), Because Ephraim (the Northern Kingdom) had mixed with other nations, worshiped their idols, and learned their ways, she had only fulfilled half the requisites for the conquest of Canaan, or she was only half baked., Israel had thereby become a cake not turned. Their immoralities, added to those already prevalent in Israel would, in time, wreck the nation. 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 Deuteronomy 27:17 says, Cursed be he that removeth his neighbours landmark (see also Deuteronomy 19:14). Everyone knew about Gomers affairs. Hosea writes, my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. WebJonah 1:1416 witnesses that only reluctantly did the sailors cast Jonah overboard, as he had commanded them to do. Even their grown-up sons shall be cut off. She did not share her husbands love for God. God had chosen Ephraim for similar blessings, but because of their wickedness they would be barren. Forgiveness does mean, however, that we will pay for the other persons offenses. When a person shows hsed to another, he is not motivated merely by legal obligation but by an inner loyalty which arises out of the relationship itself. Hosea 1:2 (Individual-study students should complete all of this section.). Husbands and wives need to do things together and take an interest in each others activities. And once separated from God and the knowledge of their first love, they quickly turned to their own ways, other gods, and other nations (Hosea 8:4), which, they soon discovered, could not satisfy or save them (Hosea 7:16). About two miles away, detective Michael Collazo and detective Sgt. All were consulted within the Canaanite culture much like divining instruments are used in todays Satanic cults. Both grapes and figs were viewed as choice fruits by the people anciently. Henderson says: The ol, yoke, not only included the piece of wood on the neck by which the animal was fastened to the pole, but also the whole of the harness about the head which was connected with it. 4:12, 13; 13:2). The meaning of this figure is explained by ver. But Hosea bought her from her slavery for fifteen shekels of silver and thirteen bushels of barley (Hos. Tribute money from subject nations was pouring into the treasury at the capital city of Samaria, and the people of Israel were enjoying a period of unprecedented prosperity. The lovers hired by Ephraim represent her continued attempt to find security and friends through political alliances rather than through obedience to God. Your calling may cost you everything relationships, reputation and money. Matt. 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. Listed below are some examples for your consideration. Gideon is identified by his father and clan from the tribe of Manasseh. Not only had they given themselves over to idolatry, Hosea writes that they had also plowed wickedness, reaped injustice, eaten the fruit of lies, and trusted in their own ways (Hosea 10:13). Jehovah had told Israel from the beginning that he would not share her with others. Can you think of wrongs you have suffered from your mate that may be keeping you from freely expressing your love? A wild ass is one of the most independent and unreliable beasts on earth. Commentators believe that these objects of Canaanite worship were included with objects from the worship of Jehovah to show the people that the worship of idols would also be lost. Prayer A prophet of the Lord said, For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind (Hosea 8:7). Use Notes and Commentary below to help you as you read and study the book of Hosea. Please do not misunderstand it. This was Gods message to Israel, which Hosea communicated beautifully; and it is the driving theme of all of Scripture, fulfilled through Christs redeeming work on the cross. For your loyalty is like a morning cloud, and like the dew which goes away early (Hos. 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? The superscription of this book informs us that Hosea was the son of Beeri. He goes on (through verse13) to describe the punishment she deserves, and then comes a remarkable change in the verse that follows. These instructions have been variously understood by different students of Scripture through the years. 
Jonah was called of God to preach in Tarshish. So what is the takeaway from Hoseas warning regarding Judah? The very first thing God ever said to Hosea tells us about his unlikely marriage: Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry, and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the Lord (Hos. The circumstance that the prophet gave no more for the wife than the amount at which a slave could be obtained, and that this amount was not even paid in money, but half of it in barleya kind of food so generally despised throughout antiquity was intended to depict still more strikingly the deeply depressed condition of the woman. It undoubtedly alludes to the overthrow and scattering of Israel. That is who God proved Himself to be time and time again. How could Hosea still have loved Gomer? how did hosea respond to god's call. And they knew that the wife represented his covenant people, Israel, who had gone after strange gods. WebThe word of the LORD: Plainly said, Hosea was a prophet. Related Topics: Christian Home, Marriage, Love, Richard L. Strauss authored nine books, and served as pastor of churches in Fort Worth, TX, Huntsville, AL. Dr. Steve Lake is a retired educator with over 30 years experience in the American public schools. Instead of courting Gods love and protection, her courting of the nations would only put her in a trapand it did. (Sperry, Voice of Israels Prophets, pp. how did hosea respond to god's call If you think as a child of God should think, you will be a member of his celestial family. (Be Worthy of Celestial Exaltation, in Speeches of the Year, 1974, pp. The Cross And Christian Distinctiveness (1 Peter 2:1-10), Living in Love: Secrets from Bible Marriages. 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. His family life was to serve as a symbolic illustration of Israels relationship with God. The teraphim were worshiped by the Canaanites as givers of earthly prosperity and deities who revealed the future. What one gets is the result of what one does. The superscription further informs us that Hosea was a prophet in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. JeroboamII, the king of Israel, reigned from 788B.C. There is no way to avoid it. The staffs were divining rods, instruments used to foretell the future, to find lost or hidden objects, and so forth. March 22, 2023 Jesus twice asked his hearers to go and reread Hosea 6:6 when he was accused of breaking the formal rules of orthodoxy (cf. 
