A large majority of menā“married and singleā“say they
wouldn’t have an affair, even if they were certain their ... More
God's Glory
“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 despite her sin, so God loves Israel and will restore her despite 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. An example of this is that I was an introvert and afraid to speak before others, but God showed me that I could.
Hosea 1:1-11 (English Standard Version)
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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 menā“married and singleā“say they wouldn’t have an affair, even if they were certain their ... 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 despite her sin, so God loves Israel and will restore her despite 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. An example of this is that I was an introvert and afraid to speak before others, but God showed me that I could.
Hosea 1:1-11 (English Standard Version)
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View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway) »