You are the Children of El Chay

The book of Hosea paints a beautiful picture of Yahweh’s forgiveness and redemption. No, many beautiful pictures. But they don’t start out that way. When Gomer had children, Yahweh told Hosea to name one son, “Not My People” and his daughter, “Unloved.” Ouch. That’s so harsh.

The names Not My People and Unloved represent judgment for the faithlessness of God’s chosen people. They chased other gods, abandoning the Husband (Ish) who loved them. But, just as the stark ugliness of the initial sketch has little resemblance to the depth and beauty of the final painting, God restores his people in the day of Jezreel.

Jezreel is the name of Hosea’s first son. It means God sows. Jezreel’s name isn’t changed. Why? Because God sows judgment  and reaps the restoration of his people. The day of Jezreel will be a great day.

Yet, the Israelites will become as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore. No one will be able to measure them or count them. Wherever they were told, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be told, ‘You are the children of El Chay.’ The people of Judah and Israel will be gathered together. They will appoint one leader for themselves, and they will grow in the land. The day of Jezreel will be a great day. – Hosea 1:10-11

How foolish of God’s people to chase idols when their Elohim was El Chay, the Living God. But, in the day of Jezreel, they will be called My People and Beloved.

What about us?

When I first learned the Ten Commandments as a child, I thought the prohibition against idolatry was obsolete. No one worships gods of wood, clay, and metal any more. That’s stupid. We’re too sophisticated for that, right?

But what is an idol?

John Piper says it’s “anything that we come to rely on for some blessing, or help, or guidance in the place of a wholehearted reliance on the true and living God.

That puts a different spin on it, doesn’t it? As Emily Litella was wont to say, “Oh, that’s very different. Never mind.”

Years ago, I was in a weight-loss Bible study, and the leader talked about how we made food an idol. As you can imagine, there was some pushback. Then she phrased it in a way we could all understand. “Oh, Pan of Brownies, ease my pain.”

Busted.

What idols do I worship today? Well, the featured image shows two of them–my morning coffee and my phone. They’re not evil. I just don’t always keep them in their place. When my feet hit the floor, which do I crave more, that jolt of caffeine, or spending time with El Chay? Yet which one is the true life-giver?

And the phone – well, I’ve got Bible apps, scripture memory apps, prayer apps. In my book apps, I’ve got Bible reference books, apologetics books, inspirational books. All good things. But I’m loaded up with time wasters, too. Anything to ward off the monster of BOREDOM! Can you remember the last time you were bored? I can’t. Can you remember the last time you filled empty hours with the mental equivalent of cotton candy when you could have chosen spending time with the Living God, the one who offers living water? For me, it was this morning.

But El Chay redeems and restores.

You were once dead because of your failures and sins. ² You followed the ways of this present world and its spiritual ruler. This ruler continues to work in people who refuse to obey God. ³ All of us once lived among these people, and followed the desires of our corrupt nature. We did what our corrupt desires and thoughts wanted us to do. So, because of our nature, we deserved God’s anger just like everyone else.

⁴ But God is rich in mercy because of his great love for us. ⁵ We were dead because of our failures, but he made us alive together with Christ. (It is God’s kindness that saved you.) ⁶ God has brought us back to life together with Christ Yeshua and has given us a position in heaven with him. ⁷ He did this through Christ Yeshua out of his generosity to us in order to show his extremely rich kindness in the world to come. ⁸ God saved you through faith as an act of kindness. You had nothing to do with it. Being saved is a gift from God. ⁹ It’s not the result of anything you’ve done, so no one can brag about it. ¹⁰ God has made us what we are. He has created us in Christ Yeshua to live lives filled with good works that he has prepared for us to do. – Ephesians 2:1-10