347. Sons of God
Hosea 1:10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.
God promises that we are the sons of the living God. Our sins have caused us to be called “Not My People,” as we forfeited the right to be God’s people. We have left Him. Thus God told Hosea to name his son “Not My People.” But things would change; because of God’s love things would be reversed. We are transferred from no people into sons of God. Christ did this for us and fulfilled the promise. He made us sons, we who were nobody, nowhere, no God, no people, far off, separated from God and Life. Through Christ God made us His people, and not just His people but also His sons, a part of a close family.
Our relationship with the Lord God could not be described in closer, more intimate, terms. We are as close as marriage and family. We are described as sons of God, brothers of Christ, sheep of the Shepherd, branches of the vine, citizens of the kingdom, or the Bride of Christ. The closest relationship we can imagine is what our relationship with the Lord is like, but actually it is closer, for God is perfect love. Yes, we are and we will ever be sons of the living God.
Nothing in earth exactly matches parents’ love for their children. In its purest form it is total and unconditional. This relationship helps us understand our Father’s relationship with us. He is the Prodigal’s Father to us. He loves to rejoice with us and watch us grow. This will always be true, even if we do not return God’s love.
Once we have our own child we have taken on a huge responsibility. In the same way, when the Father adopts us as His sons and daughters, He takes on a huge responsibility: to take care of us, provide, protect, preserve us, and look out for our best interests all the time. The story goes: “Dad, will you do this for me?” “Why?” “Because I’m your daughter.” How true! Why will God be so good to us? Because we are sons of the living God.