Early Fruit on the Fig Tree

God uses unorthodox ways to demonstrate His nature and purposes.  So it was with Hosea the prophet.  His name means "Jehovah (The Eternal One) is Salvation or Deliverer," and he lived among God's chosen people during a period when their leadership encouraged a materialistic, immoral, and unjust lifestyle.  God watched as His people, chosen to live a godly lifestyle as an example to the entire world, and to be God's bridge of redemption to the pagans, were totally unfaithful to Him.  They prostituted themselves to the very ones they were called to bring to the Redeemer.
 
Imagine how you would feel if God said to you, "Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the Lord." (Hosea 1:2) Hosea's adulterous wife, Gomer (meaning completion), bore him two sons and one daughter who were named by God:  Jezreel (God plants or sows), Lo-Ruhamah (not loved), and Lo-Ammi (not my people). Hosea's life was to represent the heart of God in loving the unfaithful.
 
God found Himself in a position of having to punish the children of Israel for chasing after other gods and abandoning their commitment to Him.  Verse 12 of Chapter 4 says, "A spirit of prostitution leads them astray; they are unfaithful to their God."  In his book, Hosea describes some of the detestable behaviors engaged in by the people of God during his day.  "They practice deceit, thieves break into houses, bandits rob in the streets." (Hosea 7:1) "They speak about me falsely.  They do not cry out to me from their hearts." (Hosea 7:13-14) "Israel has rejected what is good...They set up kings without my consent..." (Hosea 8:3-4) "Israel has forgotten their Maker..." (Hosea 8:14) "But you have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception.  Because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors, the roar of battle will rise against your people…”  (Hosea 10:13-14)
 
Does Hosea's description of his times sound familiar?  They do to me!  We are living in a day that is characterized by our vile behaviors and affections to other gods.  The spirit of prostitution appears to be alive and well.  From His people Israel, God was looking for a repentant lifestyle.  God said, "...Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears...For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." (Hosea 6:4, 6)  While God had some harsh words for Israel, He also had some words of compassion.  He remembered the time when they were faithful to Him:  “When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your fathers, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree..." (Hosea 9:10) Early fruit on a fig tree was considered especially delicious.  When God found Israel in the desert He was overtaken by her appearance and taste.  He confessed, "How can I give you up, Ephraim?  How can I hand you over, Israel...My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused." (Hosea 11:8)
 
Mitch Glaser, Ph.D., wrote a book titled God's Plan and Purposes for the Jewish People.  He makes some interesting points that are worth repeating:  "The Scriptures never suggest that Israel's disobedience would outlast God's grace...Instead, when God wants the nation to repent and again receive His blessings, the Lord would do what was necessary to turn the people back to Him.  The book of Hosea proclaimed the message to Israel that God was not going to reject them, but would wait for, or even initiate, their repentance." (Page 23)
 
God's compassions toward Israel have never failed.  I believe He has those same compassions toward the United States of America.  He is the One who helped establish our country through guiding Christopher Columbus to our shores.  He brought the pilgrims to our lands so that they could establish a country with righteous foundations and freedom to worship the One True God.  The Lord said of Israel, "I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them.  I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily.  Like a cedar of Lebanon, he will send down his roots…” (Hosea 14:4-5)  God is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) Let us call out to Him for healing, restoration, and revival that our nation will return to Him and be like the early fruit on a fig tree.