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Does speaking to a brick wall have any value? Or how about
speaking to a recorded voice or a dead corpse?
That’s what we see in today’s lesson in Hosea. His ministry as a prophet lasted a long time.
In fact, he had a front row seat watching the demise of 10 kings – 4 kings of
Judah (the southern kingdom) and 6 kings of Israel (the northern kingdom). But,
for the most part, his ministry had little impact if any. The kings was ungodly
as well as the people. The worst part was that he was required to marry a
prostitute, one whom he truly loved with near unconditional love, but one who
ongoingly continued her profession in spite of being married to Hosea – a sad
picture or symbol of the spiritual state of Israel.
God’s Prophet Marries A Prostitute
In chapter 1, we see God’s command in verse 2 for Hosea, God’s
prophet, to marry a known prostitute. This would probably embarrass any other
prophet, but Hosea loved God enough to obey. But God had a plan in it all. It
was to symbolize the spiritual prostitution the nation of Israel and Judah were
committing against their husband – God Almighty – the one who brought them out
of Egypt and gave them the land of Canaan.
I can only imagine how painful his family life must have
been! In fact, if the naming of his children depict it in some way, it was
deeply excruciating. His first son was named Jezreel – named after a despicable
valley of murders whom King Jehu committed. His second child, a daughter, was
named Lo-ruhamah. Her name means “not loved.” And the third child was named
Lo-ammi. Her name means “not my people.”
We aren’t sure if these were children from Hosea’s seed or from someone
else whom she prostituted her body with, but either way it was a painful time
for Hosea. There is a verse in Chapter 2 that may indicate these children were
actually born from others. In 2:4 God says, “And I will not love her children
for they were conceived in prostitution.” Even though Chapter 2 is a prophecy
against the nation of Israel, keep in mind that Hosea’s marriage to Gomer, the
prostitute, was to give the people of Israel and Judah a clear picture of how
ugly and wicked their sin was in the eyes of God.
Anyone then, and today, would be deeply troubled to see this
kind of relationship happen. But God needed to provide the people a clear
picture of what was going on.
While Chapter 2 is a prophecy from God through His servant,
Hosea, it has two parts to it. The first part relates to the present time
whereby God is about to give Israel and Judah and spiritual spanking for wicked
behavior. Within the next few years, they will go into exile being captured by
the Babylonians and into slavery once
again. Yet, the second part of this prophecy is one of hope! It foretells of a future day, the day when
Jesus returns to earth to set up His kingdom and where Israel and Judah will
reunite and enjoy the manifold blessings from God – just as He’s always wanted
and intended to do.
In Chapter 3, God urges a discouraged Hosea to go and “love
your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will
illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even thought the people have
turned to other gods and love to worship them.”
What is absolutely disgusting is that Hosea had to pay her
lover 15 pieces of silver and a few other items in order to buy her back from
him! Imagine that! Hosea is married to Gomer, but in order to
get her back Hosea has to pay for it!
Hosea then demanded of Gomer that if he did take her back
she would have to stop her prostitution for many days and that she couldn’t
even have sex with him. Can you imagine
a discussion like that?
As verse 4 states, it’s a picture of how Israel and Judah will
soon become devoid of all the good things God had provided them. They will soon be captured by the Babylonian
army, plundered of all their possessions, and enter into slavery once again.
What would you have done if God commanded you to marry
someone who was continually looking for sex and love with someone else other
than you? Do you love God to the point
of doing something like that? Hosea did!
This story illustrates how God looks upon us and weighs out
our actions, thoughts, and desires. Are you fully devoted to God living a life
that is pleasing in His sight, or are you a spiritual prostitute doing anything
you please?
As someone once said – “If Jesus isn’t Lord of everything in your life, then He’s not Lord at all.”
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