Sat.’s Devo - Hosea

Read: Hosea 1:1-3:5; 1 John 5:1-21; Psalm 124:1-8; Proverbs 29:5-8 So many of the Old Testament prophets did prophetic acts to illustrate what God was saying. Hosea’s life and especially his marriage and his children were to be visible signs to the people to show them their heart and God’s heart toward them. Hosea’s name means “Salvation” or “Deliverance”. He prophesied while the kings of Judah were Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah and Jeroboam 11 was king in Israel. The climate of the nations was prosperity and peace on the outside while political corruption, instability in people family life, immorality, class prejudice, and poverty was going on underneath. In the midst of this, God began to speak to Israel through Hosea. He told him to go and marry a prostitute so that some of her children would be born in prostitution. She was a picture of unfaithful Israel. Hosea would be the picture of God’s faithfulness. Hosea married Gomer which means “completion”. They had a son and God said to name him “Jezreel”. It was time for God to bring to completion the avenging of blood on Jezreel that Jehu’s house did. Jehu had ridden into Jezreel and had Jezebel thrown down from the window to die on the ground. All blood that is shed has to be avenged. Hosea then prophesied the end of Israel’s independence. It’s military power would be broken in the Jezreel Valley. Remember that that was where Jezebel had Naboth killed to steal his land. Gomer gave birth to a daughter and her name was Lo-ruhamah which means “not loved”. This was to show that God would no longer love or forgive Israel, but he would show his love toward Judah. He would free them from their enemies by his power; it would not be by man’s power. Gomer had a second daughter and she was named Lo-ruhamah which means “not my people” This was to say that Israel was not God’s people and He was not their God. But he said that one day when Israel had grown to be a multitude again he would call them His people at the same place he was rejecting them now. At that time the people of Judah and Israel would unite together and have one leader and return from exile together. That day will be the “day of Jezreel” when God would plant them in their land again. They will have new names which mean “my people” and “the ones I love”. Chapter 2 was a call for Israel to repent and turn back to God. She was like a prostitute who needed to repent and change her profession. Her lovers were her false gods and the things she trusted in which were not God. When she does repent, God promised to give her a safe life of righteousness and justice; love and compassion. On that day, nature will respond to their repentance and rain will fall upon their land bringing prosperity and life. God told Hosea to go and love his wife again as a picture of how God will one day love his wife, Israel again. Hosea went and bought back his wife for 15 pieces of silver and five bushels of wheat and a measure of wine and told her she had to stay pure for many days. This was to show that Israel would go a long time without a king or prince or sacrifices, priests or idols. But afterwards, they would return and given themselves to the Lord and in the last days, they would tremble in awe of the Lord and his goodness. In First John, we are proclaimed God’s children. We are the ones Hosea said would be called “my people” and “the ones He loves”. To love God is to keep all his commandments and to love him and his people. We have three witnesses of the truth: the Spirit, the water and the blood. Jesus was baptized in water, shed his blood on the cross and the Spirit confirms it as truth. God testified for Jesus that he was his son when he was both baptized and also when he died. If we are God’s children, we will not practice sinning. John begged his people to keep away from anything that would draw them away from God or might take God’s place in their heart. Lord, may we rid our lives of useless clutter that distracts us from what we are suppose to be doing as children of God on the earth. May we love and serve You with our whole hearts.