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More Hosea commentaries
Hosea 1:1-11
The Symbol of an Unfaithful Wife
Hosea 2:1-13
The Strain Upon Divine Patience
Hosea 2:14-23
A Picture of The Devine Lover
Hosea 3:1-5
The Interlude of Love
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The Symbol of an Unfaithful Wife
Hosea 1:1–11
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
A large majority of men–married and single–say they wouldn’t have an affair, even if they were certain their loved one would never find out, says a Gallup poll commissioned by Self magazine, in the June (1992) issue. Of 500 men surveyed, 67% of married men and 60% of unma … More
“The word of the Lord that came” indicates that this prophecy is not Hosea’s (v. l). It is a prophecy that originated with God Himself. In dealing with the words of this prophecy a person is not dealing with the words of man, but rather with the very words of God. Hosea was a spokesman for the Lord in perilous times. Murder, idolatry, and immorality were rampant in the land and nobody seemed to be interested in hearing the Word of the Lord. Although God asks us to do our part, we should remember the He is not limited to human effort. He can accomplish all his purposes without any help from us if He so chooses. We do not have the ability of fulfill or the power to disrupt God’s plans.
The opening chapter sets forth the major themes of the entire prophecy; Israel’s unfaithfulness, the certainty of judgement, and the ultimate restoration of the nation. At the beginning of Hosea’s ministry the Lord instructed him to marry a woman who would be unfaithful (v. 2). Although Bible scholars disagree on this it seems that Gomer was not an adulterous woman when Hosea married her but God was letting Hosea know that she would later turn to adultery and prostitution. At any rate Hosea knew ahead of time that his wife would be unfaithful and that their married life would be an object lesson of Israel’s unfaithfulness . Just as Gomer sinned, so did Israel sin. Just as Hosea loves Gomer and will restore her in spite of her sin, so God loves Israel and will restore her in spite of her sin. Hosea is certainly an Old Testament illustration of a servant of God who presented himself completely to God (Romans 12:1-2).
Application
God may ask me to do something difficult and extraordinary. If He does I need to be willing to obey Him and trust Him to fulfill His special purpose in and through my life.
Hosea 1:1-11 (English Standard Version)
The word of the LORD that came to Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, "Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD." So he went and took Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. And the LORD said to him, "Call his name Jezreel, for in just a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. And on that day I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel." She conceived again and bore a daughter. And the LORD said to him, "Call her name No Mercy, for I will no more have mercy on the house of Israel, to forgive them at all. But I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the LORD their God. I will not save them by bow or by sword or by war or by horses or by horsemen." When she had weaned No Mercy, she conceived and bore a son. And the LORD said, "Call his name Not My People, for you are not my people, and I am not your God." 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." And the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall appoint for themselves one head. And they shall go up from the land, for great shall be the day of Jezreel.
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