Knowledge of God

I have to catch up with the reading of Hosea. If we broadly divide the book into two parts, the first 3 chapters make up the first. Chapter 3 consists in only 5 verses. It talks about the redemption of Israel.
So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley.
And I said to her, "You must dwell as mine for many days; you shall not play the harlot, or belong to another man; so will I also be to you." (Hosea 3:2-3)
The woman Hosea bought back was Gomer. She would not commit adultery anymore with other men and Hosea would stay with her. Similarly, when God redeems us, we should not go to other idols anymore and God will dwell with us. We should give up our previous sinful way of life so that we may share eternal life with our God.
Then Hosea turned to criticize the priests and other false prophets because they led the people astray.
You (the priests) shall stumble by day, the prophet also shall stumble with you by night;
and I will destroy your mother.
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge;
because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me.
And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children (Hosea 4:5-6).
It is not clear why God would want to destroy the mother of the priests. Probably it was for the same reason that God would forget their children. God punished the three generations because of their lack of knowledge.
for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me (Exodus 20:5b).
When God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, He had made known to Israel that He would punish idol-worshippers for three to four generations. Therefore, the 'lack of knowledge' Hosea talked about was not any ignorance but idolatry. But it is a bit confusing to read, later on that
Therefore your daughters play the harlot, and your brides commit adultery.
I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot, nor your brides when they commit adultery;
for the men themselves go aside with harlots, and sacrifice with cult prostitutes,
and a people without understanding shall come to ruin (Hosea 4:13b-14).
Idolatry would lead to prostitution and adultery (Hosea 4:13b). Fair enough. But God would not punish the women for doing that. He would only punish the men! Prophecy is really difficult to decipher.
Hosea's thesis was simple enough. Idolatry prevents us from gaining true knowledge of God.
Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God.
For the spirit of harlotry is within them, and they know not the LORD (Hosea 5:4).
God would punish them, in order to teach them the truth.
When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria, and sent to the great king.
But he is not able to cure you or heal your wound.
For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah.
I, even I, will rend and go away, I will carry off, and none shall rescue (Hosea 5:13-14).
God punishes in order to heal. Here comes the famous verse.
Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn, that he may heal us;
he has stricken, and he will bind us up.
After two days he will revive us;
on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.
Let us know, let us press on to know the LORD;
his going forth is sure as the dawn;
he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth (Hosea 6:1-3)
Hosea 6:2 is probably the only reference of resurrection on the third day in the Old Testament. Previously, the story of King Hezekiah also involves the third day. He fell sick and was dying. Isaiah brought him God's message that he would recover and live 15 years more. On the third day, Hezekiah would go up to the house of the Lord (2 Kings 20:5). In both passages, the knowledge of God would bring life. That is why we have another famous verse from Hosea.
What shall I do with you, O Ephraim?
What shall I do with you, O Judah?
Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away.
Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light.
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings (Hosea 6:4-6).
Our love of God is like a morning cloud, like the dew. We fall short of God's requirement: steadfast love. We also lack knowledge of God when we worship idols, when our hearts are occupied by worldly desires, riches, power and lust. In short, we do not love God enough.

My dear Advocate, You are the Spirit of Love and the Spirit of Knowledge. You are a generous gift from Jesus our Lord. Heat up our stony hearts to love You and our neighbours more. Purge our hearts of love of riches and power. Be my guest and dwell in my contrite heart. Amen.