Village Schools of the Bible

A Devotional Study of Hosea
by Max Frazier, Jr

A RESTORED LOVE: Hosea 3

After her marriage to Hosea, and following the births of their three children, Gomer runs away from her marital and family responsibilities. How long a period of time had elapsed between her marriage to the prophet and her unfaithfulness the Bible does not state. But Hosea was certainly aware of her ability to become unfaithful. Now, after she has left, God commands Hosea to go after her and to purchase her out of the dens of prostitution and slavery.

I am constantly amazed at some of the things God commands his prophets to do. You might remember that God commanded the prophet Ezekiel not to mourn his dead wife. He commanded the prophet Elijah to appear before the most ungodly king of his time and announce a drought as God's punishment for sin. God even commanded the prophet Jonah to leave a successful prophetic ministry in Israel and to travel to the land of their enemies, the Assyrians, to deliver a message from God. Now God commands Hosea to go and to be restored to his wife who had been so grossly unfaithful to him.

I suppose that my response, if I had been in Hosea's shoes, would have been to argue with God that Gomer was not worthy of being brought back; that I had been patient with her these many years and this was the way she had repaid my faithfulness. I probably would have told God that my life would be more peaceful and less stressful without having to watch out for her all the time. You know how the excuses are offered to God whenever He asks us to do something we simply don't want to do.

Just ask Moses how successful it is to offer excuses to God. All of his were to no avail, and we remember that he did go to Egypt and was used mightily by God in the deliverance of Israel. Just ask Jonah how successful it is to offer excuses to God. He had one "whale of a ride" until he came to understand that God demands obedience and not excuses.

Hosea goes because he has a heart of obedience toward God. And also, I believe he had a heart of love and compassion for Gomer. Yet, I wonder what went through his mind as he paid the money to purchase his backslidden wife. He had loved her freely, but she had scorned that love and deserted her husband to follow other loves. Yet, Hosea had continued to love her.

Gomer is such a picture of who we are. We are so easily swayed from our walk with God by the enticements of Satan. Yet, while we are straying away, God still loves us and pursues us with his love and His desire is to restore us into fellowship with Himself.

Although this is one of the shortest chapters in all of the Bible, I have come to praise God for the beautiful symbolism which it contains. To me, it presents the real meaning behind the Christmas story: God's continuing love for a lost mankind.

Further Thoughts from Hosea 3:

KEY WORDS: Love; Adulteress

KEY VERSE: Verse 1 is a powerful statement on reconciled love.

PURPOSE STATEMENT: Hosea is commanded to be restored in love to his unfaithful wife just as Israel will be restored to God.

OUTLINE: A RECONCILED LOVE

I. A command to restore love - verse 1

II. Hosea redeems his wife - verses 2-3

III. A symbolic act - verses 4-5

Hosea 2 Return to the Table of Contents Hosea 4