Hosea 3:1-5 & 4:1-19
Q.1. What message was God sending Israel by directing Hosea to re-marry Gomer? What surprising prophecy did the prophet make about Israel’s future? – (Hos.3:1-5 c.f. Zech.12:10; 13:1)
Hosea loved Gomer, but she turned to adulterous relationships. Hosea was then directed to seek her out and love her again. This was to illustrate the infidelity of Israel toward her God Who had constantly loved her – 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.” (Hos.3:1). Gomer had sold herself into prostitution. Hosea had to pay her price for freedom (Hos.3:2). As punishment, Gomer would be kept from all sexual relationships, in order to declare to Israel the coming loss of sovereignty and freedom. However, consistent with other surprising prophecies of Israel’s restoration, God would restore them after bringing them to repentance – Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king; and they will come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the last days (Hos.3:5).
Q.2. How far had Israel drifted from their God? How did God assess their spiritual condition? – (Hos.4:1-19)
At this time, the nation of Israel was a lost cause – Listen to the word of the Lord, O sons of Israel, for the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land, because there is no faithfulness or kindness or knowledge of God in the land … My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children (Hos.4:1 & 6). History seems to repeat itself in the church age (Rev.chpt.2-3). Judgment is inevitable. However, God still made a desperate appeal to Judah, warning her not to worship the useless god’s that Israel had embraced (Hos.4:15). There was a close relationship between the spiritual demise of the priests and that of the people – And it will be, like people, like priest; So I will punish them for their ways and repay them for their deeds (Hos.4:9). There was no alternative for God, other than to spew Israel from the land.