I have to share what is in my heart today. I've been reading Hosea in the Bible.
God chose Hosea to be His prophet to live out His message to His people by marrying an
unfaithful woman. He allowed himself to become the laughing stock of
Israel, having a wife he could not keep at home. While at that time
immorality was a common thing throughout the people in
Israel, yet, there still was the judgement that a loose woman was among the
lowest of society.
(sounds like today,s double standards).
Therefore, marriage to a known loose woman was a blaring mark against
Hosea's reputation as a man of God. And to continue to pursue her when
she freely and openly acted as a harlot was even more foolish. But the
wisdom and ways of God always appear foolish to a dying generation don't they?
Hosea's story of a rebellious and unrepentant wife was an example of the
rebellious and unrepentant nation of Israel.
He was enduring the same kind of heart sick pain that God was for his children who had turned away from Him.
Hosea ministered to the northern kingdom of Israel during the reign of
Jeroboam II. By outward appearances, Israel was doing well. But just
below the surface, spiritual and political unrest and anarchy were
brewing. (sound familure?) The people continued to prosper and live in so-called peace,
but were swiftly approaching total destruction in a short time.
Eventually, the Assyrian army conquered Samaria, the weakened capital city of
Israel, bringing the northern kingdom to its knees in 722 B.C. Hosea was
the last prophet to speak to the condemned people of Israel, giving
them one last opportunity to turn from their sins and turn back to God.
By the time of Hosea's ministry, the iniquities of the social and
religious groups were out of control. The priests and religious leaders
were corrupt, and families were structurally and morally dysfunctional. Many suffered from extreme poverty. The people had abandoned God and His
laws. Idle worship, with altars erected on every hill and valley
of Israel.
The main message that touched me is what Hosea must have suffered, because he really deeply loved his wife with the same unconditional love that the Lord has for his children. He quietly waited and suffered while she continually cheated on him. Then once she had gotten herself beaten and enslaved from her evil and selfish ways, Hosea calmly and lovingly paid her ransom with all he had, took her home and forgave her.
The kind of selfless unconditional love that Hosea showed to his wife, Gomer, was
representative of the love God had for the people of Israel. And just as
Hosea brought his wayward wife back to himself, so God brought the
people of Israel back to Himself, though they never committed themselves
to Him fully. God had continued to pursue them despite their obvious
disdain for Him and His laws.
Jesus loves us with that same unconditional love, he gave all he had to pay our ransom and. All he asks is that we acknowledge and love and respect him by following his example of unconditional love for one another.
I have to close this in the Name of Jesus Christ... because I know that He led me to read this particular scripture to touch my heart tonight.
