Bible Commentaries

John Brown

Hosea 3:1 (NASB) 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."

A. Israel has turned to the worship of pagan idols and the "raisin cakes" were part of the sacrificial feasts they participated in!

1. Gomer was also lost in her sins of prostitution and all that goes along with it.

2. Dead- if you will to the love of her husband.

a) But Hosea is instructed to put his love into action by going to get her since she could not get out of this by herself.

III. Hosea 3:2 (NASB) SO I BOUGHT HER FOR MYSELF FOR FIFTEEN [SHEKELS] OF SILVER AND A HOMER AND A HALF OF BARLEY.

A15 shekels of silver was the price of a slave according to Exodus 21:7; Exodus 21:31.

1. A homer and of barley was about10 bushels- which at the time was most likely the remaining of the purchase price of his dear, lost wife.

2. What a sad testimony of Gomer's selfishness. She has not only cost the family immeasurable grief and heartache, but now her husband must use the limited resources of the family to redeem her.

a) But, doesn"t that sound like an alcohol, or drug addiction- it just keeps in taking and "raping" its victims?

(1) Truth Hosea 3:3 (NASB) 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."

A. Hosea gives his wife Gomer a "time-out" - a time of isolation of you will.

1. Who knows what habit she picked up along the path of her sin?

a) Maybe there was even a time of " Hosea 3:4 (NASB) 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.

A. This is where our text this morning begins to span time!

1. As we dig deeper into these verses, we will see that the Lord is working in the lives of Hosea and Gomer to teach all the way into eternity.

B. Please notice that the sons of Israel will remain for many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or [sacred] pillar, and without ephod or household idols.

1. This is the3time the Lord has told Israel that they will have a "time-out".

a) The first2 - He told them how long they would be out of their land, but not this time!

(1) The1time he told Abraham he would give them the Land of Promise, but that his people would be in Egyptian slavery for430 years because of their sin and rebellion towards the Lord.

(2) The2time, again for sin and rebellion, they lost70 years in Babylon.

(a) Now He just says, "For many days." - leaving it open!

(i) Remember Hosea is prophesying to the Northern Kingdom and technically they have still not returned to the land!

2. If we look at this on a broader scale- Israel is still without her proper King and Prince and she still does not perform the temple sacrifices or priestly duties!

a) And this will remain so while the Lord is building His church.

(1) You see the time between when Israel left the land in70 A.D. and the time mentioned which is yet future- the Lord has been calling out Gentiles and building His church!

(a) Now you may be thinking- Israel became a nation once again in May of1948 - but think about it- they do not have temple mount!

(i) They do not have their most holy site, they do not have their temple and they do not have a priest or king from the lineage of David to sit upon the throne- Hosea 3:5 (NASB) 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.

1. I think this verse cinches it up!

a) There has been no real "returning to God" in Israel. If anything, as a nation, there has been a turning away from the Lord.

(1) This final "coming home" will bring them to the knowledge of Jesus as their Messiah and then they will finally have their King from the lineage of David!

b) The "time-out" for Israel will be over.

(1) Gomer will finally return home with the husband that truly loves her!

(a) The One who has redeemed her will be given His proper place in her life one again!