Hosea 3  Here is a beautiful picture of God's love portrayed through His willing servant Hosea.  The Lord tells Hosea to go and love his adulterous wife once again.  So, he goes and finds her and he buys her.. pays the ransom price of 15 shekels of silver and some barley.   He takes her home and tells her that she is to stay with him "for many days."

The Lord proclaims that Israel will be removed from His kingdom.. but there will come a time when they will return.... " and they will come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the last days."

Hosea 4 lays out God's case against Israel.. and it is sobering how this totally describes America today -

There is "no faithfulness".
There is no "kindness".
There is" no knowledge of God in the land."

There is "swearing, deception, murder, stealing, and adultery. They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed. Therefore the land mourns, and everyone who lives in in languishes along with the beasts of the field and there birds of the sky; and also the fish of the sea disappear." 

No one finds fault ( contends) with the sinners.. No one offers reproof.. correction.
Those who should do so.. the priests and prophets in Israel's case.. stumble right along with the rest of the people.

" My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.  Because you have rejected knowledge .. "
They stopped listening to the Lord.
They lost any understanding of Truth.
They became more and more stubborn in their sinfulness.

We are in the same place here in this country and in this time.  " Harlotry, wine and new wine take away the understanding." v11 says.. and we see it in the news every day!  Sexual immorality, drugs and alcohol.. a "spirit of harlotry has led them astray". 

"So the people without understanding are ruined." 

Knowledge - awareness of truth
Understanding - to separate mentally; to distinguish ( truth).. to think, look well to; have intelligence

If a lack of knowledge and understanding bring destruction and ruin ( which we know is true)  then we need to seek those things.. we need to listen to the Lord through His Word so we can KNOW the Truth!  We need to pray that we will grow in the knowledge of the Lord and in His grace. We need to accept reproof and correction.  We need to reprove those who are walking in sin.. as appropriate, with love and compassion. We need to love as the Lord loves and forgive as He forgives..

Hosea restored his wife, buying her back from her sinful life.. God restores people from their stubborn, ignorant, and sinful lives.  This is the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Father, thank You! Let Your Word be proclaimed across the land.. with love and compassion and grace.. may we shine the light of Christ's love wherever  we are! Amen.