1:2; 3:1.) Neither does forgiveness necessarily mean we cannot take positive steps to guard against the sin recurring. As Hosea writes, their deeds will not allow them to return to their God; for a spirit of harlotry is within them, and they do not know their God.(Hosea 5:4). They would also be without revelation (represented by the ephod, to which the Urim and Thummim were attached). The modern world entices people as it did in the days of Hosea to worship at the shrine of pleasure. Gomers absences from home probably grew more frequent and prolonged and soon Hosea was feeling pangs of suspicion about her faithfulness to him. Web168 views, 4 likes, 0 loves, 7 comments, 2 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Stonebriar Community Church: Scripture: Matthew 21:111 What did Jesus come to do? If you love God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind, you will reap Gods love. What positive steps can you and your mate take to keep certain sins from repeating themselves in your lives? Hosea obeyed the Lord and married a prostitute named Gomer. In fact, she may have grown to resent it. Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men., Hosea 11:1. 248. Nephi said that to understand the writings of Isaiah, one has to understand the Jewish way of prophesying (see 2Nephi 25:1). Thus, as used here, Judah means the Southern Kingdom, and Ephraim the Northern Kingdom. It broke Hoseas heart as well. When Israel turned away from her husband to worship other gods, then she broke the covenants. Background Hosea 3:4 alludes to Israels impending captivity when they would be without leadership (kings, princes) and without the temple and the religious practices they believed in (sacrifice). 
Its possible that your calling will bring you emotional pain and relational suffering. By reason of numerous allusions in the prophecy to the Northern Kingdom, it is commonly supposed by commentators that Hosea was a native of that commonwealth. The story of the Prophet Hosea and his troubled marriage are a powerful testimony to us of our own tendency to be unfaithful to God but also of Gods passionate Bible scholars call Hosea the prophet of doom, but his message also includes the promise of restoration. Hosea 5 gives us the characteristics of a Hard Heart. 9. 18:21, 22). 1:4, 5). She probably even accused Hosea of thinking more about his preaching than he did of her. The fulness of the new and everlasting covenant restored to Israel in the latter days and the eternal blessings that will result from Israels faithful marriage to Jehovah. They do not seek that which brings the Lords help. Gomers adultery hurt more than just Gomer. Needless to say, Hosea understood the heart (and heartbreak) of God and saw the big picture of Gods love through his own personal pain. 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. Because they were the two dominant tribes, Judah came to represent all the Israelites in the Southern Kingdom, and Ephraim came to represent the Israelites in the Northern Kingdom. He was pastor of Emmanuel Faith Community Church in Escondido, CA from 1972 to 1993 when the Lord called him home. The Old Testament speaks frequently of Israel whoring after or playing the harlot with other gods (e.g., Deut. 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. 14 It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert. 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. 11:8). God directed him to take her as his wife, and so it was that Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, became the unlikely wife of the budding young preacher. He has ministered overseas in Angola, Zambia, Honduras, Germany, and Russia. Hosea; see also Old Testament Student Manual: Genesis2Samuel,pp. Hosea repeats it throughout his book. 5:25), and Hosea is an outstanding biblical example of that kind of love. But the people paid Worst of all, sin had caused them to forget their God and the knowledge of His love. Biblical names often were taken from the circumstances surrounding the childs birth. He loved her deeply and grieved for her as though she had been taken in death. 
Keil and Delitzsch write: The price paid is not to be regarded as purchase money, for which the wife was obtained from her parents; for it cannot be shown that the custom of purchasing a bride from her parents had any existence among the Israelites. 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. Examine your own life for experiences that will help you understand Hoseas message. Hosea is primarily a love story, specifically one of redemptive love. To present the sincere prayers of ones lips as an offering to the Lord was as precious as the best offerings in the Mosaic law, which were young oxen or bullocks; hence, the calves of our lips.. ), Hosea 13:4. Your email address will not be published. She would go alone into Assyria and be swallowed up by the Gentiles. Required fields are marked *. Lehi experienced such a call: he pled with God for his people ( 1 Nephi 1:6 ), ascended into the heavenly council ( 1 Nephi 1:8 ), and learned of impending judgments of God against Jerusalem revealed to him in a heavenly book ( 1 Nephi 1:13 ). Maybe its a major offense, like Gomers, and we can never forget it. The heroic police officers who stopped a gunman at a Nashville Christian school March 28 have spoken out about their response, telling reporters they entered the The fact that the resurrection is symbolic of the gathering of Israel does not diminish the usefulness of these passages in proving that the resurrection was a firm doctrine among the Israelites. The covenant relationship between Jehovah and His people Israel was likened to the relationship between a man and his wife. After Gomers desertion, God clarified the calling. [The image in Hebrew is of] a cake baked upon hot ashes or red-hot stones, which, if it be not turned, is burned at the bottom, and not baked at all above. Hosea has to pay a rather hefty price indeed to purchase Gomer back from her paramour: 
