Charles W. Holt
Community of Grace
Vinton, LA
Email: cholt@gt.rr.com
EVERYONE LOVES A LOVE STORY
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man
lay down his life for his friends (Jn. 15:13).
Scripture text: Hosea 1:2,3 and 3:1-3
Perhaps one of the most famous love poems every penned was written by Elizabeth B. Browning sometime between 1845-46. It was first published in 1850. It is a classic.
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of every day’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old grief’s, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, --I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!--and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
Love is the theme spilling from the tip of many a poet’s pen. Songwriters and musicians make glorious music soar on the wings of love.
Love has been and still is one of the major subjects of great literature. It’s the theme of hundreds of great novels and short stories. The so-called "dime store novels" or "romance novels" sells by the millions. How many movies can you remember that has love between two people as the central theme? Everyone loves a love story and especially if the love story has a happy ending. Everyone loves a happy ending.
If you saw the movie The Titanic you may remember it as a great epic disaster movie. It was that but more. It was first and above all a love story. Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) was the poor kid who barely managed to secure passage and Rose (Kate Winslet) was the high society girl who was to be married to a rich guy. How these two totally dissimilar persons meet, fall in love, and perish is the core of the movie. Some people saw the movie a dozen times because of the strong love story connection. Others have not seen it even once because of the tragic ending to this love story.
The movie Cleopatra starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton tells in fictional form the historical relationship between the Roman General Antony and Egypt’s last Pharaoh Cleopatra.
Some of you will remember from your high school English class of reading the story of Romeo and Juliet.
Is there anyone who hasn’t seen the film, Gone With the Wind? It is a Civil War epic but one thing you probably remember as much as any is the relationship between Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler. It’s a tragic love story.
One of the truly great love stories in all of history is that which existed between England’s Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert. Victoria, it is said, was a lively, cheerful girl, fond of drawing and painting. She became England’s Queen in 1837 after the death of her uncle, King William IV. In 1840, she married her first cousin, Prince Albert.
While at first Prince Albert was unpopular in some circles because he was German, he came to be admired for his honesty, diligence, and his devotion to his family. The couple had nine children. Victoria loved her husband deeply. She relied on his advice in matters of state, especially in diplomacy.
When Albert died in 1861, Victoria was devastated. She did not appear in public for three years. Her extended seclusion generated considerable public criticism. Several attempts were made on Victoria’s life. However, under the influence of Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. Victoria resumed public life, opening Parliament in 1866.
But Victoria never stopped mourning her beloved prince, wearing black until her death in 1901. During her reign, the longest in English history, Britain became a world power on which "the sun never set."
I’ve been talking about both fictional and nonfiction characters and their love stories. If you were asked to choose a love story from the Bible, which one would it be? As part of our ground rules for this discovery let’s say that we rule out what most will think of immediately as the greatest love story in the Bible. They would define it from John 3:16. Having said that let’s allow our minds to search throughout the Old Testament for examples of great love stories. Here are some of mine.
1. For the best example of a mother’s love I would choose Jochebed the mother of Moses. She defied the king’s command that all newborns were to be killed. She kept her baby in hiding as long as humanly possible. She devised a clever plan to save him that ultimately resulted in Moses being called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. Jochebed’s love was courageous, self-sacrificing, self-denying, creative and persistent.
2. I would add the story of Ruth and Naomi that is found in the Old Testament book of Ruth, It is a beautiful love story.
3. I think I will also include the story of Esther as found in the book of Esther.
4. The most erotic love story in the entire Bible is found in The Song of Solomon.
5. While the stories I have chosen are good examples of individual love I must say that the greatest story of love is that of God’s love for His chosen people Israel. The history of this nation that is scattered across the ages and pages of the Bible is mind-boggling. Of the many verses available I call your attention to the words of the Lord from the prophet Hosea. "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son. As they called them, so they went from them; they sacrificed to the Baals, and burned incense to carved images. I taught Ephraim [i.e., Israel] to walk, taking them by their arms; but they did not know that I healed them. I 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" (11:1-4 NIV). I want to add Jeremiah’s words: "The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: ’Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;’" (Jer. 31:3 and see verse 32; and Mal. 1:2 NIV). If God doesn’t change [and He does not]; if the "gifts and calling of God are without repentance" (Rm. 11:29) [and they are not], then it is safe to say that God’s love for His people remains as strong today as ever.
