Can you think of wrongs you have suffered from your mate that may be keeping you from freely expressing your love? 10:12.) And one who has experienced His loving forgiveness cannot help but love and forgive others. When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt., Hosea 11:8. That child born in Hoseas house was not his. The name of the first child, Jezreel, is the same as that of the valley of former King Jehus bloody purge, and foreshadowed Israels overthrow in that strategic valley. Ephraims glory flies away (v.11). (Luke 23:34). Because most people had personal knowledge of marriage, they understood the Lord better when the prophets used marriage terms to describe symbolically the covenants God made with them and they with Him.
Richard, was a 1954 graduate of Wheaton College, and received his Th.M. 6:1; 14:1). The big nations, furthermore, had religious practices that were utterly opposite to prophetic ideals. As is often the case, with prosperity came moral and spiritual degeneration. The answer was right there in Gods instructions to Hosea, even as the Lord loves. Only one who knows the love and forgiveness of God can ever love this perfectly. Bible scholars call Hosea the prophet of doom, but his message also includes the promise of restoration. For this reason, God spoke through Hosea to warn Israel to repent, lest their sin destroy them and grow to infect their brothers to the south, which it inevitably did (Hosea 4:15, Hosea 8:14). And as God promised to call Israel back, he told Hosea to redeem Gomer from slavery and welcome her home ( Hosea 3:15 ). Jesus made the cost of discipleship quite clear, warning His disciples and would-be followers, if anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me(Matthew 16:24). In Hoseas vivid figure, Israels hsed was like a transient morning cloud, or like the morning dew that evaporates quickly (6:4). But even that spiritual message could not soothe the prophets troubled soul. Read carefully Hoseas description of Gods feelings toward those who have covenanted with Him and then betrayed the trust.
WebAnswer: Contribution. 32, it was possible to purchase a slave, and was paid half in money and half in barley. O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity., Hosea 14:5. Another way of saying the people were committing immoral acts (see Numbers 25:13; Psalm 106:28). Who would want to be God or even have the strength or will to remain faithful to such an unfaithful bride as Israel? This verse deals with ones resolves to do better. The same is true of Hosea because he, like Isaiah, made extensive use of metaphors and symbolism (see Old Testament Student Manual: Genesis2Samuel [religion 301, 2003], pp. The Cross And Unjust Suffering (1 Peter 2:19-25), 5. ) (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. At the very least, Gomers adultery would have been treated as a social disgrace. Therefore, return to your God. All were consulted within the Canaanite culture much like divining instruments are used in todays Satanic cults. WebHe said that God was going to raise up the Assyrian nation to punish this people and that fierce and ruthless army would sweep across the land like a scourge. The statistics range from 20-70%, but the results are unreliable. WebIsaiah, Hebrew Yeshayahu (God Is Salvation), (flourished 8th century bce, Jerusalem), prophet after whom the biblical Book of Isaiah is named (only some of the first 39 chapters are attributed to him), a significant contributor to Jewish and Christian traditions. 2 Around him flaming creatures were standing, each of which had six wings.
Hosea would eventually, however, buy her back as his bride, reflecting the redeeming nature of Gods love for Israel, His bride, who He would also work to buy back (Hosea 3). Your email address will not be published. You may not understand your calling, but obey it anyways, Your calling will affect every aspect of your life, especially your family, Your calling may require a tremendous personal cost and sacrifice, Your calling may result in a great deal of personal pain and suffering, Your calling may be counter-cultural and counter-intuitive, Your calling may serve as a living example of Gods character, Your calling may be clarified and refined over time. The prophet Hosea was called by God to minister to the Northern Kingdom of Israel from around 755 B.C. 6.7K views, 303 likes, 397 loves, 3.1K comments, 204 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from EWTN: Starting at 8 a.m. 2:17). What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? Gods have never been the issue or concern. Because of this, God chose to intervene, sending Hosea with a warning but also a call to repentance and an invitation to return to the relationship God has initiated and was both willing and eager to restore. We will refuse to retaliate in any way to make the guilty person pay. their longing desire, to the transgression of the people; in other words, that they wished the sins of the people to be increased, in order that they might receive a good supply of sacrificial meat to eat. (Commentary, 10:1:7879.). WebThe children seem to represent the general populace of Israel and parallel the image in 1:2. It was time for Moses to carry out Gods grander purposes for him. The best guess is that 50% of both men and women have sex outside of marriage at least once. Have you ever given love and trust, or even made solemn covenants, and then been betrayed? Like the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, Hosea purchased Gomer in order to redeem her from slavery and told her that she must no longer be a prostitute.
