Hosea commanded to marry adulteress

[Wileyzmuse]

If you read Hosea Chapter 1 it says that God commanded Hosea to marry an adulteress (Gomer.) It was symbolic of God's love for Israel at that time, with her constant unfaithfulness and idolatry.

God commands Hosea to go to his adulteress wife and love her and be reconciled to her. Hosea does as God commands, and accepts her back and tells her she must no longer be intimate with other men, etc.

I've never read this book of the Bible, except for the random verse given during a sermon.

Anyone an expert on the 'minor prophets' want to expound on this book?

YSIC,
Patricia

[cindyw]

I am not an expert by a long shot, but what do you want expounded on? Blessings in Jesus, Cindy:):

[Mrs. Hoppes]

Hosea was ordered by God to marry Gomer. Gomer, though a virgin, was also a harlot.

After they were married, Gomer began sleeping around, being disobedient to her husband, and pulled away from him. She got herself into so much hot water that Hosea had to actually purchase her back. Once she was bought back, he put her aside and basically forced her to look at herself and her relationship with him. The relationship was restored and they became the married couple they were supposed to be.

The order for the marriage was a visual example of the relationship between God and His people at the time. (And today.) God establishes a relationship with us. We pull away. Got bought us with a price. We accept the price and our relationship is restored.



That is a quick 5 minute report on the book of Hosea.

Who's next to give a report on this book?

[blitzkreig]

Originally posted by Mrs. Hoppes
That is a quick 5 minute report on the book of Hosea.

Who's next to give a report on this book? I have heard complete sermons on Hosea that didn't do as good a job as you just did.

[cindyw]

Originally posted by Mrs. Hoppes
Hosea was ordered by God to marry Gomer. Gomer, though a virgin, was also a harlot.

After they were married, Gomer began sleeping around, being disobedient to her husband, and pulled away from him. She got herself into so much hot water that Hosea had to actually purchase her back. Once she was bought back, he put her aside and basically forced her to look at herself and her relationship with him. The relationship was restored and they became the married couple they were supposed to be.

The order for the marriage was a visual example of the relationship between God and His people at the time. (And today.) God establishes a relationship with us. We pull away. Got bought us with a price. We accept the price and our relationship is restored.
That is a quick 5 minute report on the book of Hosea.

Who's next to give a report on this book?

:thumb

[Mrs. Hoppes]

Thank you both. I just did a study on Gomer for my "Women in the Bible" study I'm doing. (Reminder...update post.)
I was actually hoping for someone else's input to maybe help what I have written on Gomer.



As a side note, I still have a hard time with the name Gomer and not pictureing "Gomer Pyle" :pound

[blitzkreig]

Well maybe John Gill can help there...:

This book, in the Hebrew Bibles, at least in some copies, is called "Sopher Hosea", the Book of Hoses; and, in the Vulgate Latin and Arabic versions, "the Prophecy of Hoses": and, in the Syriac version, "the Prophecy of Hoses the Prophet". It is the first of the twelve lesser prophets, so called, not because they were of less value, credit, and authority, than the other prophets; but because of their smallness in bulk; and which, as Kimchi says, upon the authority of their Rabbins, were put together in one book, that no one of them might be lost, because of their smallness; and Josephus {a} reckons them but as one book; and they are quoted in the New Testament under the name of the Book of the Prophets {b}. This prophet was one of them, and therefore placed here; though, as Kimchi, in his preface to this book, and R. David Ganz {c}, observe, his prophecy was before the prophecy of Isaiah; and yet he was not the first of these minor prophets, as to order of time; not only Jonah, but Joel and Amos, were before him...

Do a search here John Gill (http://www.freegrace.net/gill/)

[duckdogger]

[i]Once she was bought back, he put her aside and basically forced her to look at herself and her relationship with him.[i/]

My understanding is that God had judged Gomer as she was off living the good life and enjoying all of the fruits of her adulterous lovers - fine clothes, jewelry, etc. God asserts that it He who has ultimately given all these things and He takes them away.

In the process of her now drastically changes life, as you say, she becomes abandoned by her lovers and God uses this to reclaim here. He uses Hosea as His instrument of restoration. And I admire Hosea that even with all that has passed, he is obedient to God and takes Gomer back as his wife.

When I was first separated, and my ex-wife had gone off to be with her lover, it was as if our life mirrored Hosea and Gomer. And as the past 10 years have evolved, it still mirrors this book. Maybe this is why I have always maintained an openess to do as Hosea did if God created that same end-game circumstance.

[Wileyzmuse]

Duckdogger, wow, I admire your wisdom and longsuffering...how many can say that they would be willing to remain open to this sort of thing. I think that is what impressed me about Hosea.

Mrs Hoppes you did a wonderful job explaining the meaning of the book! Isn't it a powerful reminder of the depths of sin we can go, and still be brought back to Him and loved in a real way. I can't handle the name Gomer for a woman either!!! Kept imagining her with a moustache!

Thanks everyone...more thoughts welcome!

YSIC,
Patricia

[cindyw]

Originally posted by Wileyzmuse
Duckdogger, wow, I admire your wisdom and longsuffering...how many can say that they would be willing to remain open to this sort of thing. I think that is what impressed me about Hosea.

