Breaking God’s Heart
Hosea 11:1-8
3-24-02
Intro:
Have you ever Asked yourself the Question: What’s it like for God?
We look at almost every experience in life from the perspective of –“How does this impact me?” I’m not saying that is altogether wrong- I’m just saying that is usually our frame of reference.
But today I want to talk about the heart of God. I want to talk about how God feels.
Is it possible for us to actually delight the heart of God?
Is it possible for us to break God’s Heart? How do my choices Impact God?
The Scripture actually has a lot to say about that-
and in the process of saying it gives us Insight as to what God is Really Like!
For Example, in Gen 6 – we are given a powerful glimpse into Heart of God.
I. God’s Heart was Broken over Noah’s Generation.
It’s easy read past that and miss it – but its there. (Gen. 6:5-6)
“Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” NKJV
I hope that when we read verses like this in the Bible we don’t picture a hard, distant deity who is simply hacked off because people won’t cooperate with Him or do what He wants them to do. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The Hebrew word used to describe God’s Sorrow in this passage is “Nacham”
It means to “ draw the breath forcibly”.(1) It is a deep SIGH of painful sorrow.
Have You ever Hurt so Bad inside that you could hardly get your breath?
That’s the kind of sorrow God is Experiencing here.
It’s as if God is saying “Oooh, Oooh…” -such Grief that only Groans because it is beyond words.
This is the Broken Heart of God. This is Love Disappointed & Wounded.
This is God experiencing a deep, piercing Sorrow (2) over His loved & lost creation.
God’s Response to our rebellion or rejection is Never a Selfish Response.
It’s easy for us to Project onto God our own selfish Motives if we’re not careful.
But “God is Love” (3) Love is never Angry because it didn’t get something for itself.
Love “…seeks not its own..” in the first place. (4)
God is Heartbroken over what is happening to these people because of their sin—
Not over what is happening to Himself. The concern is their pain. They have corrupted themselves and “The wages of sin is death.” Sin carries with it that kind of consequence.
The Call of God is always a call to LIFE – and anyone who will answer that call and turn from sin to God will live. II Pet. 3:9 God is “… not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
Today as in Noah’s day – For every soul that goes own way and insists upon its own destruction, there is a deep, deep Sigh of Sorrow in heart of God for that soul.
He takes absolutely No delight in death of the wicked.
WHY would an omniscient, omnipotent God Position Himself to Experience such sorrow & grief?
Because Love by its very Nature Is Vulnerable to Grief.
Because Love by its very Nature Is Impacted by Choice of others.
To Grant Free will is to Grant possibility of Love.
But, is also to Grant Capacity to Reject Love, wound, refuse love.
In the book of Hosea
II. God’s Heart was Broken Over Israel’s Rejection.
The 10 Northern tribes of Israel are call “Ephraim’ after dominant tribe.
Hosea 11:1-8
"When Israel was a child, I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son. 2As they called them, So they went from them; They sacrificed to the Baals, and burned incense to carved images.3"I taught Ephraim to walk, Taking them by their arms; But they did not know that I healed them. 4I drew them with gentle cords, With bands of love, And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them.
5"He shall not return to the land of Egypt; But the Assyrian shall be his king,Because they refused to repent. 6And the sword shall slash in his cities, Devour his districts, And consume them, Because of their own counsels. 7My people are bent on backsliding from Me. Though they call to the Most High, None at all exalt Him. 8"How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel?How can I make you like Admah? How can I set you like Zeboiim?
My heart churns within Me; My sympathy is stirred. “ NKJV
The Picture here is a picture of a loving Parent caring for his/her little one.
Do you Parents Remember the day your little babies were Born? What an experience that was. What TENDERNESS you felt toward that Helpless little child. God says in
Verse 1 – “When Israel was a child, I LOVED HIM”
Do you Hear God’s Heart in those words? “ and out of Egypt I called My son.”
Look at Verse 3 and Identify with it in your own experiences:
“Remember how I taught you how to WALK-- How I patiently worked with you—
How I rejoiced the Day you took first step? I took you by the arm & I helped you along.”
Remember when you were SICK -- how I nursed you to health.
(Remember the measles, chicken pox, those nasty colds)
Who took care of you during those times? Do you remember how I healed you.
No, you didn’t even realize that I was one taking care of you.
Can you feel the heart of God in
Verse 4 (Today’s English Version says) “I drew them to Me with Affection & Love.
I picked them up and held them to my cheek. I bent down to them and fed them.”
Mom, do you Remember when you Held you little girl (boy) next to your Cheek & whispered in her little ear “I love you” ?
Here is God Stooping over His little one and taking care of every need.
Oh the Delight it was to heart of God to take café of His people, Israel. It was like the delight of a Young Mother with her baby child.
