God’s dilemma and how He solves it

Many a Christian parent knows the heartache of a child who turned rebellious and walked away from the Lord. Behind the sadness, even resignation, there is often the buried anguish of many years when those parents strained to love their children well and to guide them into the ways of faith. There are the searching questions of what could have been done better or differently, the if-onlys of missed opportunities, the shame and sense of failure when those same parents look at the ‘perfect’ families of other Christians. It is an all too familiar story for many. Yet it is also a familiar story for God, who knows the same heartache as He loves His rebellious children.

God’s care and Israel’s rebellion

God’s love for His son, Israel (Hos 11:1; Exod 4:22), was expressed most obviously in saving them from Egypt. The tender language of a Father teaching His children to walk (Hos 11:3) alludes to the wilderness wanderings when the Lord led His people (Exod 13:21) and gave them instructions (the law) for living (Deut 5:1). Taking them in His arms (v.3) evokes a parent carrying a tired child, while the next verse shifts the imagery to a domestic animal released from the burden of hard labour and fed (Hos 11:4). It speaks of the early days of God’s rescue of the people from slavery, His feeding them with manna (Exod 16:14-15), as well as of His ongoing provision in the land (Hos 2:8) and His later protection against military threats (e.g. 2 Kings 14:26-27). Yet, Israel seemed oblivious to God’s goodness (Hos 11:3). The more the prophets called them back to the Lord, the more they turned away and worshipped other gods (Hos 11:2). By refusing to return to God, who was their true King, they chose subjection to another cruel taskmaster and king, Assyria (Hos 11:5). The reference to the sword foreshadows their military defeat (Hos 11:6).

God’s dilemma and His answer

At this point, in a surprising shift of tone, God cries out in anguish. Although the punishment to Israel will not be revoked, the Lord cannot bring Himself to eliminate His people entirely, like He did with the cities around Sodom (Admah and Zeboiim; Hos 11:8; Gen 14:8; Deut 29:23). The moving language is of a compassionate father who cannot bring himself to destroy a son, even though the latter deserves it. In the background is the law of the rebellious son (Deut 21:18-21) whom his parents were to take to the elders to be stoned to death. It refers to someone at a point of no return, who consistently and habitually led a life in disobedience to his parents and refused to change. This law, though harsh (more on this in my next post), shows that rebellion against authority coming from God and ultimately against God is deadly. Strict justice would require the death of the rebel. Yet God Himself who gave that law to teach Israel about the importance of justice, cannot bring Himself to execute it. In an unexpected swing away from judgment, God determines to restore His people and re-gather them again in their own land (Hos 11:9-11).

God’s solution and the cost

Few passages in the Bible can rival the pathos of God’s inner monologue here, His unwillingness to destroy His rebellious people completely and to choose to show mercy instead. It describes God’s thought processes in anthropomorphic (human-like) terms, nevertheless, the point it makes is that the Lord takes no pleasure in judgment and His desire is to save. There is a glaring gap in how such rescue can happen with people who are obstinate and resistant to Him, and this remains unexplained in the Old Testament. As Christians, however, we know the terrible price God has paid in giving His obedient Son in exchange for His rebellious ones, all of us. We can also understand better, how such love that surpasses all understanding can transform our human heart as we respond to it.

If you enjoyed this post, please share it with others.