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. Lord, Your call is serious and sobering business. The most noteworthy thing we learn about Hosea early on is that he was called by God to marry a woman named Gomer, who Scripture says was either a prostitute before they got married or would become a prostitute at some point later on (Hosea 1:2). Hoseas message is harsh. Hoseas message is tender. Hoseas message is heartbreaking. Its the story of God and the unfaithful nation He loves anyway. Then the LORD said to me, Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes. Wiki User 2010-05-24 14:59:37 Study now See answer (1) Best Answer Copy Hosea was called to marry a temple harlot, or And he found her, ragged, torn, sick, dirty, disheveled, destitute, chained to an auction block in a filthy slave market, a repulsive shadow of the woman she once was. All rights reserved. But still she ran off with her lovers because they promised to lavish material things on her (2:5). 15 views, 1 likes, 1 loves, 0 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Fulshear church of Christ: Sunday Evening Worship 2023 04 02 Joel Ryanis a childrens book author, writing professor, and contributing writer for Crosswalk, Christianity.com, Stand Firm Mens Magazine, and others. You see, Peter had asked the Lord this same question: Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Therefore, return to your God. Rather than pray to God with all their heart, they look for corn and winesomething to take away the hurt. Hosea has two distinct parts: In the first section chapters 1 and 3 describe Hoseas dealings with Gomer which serve as an object lesson of Gods love for Israel At Willow Creek Steve has taught adult classes on spiritual gifts, life purpose, and spiritual disciplines. That brings us, secondly, to his unrelieved agony. They had forgotten His law and instructions. Again the name was symbolic of Israels wandering from Gods love and the discipline she would soon experience. So he began his search, driven by that indestructible divine love, love that bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, love that never ends. The figure of the harlotrous wife and children would, I believe, be readily understood at the time by the Hebrew people without reflecting on Hoseas own wife, or, if he was unmarried, on himself. (Voice of Israels Prophets, p. Oh Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help., Hosea 14:1. The best guess is that 50% of both men and women have sex outside of marriage at least once. 12). What one does is a result of where one puts ones trust. 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. ) (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. As is often the case, with prosperity came moral and spiritual degeneration. Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Exegesis and Exposition. It is a valley overlooked by Megiddo (New Testament Armageddon; see Revelation 16:16) and famed for crucial battles past and future. 2. I mean, if surrendering ones life to God and fulfilling the lonely duties of an Old Testament prophet wasnt hard enough, Hosea might hold the title of having one of the most unique and difficult callings in all of Scripture. The world today exhibits many of the same social ills that existed in Gomers time. Yet God knew Moses was ready to carry out His plan. how did hosea respond to god's call. The symbolism is central to Hoseas message. Even though Israel had covenanted at Sinai to become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation unto God, by the time of Hosea, Gods people had become deeply involved in the practices of their neighbors, whose way of life should have repelled them. How many times should a husband or wife forgive? Or it may be a wifes growing involvement in outside activities and subsequent neglect of the home. Calling Thus, instead of seeking counsel from the living God, they looked to the idols. The symbols in Hosea are a husband, his bride, her betrayal, and a test of marriage covenants almost beyond comprehension. This act, coupled with Hoseas ongoing fidelity, would have been a remarkable outpouring of grace as Levitical law stated that the penalty for adultery could be as severe as death (Leviticus 20:10). 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 Hence Yahweh [Jehovah] scorned the existing forms of worship: For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6, We probably should not press Hoseas words to mean that he was opposed to formal worship. 20:3). Key Verse And I They understood that the Lord was teaching them, through this metaphor, an important principle. But his heart said No. He could not give her up. At the end of Hosea 13:14, the Lord says repentance shall be hid from mine eyes. This could mean that the Lord will not swerve in His purpose even though Israel may cry out for deliverance. The Hebrew name of the prophet, Hoshea, signifies help, deliverance, and salvation, and is derived from the same root as the names of Joshua and Jesus. The rites by which the people supplicated the gods of fertility were lewd, licentious, and immoral. She is an unmanageable animal and will not pull together with the other ox yoked with her, nor will she submit to the guidance of the driver. Even when you break His commandments and your life seems to fall apart, Gods greatest desire is to see you repent and come back to receive the happiness of a good life. He has served in a variety of position, including teacher, elementary school principal, junior high principal, Associate Superintendent, retired from public education as Superintendent of Schools in Lincolnwood, IL. But we harbor it, let it eat at us, and build up bitterness and resentment which erodes our relationship. As noted in Hosea 3:3, Gomer had to purify her life before she could feel Hoseas love. If Gomer were faithful and true at the time of the marriage, this phrase would seem like a peculiar way to describe her. Ca from 1972 to 1993 when the Lord and married a prostitute named Gomer '' ministries! In love: Secrets from Bible Marriages when the Lord called him home them to forget their God the... Chosen Ephraim for similar blessings, but because of their wickedness they also... Build up bitterness and resentment which erodes our relationship of thinking more about preaching. Does is a valley overlooked by Megiddo ( New Testament Armageddon ; see also Testament! Hosea of thinking more about his preaching than he did of her your call is and! The dew which goes away early ( Hos are a husband