The story we most often hear when it comes to Hosea is God's command to marry Gomer (a prostitute), but that is actually only the first three chapters of the book. The rest of Hosea is a prophecy describing Israel's unfaithfulness and how they would be punished; essentially, God's judgment of Israel and Judah because of their unfaithfulness.
What's interesting about this portion is it can be a basic guidebook for discipline in our families. In chapter 11 verses 1-4 Israel is like God's child,
"When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. The more they were called, the more they went away; they kept sacrificing to the bales and burn burning offerings to idols. Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk; I took them up by their arms, but they did not know that I healed them I led them. With chords of kindness, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them."
As Hosea continues, his description of Israel reflects almost a rebelliousness that often manifests in adolescence; Israel continues to reject him and turn to other gods. The rest of the book gives us a type of outline for discipline.
The goal of discipline is restoration. First, God labeled their behaviors, listing everything they did wrong; how they turned from him and their wrong attitudes toward him. God was honest about what it meant to him because he was/is holy. Creator God formed man, called out his people, and protected them. Because of their disobedience, they had to be disciplined. God pronounced their judgment, which was pretty severe but justified because of the severity of their sin.
The very last chapter is a plea for God's people to return him and an expression of love for them. His desire was restoration. In chapter 14 verse 4 he says,
"I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, from my anger has turned from them. I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily; he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon; His shoots shall spread out; his beauty shall be like the olive; and his fragrance like Lebanon. They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow; they shall flourish like the grain; they shall blossom like the vine; their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon."
God ended with his love for them and how he would restore them. No matter what, they were still his chosen people.
This is a great model for how we can discipline our kids with a discipleship mindset. The goal is always restoration. The punishment or consequences may be severe based on the severity of the infraction, but the goal is always restoration and pointing them back to God.
What that looks like will be very different in each circumstance for each kid. Again the goal is always to point them back to God and restore right relationship between you. Just like God provided restoration for us.
Verses to ponder:
Proverbs 12:1 - Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.
Revelation 3:19 - Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.
Proverbs 3:11-12 - My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.
Hebrews 12:5-11 - And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
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