Hosea was a prophet to the northern kingdom of Israel. Through his life and through what God showed him and asked of him, he represented the pain that we bring God through rejection and disobedience. But Hosea also modeled the grace God has given each of us through his relationship with his adulterous wife living out the gospel because for people because it’s not what we can do for God but what God does for us in spite of our sin. God asked Hosea to marry a prostitute (Hosea 1:2) and she was unfaithful to him continuing to prostitute herself.
When we reject Jesus we act like an unfaithful wife bringing sorrow and heartache to our loving husband, the Lord.
The wife of Hosea conceived and bore Hosea a son and named him Jezreel which means “God will sow”, an indication that God would soon sow wrath on them and bring an end to the house of Israel (V4).
Soon after she bore a daughter and God told him to name her Lo-Ruhamah, meaning, “No mercy”. She conceived again and bore another son and God said, “Name him Lo-Ammi, “Not My people”. It is likely these two children were not Hosea’s but the result of her adultery.
For a time, God would have mercy on Judah (V7). In love He promised to restore both Israel and Judah (V10-11). God wants to call them His people and show them His mercy (Hosea 2), but not while they remain unfaithful and children of harlotry (V4). Everything He had provided for them they gave to Baal (V8). So He punished her (V13), but in His mercy He will allure her and speak comfort to her (V14).
God’s plan for His people is temporary abandonment, but eternal redemption when He makes a new covenant with them (V18) and betroths them to Him forever (V19) and makes them His people. God is a god of relationship.
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