While one studies through the Old Testament, in the middle of all the texts that can offend our sensitivities in an isolated 21st-century representation of our faith, the more we will see the love of God. Some cannot move through the difficult sections of Scripture and will fail to see that God is the same yesterday, and forever. To dismiss the ancient biblical writings by focusing only on the consequence of Israel’s sin, which represents God as cruel and unloving, is a mistake. At the end of the Old Testament prophetic writings, the redemption and heart of God are revealed.

In the last chapter of Hosea, the Lord said the following words as He gave a promise to the people living in disobedience at the time, “I will be to Israel like a refreshing dew from heaven” (Hosea 10:5). The refreshing God’s dew from heaven comes when His people are finally willing to repent and realign their lives to His original promises.

As the Lord drew Israel back to Himself, He said, “My people will again live under my shade. They will flourish like grain and blossom like grapevines. I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you. I am like a tree that is always green; all your fruit comes from me” (vs. 7- 8). All acts of repentance bring us back to the Lord, the one we should have always remained near and not wandered from His ways.

The revelation of God’s enduring love for Israel brought the nation to a place of wisdom where the heart and intent of God were finally seen. “Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those with discernment listen carefully. The paths of the Lord are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them. But in those paths, sinners stumble and fall” (vs. 9).

Reading the Old Covenant Word of God requires the kind of wisdom and discernment needed to see through the horrible consequences of God’s people’s sins to discover His heart. Without that wisdom and discernment, we will dismiss what we may need to hear at this time in history and miss out on understanding a more complete understanding of His heart.