quickly and without causing pain.

Hosea had the children removed to the home of a friend for several
months. During that time Gomer quickly recovered from her trials and
returned to health and beauty. Then he brought the children back and
restored them to their real mother.

Once, after the reunited family had spent a very happy evening, a
tremendous truth came home to Hosea. Here they were all happy, as if
trouble had never entered to disturb the sweetness and beauty of their
lives! Why had sorrow and suffering come upon them at all?

Then and there Hosea realized that there was a purpose in his home
tragedy. He understood better than ever before that God had selected
him to be a prophet to his people; that God had taught him through
sorrow and suffering, the lesson he was to teach to Israel.

Israel had become faithless to God and had left His law; even as Gomer
had left her husband. God grieved for the sins of Israel; even as he
had grieved for Gomer who had strayed from him. God loved His people,
nevertheless; even as he loved Gomer, continually. God was prepared to
take Israel back under His guiding and loving care, when Israel would
repent of its backsliding and sinning; even as he did with Gomer.

From that day on Hosea's preaching took on a different form. He no
longer scolded and condemned, but entreated and pleaded with his
people:

"Return, O Israel, to the Lord thy God,
For thou hast stumbled through thine iniquity.