Africa Study Bible Sampler - Flipbook - Page 54
53
1
The Lord gave this message to Hosea son
of Beeri during the years when Uzziah,
Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of
Judah, and Jerob
oam son of Jehoash* was
king of Israel.
Hosea’s Wife and Children
2 When the Lord first began speaking to
Israel through Hosea, he said to him, “Go
and marry a prostitute,* so that some of her
children will be conceived in prostitution.
This will illustrate how Israel has acted like
a prostitute by turning against the Lord and
worshipping other gods.”
3 So Hosea married Gomer, the daughter of
Diblaim, and she became pregnant and gave
Hosea a son. 4 And the Lord said, “Name
the child Jezreel, for I am about to punish
King Jehu’s dynasty to avenge the murders
he committed at Jezreel. In fact, I will bring
an end to Israel’s independence. 5 I will break
its military power in the Jezreel Valley.”
6 Soon Gomer became pregnant again and
gave birth to a daughter. And the Lord said to
Hosea, “Name your daughter Lo-ruhamah—
‘Not loved’—for I will no longer show love to
the people of Israel or forgive them. 7 But I will
show love to the people of Judah. I will free
them from their enemies—not with weapons
and armies or horses and charioteers, but by
my power as the Lord their God.”
8 After Gomer had weaned Lo-ruhamah,
she again became pregnant and gave birth
to a second son. 9 And the Lord said, “Name
him Lo-ammi—‘Not my people’—for Israel
is not my people, and I am not their God.
10*“Yet the time will come when Israel’s
people will be like the sands of the seashore—too many to count! Then, at the
place where they were told, ‘You are not my
people,’ it will be said, ‘You are children of the
living God.’ 11 Then the people of Judah and
Israel will unite together. They will choose
one leader for themselves, and they will
return from exile together. What a day that
1:1
2 Kgs 15:32-38;
16:2-20; 18:1-8
2 Chr 26:1-23;
27:1-9; 28:127; 29:1-32
Mic 1:1
1:2
Jer 3:1
Hos 2:5; 3:1
1:4
2 Kgs 10:1-36
1:7
Ps 44:3-7
Isa 30:18
1:9
*1 Pet 2:10
1:10
Gen 22:17;
32:12
Isa 63:16; 64:8
Jer 33:22
*Rom 9:26
1:11
Isa 11:12
Jer 30:21
Ezek 37:21-24
Hos 3:5
2:2
Isa 50:1
Hos 4:5
2:3
Isa 20:2-3;
32:13-14
Jer 14:3
Ezek 16:7, 22
Hos 13:15
H O S E A 2 : 3
African Touch Points
Naming
In the Krou tribe in Côte d’Ivoire, when a woman has
lost several children in childbirth, the elders recommend that the next child be named “Koukougnon.”
Paradoxically, this name, which roughly translates to
“a being fit for death,” was supposed to protect the
child from premature death. It was as if acknowledging death’s power would cause death to have mercy
on the child. People who were called “fit for death”
were actually those destined to live.
This reversed identity is in complete contrast with
the names that God gave to Hosea’s children. By
God’s command, the prophet’s sons’ names literally
reflected their identity. The third child born of this
unusual couple had a significant name, Lo-ammi,
which means, “not my people” (Hosea 1:9). This
terrible name signified a broken relationship. The
child was the symbol of God’s rejection. His name
indicated how God felt abandoned by his people.
The pagan gods of the ancient world would not
show this kind of great marriage-like attachment to
their subjects. Our God, in contrast, passionately longs
for his wandering children. If you have wandered from
God, he is waiting with longing for your return. He
wants to be your loving Father again.
will be—the day of Jezreel*—when God will
again plant his people in his land.
2:1*“In that day you will call your brothers
Ammi—‘My people.’ And you will call your
sisters Ruhamah—‘The ones I love.’
Charges against an Unfaithful Wife
2 “But now bring charges against
Israel—your mother—
for she is no longer my wife,
and I am no longer her husband.
Tell her to remove the prostitute’s
makeup from her face
and the clothing that exposes her
breasts.
3 Otherwise, I will strip her as naked
as she was on the day she was born.
2
1:1 Hebrew Joash, a variant spelling of Jehoash. 1:2 Or a promiscuous woman.
1:10 Verses 1:10-11 are numbered 2:1-2 in
Hebrew text. 1:11 Jezreel means “God plants.” 2:1 Verses 2:1-23 are numbered 2:3-25 in Hebrew text.
Applica ti on
Perfect Love Forgives • Hosea 1–3
God asked the prophet Hosea to marry a prostitute and have Hosea for other men. God was very pained by Israel’s unchildren with her. He warned Hosea that this woman, Gomer, faithfulness, but he still loved them. Therefore, although God
would continue in her prostitution and not be a faithful wife. The punished them and rejected their children (Hosea 2:1-13), he
prophet obeyed and married her. Gomer bore three children— promised to restore them once again (Hosea 2:14).
probably not all fathered by Hosea. God gave the children
God loved us while we were still sinners and sent Jesus
names that reflected Israel’s spiritual state and how he felt to die for us (Romans 5:6-8). Yet we are often attracted by
about Israel’s idolatry. Then, despite all the pain Hosea felt over what the world offers, and we abandon God’s way. But he still
Gomer’s unfaithfulness, God asked him to go and take her back continues to show us his love and pursue us. Like the prodigal
as a demonstration of God’s love for his people (Hosea 3:1). son’s father, when we return to him, he will abundantly pardon
God used the prophet’s family to illustrate what was hap- (Luke 15:11-24). In the same way as God pardons us, he wants
pening in Israel and how he felt about their rebellion. The people us to love, forgive, and accept others in our daily relationships
had abandoned God to serve idols, just as Gomer abandoned (Colossians 3:13).