Hosea 1:6-7 – Don’t test God’s resolve.

Hosea 1:6 says that Gomer, the prophet's wife, gave birth to another child, a girl. And the Lord instructed Hosea to name her Lo-ruhamah. Do note that the child is not explicitly identified as Hosea’s daughter. This is inferred from the text, where the birth of Jezreel is described as ‘... she conceived and bore him a son.’ However, in the case of Lo-ruhamah, the phrase ‘bore for him’ is omitted, suggesting that she could be the child of Gomer’s unfaithfulness and not the child of Hosea. 

When the word ‘pity’ is used to refer to God, it carries a sense of love, compassion, and a deep feeling of us wayward people. This aspect of God’s character is best portrayed in the father in Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son.  The father in this parable symbolizes God’s unwavering love and compassion. Despite the son’s waywardness, the father is loving and caring. He looks out every moment for the son’s return, yearningly and constantly, despite the latter’s obstinacy and wilful disobedience.  

The name ‘Lo-ruhamah’ given to Gomer’s daughter carries an opposite message. It means ‘not pitied or not to be shown compassion.’ God’s message to the Northern Kingdom of Israel is stark. It implies that God would no longer show any pity or compassion on these His wayward people. In their unfaithfulness, they had crossed the Rubicon. The severity of God’s judgment on the Northern Kingdom of Israel would be both imminent and severe.

For the Southern Kingdom of Judah, however, God’s assurance was not just different but significantly contrasting. He promised they would not have the same outcome as their northern sister. Implicit in verse 7 is that the Southern Kingdom of Judah would also face discipline. Still, God would deliver them, not through military might, but through His divine intervention, a promise that brings hope and reassurance in the face of discipline. 

We must heed God's warnings and messages. Just as God’s message to the Northern Kingdom of Israel was stark, signaling the consequences of unfaithfulness, we should take this as a reminder to reflect on our actions and make necessary changes. Do not wait until the severity of judgment becomes imminent, but rather, take this as a call for urgent reflection and change in our own lives.