30 “I will’s” from Hosea

A couple of years ago I was asked to prepare a month of meditations on Hosea for a daily devotional. My initial thought was, “That’s impossible. I might manage 5 or 6.” But when I got started I was stunned to find so many divine “I will’s” in this little prophecy and they became the basis for my 30 meditations. Here they are (the thirtieth was this list).

1. I will avenge (Hosea 1:4).
2. I will hedge up your way with thorns (2:6)
3. I will allure her (2:14)
4. I will…bring her into the wilderness and speak comfort to her (2:14)
5. I will give her vineyards from there, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope (2:15)
6. I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth (2:17)
7. I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field (2:18)
8. I will betroth you to me (2:19)
9. I will betroth you to me forever (2:19)
10. I will betroth you to me in righteousness (2:19)
11. I will betroth you to me…in judgment (2:19)
12. I will betroth you to me…in lovingkindness (2:19).
13. I will hear (2:21).
14. I will sow her for myself in the earth (2:23)
15. I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy (2:23)
16. I will say to them which were not my people, You are my people (2:23)
17. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you (4:6)
18. Therefore will I change their glory into shame (4:7)
19. For I will be to Ephraim as a lion (5:14)
20. I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face (5:15)
21. I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger (11:9).
22. I will place them in their houses (11:11)
23. I will make you to dwell in tabernacles (12:9)
24. I will be your king (13:10)
25. I will ransom them from the power of the grave (13:14)
26. O death, I will be your plagues (13:14)
27. I will heal their backsliding (14:4)
28. I will love them freely (14:4)
29. I will be as the dew to Israel (14:5)