“Then the LORD said to me, ‘Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.’” (Ho 3:1)
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5 Powerful Lessons from the Book of Hosea
It’s hard to imagine many believers jumping at the chance to live out Hosea’s personal and prophetic calling. I mean, if surrendering one’s life to God and fulfilling the lonely duties of an Old Testament prophet wasn’t hard enough, Hosea might hold the title of having one of the most unique and difficult callings in all of Scripture. Instructed by God to minister to a confused and unfaithful people in a state of moral decline, Hosea was also told to marry a prostitute and remain faithful to her in marriage even while she continued in her line of work. However, while the life of Hosea served as an illustration of God’s faithfulness and endless love for His people in the midst of their unfaithfulness, today, there are lessons to be learned from the book of Hosea that should challenge and encourage believers in their relationship with God.
Who Wrote the Book of Hosea?
The prophet Hosea was called by God to minister to the Northern Kingdom of Israel from around 755 B.C. to 710 B.C., a ministry that lasted during the reign of Israel’s last seven kings leading up to the Assyrian invasion and destruction of the Northern Kingdom in 722 B.C. Historically, Hosea would have been the younger contemporary of the prophet Amos and ministered around the same time of Isaiah and Micah, who were hard at work ministering to the Southern Kingdom in Judah. As you might expect, the author of the book of Hosea is Hosea himself.
The most noteworthy thing we learn about Hosea early on is that he was called by God to marry a woman named Gomer, who Scripture says was either a prostitute before they got married or would become a prostitute at some point later on (Hosea 1:2). Unfortunately for Hosea, she would also continue in that profession and later leave Hosea altogether, becoming enslaved by one of her many lovers. Hosea would eventually, however, buy her back as his bride, reflecting the redeeming nature of God’s love for Israel, His bride, who He would also work to buy back (Hosea 3).." from the article: 5 Powerful Lessons from the Book of Hosea
Video from BibleProject
"Watch our overview video on the book of Hosea, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In this book, Hosea accuses Israel of breaking their covenant with God and warns them of the tragic consequences to follow." from video introduction
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