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 wills” in this little prophecy and they became the basis for the 30 meditations that I published over the past few weeks on the blog. Here they are (the thirtieth was this list).
I will avenge (Hosea 1:4).
I will hedge up your way with thorns (2:6)
I will allure her (2:14)
I will…bring her into the wilderness and speak comfort to her (2:14)
I will give her vineyards from there, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope (2:15)
I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth (2:17)
I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field (2:18)
I will betroth you to me (2:19)
I will betroth you to me forever (2:19)
I will betroth you to me in righteousness (2:19)
I will betroth you to me…in judgment (2:19)
I will betroth you to me…in lovingkindness (2:19).
I will hear (2:21).
I will sow her for myself in the earth (2:23)
I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy (2:23)
I will say to them which were not my people, You are my people (2:23)
Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you (4:6)
Therefore will I change their glory into shame (4:7)
For I will be to Ephraim as a lion (5:14)
I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face (5:15)
I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger (11:9).
I will place them in their houses (11:11)
I will make you to dwell in tabernacles (12:9)
I will be your king (13:10)
I will ransom them from the power of the grave (13:14)
O death, I will be your plagues (13:14)
I will heal their backsliding (14:4)
I will love them freely (14:4)
I will be as the dew to Israel (14:5)
You can read this series of meditations together with many more in the daily devotional, Milk and Honey.
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