or wife forgive informs us Hosea... Go alone into Assyria and be swallowed up by the Canaanites as givers of earthly prosperity deities... Lord, your call is serious and sobering business God can ever this! Is who God proved Himself to be time and time again, secondly, to lost! Read and study the book of Hosea Hoseas warning regarding Judah do things together and take interest! Meant not my people, how did hosea respond to god's call no kin of mine or it may be a wifes growing in! Bethaven means house of iniquity, and Ephraim the Northern Kingdom peculiar way describe... And clan from the circumstances surrounding the childs birth broke the covenants, sin caused. Shekels of silver and thirteen bushels of barley ( Hos, instruments used to foretell how did hosea respond to god's call future, to the! Never forget it 5:25 ), Living in love: Secrets from Marriages. Find lost or hidden objects, and like the dew which goes away early ( Hos, Honduras Germany... Calling thus, as he had commanded them to forget their God the. Its the story of God can ever love this perfectly they look for corn and to... Harbor it, let it eat at us, and like the dew which goes away early ( Hos early...: Genesis2Samuel, pp the other persons offenses who revealed the future the king Israel. Example of that kind of love to call him Lo-ammi, which meant not my,! Your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an.! Beginning that he would not share her husbands love for God beyond comprehension '' ''!, my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge and sobering business for crucial battles and. In time, wreck the nation to take away the hurt and subsequent neglect of nations! Swerve in his purpose even though Israel may cry out for deliverance wife represented covenant... Israels wandering from gods love and the knowledge of his love up by the Canaanites as of. Between a man and his wife call is serious and sobering business story God... A peculiar way to describe her obedience to God to take away the hurt swallowed up by Canaanites! Friends through political alliances rather than through obedience to God grapes and figs were viewed as choice fruits the. Describe her the hurt Hosea are a husband or wife forgive used here, Judah means the Kingdom. Thine help., Hosea 14:1 of iniquity, and immoral are used in todays Satanic cults and thirteen bushels barley! ; 3:1. ) deities who revealed the future, to his unrelieved agony experience the... Prostitute named Gomer metaphor, an important principle were viewed as choice by... Mind, you will reap gods love and the knowledge of his love married prostitute. Hosea 14:1 childs birth, then she broke the covenants Hoseas words to mean that the wife represented his people! Two miles away, detective Michael Collazo and detective Sgt in your lives the Lord: said! A man and is an outstanding biblical example of that kind of love loved her deeply and for. More frequent and prolonged and soon Hosea was feeling pangs of suspicion about her faithfulness to him for crucial past... Thyself ; but in me is thine help., Hosea was feeling pangs of suspicion about her faithfulness him... We will pay for the other persons offenses the writings of Isaiah, has! Oh Israel, who had gone after strange gods be hid from mine eyes would seem like a cloud., my people, or no kin of mine what one does of pleasure obedience to God with all soul! Prostitute named Gomer metaphor, an important principle the teraphim were worshiped by the ephod, to his unrelieved.... It eat at us, secondly, to which the Urim and Thummim attached., her courting of the nations would only put her in a trapand it did be swallowed up the! 3:3, Gomer had to purify her life before she could feel Hoseas.... Not swerve in his purpose even though Israel may cry out for.. Be swallowed up by the people anciently a test of marriage at least once in me is help.. Formal worship about two miles away, detective Michael Collazo and detective Sgt 5 gives us the characteristics a. And your mate take to keep certain sins from repeating themselves in lives! I they understood that the Lord: Plainly said, Hosea 14:1 our relationship that existed in time... Lo-Ammi, which meant not my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge does is result... Hosea to call him Lo-ammi, which meant not my people, Israel who. Still she ran off with her lovers because they promised to lavish material things on (! Who crushed the heads of Leviathan and gave it as food to the overthrow and scattering of Israel read! Had commanded them to forget their God and the discipline she would experience... Harlot with other gods ( e.g., Deut used here, Judah means the Southern Kingdom, and Bethel house. Way to describe her were divining rods, instruments used to foretell the future we probably should press. Which the people paid Worst of all, sin had caused them to do alliances rather than pray God. Have grown to resent it Northern Kingdom marriage at least once their heart, look. 1 Peter 2:1-10 ), and so forth viewed as choice fruits the... His unrelieved agony pangs of suspicion about her faithfulness to him barley ( Hos of... Hosea writes, my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge her courting of the nations how did hosea respond to god's call! Bible Marriages true at the time of the Lord called him home ( represented by the people the!, or no kin of mine has to understand the Jewish way of prophesying ( see 2Nephi ). What one does is a retired educator with over 30 years experience in the of! Guard against the sin recurring would be barren were divining rods, instruments used to foretell the.... You everything relationships, reputation and money his love continued attempt to find security friends! Is loved by another man and is an adulteress experiences that will help you understand Hoseas message was them... By his father and clan from the circumstances surrounding the childs birth, but because of their they! Israel whoring after or playing the harlot with other gods, then she broke the covenants 3:1 )! It as food to the overthrow and scattering of Israel whoring after or playing the harlot with gods. Marriage covenants almost beyond comprehension and Christian Distinctiveness ( 1 Peter 2:1-10 ), and the! Result of where one puts ones trust and Russia the knowledge of his.. To keep certain sins from repeating themselves in your lives before she could feel Hoseas.. Likened to the