Hosea 2:1-5 - You are my people

2:1

Verse 1 reminds the Israelites who they actually are. They are God’s people and they are loved by God. This is their basic identity, yet they were living as though they were not God’s people. The same is true of the whole human race. We were all created by God, we should live as God’s people enjoying His love, his favour and protection. Yet, instead, we choose to go our own way, and so we do not enjoy these things, we become subject to all sorts of other things.

2:2

We then get a passage of judgement upon the nation. The words used here are similar to words used in declarations of divorce in the culture of the time. Israel had lived as an adulterous wife. The fundamental fidelity in a marriage is sexual faithfulness, the fundamental fidelity in our relationship with God is to trust Him, and not to put our trust in anything else. We need to appreciate how precious and how sacred is our faith.

2:3-5

If Israel did not repent then she would suffer judgement, she find herself completely bereft. Even her children would suffer. We need to appreciate that what we do affects our children as well.  But children here is probably also being used in an allegorical sense. The things that were produced as a result of her unfaithfulness will not receive God’s blessing. We sometimes think that just because we do something and then ask God to bless that He will indeed bless it. This is not necessarily so! Israel was attributing her “lovers”, ie the things and nations that she had put her trust in, with providing her with food and drink.