Hosea 3. 02.19.26
SCRIPTURE
“The Lord said to me,
“Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress.
Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.”
So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley.
Then I told her, “You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will behave the same way toward you.”
Hosea 3:1-3 NIV
OBSERVATION
God has called His prophets to do some strange things at times.
God commanded Ezekiel to:
Lie on his left side for 390 days (for Israel’s sin)
Lie on his right side for 40 days (for Judah’s sin)
And told to eat rationed food cooked over cow dung (originally human dung).
God told Jeremiah to:
Wear a wooden yoke around his neck.
God instructed Isaiah to:
Walk stripped and barefoot for three years.
And in the account of Hosea
God told His servant Hosea to marry a prostitute and have children with her.
So Hosea married a prostitute named Gomer. Stop right there and think. A holy man of God is asked to join himself to an unclean woman—and not just an unclean woman who had failed once, but an actual promiscuous woman.
She is unfaithful to him and bears three children—two of which most likely are not Hosea’s.
Then she outright deserts him falling into a web of sexual sin.
She sinks so low that when God tells Hosea to—go after her to bring her back—a fee to purchase her freedom is required. The purchase price is less than half the fee for a slave—reflecting she is—damaged goods.
Still—God tells Hosea to Go after her:
“Love her—the way—God Loves—His Chosen People”
(Hosea 3:1)
APPLICATION
God teaches us about His TRUE and FAITHFUL Love through the book of Hosea.
Learn the Lesson
God tells Hosea to GO back to retrieve his wife who was committing adultery and to Love her. God wanted Hosea’s marriage and redemption of Gomer to be a living lesson for His people—they were unfaithful—BUT—God’s Character was —founded in Love and steadfast faithfulness.
God made a hesed Covenant with His Chosen People.
Hesed, is a Hebrew word that expresses an essential part of God’s character. God describes Himself as “abounding in” or “filled with” hesed, which translates —unfailing love, faithfulness, loyal, steadfast.
God’s covenant relationship with His people results in His loyal love and faithfulness [hesed], even when His people are unfaithful to Him. Always at the heart of hesed lies God’s generous sense of compassion and mercy.
When God told Hosea to marry a prostitute and have children with her it was God’s merciful act—to WAKE UP Israel. To demonstrate the very real painful effects spiritual adultery was having on their lives and the even more devastating impact it would carry into their children’s lives in future generations.
What has that to do with us??
We may not worship stone idols like baal…but Our idols are very present and consistently vying for our hearts and attention.
Social Media, Entertainment, Secular Music all have such loose boundaries today. Subject Matter that I don’t care to watch pops up on almost every platform, show, and advertisement. Drawing boundary lines around our hearts and minds is at a critical stage because things are only going to progress.
Loving God and choosing to spend time with HIM is a choice. As Pastor Levi has shared on many occasions, relationships take time—growing intimacy is an essential aspect in any relationship. God is always faithful and waiting patiently for us to come spend time with Him. And Jesus wants the First place in our life. Second or Third place.,..isn’t good enough. It is in fact…Spiritual Adultery.
If we are too busy to spend time with God..then it may be time to consider a possible schedule adjustment. Because—Something ELSE is taking first place.
Like Gomer—we were all Once—damaged goods—But Jesus Loved us SO much HE came and PAID the Purchase price for us with His own blood.
Jesus revealed what Ultimate Love truly looks like—when HE came to earth as a Humble servant and lived a perfect life—then sacrificed himself on the cross. Jesus took my punishment that day—and made Full payment for my sins—And—your sins…and anyone else who would willingly RECEIVE His FREE Gift of Forgiveness And Eternal Life.
(1 Peter 1:18-19)
“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but you were actually purchased with the precious blood, like that of a sacrificial lamb—the unblemished and spotless—Priceless Blood of Jesus Christ”. (1 Peter 1:18-19)
Keep the Covenant with God—pure and holy!
(Psalm 119:11)
“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
(1 Peter 5:8)
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
(John 14:15-17 NLT)
““If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.”
PRAYER
Lord Jesus,
Thank YOU for Your Love that remains Loyal, Fierce, Kind, Generous, AND unfailing. YOU Leave the 99 to Go after the “1”. YOU will Go into the darkest and most destitute places to Purchase back the damaged and Broken. Coming to earth as a humble servant and dying a sinner’s death on the cross to Take my rightful punishment. Lord Jesus, forgive me for the times I was an adulterer—choosing worldly pursuits, hobbies or pleasures above You. Even choosing worry or doubt. YOU Command us “Do Not Worry”. Because of Your very Great Love—I am always provided for. Father, I pray in this season my walk will be one of quick obedience. I pray that if you were ever to ask me to do something strange to demonstrate my Love for YOU…I will set my face as a stone determined to do God’s will. I am constantly reminded of the woman who was simply called to go stand on her head in a convenience store. Who would ever think when she obeyed that the store worker would break down in tears saying I had just prayed to God saying I was done and wanted to end everything..but IF He was real..would HE send someone in here to come and stand on their head.
I Love You Jesus. May my life show my loyal and reckless Love for You.
Here I am Lord. Correct me. Empty me. Fill me. Use me. Send me.
Tina L Kudelka