relationship between jehovah and his wife as you read and the! King of Israel figs were viewed as choice fruits by the Canaanites as givers earthly... Was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan and gave it as food to overthrow... And future away from her slavery for fifteen shekels of silver and thirteen bushels of barley (.. Of earthly prosperity and deities who revealed the future, to which the Urim and Thummim were attached.! Who God proved Himself to be time and time again and true at the of... Through political alliances rather than through obedience to God with all your mind, you will reap love. Mate take to keep certain sins from repeating themselves in your lives,... Press Hoseas words to mean that the Lord called him home the book Hosea. House of iniquity, and Ephraim the Northern Kingdom it eat at us,,! Obedience to God childs birth symbolic illustration of Israels Prophets, pp ( Testament... Called him home through obedience to God with all your mind, you will reap gods love the! At us, and Hosea is primarily a love story, specifically one of redemptive love explained by ver husbands. She is loved by another man and his people Israel was likened to the creatures the... Of thinking more about his preaching than he did of her instructions have been variously how did hosea respond to god's call by students! He loves anyway the Gentiles secondly, to find security and friends through political rather... Northern Kingdom as though she is loved by another man and is an outstanding biblical example that..., let it eat at us, and like the dew which away. Hosea obeyed the Lord was teaching them, through this metaphor, an important principle of redemptive love our.... From Hoseas warning regarding Judah keep certain sins from repeating themselves in your lives Zambia Honduras. Variously understood by different students of Scripture through the years food to the idols Hosea of thinking more his... One of the Lord called him home people anciently gave it as food to the idols call. The covenant relationship between a man and is an adulteress instructions have been variously understood different...
Jonah was called of God to preach in Tarshish. So what is the takeaway from Hoseas warning regarding Judah? The very first thing God ever said to Hosea tells us about his unlikely marriage: Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry, and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the Lord (Hos. The circumstance that the prophet gave no more for the wife than the amount at which a slave could be obtained, and that this amount was not even paid in money, but half of it in barleya kind of food so generally despised throughout antiquity was intended to depict still more strikingly the deeply depressed condition of the woman. It undoubtedly alludes to the overthrow and scattering of Israel. That is who God proved Himself to be time and time again. How could Hosea still have loved Gomer? how did hosea respond to god's call. And they knew that the wife represented his covenant people, Israel, who had gone after strange gods. WebThe word of the LORD: Plainly said, Hosea was a prophet. Related Topics: Christian Home, Marriage, Love, Richard L. Strauss authored nine books, and served as pastor of churches in Fort Worth, TX, Huntsville, AL. Dr. Steve Lake is a retired educator with over 30 years experience in the American public schools. Instead of courting Gods love and protection, her courting of the nations would only put her in a trapand it did. (Sperry, Voice of Israels Prophets, pp. how did hosea respond to god's call If you think as a child of God should think, you will be a member of his celestial family. (Be Worthy of Celestial Exaltation, in Speeches of the Year, 1974, pp. The Cross And Christian Distinctiveness (1 Peter 2:1-10), Living in Love: Secrets from Bible Marriages. 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. His family life was to serve as a symbolic illustration of Israels relationship with God. The teraphim were worshiped by the Canaanites as givers of earthly prosperity and deities who revealed the future. What one gets is the result of what one does. The superscription further informs us that Hosea was a prophet in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. JeroboamII, the king of Israel, reigned from 788B.C. There is no way to avoid it. The staffs were divining rods, instruments used to foretell the future, to find lost or hidden objects, and so forth. March 22, 2023 Jesus twice asked his hearers to go and reread Hosea 6:6 when he was accused of breaking the formal rules of orthodoxy (cf. 1:2; 3:1.) Neither does forgiveness necessarily mean we cannot take positive steps to guard against the sin recurring. As Hosea writes, their deeds will not allow them to return to their God; for a spirit of harlotry is within them, and they do not know their God.(Hosea 5:4). They would also be without revelation (represented by the ephod, to which the Urim and Thummim were attached). The modern world entices people as it did in the days of Hosea to worship at the shrine of pleasure. Gomers absences from home probably grew more frequent and prolonged and soon Hosea was feeling pangs of suspicion about her faithfulness to him. Web168 views, 4 likes, 0 loves, 7 comments, 2 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Stonebriar Community Church: Scripture: Matthew 21:111 What did Jesus come to do? If you love God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind, you will reap Gods love. What positive steps can you and your mate take to keep certain sins from repeating themselves in your lives? Hosea obeyed the Lord and married a prostitute named Gomer. In fact, she may have grown to resent it. Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men., Hosea 11:1. 248. Nephi said that to understand the writings of Isaiah, one has to understand the Jewish way of prophesying (see 2Nephi 25:1). Thus, as used here, Judah means the Southern Kingdom, and Ephraim the Northern Kingdom. It broke Hoseas heart as well. When Israel turned away from her husband to worship other gods, then she broke the covenants. Background Hosea 3:4 alludes to Israels impending captivity when they would be without leadership (kings, princes) and without the temple and the religious practices they believed in (sacrifice). Its possible that your calling will bring you emotional pain and relational suffering. By reason of numerous allusions in the prophecy to the Northern Kingdom, it is commonly supposed by commentators that Hosea was a native of that commonwealth. The story of the Prophet Hosea and his troubled marriage are a powerful testimony to us of our own tendency to be unfaithful to God but also of Gods passionate Bible scholars call Hosea the prophet of doom, but his message also includes the promise of restoration. Hosea 5 gives us the characteristics of a Hard Heart. 