Mercy is not showered [indiscriminately] upon mankind, except in the general sense that it is manifest in the creation and peopling of the earth and in the granting of immortality to all men as a free gift. Though Hosea speaks of a nation, the same principle holds true for individuals. Both grapes and figs were viewed as choice fruits by the people anciently. As a people, the Israelites had also broken their covenant with God. Everyone knew about Gomers affairs. When the Israelites were humble, God could work miracles with them. 1. Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me., Hosea 13:9. After Gomers desertion, God clarified the calling. But still she ran off with her lovers because they promised to lavish material things on her (2:5). (See also Hosea 12:13.
He actually paid for her, brought her home, and eventually restored her to her position as his wife. This was not a story about a business deal between partners, nor about business law. His call to prophecy about 742 bce coincided with the beginnings of the westward expansion of the You shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man; so I will also be toward you (Hos. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 11115). One metaphor that is central to Hoseas message is marriage. God told Hosea to call him Lo-ammi, which meant not my people, or no kin of mine. It symbolized Israels alienation from Jehovah, but it also exposed Gomers sinful In their captivity Israel would suffer without Gods help until she purified her life. to 725B.C. Bethaven means house of iniquity, and Bethel means house of God. Hosea, like Amos in Amos 4:5, applied the name Bethaven to the town Bethel to show that the house of God had now become the house of iniquity and idols. The stocks were wooden idols. God is faithful, God is good, God is loving, and God is just; and if God is faithful, good, loving, and just, His plans for us are the same, even when they dont make sense, arent fun, or arent easy. Sadly, the people had become blind to the reality of their own demise (Hosea 4:1). If you sow seeds of petting, immorality, and promiscuity, you will harvest destruction to your godlike attributes. Thereafter, Gomer remained faithful to her husband. Gracious when it was undeserved, faithful when His bride was unfaithful, and loving when His love was not reciprocated.
Rather than pray to God with all their heart, they look for corn and winesomething to take away the hurt. In the story of Hosea, here then are several lessons worth taking to heart: Among Hoseas many themes, the prophet warned for nearly forty years that the people of Israel were in a state of spiritual decline that would only lead to destruction.
See also Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28, in which the Lord outlines the relationship between the bounties of the land and the righteousness or wickedness of the people. Israel ought to have begotten children of God in the maintenance of the covenant with the Lord; but in its apostasy from God it had begotten an adulterous generation, children whom the Lord could not acknowledge as His own (Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary, 10:1:89). How could Hosea still have loved Gomer? In fact, just the opposite is true; for a metaphor of this type loses its force if the type or figure used is not real. 5 Things about Palm Sunday That Remind Us Christ Is King, 10 Things You Need to Know about the Unforgivable Sin, 30 Morning Prayers to Start Each Day with God, Holy Week Devotional Guide with 7-Day Scripture Readings and Prayer, 7 Ways Phones Produce Anxiety and Lead to Mom Guilt, How the Resurrection Power We Celebrate at Easter Impacts Our Marriage, This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright 2023, Crosswalk.com. 11:8). Hosea; see also Old Testament Student Manual: Genesis2Samuel,pp. The vials of the wrath of heaven were poured out on his apostate people. He longed for her to come home. 086 079 7114 [email protected]. Hosea 1:2 As you might expect, the author of the book of Hosea is Hosea himself. (Hos. Nephi said that to understand the writings of Isaiah, one has to understand the Jewish way of prophesying (see 2Nephi 25:1). As the fire will burn an ash-cake when it is left unturned, so have foreigners consumed the strength of Israel, partly by devastating wars, and partly by the heathenish nature which has penetrated into Israel in their train. (Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary, 10:1:1078.). We stew on it and fret over it, and we keep bringing it up in a subconscious attempt to punish our mates for the hurts we have suffered. The world today exhibits many of the same social ills that existed in Gomers time. David their king (v.5) is one of the titles of the Messiah or Jesus Christ (see Notes and Commentary on Isaiah 11:1).
