Hosea 1
-The LORD comes to Hosea for the first time telling him he
will take a wife of harlotry because the land (nation of Israel) has committed
flagrant unfaithfulness to the LORD by forsaking Him (Hosea 1:2). Idolatry then
is the key theme that the LORD addresses with Hosea and this book will explore
God’s response to His people’s unfaithfulness in light of His character and
attributes previously given in His Word (Exodus 34:6-7). In this classic book
we will see the full measure of God’s grace proving that the Old Testament
underscores each attribute of the LORD in the same manner as the New Testament.
*Application* There is perfect congruity and convergence of the two distinct
revelations of God. Don’t let anyone tell you that God has changed or is more
lenient in the coming of Jesus Christ. His grace has always abounded, and it is
His desperate-unceasing plea for us to return to Him with a broken and contrite
heart (Psalm 51:17) that defines His nature and will.
-The LORD tells His prophet Hosea to go and marry a wife of
harlotry, and the prophet obeys. *Application* God will often put His servants
in difficult life circumstances so that His purposes and messages can be
accomplished. This is the perfect illustration of the character of God. Get the
point…He loves us and calls us to Himself even though He knows will are
unfaithful and transgress His ways. He is a merciful God that wants all of us
in perfect union even though we don’t deserve it. His grace is sufficient where
our loyalty to Him is not. We, as Israel, have broken covenant with Him every
time we sin and break His holy heart. God is persistent to pursue us even in
our fallen and messed up condition. This is who He is. What a marvelous thought
concerning the truth of our Maker! Give Him praise and glory!
-Even with this characteristic of the LORD being displayed,
we see here in this chapter three children with prophetic names given to them
being born of Gomer. Jezreel will spell the end of the Northern Kingdom of
Israel. Lo-ruhamah presents the running out of God’s compassion at a certain
point of disobedience and rejection. Lo-ammi denotes a breaking away as to this
group fulfilling the covenant of God. This Northern Israel who broke from Judah
will no longer be His people in prophecy fulfillment and nationhood, yet we see
that they will known as the sons of the living God. It is prophesied that one
day the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel (Northern Kingdom) will be
gathered together and will have one leader. *Application* This, I believe,
represents the coming back together under the Name of Jesus Christ, which also
includes Gentiles in God’s glorious Kingdom of every tribe and nation. This
will be the great day of Jezreel, which actually represents “a scattering.” In
verse 4 it represented judgment, but now in this last verse of the chapter the
scattering has the sense of a farmer spreading out seed for a harvest. This is
a sign of a new day and a new relationship between God and man (specifically
here His children Israel).
Verse to Memorize:
Hosea 1:2
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