I want to try to illustrate what I consider to be the greatest example of love (outside of God’s love to us through our Lord Jesus Christ) that can be found anywhere in the Bible. My example, my love story, is based upon an actual historical fact. I don’t know the little intricate or intimate details that comprise this story but, using the facts as I have read them, I want to weave a story that is absolutely accurate in its development and outcome. Before I am done you may think I am exaggerating, that I am stretching the truth beyond the constraints of believability. I promise you I will not.
Let’s enter our "time machine" appropriately named The Spirit of Imagination and take a journey back to a land "far, far away" in a time "long, long ago" (to borrow a phrase from the Star Wars series.) To think it, is to be there. We think and find ourselves just outside a large village somewhere in the land of Israel. It is mid-afternoon and the bright summer sun beats unmercifully upon our loosely clad bodies as we slowly move past a shepherd leading his sheep toward pastureland in the nearby hills. Just ahead are eight or ten goats being driven toward the town’s marketplace. Merchant shops are open and are doing a brisk business. We are aware of the sounds of citizens who are haggling for a better price. A donkey approaches from behind. It is loaded with sacks of grain. We move to the right as it passes on the left, it’s owner seeming to be in a hurry. The closer that we move toward the heart of the village we become aware of the sound of many voices just down the road. We see a throng consisting mostly of men who are gathered in a loose semicircle. It is then that we can distinguish one voice above all others. It is the voice of the auctioneer!
We have arrived in time to observe what appears to be an auction of a slave girl. The auctioneer’s hoarse voice rings out, "I have a bid of five shekels for this slave woman, and can I hear seven!" Someone on the left says, "Seven!" The bidding continues as the auctioneer cajoles and begs for a higher and higher amount. We are curious to know more about this person who is the object of such shame and disgrace. Who is this slave? Where does she come from? How is it that she has come to stand on the auction block before all the villagers without one stitch of clothing on to cover her body? We ask these questions to no one in particular and we get answers from first one then another of those standing near.
"Who is she, you ask?" says one man. "Oh, she’s no stranger in these parts, I can tell you for sure. She’s the town whore," he answers in a tone of disgust. "That’s right, she’s got the reputation in these parts as the best prostitute in the region. More’n one man has enjoyed her favors over the past few years."
"Look at this woman!" exclaims the auctioneer. "She doesn’t have a mark on her body. She’s worth more than the seven-shekel bid I’ve got." He points out this fact to indicate that she has been well cared for despite her owner’s use of her for a long time to generate much profit by her prostitution. She’s grown older. There are subtle hints of her former beauty. She has reached the point when men have rejected her because she is not one of the young ones. She is at the undesirable age. Her owner believes there is no more profit potential left in her. It will be a miracle if anyone is willing to pay out much to get her.
"She use to be married," says another bystander on our right. Married? That comes as a surprise and opens a flood of other questions. Undoubtedly she has seen better days than this. We try to visualize a time in her youth when she was an exceedingly beautiful girl. Someone must have fallen in love with her. She must have fallen in love with some young man. They pledged their love to each other. Wanting to believe the best, we picture a happy wedding day and many days of wedded bliss as the couple began their married life together.
Our flight into fantasy is cut short when the bystander adds, "Yeah, she was married to the preacher that once lived around here." "This poor creature was married to a preacher?" we repeat disbelievingly. "Folks say she was nothing but a tramp even before they married," he continued. "I’m told they had three kids. Nobody knows for certain that they were his. The oldest was a boy. Then a girl was born and after that another boy," he said. He didn’t know any more details, or maybe he just figured he shouldn’t say any more.
At least the picture was getting a little clearer. This poor, naked creature that is the center of attention on this blistering hot afternoon standing on the auction block to be taken by the highest bidder was once young, beautiful and most of all free! She once knew the warm and tender embrace of a loving husband. In the process of time she had the joy of holding and loving three beautiful children. She was loved. She was cared for, provided for, her every need was met. She had a roof over her head, her own warm bed to sleep in at night.