But, here is the breaking of God’s heart. After all that love – and all that tender care,
Ephraim says to God “Leave me alone. I want something very different than you.
I want Baal. I want to give myself to Iniquity.
That’s Israel’s Ingratitude toward God. Look at Verse 2 “So they went from them (turning from God) They sacrificed to Baals, and burned incense to carved images.”
They turned to Immorality & Materialism.
Baal worship was full of debauchery & sexual Immorality. Baal was the Fertility god. These people gave their money, time, affection to a false god rather than the God who loved them.
What a tragic Betrayal of love. How stupid they were in their Choices.
How will God Respond? He will Call them to Himself – He will call many times.
Oh, the pain behind Verse 7 “But, my people are bent on backsliding from Me.”
They are Determined. They have their mind made up. They don’t want anything to do with Me.
How will God Respond?
You would think after all that He would have nothing to do with them.
But Love would Not Let them Go.
Oh, the broken heart of God in Verse 8 “How can I Give you up, Ephraim?”
How can I hand you over Israel?”
God used Hosea’s personal experience as a picture of His love for his People.
“One day Hosea’s wife, Gomer, decided to leave him. She decided to go back to her old life of prostitution. As Hosea lay down on his bed at night he thought, "I wonder where she is tonight ? I wonder who’s holding her?
For several nights he kept the porch light on for her, hoping she would come back, but she never came. When he put the children to bed, they asked, "When is Mama coming home?" He had no good answers for them.
One night he decided he’d go down to the red light district and see if he could find her. Finally, in the distance he saw a woman being auctioned. Upon coming closer he noticed that it was his own wife, the mother of his children. Her cheeks were no longer rosy. Her face is drawn and taut. Her eyes have lost their sparkle. Her hair is dirty and dull. Her clothes are but rags.
She’s scanning the crowd just wondering who’ll get the bid for her. There out of the shadows a man appears. He looks like her Hosea, but he would not want her now.
He’s just come to see how low I’ve sunk.
But wait....he’s smiling! Out of that smile he speaks and says, "I’ve come for you ,dear. I’m going to take you home with me. The children are waiting.
Tonight We’re having a big meal to celebrate your homecoming."
As they came up to the yard she sees a sign the kids have put up over the gate.—
‘Welcome Home, Mom!’” (5)
That is God’s Call to Israel through Hosea.
That continues to be God’s call to every backslider.
That is the heart of God!
God has not changed, today
III. God’s Heart is Broken over Our Indifference or Disobedience.
Can we grieve the heart of God? The Bible tells us not to do it, so obviously we can.
Eph 4:30-31
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” NKJV
God has powerful emotion concerning His children. The context of Ephesians 4:30 makes it clear our choices, our attitudes, our behavior affects the eternal God. Why?
Because He cares so much for us, because He loves us, because He so desires our highest good.
God was grieved by the unbelief of Israel in the wilderness. (6) For 40 years they murmured and complained and refused to trust the love of God. Listen to what God says in Psalm 81:8-16 and once again hear the Father’s heart.
8"Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you! O Israel, if you will listen to Me!
9There shall be no foreign god among you; Nor shall you worship any foreign god.
10I am the LORD your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt;Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. 11"But My people would not heed My voice,
And Israel would have none of Me. 12So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart,
To walk in their own counsels. 13"Oh, that My people would listen to Me,That Israel would walk in My ways! 14I would soon subdue their enemies,And turn My hand against their adversaries. 15The haters of the LORD would pretend submission to Him, But their fate would endure forever. 16He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat; And with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you." NKJV
There is God longing to meet their every need. But their every need is met only in Him and they chose to not have anything to do with Him. In their hearts they turned from God to their own devices. What a sadness it brought to the heart to the One who loved them most.
When you and I refuse the voice of the Holy Spirit, when we indulge our own lust and seek our own pleasure rather than the good pleasure of God, we too grieve the Holy Spirit of God. Have you ever started to do something that you knew was wrong—and as you proceeded you could feel in the pit of your stomach the grieving of the Holy Spirit. That is God letting us know how He is feeling about that decision.
I want to be a person who cares how God feels. I don’t want to be so self-centered that my every decision is based upon how something makes me feel. What about God? How is He feeling about my life? Am I delighting the Father with my love or am I grieving His heart.
