HOSEA AND GOMER
Suggested Reading: Hosea 1-4
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
At the entrance to the modern city of Jerusalem is the Light Rail Bridge, known as the Jerusalem Chords Bridge. It was built in 2008 and symbolizes King David's harp. In King David's time, all 12 tribes of Israel were united under his rule. They divided under David's grandson, north and south. Hosea ministered to the north at the same time Isaiah ministered to the south.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verses: Hosea 2:23
I will plant her for myself in the land;
I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one.’
I will say to those called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people’;
and they will say, ‘You are my God.’
Hosea’s personal family life is a tragic reflection of God’s dysfunctional family, Israel. Hosea has a three-point message: (1) Sin brings great heartache to God. (2) Because of sin, the people bring inevitable judgment upon themselves. (3) In spite of Israel’s unfaithfulness and spiritual adultery, God’s love is constant.
By calling Israel (northern tribes) “not my people” (key verse), God dissolved His covenant with them. But He also promised to make them His people once again at some future time. Hosea 2:23 quotes God, “You are My people, and they shall say, You are my God!” Ethnic cleansing dispersed the 10 northern tribes all over the world. According to the Apostle Paul (Rabbi Saul of Tarsus), salvation has been achieved through Jesus Christ. Paul quotes Hosea 2:23 and Hosea 1:10 in Romans 9:23-26. We who believe in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord have been transferred from being “not His people,” to being “His people!” Hallelujah!!! God employs a variety of ways to bring us to Himself once again. He sends us anonymous gifts. He attracts us by “allure” (Hosea 2:14a). The dictionary says “allure” means, “the quality of being powerfully and mysteriously attractive or fascinating.” Gomer, Hosea’s estranged spouse, ended up for sale on the auction block as a slave. Hosea paid the highest price for her, redeeming her and restoring her by his forgiveness and undying love. God loves us and has paid for us with the death of Jesus. Jesus said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself. This He said, signifying by what death He would die” (John 12:32, 33).
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, I have a very real sense that You are drawing me into greater intimacy with Yourself. Your Word is as the earth’s magnetic force. The compass of Your Word points me to You. I pray that, as I’m consistent in getting to know You through what You say to me in my daily readings, I will be drawn closer and closer to You. Thank You that You loved me first, and that by Your grace, I love You and am committed to being faithful to You! Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
While serving as a Pastor in the northern city of Sudbury, Ontario, I performed a wedding in August of 1964. A couple just showed up wanting to be married, and after a counselling session during which they both invited Jesus into their hearts, I joined them in holy matrimony. I may not have done a good job, because I heard that the bride’s parents convinced them to go to a priest and get him to preform another marriage ceremony. I lost touch with them, but approximately four years later, I was told that they had divorced. In the Fall of 1968 I noticed from the pulpit of the church that they began showing up separately at services. At different times they made their way to the altar, recommitting their lives to Jesus Christ. I married them for a second time in December of 1968. In fact, their two weddings were the first and the last weddings I performed in Sudbury. I’ve lost touch now, 46 years later. I trust they are living happily ever after! As the story of Hosea and the love of his life, Gomer, illustrates, God is in the business of restoring lost love. There’s got to be a country & western song about “lost love found”, but I can’t think of one just now. Can a blog partner help me out?
Yours for running into the outstretched arms of Jesus and being held in His nail-pierced hands,
David
I am so grateful for Gods unmerrited favor and His blood shed for us now and forever He bought us back from destruction into a beautiful life He died to give us , Thank you Lord Jesus
Im in kissemee Florida and its 66 degrees I ll be here till may 2 nd so hope all my fellow bloggers have a blessed day
Your sister in the Lord
Amen, Brenda! Enjoy your time in Florida, dear sister-in-Christ!
It is still – weather here in Northern Ontario, but the sun is shining beautifully. The grandchildren and I are enjoying the March weather and all the winter activities that go along with it . I pray for others, around this old world, that have devastation around them, and are having hard times just to survive. Father God have mercy on them now.
I meant below 0 degree Celsius. That’s frosty.
God’s Will by Martina McBride
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCRrrP0EhPc
This song tells the story of a young boy that wears braces on his legs. He may have problems with mobility, but no problem at all with his big heart, and caring for everyone else. Towards the end of the song, we’re told that they don’t expect him to live, but it’s left open as to whether he makes it when they move to California or not.
“And I never got to tell her, that the boy showed me the truth. In crayon red, on notebook paper, he’d written ‘Me and God love you.'”
Here are the lyrics:
I met God’s will on a Halloween night
He was dressed as a bag of leaves
It hid the braces on his legs at first
His smile was as bright as the August sun
When he looked at me
As he struggled down the driveway
It almost made me hurt
Will don’t walk too good
Will don’t talk too good
He won’t do the things that the other kids do
In our neighborhood
I’ve been searchin’, wonderin’, thinkin’
Lost and lookin’ all my life
I’ve been wounded, jaded, loved, and hated
I’ve wrestled wrong and right
He was a boy without a father
And his mother’s miracle
I’ve been readin’, writin’, prayin’, fightin’
I guess I would be still
Yeah, that was until
I knew God’s will
Will’s mom had to work two jobs
We’d watch him when she had to work late
And we’d all laugh like I hadn’t laughed
Since I don’t know when
Hey Jude was his favorite song
At dinner he’d ask to pray
And then he’d pray for everybody in the world but him
I’ve been searchin’, wonderin’, thinkin’
Lost and lookin’ all my life
I’ve been wounded, jaded, loved, and hated
I’ve wrestled wrong and right
He was a boy without a father
And his mother’s miracle
I’ve been readin’, writin’, prayin’, fightin’
I guess I would be still
Yeah, that was until
I knew God’s will
Before they moved to California
His mother said they didn’t think he’d live
And she said each day that I have him
Well It’s just another gift
And I never got to tell her
That the boy showed me the truth
In crayon red, on notebook paper
He’d written me and God love you
I’ve been searchin’, prayin’, wounded, jaded
I guess I would be still
Yeah that was until
I met God’s will on a Halloween night
He was dressed as a bag of leaves
Touching words Beverley …God bless you!