Someone standing nearby heard the last remark about her marrying a preacher and confirmed that he had heard too that she was in fact a prostitute before the preacher took her in. People wondered how a guy like him could love a girl like her but when she seemed to settle down everybody was willing to admit that the marriage had a good chance of succeeding. But it didn’t. She kept stepping out on him. Nobody knows, of course, what happened but one day word got out that she was gone. She just "up and left" it seems. Left her husband. Left her kids. Left her house and everything. For what? It wasn’t long before the answer to that question came. She was doing "tricks" whenever and wherever she could. There was something about her old life that was too strong for her to deal with. In time some ole boy got hold of her, convinced everybody that she was his personal property and made her work for him for a long time. As revenue dropped he decided it was time to get as much money for her as he could. By now she’s not worth the price of a piece of cloth to cover her nakedness but he’ll try to get a couple of shekels if possible. After all, she might make somebody a good cook or maid, or something . . . if she stays home.
The auction was going slowly. But the woman’s owner was willing to wait as long as it took to get as much as he could from this worthless creature. The growing sentiment among those standing around was that she wasn’t worth fooling with; she should just be turned loose to do the best she could on her own. They were convinced her situation and lot in life was absolutely hopeless. The feeling of most was that she was getting exactly what she deserved. It was her choice to leave her husband and kids. It was her choice to go out into the streets as a common harlot and sell her body to anyone willing. Why would anyone want such a shiftless, no-good tramp like this now? Only a couple of men seemed mildly interested in bidding.
"Gentlemen, gentlemen," the auctioneer pleads. "I have a ten shekel bid, isn’t there any one of you who is willing to give me 11 shekels for . . . for . . . this former beauty!" Everyone knows he’s merely trying to squeeze one single shekel more. In desperation he finally says, "Listen! We must dispose of this piece of flesh before we can move on to the more profitable specimens we have available. Please! Let me hear 11 shekels."
"End it," someone shouts. "Yeah, close the bidding," someone else chimes in. "Let the fool who has offered 10 shekels have her. You’re lucky to get that much." " She’s nothing but an old burned-out, used-up, worthless whore," someone shouts. "Get her down from there so we can get on to something worthwhile."
"All right!" the auctioneer shouts. "I have a bid for 10 shekels. Going once . . . . going twice . . . for ten shekels, going twice . . . "
Suddenly from somewhere in the back of the crowd a voice strong and clear rings out, "I’ll give 15 shekels and ten 10 bushels of barley." The auctioneer’s jaw drops. He can’t believe what he has just heard. Every head in the crowd turns to see the man who dared make such an unbelievable bid. The woman on the podium didn’t lift her head. As far as she was concerned this was just another stranger who would take her, use her, maybe even abuse her and ultimately cast her away. The stranger makes his way to the front and counts out the 15 shekels into the hands of the seller promising to deliver the grain the next day.
The slave woman expects rough hands will grab her and jerk her down to the ground and pull her along the street in front of everyone who cares to look. After all, she is a slave. She had long ago given up her home, happiness, husband, and children. Long ago she had given up her own self-respect and lost all sympathy from the townspeople. She had no reason to hope or dare believe that she would be treated any other way but like the animal she feels she is.
Suddenly, she feels the smooth touch of a cloth being thrown around her shoulders falling down to below her knees covering her nakedness. Strong hands tenderly touch her shoulders. "Gomer," a voice said. "Gomer." She couldn’t remember how long it had been since she had heard her name spoken with such tenderness. She turns around to face the voice. Her eyes grow wide in astonishment as their eyes meet. Once again he said, "Gomer." Tears fill her dark eyes and trickle down both cheeks as she whispers out the word, "Hosea! Hosea! Is it really you?" "Yes," says Hosea, embracing her. "I have come to take you back home. You’re going home, Gomer. I love you. You are my wife Gomer. You are going home." The stunned crowd listens and watches in silence as Hosea gently helps her down from the podium. He is heard saying, "Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee" (Hosea 3:3 KJV). Arm in arm they begin their journey home.
That day Hosea the prophet of God, the preacher, took Gomer back home. Not as a slave to work as a slave, think like a slave, or act like a slave. Without scolding, without condemnation, he takes her home as his wife. Just as empty as her life had been now suddenly it has all changed. Her emptiness has been filled. This poor, pitiful, worthless slave of a creature had just been redeemed and restored back to life!
This wonderful love story begins in the first chapter of the book of Hosea. We read: "The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD. So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son" (Hosea 1:2,3).
