says it from the heart is forgiven, healed and loved freely.

Parent's note

Tell your children that the LORD calls sinners to return and loves them freely, because Jesus bore God's wrath. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God for His call to return and His free love, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

I will give thanks to you, Yahweh; for though you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you comfort me.

Isaiah 12:1

Gracious Lord, thank You for calling us to return, and for loving sinners freely. Thank You that Jesus bore Your wrath. Please heal what sin has broken in us, and lead each one of us to trust Him. Amen.