Hosea’s Wife Is Redeemed
3 Then the Lord said to me, “Go and love your wife again, even though she[a] commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them.[b]”
2 So I bought her back for fifteen pieces of silver[c] and five bushels of barley and a measure of wine.[d] 3 Then I said to her, “You must live in my house for many days and stop your prostitution. During this time, you will not have sexual relations with anyone, not even with me.[e]”
4 This shows that Israel will go a long time without a king or prince, and without sacrifices, sacred pillars, priests,[f] or even idols! 5 But afterward the people will return and devote themselves to the Lord their God and to David’s descendant, their king.[g] In the last days, they will tremble in awe of the Lord and of his goodness.
Yesterday, Chapter 2 concluded with a preview of today's chapter. In Chapter 2, verse 19, the analogy is drawn: just as a husband might renew vows with an unfaithful wife, God planned to renew His covenant with Israel. He welcomed her back home to live together in lasting peace and love, as mentioned in Hosea 2:19. Chapter 3 starts with going into this….
The comparison between Hosea's love for his sinful wife and God's love for sinful people is directly stated in verse 1. This might be one of the most beautiful verses in scripture concerning God's heart. Hosea buys Gomer back from adultery but does not consummate the marriage. This seems to parallel how Israel was restored— their idolatry resulting in a prolonged period of separation. The complete fulfillment would not occur until the first coming of Jesus. The separation serves to make the people recognize the goodness of God by realizing what they have been missing.
In times of desperation. God invites us to come back to Him. We often prioritize things over God in our lives— relationships, jobs, comfort, enjoyment, wealth, pleasure, or selfish desires. God is urging us to return to Him. If we confess our sins, He will purify us (1 John 1:9). Like Israel, there may still be earthly consequences, but true life is found in Christ. As John 1:4 states, "In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind." God sees us in our sin and provides a path for us to experience true life. For believers, this realization should profoundly impact and transform us. He is love. He is where true life is found!
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