HOSEA

HOSEA

If anyone has not seen a film called “Amazing Grace” then I would recommend that they watch it. Perhaps it is available on You Tube. The film is based on the prophet Hosea and perfectly demonstrates the character of God through Hosea.

Hosea’s mission in life was to marry a prostitute named “Gomer.” Hosea gave everything a good wife deserved, his love, his home, his name, and his reputation. She betrayed that love by going with other men. He pleaded with her to cease this lifestyle. She humiliated him but Hosea never ceased loving her.

Hosea’s message to the people was aimed at idol worship when the people were preoccupied with other things that took their attention off God. Hosea shows us that God’s concern about idolatry is no fussy religious matter. It is rather personal. God does not want to share his bride with anyone else. Gomer represents our sinful character. When we sin, we hurt God’s feelings, and as any husband who has been hurt by a wayward wife, God is hurt by our sin.

Hosea’s marriage to his cheating wife represents Israel’s unfaithfulness to God. Despite her unfaithfulness, Hosea never ceases to love his wife just as God never ceases to love us despite our sinful nature.

In chapter 3, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress, Love her just as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other Gods.”

So Hosea bought his wife Gomer for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley.

Hosea and Gomer’s first child, a son was named “Jezreel,” The name refers to a prophecy against the house of the Northern KIngdom.

The Israelites didn’t believe they were rejecting God in fact they were very pious. They wanted to worship God on their terms, not on his terms which did not please God at all.