This wonderful love story begins in the verses we have just read but it takes an incredible turn in chapter three. Here are the unbelievable words the Lord spoke to the prophet:
“Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.
“So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:
“And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee.
“For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:
“Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days” (Hosea 3:1-5 KJV).
Who is this prophet? What would lead him to act as he does toward this woman?
Hosea is the first of the so-called Minor Prophets. Not that his prophecies were of less importance than others such as Jeremiah, Isaiah or Ezekiel who are known as the Major Prophets. It was simply that his book is much shorter than the others. They wrote more. He wrote less. They are equal in importance. For about 150 years the Northern Kingdom of Israel had been divided from the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Sometimes these two would act cooperatively but at other times they would be quarreling. When Hosea began his ministry the nation of Israel (the Northern Kingdom) was heading full speed toward judgment at the hands of the fierce and fearsome Assyrians. Thousands would be slaughtered. Thousands more would be deported into captivity and slavery. Judgment was certain. Hosea had the task of warning the people of God’s impending judgment but not before God had an opportunity of pouring out His love toward them in an effort to turn their hearts toward Him.
Reading the book of Hosea one is made aware of the many prophecies of coming judgment. Despite the dire nature of the predicted judgment upon Israel Hosea gives us one of the most beautiful pictures of God’s unconditional love. He not only tells Israel that God is holy, he reminds them that God is love. Sin not only breaks the Law of God it also breaks the heart of God. The story of Hosea’s marriage to Gomer is intended to reflect a demonstration of God’s unconditional love. It was a living drama of a man’s love for a woman who was totally unworthy of love. This was God’s illustrated sermon on how much he cared for and loved Israel. The love story of Hosea ends with the resounding promise, "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him" (meaning Israel) (Hosea 14:4 KJV).
This love story from Hosea has its obvious parallels in the New Testament. For example, in Romans chapter eight, Paul asks a series of questions that ultimately culminate in the greatest question of all. He says,
1. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
2. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
3. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died…is risen again…who is at the right hand of God, who maketh intercession for us.
4. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
That last question is the key question. All the benefits and blessings Paul mentions in his question/answer series are anchored solidly upon the rock of God’s unfailing, unchanging, unshakable, and eternal love. He concludes: "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rm. 8:38,39 KJV).
In a moment we are going to return to Hosea and the picture we have seen of God’s love to Israel. Before we do, I want us to hear one more passage in the New Testament from the Apostle Paul. He is praying for the believers in Ephesus and mentions God’s love to us in his letter to them. His prayer is, "That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God" (Eph. 3:16-19 KJV).
From the Living New Testament verses 18 and 19 we read: "And may you be able to feel and understand, as all God’s children should, how long, how wide, how deep, and how high His love really is; and to experience this love for yourselves, though it is so great that you will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it. And so at last you will be filled up with God Himself" (Eph. 3:18,19).
What Paul is saying in Romans and in Ephesians is what God demonstrates through Hosea’s actions. Reading Hosea’s experience with an unfaithful wife God is demonstrating in a practical way "how long, how wide, how deep, and how high His love really is."
From what we have seen in Hosea, from what we’ve heard from Paul, I want to draw two or three conclusions to leave with you. What does God’s love story in Hosea teach us?
First: I think it is safe to say that God’s love is, humanly speaking, without rhyme or reason. To say God’s love is illogical is an understatement. Recall, however, that Paul says God’s love "is so great that you will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it." Answer honestly: is there any good reason why—based upon your talents, pedigree, family background, good works and deeds, personal magnetism, status or anything else—is there any good reason why God should love you? Tell me how it makes sense, based upon who you really are, why God should love you. I can’t think of any reasons either. And of course this includes me.
Our love is not like God’s love. Guess whom it is that we choose to love . . . that’s right . . . someone who will love us! The way we love is not the way He loves. Did you love Him before He loved you? Did you pursue Him before He pursued you? Did you seek Him before He sought you? I think not.
What God asked Hosea to do did not make sense—totally illogical. That’s the point! God’s love to Israel didn’t make sense either. A big question hangs in the air: why would God commit himself to a group of people He knew would not be faithful to Him? Would you choose a mate, who, going in, you know will not be faithful to you, will betray your love, and leave you for others? Would you choose a mate who, going in, you know will not be thankful for what you do and give, the love and support you show? According to our way of thinking, God’s love is irrational. It doesn’t make sense. Speaking for myself, I’m glad it is!