ABSOLUTELY!!! I told him privately, but I also want to do so publically. What an incredible testimony.......
I know of another woman who is standing firm for her marriage too----even though her husband has remarried..........
Blessings in Jesus, Cindy:):

[Singlesis]

Originally posted by cindyw
ABSOLUTELY!!! I told him privately, but I also want to do so publically. What an incredible testimony.......
I know of another woman who is standing firm for her marriage too----even though her husband has remarried..........
Blessings in Jesus, Cindy:):

This is a controversial subject and the topic of many threads.. and I certainly don't want to hijack this one. But I am curious what you mean by this statement... is she still believing he'll come back? Wouldn't that cause another divorce?
I ask because I've been divorced 18 years, never re-married although my ex has, and they have a child together. I always thought we weren't to re-marry our ex's after being divorced. There's an old-testament verse somewhere to that effect...

Anyone?

[cindyw]

Originally posted by Singlesis
This is a controversial subject and the topic of many threads.. and I certainly don't want to hijack this one. But I am curious what you mean by this statement... is she still believing he'll come back? Wouldn't that cause another divorce?
I ask because I've been divorced 18 years, never re-married although my ex has, and they have a child together. I always thought we weren't to re-marry our ex's after being divorced. There's an old-testament verse somewhere to that effect...

Anyone?

Divorce IMHO, certainly would be wrong in the case of a lawful marriage (one defined as such by Jesus). In the woman's case I mentioned, she believes, as Jesus taught, that she would be guilty of adultery should she get remarried (Mt. 19:9). The only way that could be possible was because she still belongs to her husband----who is in an adulterous union(remarriage).

I don't really feel like getting into this battle again. Just stating what I know her feelings to be and I agree with her on her interpretation of Mt. 19:9. I personally believe the Book of Hosea represents this truth as Hosea remained faithful-----waiting for his wife to return from unfaithfulness---he doesn't take another wife himself. Blessings in Jesus, Cindy:):

Ps. Singlesis, if you wanted to talk further with me, I will be glad to by PM. Thanks and Blessings!

[John Tyson]

Grace and peace to you all.

Mrs Hoppes that was a wonderful synopsis of Hosea. When I think of Hosea, I think of the forgiveness of God and His redeeming love.

Jeremiah chapter 3 is a parallel of Hosea. God laments over Israel and He is so willing to take her back that God, in verse 1, says He'll even break His own law if she'll return.

Jeremiah 3:1
1
God says, "If a husband divorces his wife
And she goes from him
And belongs to another man,
Will he still return to her?
Will not that land be completely polluted?
But you are a harlot with many lovers;
Yet you turn to Me," declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 3:12-13
12
"Go and proclaim these words toward the north and say,
'Return, faithless Israel,' declares the LORD;
'I will not look upon you in anger.
For I am gracious,' declares the LORD;
'I will not be angry forever.
13
'Only acknowledge your iniquity,
That you have transgressed against the LORD your God
And have scattered your favors to the strangers under every green tree,
And you have not obeyed My voice,' declares the LORD.

God bless,
John

[Singlesis]

Originally posted by John Tyson

Jeremiah 3:1
1
God says, "If a husband divorces his wife
And she goes from him
And belongs to another man,
Will he still return to her?
Will not that land be completely polluted?
But you are a harlot with many lovers;
Yet you turn to Me," declares the LORD.


Thank-you! The verse I was looking for.

[Hootmon]

Originally posted by Mrs. Hoppes
As a side note, I still have a hard time with the name Gomer and not pictureing "Gomer Pyle" :pound Just to make matters worse... :evil
http://www.tvland.com/shows/gomer/images/shows/main_pic.gif

[Mrs. Hoppes]

Originally posted by Hootmon
Just to make matters worse... :evil
http://www.tvland.com/shows/gomer/images/shows/main_pic.gif


:pound You're rotten! :pound

[John Tyson]

Grace and peace to you all.

Originally posted by Singlesis
Thank-you! The verse I was looking for.

Singlesis, here are the verses you're looking for in the Law.

Deuteronomy 24:1-4 (NASB)
1 When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out from his house,
2 and she leaves his house and goes and becomes another man's wife,
3 and if the latter husband turns against her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies who took her to be his wife,
4 then her former husband who sent her away is not allowed to take her again to be his wife, since she has been defiled; for that is an abomination before the LORD, and you shall not bring sin on the land which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance.

Note again, even though God divorces Israel (Jer 3:8), He is still willing to take her back even against His own law. That is the magnitude of God's Grace, Forgiveness, and Redeeming Love as illustrated in Hosea!

God bless,
John

[duckdogger]

Our lives as believers are a series of connected circumstances that have passed through God's filter of perfect love and grace. No matter how we perceive them from one moment to the next, they all work for good for those who love him and all walking in His will.

I do not believe in this age of grace that Singlesis would be prohibited by God from being wed again to her husand. As she mentioned a number of years have passed since the divorce, for that to happen, I believe it would be because God orchestrated it.

I am cautious about applying OT law to age of grace situations. If Jerimiah speaks of remarrage as defiled, then how do we reconcile Hosea and Gomer?