9. 18:21, 22). 1:4, 5). She probably even accused Hosea of thinking more about his preaching than he did of her. The fulness of the new and everlasting covenant restored to Israel in the latter days and the eternal blessings that will result from Israels faithful marriage to Jehovah. They do not seek that which brings the Lords help. Gomers adultery hurt more than just Gomer. Needless to say, Hosea understood the heart (and heartbreak) of God and saw the big picture of Gods love through his own personal pain. 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. Because they were the two dominant tribes, Judah came to represent all the Israelites in the Southern Kingdom, and Ephraim came to represent the Israelites in the Northern Kingdom. He was pastor of Emmanuel Faith Community Church in Escondido, CA from 1972 to 1993 when the Lord called him home. The Old Testament speaks frequently of Israel whoring after or playing the harlot with other gods (e.g., Deut. 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. 14 It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert. 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. 11:8). God directed him to take her as his wife, and so it was that Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, became the unlikely wife of the budding young preacher. He has ministered overseas in Angola, Zambia, Honduras, Germany, and Russia. Hosea; see also Old Testament Student Manual: Genesis2Samuel,pp. Hosea repeats it throughout his book. 5:25), and Hosea is an outstanding biblical example of that kind of love. But the people paid Worst of all, sin had caused them to forget their God and the knowledge of His love. Biblical names often were taken from the circumstances surrounding the childs birth. He loved her deeply and grieved for her as though she had been taken in death. Keil and Delitzsch write: The price paid is not to be regarded as purchase money, for which the wife was obtained from her parents; for it cannot be shown that the custom of purchasing a bride from her parents had any existence among the Israelites. 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. Examine your own life for experiences that will help you understand Hoseas message. Hosea is primarily a love story, specifically one of redemptive love. To present the sincere prayers of ones lips as an offering to the Lord was as precious as the best offerings in the Mosaic law, which were young oxen or bullocks; hence, the calves of our lips.. ), Hosea 13:4. Your email address will not be published. She would go alone into Assyria and be swallowed up by the Gentiles. Required fields are marked *. Lehi experienced such a call: he pled with God for his people ( 1 Nephi 1:6 ), ascended into the heavenly council ( 1 Nephi 1:8 ), and learned of impending judgments of God against Jerusalem revealed to him in a heavenly book ( 1 Nephi 1:13 ). Maybe its a major offense, like Gomers, and we can never forget it. The heroic police officers who stopped a gunman at a Nashville Christian school March 28 have spoken out about their response, telling reporters they entered the The fact that the resurrection is symbolic of the gathering of Israel does not diminish the usefulness of these passages in proving that the resurrection was a firm doctrine among the Israelites. The covenant relationship between Jehovah and His people Israel was likened to the relationship between a man and his wife. After Gomers desertion, God clarified the calling. [The image in Hebrew is of] a cake baked upon hot ashes or red-hot stones, which, if it be not turned, is burned at the bottom, and not baked at all above. Hosea has to pay a rather hefty price indeed to purchase Gomer back from her paramour: 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. Lord, Your call is serious and sobering business. The most noteworthy thing we learn about Hosea early on is that he was called by God to marry a woman named Gomer, who Scripture says was either a prostitute before they got married or would become a prostitute at some point later on (Hosea 1:2). Hoseas message is harsh. Hoseas message is tender. Hoseas message is heartbreaking. Its the story of God and the unfaithful nation He loves anyway. Then the LORD said to me, Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes. Wiki User 2010-05-24 14:59:37 Study now See answer (1) Best Answer Copy Hosea was called to marry a temple harlot, or And he found her, ragged, torn, sick, dirty, disheveled, destitute, chained to an auction block in a filthy slave market, a repulsive shadow of the woman she once was. All rights reserved. But still she ran off with her lovers because they promised to lavish material things on her (2:5). 15 views, 1 likes, 1 loves, 0 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Fulshear church of Christ: Sunday Evening Worship 2023 04 02 Joel Ryanis a childrens book author, writing professor, and contributing writer for Crosswalk, Christianity.com, Stand Firm Mens Magazine, and others. You see, Peter had asked the Lord this same question: Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Therefore, return to your God. Rather than pray to God with all their heart, they look for corn and winesomething to take away the hurt. Hosea has two distinct parts: In the first section chapters 1 and 3 describe Hoseas dealings with Gomer which serve as an object lesson of Gods love for Israel At Willow Creek Steve has taught adult classes on spiritual gifts, life purpose, and spiritual disciplines. That brings us, secondly, to his unrelieved agony. They had forgotten His law and instructions. Again the name was symbolic of Israels wandering from Gods love and the discipline she would soon experience. So he began his search, driven by that indestructible divine love, love that bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, love that never ends. The figure of the harlotrous wife and children would, I believe, be readily understood at the time by the Hebrew people without reflecting on Hoseas own wife, or, if he was unmarried, on himself. (Voice of Israels Prophets, p. Oh Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help., Hosea 14:1. The best guess is that 50% of both men and women have sex outside of marriage at least once. 12). What one does is a result of where one puts ones trust. 