True to the tradition of prophets before him, Hosea illustrates God's messages in strikingly unforgettable ways. Obedient to God's command, he marries a prostitute named Gomer as a shocking indictment upon idolatrous Israel. Three children are born whose names carry overtones of God's impending judgment. When Gomer betrays Hosea's love by deserting him for other men, the prophet seeks her out, pays a high price to redeem her, disciplines her, then reaffirms his love for her. Thus, the prophet models God's loving chastisement and total acceptance of His people. Devotion to the LORD is like faithfulness in marriage. Idolatry is likened unto spiritual adultery 2:20
These three chapters of Hosea state three things: 1. A marriage with a meaning - Hosea and Gomer 2. The meaning of a Marriage - God and Israel 3. The Lesson of Love - God and Hosea
Love is truly a "many splendored and oft mistaken thing." There is BECAUSE love: I love you because you are beautiful...because you are talented...because you make me feel special.
There is WHEN love: I love you when you are good...when you are faithful...when you are obedient. There is IF love: I will love you, IF you please me...IF you don't hurt me...IF you measure up to my expectations. AND then there is God's love: He does not give conditions like because, when, OR IF, rather HE says, "I love you, PERIOD!" NO CONDITIONS, NO FINE PRINT, NO TIMETABLE.
"No one can love a saint as a saint, but a saint!"
In this passage of the first 3 chapters, which kind of love does Hosea show toward Gomer? 3:1-2. Which kind does God display to Israel 2:16-23? What kind of love does God offer to us today? Romans 5:8. And which kind does He expect you to show to those around you? John 13:34
The O.T. records "action sermons" by many of our prophets. Isaiah...dressed like a prisoner of war; Jeremiah carried a yoke on his shoulders; Ezekial acted like a little boy and played war. Why do you think they did these peculiar things? These were acts of mercy. People of God had become deaf to God's voice and were no longer paying attention to His covenant. The strange actions of the prophets was to win the attention of the people...an act of mercy so the nation would escape divine discipline and judgment.
Hosea was chosen to do the most painful...marry a prostitute...bore him 3 children and he wasn't even sure the last 2 were his. Gomer left him for another and he had the humiliating responsibility of buying back his own wife.
Here we have a vivid picture of what the people of Israel had done to God by prostituting themselves to idols and committing "spiritual adultery". Since people today have the same temptation James 4:4, we need to heed what Hosea wrote for his people. There are important lessons from each of the characters in this drama.
Evil kings...what a time to be serving the Lord! Murder, idolatry, and immorality were rampant in the land and nobody seemed to be interested in hearing the Word of the Lord.!
When Hosea married Gomer, we have a picture of the LORD calling the Israelites in the midst of their idolatry. He "married" them at Mt. Sinai when they accepted His covenant and then He grieved over them when they forsook Him for the false gods of the land of Canaan. Like Gomer, Israel began as idolater, married Jehovah and eventually returned to her idolatry.
WHAT THE CHILDREN TEACH US: The names of the children are very significant! Jezreeel...God sows or God scatters. Jezreel was a city./..associated with the drastic judgment that Jehu executed on the family of Ahab...Jehu was so zealous that he murdered far more people than the Lord commanded including King Ahaziah of Judah and 42 of his relatives. The birth and name of Jezreel was the Lord announcing that He would avenge the innocent blood shed by Jehu and put an end of Jehu's dynasty in Israel.
The second child...a daughter named Lo-ruhamah...unpitied or not loved. God had loved His people and proved it in many ways, but now He would withdraw that love and no longer show them mercy. The expression of God's love is unconditional but our enjoyment of that love is conditional and depends on our faith and obedience. God would allow the Assyrians to swallow up the Northern Kingdom but protect the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
The third, child, Lo-ammi - not My people. Not only would God remove His mercy from His people but He would renounce the covenant He had made with them. It was like a man divorcing his wife and turning his back on her, or like a father rejecting his own son. 1:10-2:1. Those names would one day be changed to mean the exact opposite. Zech 12:10-13:1 A PICTURE OF GOD'S GRACE!
2.2-5 The people were constantly turning to idols for answers to prayer requests instead of the LORD. Pagan worship involved sensual fertility rites, and for these rites, both male and female prostitutes were provided.
According to Hebrew law, adultery was a capital crime, punishable by death, but God announced that He would discipline Israel and not destroy her. Unfaithfulness to the Lord is a serious sin! As Israel was tempted to forsake God for idols, the church is tempted to turn to the world system that hates God and wants nothing to do with God. We must be very cautious to not love the world, be friendly with the world, become spotted by the world or conform to the world. We must remain true to Jesus the Bridegroom until He returns to take His Bride to the heavenly wedding.
2:5-9 The Israelites were people of ingratitude. They gave thanks to the idols for the blessings that the Lord sent to them. We must be cautious to always give thanks and never to take His gifts for granted and use them to worship false gods!!!!!
2:10-13 How easy it is to attend services go through the motions of worship. God chose to not abandon His people but did choose to discipline them. He would block their plans, confuse, them, take back His gifts, and leave the nation as naked as a newborn baby and as barren as a desert. One of the first steps of rebellion to the LORD is in refusing to give thanks!! How easy it is to drift into the motions of worshipping God when our hearts are far from Him.
Hosea is to be noted as one of the greatest lovers of all time. "His love was so strong that the vilest behavior could not dull it...Gomer broke his heart but she made it possible for him to give the world a picture of the heart of the diving Lover."
God's love expressed in His "I will" statements 2:14-23: "I will allure...not force but woo. God spoke tenderly to His people through the Word and His manifold blessings. v. 15. "I will give" - from the Valley of trouble to the door of Hope. v. 16-17 "I will take away" Every Jew will call God "my Husband" for the divine marriage relationship will be restored. Israel will no longer prostitute herself before idols, but will love and serve the true and living God. "I will betroth v. 18-20 God's wooing will result in Israel yielding to Him and entering into a covenant relationship that would never end. "I will respond" v. 21-22 A cosmic conversation between God and the heavens and earth...they respond to each other and bring blessings to God's people (rain/heavens, produce/earth). v.23 "I will plant" God sowing His people in their land the way a farmer sows seed. The names of the children have changed!
3:1-5 Gomer is unfaithful and Hosea buys her back! Israel will enter into a blessed relationship in which the people will respond. YOU are my God! The Lord will respond, you are My people! This will occur in the latter days when the Messianic King sits on David's throne and judges righteously.
The key word is RETURN...22 times in this prophecy. When Israel repents and returns to the Lord then the Lord will return to bless Israel. V. 7-8 God has returned to His place and left Israel to herself until she seeks Him and says, "Come and let us return unto the Lord."
This is Hosea's message, O Israel, return to the Lord they God...take with you words, and turn to the Lord...Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously.
That prayer is good for any sinner, Jew or Gentile.
God is gracious, and no matter what NAME our birth has given to us, He can change it and give us a new beginning. Even the valley of trouble can become a door of hope. God is holy and He must deal with sin. The essence of idolatry is enjoying the gifts but not honoring the Giver. To live for the world is to break God's heart and commit "spiritual adultery". (IDOLATRY - anything that usurps the position of the LORD in our lives!) God is love and promises to forgive and restore all who repent and return to Him. He promises to bless all who trust Him.
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