Untitled Sermon (11)

Hosea 1:1–3 KJV 1900

1 The word of the Lord that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. 2 The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea. And the Lord said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord. 3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.

Hosea 3:1–3 KJV 1900

1 Then said the Lord unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine. 2 So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley: 3 And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee.

You’re not finished yet

In Hosea chapter 3 vs. 1 the Lord speaks to the prophet…his anointed man and mouthpeice to Israel, Hosea and He says, Go take yourself a wife.

But…not just any wife…He says I want you to take a wife of whoredoms…A wife that is unfaithful, uncommitted and unrestrained. Hosea, go and take a wife that you won’t be able to trust…she is most assuredly going to step out on you…without a doubt she is going to break your heart…

She will hurt you

She will fail you

She is going to disappoint you

She is going to break your heart.

But GO and marry you a wife of whoredoms.

I can’t imagine this joining together of a prophet and a prostitute does great things for the reputation of Hosea in Israel. I know its a different day and there are cultural transformations that have takes place over the 3,000 years since Hosea served as a prophet to the people of God…but I just have a feeling that this might be one of those principles that hasn’t changed a whole lot.

Hosea go Marry you a wife of whoredoms...

God…why? Why would you ask me to do something so character corrupting for a prophet to the nations? Why would you ask me to do something that is going to tarnish my reputation and dishonor my name?

The answer lies in the second portion of Hosea chapter 1 vs. 2

Go take a wife of whoredoms...For the land has committed great harlotry By departing from the Lord.”

or as the New Living Translation renders the second half of Hosea 1 vs. 2 “ This will illustrate how Israel has acted like a prostitute by turning against the Lord and worshiping other gods.”

Hosea marry you a wife of whoredoms...

A wife that will break your heart

A wife that will walk out the door

A wife that can’t resist her other lovers

A wife that will let you down....

Hosea…marry you a woman that is hard to love!

Why? Because I need an illustration of how my people have walked away from me, chasing after other gods...

To say that Hosea’s ministry was unique would be an understatement

In the day that Hosea prophesied to Israel, there were 3 other prophets who were his contemporaries and ministered during some of the say times.

Vs. 1 identifies the timeline of the ministry of Hosea as being during the reign of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah and Jereboam, King of Isreal…Contemporaries and peer prophets to the nations during this time were Isaiah, Amos and Micah. Each of the other three prophets were much more of a conventional minister.

The first 4 words of the book of Isaiah underscore the ministry of Isaiah…The vision of Isaiah…Isaiah would be spoken to be God in visions such as the most prolific and well known of those visions that we find in Isaiah chapter 6 where Isaiah sees the Lord, high and lifted up…

The ministry of Amos also came through a vision. The bible tells us that Amos was among the herdsmen when he saw a great vision detailing the word of the Lord to Israel...

And the prophet Micah, who prophesied in the days of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezeiah…the bible says, the Word of the Lord came to him in a vision and for 7 chapter Micah ministers the word of the Lord that has appeared to him in a vision.

The vision of Isaiah

Amos saw...

Micah saw...

But Hosea…God marry a woman of whoredoms.

Why? Because there are some words that we can give to our world out of knowledge…but there is another level of anointing when our lives live out the words of the Lord.

Not making light of the lives of Isaiah, Amos and Micah…great prophets to Israel. Powerfully anointed men of God. But God said Hosea…I need them not just hear how I feel…not just listen to the Word of the Lord…I need them to see how I feel…i need them to watch and to witness the Word of the Lord.

So marry you a wife of whoredoms.

And so…Hosea went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim...

I could pause a minute here and preach about the deblaim game…but I’ll continue on.

Two reasons that God told Hosea to take a wife of whoredoms...

To illustrate to Israel the impact of their sins

Israel…you are a people that are hard to love!

How many times do you go chasing after your gods?

How many times have I been there when you needed me, yet you still leave me to go running after other gods?

I bring you out of Egypt

I bring you through the red sea

I provide manna and quail in the wilderness

I provide a pillar of cloud in the day and a pillar of fire by night to guide you…

I bring you into a promised land...