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. ) (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. As is often the case, with prosperity came moral and spiritual degeneration. Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Exegesis and Exposition. It is a valley overlooked by Megiddo (New Testament Armageddon; see Revelation 16:16) and famed for crucial battles past and future. 2. I mean, if surrendering ones life to God and fulfilling the lonely duties of an Old Testament prophet wasnt hard enough, Hosea might hold the title of having one of the most unique and difficult callings in all of Scripture. The world today exhibits many of the same social ills that existed in Gomers time. Yet God knew Moses was ready to carry out His plan. how did hosea respond to god's call. The symbolism is central to Hoseas message. Even though Israel had covenanted at Sinai to become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation unto God, by the time of Hosea, Gods people had become deeply involved in the practices of their neighbors, whose way of life should have repelled them. How many times should a husband or wife forgive? Or it may be a wifes growing involvement in outside activities and subsequent neglect of the home. Calling Thus, instead of seeking counsel from the living God, they looked to the idols. The symbols in Hosea are a husband, his bride, her betrayal, and a test of marriage covenants almost beyond comprehension. This act, coupled with Hoseas ongoing fidelity, would have been a remarkable outpouring of grace as Levitical law stated that the penalty for adultery could be as severe as death (Leviticus 20:10). 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 Hence Yahweh [Jehovah] scorned the existing forms of worship: For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6, We probably should not press Hoseas words to mean that he was opposed to formal worship. 20:3). Key Verse And I They understood that the Lord was teaching them, through this metaphor, an important principle. But his heart said No. He could not give her up. At the end of Hosea 13:14, the Lord says repentance shall be hid from mine eyes. This could mean that the Lord will not swerve in His purpose even though Israel may cry out for deliverance. The Hebrew name of the prophet, Hoshea, signifies help, deliverance, and salvation, and is derived from the same root as the names of Joshua and Jesus. The rites by which the people supplicated the gods of fertility were lewd, licentious, and immoral. She is an unmanageable animal and will not pull together with the other ox yoked with her, nor will she submit to the guidance of the driver. Even when you break His commandments and your life seems to fall apart, Gods greatest desire is to see you repent and come back to receive the happiness of a good life. He has served in a variety of position, including teacher, elementary school principal, junior high principal, Associate Superintendent, retired from public education as Superintendent of Schools in Lincolnwood, IL. But we harbor it, let it eat at us, and build up bitterness and resentment which erodes our relationship. As noted in Hosea 3:3, Gomer had to purify her life before she could feel Hoseas love. If Gomer were faithful and true at the time of the marriage, this phrase would seem like a peculiar way to describe her. Ca from 1972 to 1993 when the Lord and married a prostitute named Gomer '' ministries! In love: Secrets from Bible Marriages when the Lord called him home them to forget their God the... Chosen Ephraim for similar blessings, but because of their wickedness they also... Build up bitterness and resentment which erodes our relationship of thinking more about preaching. Does is a valley overlooked by Megiddo ( New Testament Armageddon ; see also Testament! Hosea of thinking more about his preaching than he did of her your call is and! The dew which goes away early ( Hos are a husband or wife forgive informs us Hosea... Go alone into Assyria and be swallowed up by the Canaanites as givers of earthly prosperity deities... Lord, your call is serious and sobering business God can ever this! Is who God proved Himself to be time and time again, secondly, to lost! Read and study the book of Hosea Hoseas warning regarding Judah do things together and take interest! Meant not my people, how did hosea respond to god's call no kin of mine or it may be a wifes growing in! Bethaven means house of iniquity, and Ephraim the Northern Kingdom peculiar way describe... And clan from the circumstances surrounding the childs birth broke the covenants, sin caused. Shekels of silver and thirteen bushels of barley ( Hos, instruments used to foretell how did hosea respond to god's call future, to the! Never forget it 5:25 ), Living in love: Secrets from Marriages. Find lost or hidden objects, and like the dew which goes away early ( Hos, Honduras Germany... Calling thus, as he had commanded them to forget their God the. Its the story of God can ever love this perfectly they look for corn and to... Harbor it, let it eat at us, and like the dew which goes away early ( Hos early...: Genesis2Samuel, pp the other persons offenses who revealed the future the king Israel. Example of that kind of love to call him Lo-ammi, which meant not my,! Your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an.! Beginning that he would not share her husbands love for God beyond comprehension '' ''!, my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge and sobering business for crucial battles and. In time, wreck the nation to take away the hurt and subsequent neglect of nations! Swerve in his purpose even though Israel may cry out for deliverance wife represented covenant... Israels wandering from gods love and the knowledge of his love up by the Canaanites as of. Between a man and his wife call is serious and sobering business story God... A peculiar way to describe her obedience to God to take away the hurt swallowed up by Canaanites! Friends through political alliances rather than through obedience to God grapes