Great reading today, sir:)
God’s love is to be compared with no other, it’s just incredible, amazing and impossible for humans to love that way without His grace.
May He teach us all how to love ourselves and others like Christ loved us…Amen!
You all stay blessed and may the Good Lord give us all a testimony this day and always. Amen!
I’ve never heard that song before. Thanks Beverlee for sharing. God bless you sister!!!!
Very touching song!!! Thanks for sharing Beverlee!!
Thank you, David, for the intimate prayer, today. Our relationship with God is precious, invaluable, the beginning and the end. There is nothing greater–it is all-inspiring and insurmountable. Thank You, Jesus!! Thank You for our salvation!! Thank you, David and the Mainse family, for sharing God’s love and the affinity of His Word with us, so graciously and lovingly!
Congratulations to my friends Tom & Chhavy on the birth of their first grandson–Noah Sotear!!! Praise God through whom all blessings flow!!!
Blessings fellow saints for a splendid day in the Lord!!
My parent’s divorced after 28 years of marriage when I was 26 and remarried when I was 30. I was the best man at their wedding and my sisters were witness’s. Dad and Mom were together and often traveling until my father died at 62 from a heart attack. Later my mother died at 78 from Alzheimer’s. There were turbulent years, which certainly would have eased had they worshiped Christ Jesus together. Yet, they lived the best lives they could. I gave my father a bible and shared with him many times. I believe he accepted our Lord before he died. My mother attended church regularly. I truly believe marriages need be bound by love, found and established in faith and Spirit. Where two are gathered in His Name, there He is found in their midst. Amen.
Amen David. Thanks for sharing…
Thanks for sharing, David. God bless you!
What a wonderful Savour we have in Jesus, I marvel that He loves us all so much, much more than we love ourselves…. May we learn to love others like He loves us and may we give to others His Love, let them know how much our God has love for us all.
I am in Yuma until we leave for AB. tomorrow and home to snow, I hope and pray it is gone by the time we get there……God Bless you David for your faithfulness with this blog….I love it and you for your help.
Claire, God bless you dear one, but the snow wont be gone in Alberta by tomorrow. Bundle up close to a warm fire and find some good books, until at least the end of April. It would take a large Chinook to melt the snow we got this year. Bless you dear girl. I just looked on the map to see where Yuma is. You are really down there . I hope you had some beautiful nice weather. How long where you there.
Marriage is held together by love….my husband and I just celebrated our 60th anniversary……………….
WOW, that is wonderful Claire!! Happy Blessed 60th Anniversary!!!!
CONGRATULATIONS!! Thanks for sharing this good news! May God continue to Bless you richly!!!
God’s continued blessings to you and your husband of 60 years, Claire!!
Congratulations, to you both, may God keep blessing you for years to come. Marriage does take Love and a lot of hard work . My husband and I are only 31 years so far and it takes work too. Now I realize why you were in Yuma, another 30 years and I’ll not enjoy sliding in the snow with the grandchildren either. You should have stayed till the end of April at least. I hope you have a nice cosy wood stove in your house.
Beautiful to hear, 60 years married , such devotion , and an inspiration to those of us coming along behind you. You fought the good fight. Well don! Love in Christ.
Thanks for sharing your story of marrying the same couple twice, Rev. Mainse. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard of couples marrying twice after realizing that they, after all, loved each other. The grass always looks greener on the other side. Sometimes maturity just takes time.
Isreal has been remarried to our heavenly Father a few times seemingly.
Love this study and all my blog buddies.
Wonderful reading of God’s great love today. I can’t give the words of a song but a real live story of a family member just diagnosed with a mental illness, then wandered from his family and The Lord. Through much prayer and the shedding of tears the lady forgave and they renewed their vows last year. The BIGGEST blessing was the man was restored to Our Heavenly Father through the mercy and grace of our Loving Saviour, and is walking closely with his Lord. HALLELUJAH!
Blessings to all and CONGRATS Claire and your husband on 60 years of marriage. We just celebrated 46 yrs. last Sunday.
Praise God what beautiful show of God’s LOVE in action. Mercy and Grace . God is a restoring God. Amen.
Congratulations on 46 years Married, what inspiration. God bless you both.
Thank you Pat we are truly blessed.
Yes, God’s Love is Great…it is the “lovely Glue” that keeps a family together …that holds us all “in the Palm of His hands”…this past week-end I celebrated my birthday and was blessed to have my “three sons” celebrate it with me…why this is special is that they sacrificed their time from family and work to fly in to be here: one from Mountain View, CA; one from Pickering, ON; and one from Vancouver, BC.
Thank you all for sharing your special love stories…and especially, thank you David Mainse for being faithful in guiding us into God’s word, and sharing your life stories with us. God Bless you all!!
Happy belated birthday Irene and the best gifts are sharing it with your three sons!!
God Bless you dear one, Happy Birthday, Irene. What Love and devotion from your children, you brought them up well. I have a sister Rosemary who has a birthday on March 23 also. She has been Married 31 years. The same as I and has 6 children, and 5 grand children. Manny blessed Birthdays to come in the future, and blessings rain down on your dear family. Love you lots.