I lay flat the walls of Jericho.

I deliver the Philistines, the Amalekites, the Ammonites, the Amorites, the Moabites…all the other ites…and in spite of all of that…you still go chasing after other gods!!

But…this isn’t just a story about Hosea and a wife of that was hard to love…this isn’t just a story about God and the nation that wasn’t easy to love…This is also about you and me.

I’m not easy to love.

Now, I know we all like to think of ourselves as being easy to love…the second coming of casanova…But the fact is that is that Gomer…that wife of whoredoms, was the picture and the image of me...

My sin makes me hard to love!

A God that is Holy…A God that is without sin…A God that hates sin with a perfect hatred…

And a me that is sinful…He didn’t say Hosea go find a wife that has a few flaws…a wife that struggles in a few areas…a wife that doesn’t really know how to cook very well or isn’t the best at interior design…no…go marry you a wife of whoredoms…a wife that can’t help herself…Hosea…I want you to go marry a wife knowing full well, as soon as she has a chance, she is going to leave you to pursue after her lovers...

My sin makes me hard to love!

Listen to what Gomer says in Hosea chapter 2 vs. 5

Hosea 2:5 “I will go after my lovers, that gave me bread and water. My wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.”

Bread and water are the symbols of satisfaction in the scripture.

Flax represents clothing

And oil represents luxuries.

I will go after my lovers that satisfied me, arrays me and spoils me with luxurious living.

Hosea 2:7-8

7 And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; And she shall seek them, but shall not find them: Then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; For then was it better with me than now.

8  For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, And multiplied her silver and gold,

All this time, you thought it was the things you have been chasing after that would satisfy…that covered you and spoiled you...

But its been God all along!

He is Jehovah Jireh! He is your provider! He has been looking out for you! He has been providing for you!

You thought it was the god of education!

You thought it was the god of income and wealth

you thought it was the god of human government

But you didn’t know that it was God all along!

Go marry you a wife…

2. I want to bring this message to a conclusion this morning by bringing our attention to Hosea chapter number 3.

By the time we come to chapter 3, Gomer…the wife that God told the prophet to go and to marry....is not involved with another man. From our understanding of the passage, not only is she involved with another man…but this lover has enslaved her.

Under Mosaic law, Hosea has every right to walk away…every right to divorce and disavow any sort of responsibility to Gomer....

Yet, as I come to chapter 3, I am not reading this portion of scripture as the preacher…i am reading as the prostitute…the sinner who isn’t easy to love. The wretch who seemingly doesn’t possess the ability to stop straying after earthly enticements...

And as I read…I envision Gomer…having been enticed by the alluring attractions of a lover that promised satisfaction and luxurious living…and now she finds herself enslaved.

Some commentaries and studies of biblical cultures and customs indicate that when Hosea shows up, Gomer is being auctioned as a prostitute to the highest bidder. One commentary details that the going price for such a slave would have been 30 pieces of silver…yet the price for Gomer’s purchase is just half of that value.

She has been devalued by what promised to satisfy

depreciated by what pledged to please

And reduced to nothing by what had sworn to give her everything

Her value is gone

Her worth is nothing

Her dreams shattered

Her shame is now public

Her guilt is more than she can bear!

Surely as Gomer stands on that auction block…waiting for her name to be called…her shame to be heralded…she has got to think…Its over! Nobody would love me now!

Hosea 3: vs. 1-2

Then said the Lord unto me, Go yet (or as other translations state, Go again) love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel, who took to other gods, and love flagons of win. So i bought her to me...

Hosea…I need you to marry a wife of whoredoms because I need my people to know that their sin doesn’t stop my love

They may have been devalued, but I’ll pay the price

They have been rejected, but I’m still pursuing

They have been ashamed, but I’m still forgiving

They have been unfaithful, but my love is relentless!

Go again…pay the price

He paid the price!

vs. 3 and I said unto her, thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thous shalt not be for another man:

Not only did he pay the price to pardon...

but he also has the power to change your desires!