Throughout Hosea’s prophecy, the relationship between God and His people is presented as that of a husband and his wife. The book opens with an offended God and immediately the reason is given – the land had committed whoredoms in departing from the Lord, 1. 2. The extent of this departure is expanded later, where we learn that there was no truth, mercy or knowledge of God in the land, 4. 1. The fruit of this is listed, for the people indulged in swearing, lying, killing, stealing and committing adultery, 4. 2. In such a day God raised up Hosea.
The name Hosea carries the meaning of ‘salvation’ and ‘deliverance’ pointing us to the faithfulness and mercy of God at a time when His people were removed from Him. Hosea witnesses from close range the lament of the heart of God when he records the words of God, ‘I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; … as the first ripe in the fig tree at her first time’, 9. 10. This is set in contrast to their present condition.
Hosea was commanded to take a wife of whoredom, which simply means a daughter of the age. The environment had obviously left its mark upon Gomer, and this relationship would bring Hosea to understand the heart of God towards His people. Gomer bore Hosea children, and the names God commanded Hosea to give to his children would act as a perpetual reminder of the state of his people and the grief of God’s heart.
In the midst of all the sin, a door of hope is opened in the valley of Achor. This was the place where sin was judged, Josh. 7, and teaches us that any movement of divine mercy would not preclude God’s judgement for the sin of His people.
Hosea, however, would not be used by God without his enduring personal suffering and grief. The lessons he learned and the moulding of his character under the hand of God were brought about through the medium of his wife and children, his nearest and dearest on earth.
Many have experienced family difficulties in the course of, and as a result of, faithfulness to God. This was Hosea’s lot, and at the end of all the difficulties he concludes, ‘For the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them’, 14. 9.
