6 steps for healing a broken Relationship

 Read Hosea 2.

The LORD used the heartbreak of Hosea's marriage to illustrate His relationship with Israel.  A decisive separation was about to take place.  However, it was not to end the marriage but to bring healing to it.

Like Gomer, the nation of Israel left their exclusive love of God and turned to other spiritual relationships.  The motive was for what they could get.  Gomer chased other lovers for support, clothes, and luxuries her husband did not give her.  Israel took part in the worship of false gods and practices for their own pleasure and personal gain.

It came time to put an end to this shameful behavior.  Hosea (and God) would put a stop to it (v.6-7).  The wife (Israel) would lose everything (vv.9-12).  For Israel this meant that the brutal empire of the Assyrians would invade the northern kingdom, kill and destroy any opposition, and scatter the people throughout their realm.  The intent of this punishment would be for her to come to her senses and repent of her sin.  "I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better for me then than now." (v.7b).

What is God's plan for renewing this broken relationship with Israel as a nation?
Yes, about 200 years later there was a return of the Jews to the land under the Persian Empire.  But, that generation and subsequent generations did not fulfill the prophecy here.  "In that day" (vv.16, 21) is a reference to the Millennial Kingdom when the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31) will be in full effect.  As the Apostle Paul declared concerning that time, "all Israel will be saved" (Romans 11:26). 
-The Jews will occupy all of the land God promised to Abraham. (v.23)
-"No Mercy" will be changed to God having mercy upon His chosen people.
-"Not My People" will become God's people again.
-The wayward nation will return and say, "You are my God."

What principles apply to healing a broken relationship?
1. "I will allure her."  The separation and the losses will be replaced with steps to "entice" and "persuade" her to come back.
2. "I will bring her into the wilderness."  In other words, they will get away together.  The LORD did this before when the nation in the 40 years of wilderness wanderings.  There the nation had to learn to be fully dependent upon God.   
3. "I will speak tenderly to her."  These are words of encouragement and gentleness.
4. "I will give her vineyards."  What was taken from her in brokenness will be restored.
5. "I will make...a door of hope."  There must be a path to restoring the marriage.  Achor means "trouble."  But the LORD will lead Israel through the troubled times (the Great Tribulation) back to the Promised Land. 
6. "There she shall answer as in the days of her youth."  This takes the relationship back to when they first met and the love first blossomed.  The outcome is that the wayward comes home and falls in love again.