Selfless Love

Notes

And then one day another blow fell. Gomer left him. You could imagine that Hosea came home and found a note on the nursery door. She told him she was leaving. She was tired of being tied down. She wanted to have her freedom, and she was going out back to the culture. And she wanted him to know that he was not the father and he was not to bring the children. And so you can imagine. You can imagine what happened to the prophet that night. He has to be both a mother and a father to them. He fixes them a bit of supper and hears their childish prayers, tucks them into bed, watches them as they drift off to sleep. But there's no sleep for Hosea. For even though Gomer has left his home, she has not left his heart. You can imagine how the gossip went across the back fences of the community, mouth to ear: "That prophet's wife has left him." "Prophet's wife is gone." Or some folks would say, "Well it serves him right. I mean, he's so busy telling everybody else how to live he couldn't hold his own home together." But there were others who knew Hosea and knew Gomer, knew how she had played him false, who simply shrugged their shoulders and said, "Well, now that she's gone she's better off forgotten."

But, you say, to be that just doesn't make sense. It doesn't make sense that a man is going to pay good silver, good gold, pay to keep a woman who's betrayed him. But you find that, don't you, in 2:5 where Hosea says, "Their mother has been unfaithful and she has conceived these children in disgrace." And she said, 'I'm going to go after my lovers. My lovers who gave me my food, my water, my wool, my linen, my oil, my drink.'" But in verse 9 Hosea laments, "But she has not acknowledged that I was the one who gave her the grain and new wine and oil, and I was the one who lavished on her the silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal." And so some place in the shadows we see Hosea. He catches a glimpse of this woman who fills his heart and stands and watches as this lover of hers comes home with the good things that Hosea's money has purchased. He watches as Gomer rises from the hut and throws her arms around this man and thanks him profusely for the things that true love provided and treachery offers and folly accepts.

“the accompanying textual note leaves open the possibility that Hosea is to marry a woman with promiscuous tendencies”

Patterson, R. D., & Hill, A. E. (2008). Cornerstone biblical commentary, Vol 10: Minor Prophets, Hosea–Malachi (p. 12). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

“In the midst of Israel’s hopeless condition (as a result of the divine punishment), her merciful God alone will come to her aid”

Patterson, R. D., & Hill, A. E. (2008). Cornerstone biblical commentary, Vol 10: Minor Prophets, Hosea–Malachi (p. 22). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

Minor Prophets, Hosea-Malachi Notes

The former lays stress on God’s consistency in acting in accordance with the standards of his own holy and just nature. The latter emphasizes his absolute integrity and evenhanded fairness in dealing with people and nations. He can do no less for his covenant nation, Israel.

Minor Prophets, Hosea-Malachi Notes

The former speaks of God’s great loving-kindness in taking people into a living relationship with himself, particularly his covenant nation, Israel (Deut 7:9, 12; 1 Kgs 8:23). The latter adds a touch of tenderness to God’s dealings (Deut 4:31; Ps 78:38).

Minor Prophets, Hosea-Malachi Commentary

God had not given up on his people

Minor Prophets, Hosea-Malachi Commentary

What comfort, then, for today’s believers. Even though the believer may drift into sin, God’s love never fails. He longs to meet with his own so as to bring them to himself. The God of redemption is also the God of restoration. Where there is repentance and confession of sin, God “is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9)

Minor Prophets, Hosea-Malachi Notes

Hosea paid for Gomer both in money and produce. Thirty shekels of silver was the value of a slave (Exod 21:32; Lev 27:4) and became a standard way in the ancient Near East to refer to something of little value. Although many scholars suggest that the combined payment in silver and produce brought the total value up to 30 shekels, and hence that Gomer had gone into some kind of slavery, the exact value of the other commodities is uncertain. Stuart (1987:66) is probably correct in remarking, “Neither the barley, an inexpensive grain, nor the jug of wine were expensive.… Thus the total price was not excessive.”

Minor Prophets, Hosea-Malachi Commentary

Hosea was instructed to go, get, and bring back his wife. Despite her infidelity, he was to love her even as the Lord loved unfaithful Israel. Hosea faithfully obeyed, obtaining her for a small redemption price.

Minor Prophets, Hosea-Malachi Commentary

As Hosea pursued Gomer, so God seeks to bring back his own people to himself despite their callous disregard for him

Minor Prophets, Hosea-Malachi Commentary

Hosea was not only to bring his wayward wife home but to love her genuinely. In a far greater way, God loves his errant people. God’s love thus triumphs over the initial demands of punishment.