Hosea Chapter 3
Commentary by Ron Beckham
Verse 1. "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.’"
The Christ (Messiah) of God was sent at a time of terrible sin in this world.
Outwardly, the Jews did not appear to be sinners. The Pharisees, Saducess, and Essenees of
Jesus’ day, SEEMED to have lots of "religion", but His appearing revealed
them as the sinners they really were. The people of Israel, at the time of Hosea, also
seemed "religious" to their contemporaries. But God took this man and his wife
Gomer, and through them, revealed the sins of that nation. God now told Hosea to go and
again express love to his wife, even though she had committed adultery and had turned
against him.
God loved Israel, but the worship of this "religious" people was actually
directed to "other gods". They gave "raisin cakes" and other offerings
to the "Baalim" (idols), and yet pretended to themselves they were serving God.
They committed "spiritual adultery", a sin performed often in our world today.
And yet note that God continues to love those who sin against Him. "God demonstrates
His own love toward us, in that while were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans
5:8).
Verse 2 "So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and
a half of barley."
This was roughly the price paid for a slave. Zechariah reported God’s prophesy
(given in approximately 475 BC), that the money to be spent for betraying the Christ,
would be "30-pieces of silver" (Zechariah 11:12,13), the price paid for a slave.
This is literally seen in the actions of Judas Iscariot, who "sold" the Messiah
(betrayed Him) for 30-pieces of silver. A "homer" of grain was about 11-bushels.
The "15-shekels of silver and a homer and a half of barley" amounted to about
30-pieces of silver. Gomer had become a slave to sin, and Hosea, her husband, bought her
back.
Jesus "made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, coming in the
likeness of men, and being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became
obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:7-8). The
30-pieces of silver spent for the death of Jesus Christ, was really paid for OUR sins. We
need to be redeemed (we are the slaves who must be bought back) and Jesus willingly spent
His life, His blood, on our behalf. We were bought by His death on the cross.
Verse 3. "Then I said to her, ‘You shall stay with me for many days. You
shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man; so I will also be toward
you.’"
We are not to play the "harlot" anymore. You and I have "MY" way of
doing things, which is fine, except "MY way" tends often to be the opposite of
God’s way. Hosea was receiving Gomer back, but she was not to be with men, other than
her husband. He had the right, because he had married her in good faith, and she gave
herself to the slavery of promiscuity. He then purchased her from slavery – the
relationship was not merely husband and wife anymore – he had purchased her from sin.
So it is with Christ and His Church. As the Lord God spoke through Paul to the Church
at Corinth, "You were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in
your spirit, which are God’s" (1 Corinthians 6:20). The sacrifice of Christ on
the cross changes everything. Yes, He (Christ) is as a "bridegroom" to us, but
He also purchased us from the slavery of sin, and we belong to Him. We are bought at a
price; therefore let us spend our lives glorifying Him who rescued you and me.
Verse 4. "For the sons of Israel will remain for many days without king or prince,
without sacrifice or sacred pillar and without ephod or household idols."
Israel had chosen to be a nation (separated "herself" from Judah) by
"her" own decision. "She" had chosen false religion in the place of
God. The punishment of that land would be severe. Note, by the way, that the
"punishment" of God is corrective in nature. We say to our children, in relation
to some offense(s) they have committed, "You can’t go to the movies for a
month!" (Or some such denial of their freedom). Discipline is to catch our attention
and change the direction of our lives for the better.
They (Israel) would be without the protection of a Jewish government and legal system.
They would have not have familiar (Jewish) religious practices to comfort them. There
would be no prophesy to guide them (which they had rejected anyway). When we were in
Israel, in May, of 2000, we saw many soldiers. We felt protected by them. The sentence of
the people in Hosea’s time, was to be that, yes, they would see lots of soldiers, but
the armed men would be AGAINST them, not for them. And they would have no comfort in their
sorrow.
Verse 5. "Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God and
David their king; and they will come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the last
days."
A great promise of Scripture is found in this verse. The nation that sins WILL be
judged by the Lord. But there's more. The people who endure correction, will be RESCUED by
the very Lord who judged them. When Jesus Christ died for our sins, He purchased
"with (His) blood, men from EVERY tribe and tongue and people and nation"
(Revelation 5:9). Israel WILL turn to the Messiah. People from EVERY nation will be with
Israel in eternity. The eventual salvation of Israel is shouted forth from Scripture, and
the promise of salvation is for all who trust in Him.
An excellent chapter to read on this subject, is Romans 11, where the Apostle Paul
discusses the return of his people (Israel) in detail. There is a warning to the Church in
that Chapter: "They (Israel) were broken off (judged) for their unbelief, but you
(the Gentiles in the Church) stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear;
for if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you" (Romans
11:20-21). But always remember that the God of Judgment is the God who sent Jesus Christ
to die for your sins. He who corrects is also the One who loves you without limit, and has
rescued you by dying for your sins on the Cross of Calvary. REJOICE in Him today!
Ron Beckham
Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
Ron@fridaystudy.org
