Church and the Bible
- The Bible.
- The Old Testament
- The Pentateuch
- BHB001 Genesis
- BHB002 Exodus
- BHB003 Leviticus
- BHB004 Numbers
- BHB005 Deuteronomy
- The HISTORICAL BOOKS
- BHB006 Joshua
- BHB007 Judges
- BHB008 Ruth
- BHB009 First Samuel
- BHB010 Second Samuel
- BHB011 First Kings
- BHB012 Second Kings
- HB013 First Chronicles
- HB014 Second Chronicles
- HB015 Ezra
- HB016 Nehemiah
- HB017 Ester
- The POETICAL BOOKS
- PB018 Job
- PB019 Psalms
- PB020 Proverbs
- PB021 Ecclesiastes
- PB022 Song of Solomon
- The MAJOR PROPHETS
- MP023 Isaiah
- MP024 Jeremiah
- MP025 Lamentations
- MP026 Ezekiel
- MP027 Daniel.
- THE MINOR PROPHETS.
- TMP029 Joel
- TMP030 Amos
- TMP031 Obadiah
- TMP032 Jonah
- TMP033 Micah
- TMP034 Nahum
- TMP035 Habakkuk
- TMP036 Zephaniah
- TMP037 Haggai
- TMP038 Zechariah
- TMP039 Malachi
- The NEW TESTAMENT
- TNT002 Matthew
- TNT003 Mark
- TNT004 Luke
- TNT005 John
- TNT006 Acts of the Apostles
- TNT007 Romans
- TNT008 First Corinthians
- TNT009 Second Corinthians
- TNT010 Galatians
- TNT011 Ephesians
- TNT012 Philippians
- TNT013 Colossians
- TNT014 First Thessalonians
- TNT015 Second Thessalonians
- TNT016 First Timothy
- TNT017 Second Timothy
- TNT018 Titus
- TNT019 Philemon
- TNT120 Hebrews
- TNT121 James
- TNT122 First Peter
- TNT123 Second Peter
- TNT124 First John
- TNT125 Second John
- TNT126 Third John
- TNT127 Jude
- TNT128 Revelation
Chapter 3:1-3
(f).Gomer loved again.
Verse 1.
The narritive returns to Hosea's problem with his adulterous wife, Gomer. Gomer obviously left Hosea after the birth of her third child, "Lo-ammi", she had betrayed the sacred relationship of marriage for another sexual relationship that was outside that marriage bond.
It would seem from the Text that Hosea was living alone, and God asked him to seek out his wife, forgive her and bring her back and love her again. Humanily speaking this was a very difficult task to carry out but having said that Hosea obeyed. Hosea would be acting out how Yahweh felt toward adulterous Isreal.
Verse 2.
Hosea paid 15 shekels and about 10 bushels of barley to get Gomer back,offically Gomer was still his wife and no payement was necessary, it was probably given as a bridal gift, the idea behind it signified a new marriage and a new beginning.
Verse 3.
"You will live with me for many days", simply means that there was no strings attached to the new relationship between Hosea and Gomer, it was to be indefinite. Gomer was not to be intimate (welo`tihyile`is) with any other man but was to be totally faithful to her husband Hosea. Some have suggested that these words were to be taken as a disciplining act by Hosea. Some have even suggested that Gomer was not even allowed to have any sexual relationship with her husband.
But the writter uses the word ('ehab) which means love, Hosea was to love Gomer and surely that meant more than just living in the same house. If the relationship is symbolic of Yahweh's new relationship with Isreal then the full marital rights must of necessity be restored.
(g). Isreal's future return to God.(ch.3:4-5).
In these two verses, we can see the prophet Hosea opening up with the hope of future blessing for the children of Isreal.The parallel between Yahweh with Isreal and Hosea with Gomer is used to bring out spiritual truth. Hosea was called to love Gomer even though she had been unfaithful. So to Yahweh would love Isreal even through she had fallen into sin.
Verse 4.
This fourth verse is very significant because it opens to us an understanding concerning what it really meant for Isreal to be seperated from God.
Firstly, Isreal would be without 'king or prince', this meant that they would not be able to govern themselves, they would not be atonomous as a nation.
Secondly, 'sacrifice and sacred stones' ( mass ebah ) represents pure idolatry. So Isreal would be without any form of religion, they would have every aid to religion removed from them.
Thirdly, they often relied on the 'ephod' to search out the future, this also was to be removed from their midst.Also the 'idol' (terapim) which bacically was a heathen instrument used in whitch craft was also to be removed.
So Isreal was to be stripped of every thing that made them what they were so that God could make them new creatures and give to them fresh hope in committement to Him.
Verse 5.
According to this verse, a great change will take place in the life of the children of Isreal.They will begin to seek their 'King David' again. They will come trembling (pahad) seeking the Lord,calling upon His name.This is to happen in the last days (`aharithayyamim). Again if we are to fully understand this verse we must look for its fulfillment in the mellennial period.
There king David`s throne will be taken over by the true son of David, the Lord Jesus Christ.