Uncommon Love Part 1

Hosea 1:2–3 NLT

When the Lord first began speaking to Israel through Hosea, he said to him, “Go and marry a prostitute, so that some of her children will be conceived in prostitution. This will illustrate how Israel has acted like a prostitute by turning against the Lord and worshiping other gods.” So Hosea married Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she became pregnant and gave Hosea a son.

Introduction:

God has had His prophets do some strange things.

Ezekiel laid on his side each day for 390 days symbolizing the iniquity of Israel, another 40 for Judah,

he cooked bread over dried cow dung symbolizing a future famine

He shaved his head and beard and divided the hair into 3 parts to illustrate what would happen to Israel

Isaiah walked around naked for 3 years

Jeremiah walked around in stocks/yoke

But what God asks Hosea to do has to take the cake

God told him to Go and marry a prostitute

Facebook blew up that day!

And Hosea had a time with this prostitute wife

But this is God’s way of speaking to His people, using their story to say “this is what I am constantly going through with you.”

Who was Hosea?

His name means saviour

he was assigned to northern kingdom

He lived in a violent time

four kings killed in 25 years

Israel went out of one war into another

no one safe on the streets because of murder and rape

He lived in a wicked time

After Solomon died, the kingdom divided

the northern tribe of Israel rebelled against leadership, taxes and God

they worshiped Baal

offered sacrifices to idols

had prostitutes in the places of worship like the pagans

materialism was rampant

they left the God of their ancestors

But God didn’t leave them, He sent them a prophet

Why would He do that?

Reform not Removal

God didn’t want to get rid of the rebellious northern tribes, He wanted them to change their ways and come back to Him.

He could have just wiped them out

If it was up to some of us, we might have wiped them out, and others too!

God doesn’t want any to perish

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.”

God is not looking for the right time to zap us

He wants to restore us to His presence

We need this kind of character in our own lives

We tend to have the attitude of — Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. It won’t happen again.

But God… He is the God of second chances!!

All throughout the Bible God is demonstrated as long-suffering, patient and the story of Hosea is a powerful reminder of this truth.

Let’s look at some of Hosea’s struggles starting with his disgraceful wife

The Disgraceful Wife

Everyone knew Gomer

Not a compliment

(In today’s terms) Her name was written on the bathroom stalls

Hosea loved Gomer

He knew what was being said

He knew what she was up to

He loved her anyway

An Attempt to Change Her

Path Blocking

Hosea tried to make Gomer a different woman. He knew her tendency to wander. So he attempted to block her path; make it hard for her to stray.

Hosea 2:6–7 ““For this reason I will fence her in with thornbushes. I will block her path with a wall to make her lose her way. When she runs after her lovers, she won’t be able to catch them. She will search for them but not find them. Then she will think, ‘I might as well return to my husband, for I was better off with him than I am now.’”

We all have the tendency to stray

God makes people new creations. Without the drawing of the Holy Spirit, we are all headed for destruction. But God blocks our road to hell with the cross of Christ

Using the Kids

Hosea tried to change Gomer by getting the kids to speak up

Hosea 2:1–3 ““In that day you will call your brothers Ammi—‘My people.’ And you will call your sisters Ruhamah—‘The ones I love.’ “But now bring charges against Israel—your mother— for she is no longer my wife, and I am no longer her husband. Tell her to remove the prostitute’s makeup from her face and the clothing that exposes her breasts. Otherwise, I will strip her as naked as she was on the day she was born. I will leave her to die of thirst, as in a dry and barren wilderness.”

God pleaded with Israel by sending the prophets

He pleads with us today by sending pastors and evangelists

Gomer seemed to be a lost cause, she left her husband and three kids for a life of prostitution

A Tale of Slavery

Gomer chose a life of lust and depravity

She must have had quite the reputation

Many men had been with her

It was years that she was gone

Then God tells Hosea to go find her

Hosea 3:1 “Then the Lord said to me, “Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them.””

Hosea searches for her

where do you find a woman living this way?

You have to go to the places you don’t normally go.

He made his way to the auction block

The sights and sounds were unlike what Hosea preferred

He would have much rather been tending to his duties in the temple or at home with the children

He sees this woman, he can barely make her out. “Is that Gomer?” “Is that my wife?” he asks himself.

she is beaten, naked and looks like she hasn't had a good meal in a long time

the bidding starts but no one seems to want her

someone bids 5 shekels, another 10

Hosea speaks up and bids 15

He must think to himself, is that all that anyone thinks she is worth?

Leviticus 27:4 “A woman of that age is valued at thirty shekels of silver.”

She sold for only half that

Hosea takes his wife, covers her up and takes her home

Oh what love this man had for this woman - Oh what love God has for His people and the world!

Conclusion

What Hosea did for Gomer is what God wants to do for everyone.

We all want to live our own way and do our own thing, but that way leads to shame and separation from all that is good.

Instead God sent Jesus to purchase us from slavery. He died to cover us from the shame that we have.

Where Hosea only paid half price for Gomer - Jesus paid it all!

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