God's mercy and restoration!

[Artfuldodger]

Hosea 6:1
"Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds.

Job 5:18
For He wounds, but also binds; He strikes, but His hands also heal.

Isaiah 17:7
In that day men will look to their Maker and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel.

Jeremiah 30:17
But I will restore your health and heal your wounds, declares the LORD, because they call you an outcast, Zion, for whom no one cares."

Romans 11:31-32
so they too have now disobeyed, in order that they too may now receive mercy through the mercy shown to you. 32For God has consigned all men to disobedience so that He may have mercy on them all.

Ecclesiastes 3:3
a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build,

I've noticed a lot of verses say "return."

 

[Artfuldodger]

It appears that God breaks us down and then builds us back up. He wounds us and then heals us. He consigns us to disobedience and then has mercy on us.

 

[Artfuldodger]

Is the story of Hosea's marriage and family a shadow or symbol of God wounding and healing? A time to break down and a time to build?
A time of disobedience and a time of mercy?

 

[StriperAddict]

Well, I do not see God as the author of breaking but restoring. We live in a fallen world and out of that comes the pain and bitter herbs it dishes out. Such things can present opportunities to grow in grace and the knowledge of the love of God, who, in Christ is showing His goodness and indwelling life while the chaos goes on around us. As a popular author says, the world comes at us ... but Christ works in and thru us. He binds our wounds, but is never the cause of them. Make sense?

 

[Artfuldodger]

You don't ever see Jesus breaking, binding, or wounding people in order to make them see? Not permanently of course but temporarily.

I see it related to Israel but I think he also does this to individuals. To one of his children that doesn't think he needs God. He may cause hardships to make them see and understand his love.

 

[Artfuldodger]

1 Samuel 2:6-7
The LORD brings death and gives life; some He brings down to Sheol, and others He raises up. 7The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts.

Job 42:10
After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his prosperity and doubled his former possessions.

Romans 9:17
For Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."

Exodus 9:16
But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display to you My power, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.

Esther 4:14
If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?"

 

[StriperAddict]

You don't ever see Jesus breaking, binding, or wounding people in order to make them see? Not permanently of course but temporarily.

I see it related to Israel but I think he also does this to individuals. To one of his children that doesn't think he needs God. He may cause hardships to make them see and understand his love.

Christ isn't into the breaking business, the world will be doing that enough for the rest of our lives! But I do see Him USING those challenges, thorns, and dire circumstances to have us hold to His Life by faith, and deepen the knowledge of having all things in Christ - even at the point of earthly loss. He says "Peace I leave with you - but NOT as the world", which will try to fool us into circumstance blessing, when He is enough. He was broken so that we would be fulfilled in Him, always and at all times. "I have learned the secret of abounding and suffering need", Paul talks in Phil. about both conditions being a good place to know contentment, yes? Guess it may take time for us to see that our Lord isn't tossing the darts!!
Peace

 

[Brother David]

A point to ponder . God never gave a promise to any of the Prophets without giving hope to following and rebuke for not. Remember our God is a Jealous God (Exodus 20:5) . God strongly desire a love relationship with us and will do whatever is necessary to bring that to fulfillment . I this isn't popular Preaching but it is the WORD !

One more thought we are to adjust to how the Lord wants us to live , not try to adjust the Lord how we want to live .