As we look at our gate for today, the thought comes to mind that this location would be a beautiful venue for a wedding. In fact, this very gate has been seen strung with ribbons and wedding décor. A perfect venue for a perfect wedding!
The book of Hosea opens with the announcement of a wedding! How fabulous! Weddings are wonderful. In fact, God Himself specifies the bride for Hosea: “Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the LORD.” – Hosea 1:2
Hold on!
If God announced your wedding and commanded you to marry an unfaithful spouse … how would you respond??
Hosea obeyed God completely.
The book of Hosea is about faithfulness. Loyal, devoted faithfulness … in spite of repeated infidelity of a spouse. God called Hosea’s very life to be an object lesson. A living object lesson to the nation of Israel of God’s faithfulness to them.
Hosea lived during the same time as the prophet Isaiah. Hosea prophesied to the northern kingdom of Israel, during the final waning days before Assyria conquered the land. It is likely, perhaps, that Hosea might have been carried off into captivity by the Assyrians. (for reference, see: 2 Kings 14:23-17:6; 18:9-12)
What were the people like, to whom Hosea was sent to minister?
“There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land. There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.” – Hosea 4:1-2
“Even when their drinks are gone, they continue their prostitution; their rulers dearly love shameful ways.” – Hosea 4:18
“My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge … you have rejected knowledge … you have ignored the law of your God.” – Hosea 4:6
“A spirit of prostitution is in their heart; they do not acknowledge the LORD. Israel’s arrogance testifies against them.” – Hosea 5:4-5
“They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind.” – Hosea 8:7
The message of Hosea … through his very life … through his marriage … is that God is forever faithful!
Again and again Hosea’s wife was unfaithful. Again and again Hosea’s wife abandoned her marriage to run after lovers. Yet again and again Hosea remained faithful to her. In Hosea 3:1-2 Hosea actually went to the slave market and bought back his wife.
God’s message to the people, through Hosea, was: You are rebellious, but I still love you!
The message of the book of Hosea calls out to us today: You can never run too far that God won’t love you. Turn around … God is right there, waiting to redeem you and restore a relationship with you.
It’s never too late to turn back to God.
Jesus Christ in Hosea
Jesus can be seen pictured in the faithfulness of Hosea. Jesus is forever faithful!
(Revelation 19:11)
Jesus is seen in the prophecy of Hosea 11:1 – “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
(This happened – Matthew 2:13-15)
Jesus is seen pictured in Hosea buying his wife back from the slave market. Jesus’s sacrificial death paid the price to buy us out of our slavery to sin.
– Titus 2:14
– 1 Peter 1:18-19
– 1 Corinthians 7:23
– 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
– Revelation 5:9
