The Bible Course预览

The prophet, adultery and reunion – the faithfulness of God

Reflect:

The Bible is a love story, but not in the Hollywood sense. It’s probably the messiest love story ever told. At times, it’s deeply heartbreaking, but this is what makes it the love story of the ages.

The story of Hosea is the love story of the ages in a single book of the Bible. It’s about a prophet who lived in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Following Israel’s split, the ten northern tribes no longer had access to Jerusalem and the temple, so they decided to set up alternative worship sites. They made two golden calves to worship. The Bible refers to this as idolatry, and it’s expressly forbidden in the Ten Commandments.

One of the prophets God raised up was Hosea. Hosea was about to embody the love of God towards his wayward people, highlighting the heartbreak caused by Israel’s choices.

What do we learn about God and Israel in Hosea’s story?

God told Hosea to marry Gomer, who cheated on him with other men despite Hosea showing her kindness and love. Her adultery leads to her enslavement. In the culture of that time, Hosea could have had her put to death. Instead, God meets with Hosea and says: ‘Go again and love the adulteress woman, who is loved by another man … [love her] even as the Lord has loved Israel’ (Hosea 3.1).

Hosea’s repeated forgiveness towards his adulterous wife, mirrors God’s love, patience, and mercy towards his unfaithful people.

What does this story mean for us now?

To God, idolatry is like spiritual adultery. To love anything or anyone more than God is like cheating on him. Most of us don’t have golden calves in our living rooms, but in our hearts we can be worshipping idols just the same. We pursue substitutes for the real God in status and image; property and possessions; hobbies and holidays. But eventually we wake up to the reality that only the love of God truly satisfies. And that’s the shocking message of Hosea: God remains faithful even when we cheat on him.

Hosea goes through the shame of buying back his own wife from prostitution. Imagine the talk around town. Picture the stares on the walk home. Hosea goes to extreme lengths to win back his wife. So has God through Jesus, who endured the shame of the cross so that we could be won back as his.

Respond

Sometimes we convince ourselves we could never be loved by God. The story of Hosea is a picture of God’s love for you. Maybe it’s time to let yourself be loved?