An Unusual Task

O. T. #2027 "An Unusual Task"

Sept. 17, 2021

Hosea 1

The word of the LORD that came to Hosea son of Beeri... (verse 1)

LET IT GLOW

Have you ever had a word from the Lord Jesus directed to you personally? Perhaps the Holy Spirit speaks specifically to you while praying, as an answer to a specific question, or out of the blue He gives a direction. I have been there this year. Sometimes it is a word or phrase or idea that is repeated in a sermon, Scripture, or others. Instead of stepping on our toes, it shoots directly to the heart. And you get the message, the word.

Hosea had a Word of God. In the Hebrew language, word (dabar') can mean several things-a matter; a cause; decree; answer; purpose; task; tidings; saying.

So when a Word of the Lord came to Hosea, it was concerning a matter, was for a purpose, and gave him a task. What was it? We find the answer right away in verse 2:

The beginning of the Word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.

We don't have any background as to why God would give this direction to Hosea. Perhaps he had fallen in love with this woman Gomer as he saw her daily getting water from the city well. Maybe he saw her around town and she caught his eye, they became acquainted, and she was a great gal. Or maybe none of the above. Maybe Gomer was a good gal and then turn to promiscuity. It could be that Hosea didn't even know her before this.

Whatever, God told Hosea to go and marry a prostitute. She could have been a morally pure woman at the time they married, she became discontent, and went off into harlotry. Consider that for a Jewish man to marry a harlot would have been not acceptable in their society. Hosea was not a priest, however. (Lev. 21:7)

Well, Hosea knew right away that Gomer would be unfaithful to him and she would have children as a result. But his love and forgiveness and restoration would be a life lesson for Israel, since they had done the same to their God as Gomer did to Hosea. That is the Word Hosea was to live out before the people.

How tough it would have been, knowing right away that his marriage and family would not be ideal and certainly gossiped about in the city.

Beloved of God, if your marriage has turn out to be one of an unfaithful spouse, God can heal a broken heart and put it back together, piece by piece.

If unfaithfulness or divorce is in your immediate family, turn to God for a Word of encouragement from Him. He forgives sins, loves unconditionally. He can still use imperfect people for Kingdom purpose.

LET IT GROW

When God called Hosea, he not only gave him a message, He also called him to be a message. (Tony Evans)

Hosea was a prophet to the northern kingdom of Israel. Under the reign of Jeroboam II, Israel had prospered materially but had decayed spiritually. the people were greedy and had adopted the immoral behavior and idolatrous religion of the surrounding Canaanites. Hosea's role was to show how Israel had been unfaithful to God, their "husband" and provider, and had married themselves to Baal and the gods of Canaan. He warned that unless they repented of their sin and turned back to God, they were headed for destruction. [Life Application Study Bible]

We know that Israel did not repent, so Assyria conquered them.

Is the bride of Christ, the church, faithful to their bridegroom? Is she turning to programs, things, straying from the Word of God for them?

Are we individually being faithful to our Savior? To our spouse?

LET IT GO

Help us to be faithful to the Faithful One.

Speak to our hearts from Your Word, Jesus.

May we let go of things and cling to You, Almighty God.