Hosea 2:14-16
14 Therefore, behold, I will allure her [Israel] and bring her into the wilderness, and I will speak tenderly and to her heart.
15 There I will give her her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor [troubling] to be for her a door of hope and expectation. And she shall sing there and respond as in the days of her youth and as at the time when she came up out of the land of Egypt.
16 And it shall be in that day, says the Lord, that you will call Me Ishi [my Husband], and you shall no more call Me Baali [my Baal].
I just finished the devotional on the book of Hosea with She Reads Truth. I've always loved Hosea and the revelation it gives of God's great heart. While we see His anguish, even His anger, at Israel's unfaithfulness and idolatry, we also see His relentless pursuit of the ones He loves. Not just Israel, but you and me.
My favorite passage in Hosea references the Valley of Achor, also called the valley of trouble or the valley of weeping. I've heard it said that this is the same valley of Israel's defeat at Ai. If you recall, Israel had just had an amazing victory at Jericho. Ai, a much smaller city, should have been a piece of cake. God's instructions were to destroy everything at Ai, but one greedy man decided to keep some of the spoil for himself. Because of his disobedience, all of Israel suffered a severe defeat.
I think of this when I read the passage in Hosea that says that God will make this valley a door of hope and expectation. This valley of defeat. This valley of defeat brought on by disobedience.
Hosea is all about Israel's disobedience and idolatry, and yet, God says He's going to allure her, speak tenderly to her heart, and make the very place of her disobedience and defeat a door of hope and expectation. Her response will be songs of praise, and finally responding and returning to God in love and calling Him, Husband.
That's all He wants from you and me, too, for us to respond to His tender words of love and to return to Him. He longs to hear our praise and for us to love Him back. He desires heart intimacy with us. There is no god like our God. No other god who loves like He does.
still following,
Linking with She Shares Truth
Hi Elizabeth,
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by Renaissance Women. Why are we both up at this time of night? :) I love your post about Hosea and am interested to see you have something about a door in your post as well. Amazing how God speaks the same things to all of His children's hearts. I'm going to have to do an in-depth study on doors this week. God is saying something...
So glad to have met you, Elizabeth. Again, thanks for stopping by. God Bless and have a blessed week.
~ Cassandra from Renaissance Women
Thank you for coming by as well. Yes, I often find God speaks to many of us along the same lines. We're of the same body after all, so I guess that makes sense!
DeleteBeautiful post! The verse you shared is one which holds such significance in my heart. I am so thankful that He makes the valley of trouble a door of hope & expectation. And I am grateful to have read this just now. Blessings!
ReplyDeleteIt's a very precious verse to me, spoken to me by Him in a valley of sorrow.
DeleteIn my healing time the last 7 weeks, I've felt His love in so many ways even as I had started to veer off course with my ministry directives ... and I hear His voice telling me He wants me to stay on track, to go the opposite way of that which is deceiving, that His plan will be clear. I have heard His direction - much clearer - for what is coming. It's wonderful!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful devotional with words to live by, Elizabeth. Thank you.
Heather
@40YearWanderer
I loved your comment and the tender way God keeps us on the path He has for us.
DeleteHosea is a beautiful love story. If you like to read fiction, Francine Rivers wrote an amazing work based on this book of the Bible. I've always been amazed and inspired by what God is teaching us through this book. I'd forgotten about She Reads Truth, thanks for the reminder ! Have a blessed week, Elizabeth!
ReplyDeleteI've read that book and it is a lovely take on the book of Hosea.
DeleteElizabeth, you're thinking and sharing straight-forwardly as usual. I'm also a Hosea fan, and, connected to the prophetic portions of the Bible, other than adding Revelation, that's usually where I "live". Love your explanations and also the photo of the mountain. You grabbed me again, dear friend. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you, sweet friend.
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