September 21 - Hosea's Children

September 21 - Hosea's Children
Hosea 1:1-11

Hosea didn’t have an easy life.  God told him to take a wife (Gomer) who wouldn’t be faithful to him and who would have children by other men while married to Hosea.  This would be a symbol of the unfaithfulness of the Israelites in their relationship with God.

God told Hosea to name Gomer’s first son Jezreel, because he was going to punish the house of Jehu for a massacre at Jezreel.  He planned to end that kingdom of Israel.

Gomer’s second child, a daughter was to be named Lo-Ruhamah, which means not loved.  God said he was was no longer going to show love to Israel. He wouldn’t forgive them.

Gomer had one more child named Lo-Ammi.  This child’s name meant ‘not my people’ and Hosea 1:9 goes on to say, “you are not my people, and I am not your God.”

Now before you think this is the end of the story, it’s not.  In Hosea 2:21-24, Israel’s redemption and future hope is found in the words God speaks to the children of Hosea.  The land of Jezreel will be renewed, replanted by God himself.  He will show love to Lo-Ruhamah and he will tell His people they are His and then they will respond by saying ‘You are my God.’

It seems that Hosea marries once again in chapter three, this time to a woman who was loved by another as well.  The Lord told Hosea that he was to love her, just as the Lord loves Israel.  But, while she was married to Hosea, she was to be chaste, prophesying Israel’s loss of a relationship with God.

In both cases, Hosea’s personal life became the stage for what the Lord wanted Israel to know. They would be punished for their unfaithfulness to Him, but in the end he would draw them back to Him because He loved them.