1:1
Jeroboam reigned from 786 to 745 BC. It is noteworthy that more detailed reference is given to the kings of Judah. This may indicate that the book of Hosea was actually put together in Judah, or that Judah was considered to be more worthy.
1:2,3
We now come to the infamous aspect of Hosea’s ministry, he was told to marry a whore. Actually the word used for whore does not necessarily mean a prostitute as such, but could refer to a promiscuous woman, in particular a married woman who is unfaithful to her husband. This of course strikes us as horrific, but let’s consider two things. We will deal with God’s purpose second, but first consider Hosea. It is a state that occurs frequently in life, someone falls in love with another, although there are clear signs, maybe warnings from others, that this is not going to work out well. So maybe Hosea was so infatuated with Gomer that he was blind to the potential problems, yet he retrospectively sees it as God using the situation to reveal things to him. Or maybe he was told to deliberately to seek out a woman who would be unfaithful. Why does God use this situation? Because it mirrors the situation between God and Israel. She has been unfaithful to God. Now God did, and does, love Israel, but she became unfaithful, so this would lend weight to the view that when Hosea married Gomer she was OK, but then became unfaithful.
Whatever the precise details, this gives a deep and uncomfortable insight into God’s revelation. Sometimes He uses horrific circumstances in our lives, or other terrible experiences, to reveal His heart to us. Revelation from God is so much more than a mere intellectual transfer of information.
So Hosea married Gomer and she conceived a son.
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