For the people to be children is to have their identity and status returned to them. God often referred to Israel as his children (Exodus 3:10). At the time of Hosea, Israel had forgotten who they were and whose they were. They were behaving like “children of whoredom” (Hosea 1:2), running after the dead gods of Canaanite religion. In the day of restoration they will rediscover the truth that there is only one living God and his name is Yahweh. This is what Elijah proved to the priests of Baal (1 Kings 18:27) and it is the reason given for Israel’s early military victories over the Canaanites (Joshua 3:10).1 The fact that they will be called not merely the servants or ambassadors but the very intimately known and loved children of the only living God, shows just how tragic their acts of spiritual unfaithfulness truly are.
10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, “You are not my people,” it shall be said to them, “Children of the living God.”