It’s essential that we understand why God is grieved by our disobedience. Its because He knows the consequences of our choices. He loves us; He wants to bless us abundantly; He wants to share everything He has with us. When we turn from all that- when we distance ourselves from God He is grieved –not because of what it does to Him (7) but because of what it does to us. He is touched by the pain we will experience as a result of our disobedience. His heart breaks because He doesn’t want us hurt. (8)
Wasn’t that the heart of the Father in Luke 15 in the story of the prodigal son. The prodigal son made a series of bad choices as he reached adulthood. He chose to leave the safety and protection of his father’s house. He chose to distance himself from his father and from his father’s counsel. He chose to go his own way and do his own thing. He chose to indulge his flesh and forsake the commandments of God. There we serious repercussions from all that. The prodigal wound up alone and broke and in a pig pen as a result of his own choices. Bad Choices lead to Bad Consequences!
The real point of the story is a revelation of what God is like and how He deals with us.
I have no doubt in my mind that the father of the prodigal had been good to both his sons, that he loved them both alike, and had taught them the ways of God. (9) But when they became adults he did a wise thing—he treated them like adults. He honored and respected their rights to make their own choices. That’s easy to do when your kids are making good choices—but it’s not so easy when they’re making bad choices. I’m not talking about children who are not yet grown. If I have a ten year old, I don’t ask him whether he chooses to go to church this morning. He eats my food, he lives under my roof, and I tell him “as for me and my house” we go to church. But a parent must instill values and progressively release responsibility to a child and when they are grown let them feel the responsibility of being grown. This father wisely did that. Love honors free will—love is not controlling, love is not manipulating, love allows another to make choices. This prodigal would have been much better off if he had heard godly counsel, but instead he wanted to find out for himself, and the father let him learn the hard way.
I believe secretly that the father’s heart was broken when the prodigal son left. He wasn’t concerned about his own well-being; he was concerned about his son. What was in this father’s heart during his son’s absence? Was he angry at his son’s ingratitude? Was he upset that his son had not respected him more or honored his counsel? No, I don’t think any of that was in the father’s heart. One thing dominated his thinking—Is my boy OK?
I miss my son, I love my son, I want him to have it good.
Love never turned loose of that son. That’s why the father was ready to receive him when he returned. He was expecting God to answer his prayers; He was looking for the answer; and he saw the answer coming even when the son was still a great way off.
When the son humbled himself and returned to his father he was received with open arms.
There is a story of a young teenage girl who ran away from home. She had gotten into an argument with her parents and felt that they were treating her unfairly, so she left. When she got out on the streets she could not find any work so she ended up becoming a prostitute. At night she would have to search for a place to sleep, and she often found shelter sleeping in public restrooms. She thought back to the love her parents had once shown her, and of all the good times she had once had, but she felt too unworthy to return to her parents. She did not think that there was anyway possible they would have her back after what she had done with her life.
One night when she walked into a restroom to find a place to sleep, she saw a sheet of paper on the wall with a picture of her parents. It had a note on it that read, “No matter where you are, and no matter what you have done, we will always love you.” At that moment tears began to stream down her face, but they were not tears of sadness. They were tears of joy. She knew right then that she could return home. The love that this young girl’s parents had for her is just a hint of the love our heavenly Father has for us. (10)
Conclusion
Perhaps in some way you can identify with that teenage girl. Perhaps you feel you have failed God so bad that there is no way you could come back or perhaps there is that one area you have failed in so many times that you wonder if God has given up on you. Hear the word of the Lord for you this morning, “No matter where you are, no matter what you have done I will Always Love You!”!
Have you drawn back from the Father in your heart? Perhaps things didn’t work like you thought they would and there’s just a little offense toward God about that. We are always either drawing back or drawing near to God. Let this be a day we all draw near to Him who loves us with an everlasting love.
If God is tugging on your heart this morning I invite you to come to this altars and give yourself to Him.
Notes:
(1) Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon To The Old Testament, Strong’s # 5162
(2) Wycliff Bible Commentary on Genesis 6:6.
(3) I John 4:16
(4) I Corinthians 13:5
(5) Narrative with minor alterations taken from sermon by Assembly of God pastor Charles Clary entitled “The World’s Greatest Backslider”
(6) Hebrews 3 & 4
(7) The Trinity is complete in Himself, lacking nothing. This is not God upset because He didn’t get His need met. This is God’s empathy for our pain.
(8) Every loving parent who has had a child come into adulthood and make bad choices,knows something of what this is, but our capacity to love and empathize is not
infinite and we only experience what God experiences to the degree of our capacity.
See II Samuel 18:33 for David’s pain over Absalom’s bad choices.
(9) In Isaiah 5:1-7 God asks Israel in essence “What more could I have done?” This passage seems to have been the inspiration for verse on of the hymn “How Firm a Foundation”.
(10) Story from sermon preached in November 2001 by Pastor Damian Phillips of Mt. Freeman Baptist Church.
Richard Tow
Grace Chapel Foursquare Church
Springfield, MO
www.gracechapelchurch.org