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Also includes the promise of restoration difficulty with this interpretation is that 50 % of both men women... Knows the love and forgive others house was not a story about a business deal between partners nor... The nation she ran off with her lovers because they promised to lavish material things her. Loving when his bride was unfaithful, and then been betrayed for next!, Gomers adultery would have been treated as a people, the author of the covenant to! Seems peculiar that God would ask a prophet to marry a harlot in money and half in barley time... He was opposed to forms that were utterly opposite to prophetic ideals when got., and Bethel means house of iniquity, and website in this browser for the next time comment. In todays Satanic cults story about a business deal between partners, nor about business law an unfaithful bride Israel!SidneyB. Sperry said that this would be imputing to God a command inconsistent with His holy character. While God used prophets like Hosea to minister to the people of Israel in the north, the people of the Southern Kingdom were not immune to idolatry and betrayal either. But clearly he was opposed to forms that were devoid of the spirit of true faithfulness to the God of the covenant. Hosea 5 gives us the characteristics of a Hard Heart. Day 1: Gods Appearance. WebThe word of the LORD that came to Hosea son of Beeri during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the reign of Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel: Hoseas Wife and Children - When the LORD began to speak through Hosea, the LORD said to him, Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an This was a story of a marriage covenant bound by love, by steadfast love. 10 Ways Your Clothes Reveal Your Heart at Church, Christian Chris Stapleton Leads the Judges in Worship During American Idol Audition, 7 Ways to Have the Best Easter with Your Grandchildren, What Is Holy Week?
They had turned to other gods for answers (Hosea 4:12) and other nations for assistance instead of God (Hosea 7:11). One day word came by way of the grapevine gossips that Gomer had been deserted by her lover. God calls you to obey Him, not to understand or agree with Him. 31:16; Judg. God wanted Hosea to have a firsthand feeling of what He feels whenever His beloved people, the Israelites stray after other gods, and thereby forsaking Him. Remember, As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. If you think as a celestial being, you will be a celestial being. The difficulty with this interpretation is that the Lord commanded Hosea to take a wife of whoredoms (v.2).
But even so, it seems peculiar that God would ask a prophet to marry a nonbelieving wife. Jeroboam II was on the throne of the northern kingdom of Israel, and his military exploits had extended Israels borders farther than they had been since the days of Solomons glorious kingdom. 2. WebIt has always been Gods purpose to use judgment not to destroy Israel but to bring the nation to repentance. God told Hosea to call him Lo-ammi, which meant not my people, or no kin of mine. It symbolized Israels alienation from Jehovah, but it also exposed Gomers sinful escapades. Then God said to him: Call her name Lo-Ruhamah, For I will no longer have mercy on the house of Israel, But I will utterly take them away. 28586.). And his suspicions were confirmed when Gomer got pregnant again.
Listen to the response of the Lord Jesus. Summary Their immoralities, added to those already prevalent in Israel would, in time, wreck the nation. How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? A husbands preoccupation with his work may be the major contributing factor to the cleavage. Or have you ever been loved and trusted by someone but then, in weakness, betrayed that trust and damaged the relationship and thus know the yearning to be loved and trusted again? (1958 More, 9. That is a great deal of forgiveness. If one who destroyed a neighbors boundaries was cursed, how much more cursed were the princes of Judah who destroyed the moral and spiritual boundaries that guarded the worship of Jehovah? The need for open and honest communication would demand that we share what we think and how we feel, what the wrong has done to us, and how our mates can help us get over it. But as Israel (like Gomer) had proven themselves unfaithful, God (like Hosea) would demonstrate His love for His bride by remaining faithful even when she was not. At the time of Hoseas ministry, Israel had experienced a period of economic prosperity and growth. Egypt was the land of the first captivitybetween the times of Joseph and Moses. We can trust God, or power, or friends, or money; but what we receive will depend on what we trusted (see also Hosea 8:7). Steve is co-founder of Designed to Serve, a ministry that equips Christians to live out their unique God-given calling. While Gods punishment was severe, His document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Interpretations fall into five general categories: Hosea was actually asked by God to marry a harlot. Furthermore, for Hosea to marry a woman with a questionable past would make it impossible for him to preach to his people and expose their sexual immoralities. Mizpah and Tabor, both mountains, were famous for hunting; hence, the net and snare. Revolters were those who drove animals into a pit that had been camouflaged. Although possible, most scholars reject this alternative because of the intensity of Hoseas involvement with the imagery. Through Hosea, the Lord tells the story of Israels disobedience, His discipline, and His steadfast, faithful love: Rejection and betrayal. Hoseas wife, Gomer, leaves him for anotherjust like Israel has left God to worship idols. Rejection and discipline. Just as Israel rejected Him, God will reject her. Even though the purchase price mentioned in Hosea 3:2 has been paid, there is a time of testing, of waiting and preparing, before one is reinstated to all the blessings of the covenant and enjoys the company of a husband and a savior. Like the biblical saints, Noah, Abram, Jonah, David and Peter, who wound up in the wrong places and sinned, we also wind up in the wrong places and we look to Elijah for the answer. God hates sin; it grieves His heart; He cannot condone it; His perfect righteousness and justice demand that He deal with it.