26/10/2022 Wednesday
Hosea
Hosea, as a picture of God, sought Gomer, bought her and restored her to her place as his wife.
Chapter 3
OUTLINE OF HOSEA The Ryrie Study Bible
1. The Prodigal Wife, 1:1-3:5
A. Her Unfaithfulness, 1:1-11
B. Her Punishment, 2:1-13
C. Her Restoration and Israel’s 2:14-23
D. Her Redemption, 3:1-5
2. The Prodigal People, 4:1-14:9
A. The Message of Judgment, 4:1-10:15
1. The indictment, 4:1-19
2. The verdict, 5:1-15
3. The plea of Israel, 6:1-3
4. The reply of the Lord, 6:4-11
5. The crimes of Israel, 7:1-16
6. The prophecy of judgment, 8:1-10:15
B. The Message of Restoration, 11:1-14:9
1. God’s love for the prodigal people, 11:1-11
2. God’s chastisement of the prodigal people, 11:12-13:16
3. God’s restoration of the prodigal people, 14:1-9
Hosea Cared for Gomer (Hosea 3:1-3)
• In chapter 1, the main focus is on Hosea’s family. In chapter 2, the focus is mainly on Israel. Here in
chapter 3, the focus begins with Hosea and Gomer (v.1-3) and ends with God and Israel (v.4-5).
• Hosea 3:1
• God specifically commanded Hosea to go love again his beloved Gomer even though she was an adulteress.
• Israel too had committed spiritual adultery by loving other gods and flagons of wine (i.e., raisin cakes used in sacrificial
feasts, and “in idolatrous ceremonies in honour of the queen of heaven.” KJBC)
• This clearly tells us that God does not want adultery to end an unfaithful marriage. Marriage is for LIFE!
Hosea Cared for Gomer (Hosea 3:1-3)
• Hosea 3:2
• Hosea bought Gomer back from slavery for 15 pieces of silver and for 1 ½ homer of barley.
• Evidently, Gomer’s sinful life had ended in slavery. She had fallen from a valuable wife to an unwanted slave.
• A female slave sold for 30 pieces of silver.
• Hosea paid 15 pieces of silver and the rest in barley, the coarsest kind of grain eaten only by the poorest of people.
• Someone wisely said, “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to
stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.”
Hosea Cared for Gomer (Hosea 3:1-3)
• Hosea 3:3
• From Hosea 1:2, it appears that Gomer’s heart had not been faithful from the beginning of their marriage.
• In chapter 2, she became unfaithful. Now Hosea commands his emaciated, immoral wife to abide with him and not to play
the harlot again. She was not to be for another man.
• He promised her, “I will also be for thee.”
God Cared for Israel (Hosea 3:4-5)
• Hosea 3:4
• This verse portrays Israel up to the present day – without several things.
• She is without a king or prince. “After the Babylonian captivity and the death of Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, the people of Israel knew no
longer a king in their midst.” Charles L. Feinberg The Minor Prophets, p.26
• She is without a sacrifice and without ephod (priestly garment). She did not observe the OT sacrificial system, though the Messiah would
come and be the supreme sacrifice for sin.
• She is without idolatry. After the captivity, Israel never returned to worshipping images or teraphim (a family idol or household god).
• They will be without all these things for some time.
God Cared for Israel (Hosea 3:4-5)
• Hosea 3:5
• This verse deals with Israel’s future. “In God’s appointed time Israel will come to its senses and will have a national
regeneration (cf. Jer 31:31-34).” KJBC
• Note that Israel will return, seek the LORD, and fear the LORD and His goodness. These steps are key to their restoration.
• Anytime we stray from the Lord, even a little, these steps are the solution.
• We must return to the Lord. He has not moved, we have.
• We must seek the Lord. He will not force us.
• We must fear the Lord, humbling ourselves and lifting Him up.
• We must come to Him as the source of all goodness.
Applications for Us Today
• Infidelity in a marriage causes dreadful pain and sorrow, no one knew that better than Hosea and his three
children.
• Infidelity is selfish and sinful.
• Hosea’s response to his wife’s infidelity reflects the heart and mind of God. Hosea remained loyal to Gomer. He bought her
back though she was far from beautiful. He forgave her, cleaned her up and brought her back to good standing as his wife.
This needs to be the Christian attitude towards infidelity.
• Remember where Gomer’s sin led her. She lost her dignity, her health, her beauty, and her freedom. The
wages of sin hurt.
• God’s goal in correction is always restoration.