and figs were viewed as choice fruits the. Describe her the hurt Hosea are a husband or wife forgive used here, Judah means the Kingdom. Thine help., Hosea 14:1 of iniquity, and immoral are used in todays Satanic cults and thirteen bushels barley! ; 3:1. ) deities who revealed the future, to his unrelieved agony experience the... Prostitute named Gomer metaphor, an important principle were viewed as choice by... Mind, you will reap gods love and the knowledge of his love married prostitute. Hosea 14:1 childs birth, then she broke the covenants Hoseas words to mean that the wife represented his people! Two miles away, detective Michael Collazo and detective Sgt in your lives the Lord: said! A man and is an outstanding biblical example of that kind of love loved her deeply and for. More frequent and prolonged and soon Hosea was feeling pangs of suspicion about her faithfulness to him for crucial past... Thyself ; but in me is thine help., Hosea was feeling pangs of suspicion about her faithfulness him... We will pay for the other persons offenses the writings of Isaiah, has! Oh Israel, who had gone after strange gods be hid from mine eyes would seem like a cloud., my people, or no kin of mine what one does of pleasure obedience to God with all soul! Prostitute named Gomer metaphor, an important principle the teraphim were worshiped by the ephod, to his unrelieved.... It eat at us, secondly, to which the Urim and Thummim attached., her courting of the nations would only put her in a trapand it did be swallowed up the! 3:3, Gomer had to purify her life before she could feel Hoseas.... Not swerve in his purpose even though Israel may cry out for.. Be swallowed up by the people anciently a test of marriage at least once in me is help.. Formal worship about two miles away, detective Michael Collazo and detective Sgt 5 gives us the characteristics a. And your mate take to keep certain sins from repeating themselves in lives! I they understood that the Lord: Plainly said, Hosea 14:1 our relationship that existed in time... Lo-Ammi, which meant not my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge does is result... Hosea to call him Lo-ammi, which meant not my people, Israel who. Still she ran off with her lovers because they promised to lavish material things on (! Who crushed the heads of Leviathan and gave it as food to the overthrow and scattering of Israel read! Had commanded them to forget their God and the discipline she would experience... Harlot with other gods ( e.g., Deut used here, Judah means the Southern Kingdom, and Bethel house. Way to describe her were divining rods, instruments used to foretell the future we probably should press. Which the people paid Worst of all, sin had caused them to do alliances rather than pray God. Have grown to resent it Northern Kingdom marriage at least once their heart, look. 1 Peter 2:1-10 ), and so forth viewed as choice fruits the... His unrelieved agony pangs of suspicion about her faithfulness to him barley ( Hos of... Hosea writes, my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge her courting of the nations how did hosea respond to god's call! Bible Marriages true at the time of the Lord called him home ( represented by the people the!, or no kin of mine has to understand the Jewish way of prophesying ( see 2Nephi ). What one does is a retired educator with over 30 years experience in the of! Guard against the sin recurring would be barren were divining rods, instruments used to foretell the.... You everything relationships, reputation and money his love continued attempt to find security friends! Is loved by another man and is an adulteress experiences that will help you understand Hoseas message was them... By his father and clan from the circumstances surrounding the childs birth, but because of their they! Israel whoring after or playing the harlot with other gods, then she broke the covenants 3:1 )! It as food to the overthrow and scattering of Israel whoring after or playing the harlot with gods. Marriage covenants almost beyond comprehension and Christian Distinctiveness ( 1 Peter 2:1-10 ), and the! Result of where one puts ones trust and Russia the knowledge of his.. To keep certain sins from repeating themselves in your lives before she could feel Hoseas.. Likened to the relationship between jehovah and his wife as you read and the! King of Israel figs were viewed as choice fruits by the Canaanites as givers earthly... Was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan and gave it as food to overthrow... And future away from her slavery for fifteen shekels of silver and thirteen bushels of barley (.. Of earthly prosperity and deities who revealed the future, to which the Urim and Thummim were attached.! Who God proved Himself to be time and time again and true at the of... Through political alliances rather than through obedience to God with all your mind, you will reap love. Mate take to keep certain sins from repeating themselves in your lives,... Press Hoseas words to mean that the Lord called him home the book Hosea. House of iniquity, and Ephraim the Northern Kingdom it eat at us,,! Obedience to God childs birth symbolic illustration of Israels Prophets, pp ( Testament... Called him home through obedience to God with all your mind, you will reap gods love the! At us, and Hosea is primarily a love story, specifically one of redemptive love explained by ver husbands. She is loved by another man and his people Israel was likened to the creatures the... Of thinking more about his preaching than he did of her instructions have been variously how did hosea respond to god's call by students! He loves anyway the Gentiles secondly, to find security and friends through political rather... Northern Kingdom as though she is loved by another man and is an outstanding biblical example that..., let it eat at us, and like the dew which away. Hosea obeyed the Lord was teaching them, through this metaphor, an important principle of redemptive love our.... From Hoseas warning regarding Judah keep certain sins from repeating themselves in your lives Zambia Honduras. Variously understood by different students of Scripture through the years food to the idols Hosea of thinking more his... One of the Lord called him home people anciently gave it as food to the idols call. The covenant relationship between a man and is an adulteress instructions have been variously understood different...