Second, God’s love doesn’t have disclaimers hidden in the fine print. Having said that, I don’t think I can really explain it. I totally believe it but without knowing exactly why I believe it or how to make it make sense to anyone else. Let me try. A word we most often hear bandied about when we talk about the subject of God’s love is, "God’s love for us is an unconditional love." Meaning it is unqualified, absolute, without limitations or conditions. I think I can understand the meaning of these terms especially when applying them to myself—foibles, failures, disgraces and all—but I find that it stretches my belief system to much when I must apply the same principle of unconditional love to your foibles, failures, and disgraces. Are you willing to be as transparent about this as I am trying to be?
God’s love is unconditional, unqualified and without conditions which makes it absolutely unlike the love we often show. HOWEVER, God’s love is not without demands for responsibility and even limits. We all have heard of the concept called tough love. Sometimes love has to be tough and demanding of responsibility. Otherwise it is not genuine love. Tough love—as God’s love is—demands accountability. Unconditional love does not mean, for example, that a person will remain in an abusive relationship. It does not mean that a parent, for example, has to indulge a rebellious teenager. Tough love makes an offending person face the possibility of accepting the consequences of their action, does not intervene to block their choices that would avert adverse consequences. It says, "I cannot—will not—condone your actions and when you are ready and willing to begin a relationship based upon mutual respect and love the door is open for a relationship between us."
When you read the entire story of Hosea’s relationship with Gomer and its application to the nation of Israel you pick up this theme of tough love. God was responding to Israel’s sin and disobedience by dealing with them with toughness and compassion. Is there such a thing as "tough compassion?" I don’t know. If not, let’s invent it right now.
I will choose two or three passages from Hosea to illustrate how this tough love concept unfolded in God’s relationship with Israel.
1. "Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths" (2:6).
(a) Now you will have to admit that this is tough language. It is a far cry from the limp-wristed, namby-pamby kind of love that makes excuses for bad behavior a.k.a. "enabler" love or "codependent" love. Listen to the language: hedged up by thorns; beating against a wall; confused, lost, without clear direction.
2. "And then shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then it was it better with me than now" (2:7).
(a) The object of tough love is to reduce resources leading to one disappointment after another until the person says, "I need to go back and begin again. It was better for me then than now."
(b)These two verses are the very essence of tough love.
3. "O Ephraim [another word for Israel], what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? For your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away " (6:4).
(a) Promises, promises! "I’ll do better, I promise." "I won’t do it again, I promise." "I give you my word, I promise." Promises that have all the substance of the early morning clouds and the early dew that go away as surely as the sun rises.
4. Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth" (vs. 5)
(a) "Hewed by the prophets . . . slain by the words of my mouth." Sooner or later, someone will have to stand up and say the obvious: "the King don’t have on no clothes!"
(b) The Apostle Paul faced this when he wrote to the Galatians. He asked, "Have I then become your enemy by telling the truth to you and dealing sincerely with you?" (Gal. 4:16 Amplified).
(c) It sounds like God wasn’t mincing words with Israel—He was talking straight—telling it like it is.
Finally, what is the ultimate purpose for God’s unconditional love? God’s nature and character is first and foremost redeemer, deliverer. In order for us to understand fully God’s purpose in dealing the Israel through the dramatic actions of Hosea we need only read the final chapter of the story. It is found in chapter 14. We hear God’s plaintive call, "O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will be render the calves of our lips" (14:1,2 KJV). Amazing! Not only does the Lord give the invitation to come to Him, He leads them in the sinner’s prayer! This is followed by the promise of forgiveness and great blessing. "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon" (vs. 4,5ff. KJV).
The blessings of Heaven await all that will turn to the Lord. From Titus 3:4-7 we read: "But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (NKJV).
The verse of a favorite hymn comes to mind.
I stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene
And wonder how He could love me
A sinner condemned unclean.
(Chorus)
How wonderful! How Marvelous!
And my song shall ever be.
How wonderful! How Marvelous!
Is my Savior’s love for me.
And, finally, a few of the most expressive words about God’s love in another song:
Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made.
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade.
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole
Though stretched from sky to sky
Refrain: O Love of God, how rich and pure,
How measureless and strong.
It shall forever more endure,
The saints and angel’s song.
