The word of the Lord which came to Hosea the son of Beeri, during the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.
2 When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take for yourself a wife inclined to infidelity, and children of infidelity; for the land commits flagrant infidelity, abandoning the Lord.” 3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. 4 And the Lord said to him, “Name him Jezreel; for in just a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the bloodshed of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. 5 On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.”
6 Then she conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. And the Lord said to him, “Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer take pity on the house of Israel, that I would ever forgive them. 7 But I will take pity on the house of Judah and save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, sword, battle, horses, or horsemen.”
8 When she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and gave birth to a son. 9 And the Lord said, “Name him Lo-ammi, because you are not My people, and I am not your God.”
10 Yet the number of the sons of Israel
Will be like the sand of the sea,
Which cannot be measured or counted;
And in the place
Where it is said to them,
“You are not My people,”
It will be said to them,
“You are the sons of the living God.”
11 And the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel will be gathered together,
And they will appoint for themselves one leader,
And they will go up from the land,
For the day of Jezreel will be great. Hosea 1 NASB
Hosea 1 Wife and Children
Hosea was a prophet, and it tells us in verse 1 the name of the kings to which time he prophesied. Here are some links for that background:
a. Kings of Judah… king of Israel: Hosea’s ministry spanned the years 760 to 720 B.C. during the days of the divided monarchy. This was after days of David and Solomon, when the people of God divided in a civil war, creating two nations: Israel in the north, and Judah in the south. This is some 250 years after the time of King David, and some 650 years after Israel came into the Promised Land. - E Word
Hosea's name means "save, salvation", and he is the first of the 12 Minor prophets, and minor here is not in the sense of less important, but that the books are smaller and or not as broad in their topics and application. In the Hebrew Bible the twelve minor prophets are all in one book.
Go take for yourself a wife inclined to infidelity - Hosea gets a word from God which instructs him to marry a prostitute. Obviously this seems strange, but the imagery is actually quite common, where Israel is as God's betrothed, His covenant wife, and yet guilty of apostasy, seeking other gods, cheating on the true God with idols, leaving reality for delusion. Some prefer to interpret this as a vision, wherein the words to the prophet are more like a metaphor, but I will stick with the literal interpretation that the context implies.
For the land commits flagrant infidelity - Hosea's family will become the literal representation of God's relationship with Israel.
…7We have behaved corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that You gave Your servant Moses. 8Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses when You said, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, 9but if you return to Me and keep and practice My commandments, then even if your exiles have been banished to the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for My Name.’… Nehemiah 1: 7-9
…7And I will set My face against them. Though they may have escaped the fire, yet another fire will consume them. And when I set My face against them, you will know that I am the LORD. 8Thus I will make the land desolate, because they have acted unfaithfully,’ declares the Lord GOD.” Ezekiel 15: 7-8
…19Then I said, ‘How I long to make you My sons and give you a desirable land, the most beautiful inheritance of all the nations!’ I thought you would call Me ‘Father’ and never turn away from following Me. 20But as a woman may betray her husband, so you have betrayed Me, O house of Israel,” declares the LORD. 21A voice is heard on the barren heights, the children of Israel weeping and begging for mercy, because they have perverted their ways and forgotten the LORD their God.… Jeremiah 3: 19-21
So he went and took Gomer - This is a name of an actual person, again pointing to a literal marriage that represents Israel's spiritual condition. Even in times of good economic blessing and peace, instead of gratefulness to God and prioritizing time, free time, to devotion and thanksgiving, the people turned to apostasy and the religions of the pagans around them. Gomer is a whore which is a good representation of Israel in her dealings with the God that brought her out of bondage and made a covenant with her.
ii. No doubt, this happened after the pattern of human nature. When Hosea and Gomer first married, she probably promised eternal love and devotion. She probably showed every sign of being committed to Hosea. But after a while, and in difficult circumstances, she fell back into prostitution. Perhaps it was out of boredom. Perhaps it was out of a feeling of neglect. Perhaps it was out of a sense of need. Sadly, we share the same inexcusable reasons for our idolatry, when we prefer another god to the LORD God.
iii. Some commentators believe this never really happened, and that Hosea is only telling a vivid story. They think it could never have happened because God would never have a prophet marry a prostitute. But Boice rightly observes, “If Hosea’s story cannot be real (because ‘God could not ask a man to marry an unfaithful woman’), then neither is the story of salvation real, because that is precisely what Christ has done for us.” - E Word
Name him Jezreel - The name means scattered and the northern tribes are about to experience that at the hands of the Assyrians. Jezreel was also the valley where Jehu massacred all the descendants and prophets of Ahab, who was a wicked king, yet Israel has not departed from the apostasy of Jeroboam.
…10Know, then, that not a word the LORD has spoken against the house of Ahab will fail, for the LORD has done what He promised through His servant Elijah.” 11So Jehu killed everyone in Jezreel who remained of the house of Ahab, as well as all his great men and close friends and priests, leaving him without a single survivor. 12Then Jehu set out toward Samaria. At Beth-eked of the Shepherds,… 2 Kings 10: 10-12
i. Obviously, this was not good news to Jeroboam II. It said that his dynasty, the dynasty of Jehu, was coming to an end. In fact, after the death of Jeroboam II in 752 B.C. his son Zechariah barely reigned only six months before being assassinated (2 Kings 15:8-10), and that was the end of the house of Jehu. - Enduring Word
Name her Loruhamah - Ah man, someone already took that name, oh well, it means "no mercy". She would be a constant reminder of God's coming judgment. "What's your daughter's name?" No Mercy.
But I will take pity on the House of Judah and save them - Mercy is grace undeserved, and there is no one that has earned such grace for it is unmerited favor.
…14What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Certainly not! 15For He says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.… Romans 9: 14-16
By the Lord their God - Not by might nor by power but by My Spirit says the Lord. He will save by the sacrifice of His Son, that is the only satisfaction worthy of God's infinite righteousness.
Name him Lo-Ammi - It means "Not My People". Israel did not reflect God as their father, they broke the covenant, worshiped other gods, were more interested in culture and religious token. This is the hard truth, that many will claim to know God, yet their actions will declare a different allegiance.
…43Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message. 44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies. 45But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me!… John 8: 43-45
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5: 43-48
Yet the number of the sons of Israel - The judgment would not stand forever, eventually He would bring Israel back.
You are sons of the living God - In the same place where they were called, "not My people", a multitude of their descendants would return to be called sons of the Living God. Remember, Judah was not saved for her fidelity, because she too was later taken into captivity by Babylon. She is saved in the same manner that all are saved, not by sword or battle, but by the Lord. They are saved by Messiah, the covering of their transgressions with the blood of the Lamb that was slain.
…4Surely He took on our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken by God, struck down and afflicted. 5But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. 6We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.… Isaiah 53: 4-6
The day of Jezreel will be great -
e. Say to your brethren, “My people,” and to your sisters, “Mercy is shown”: This shows that the redemption would be complete. The child named Jezreel had his name redeemed, and then the next two children (Lo-Ruhamah, “No Mercy” and Lo-Ammi, “Not My People”) had their name redeemed as Israel would once again regarded as “My People” unto the LORD and “Mercy is shown” unto them. What was a sign of judgment would become evidence of redemption. - E Word
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