God called Hosea to marry a woman who would be unfaithful to him (Hos. 1:1-2), and the prophet chose to marry Gomer (Hos. 1:3). It is not known whether Gomer was a prostitute at the time of the marriage (perhaps she was a temple prostitute), or whether she became one afterward. “The expression ‘adulterous wife’ (lit., ‘wife of adultery’) does not describe her condition at the time of marriage, but anticipates what she proved to be, a wife characterized by unfaithfulness.”[1] Gomer bore three chi...
God called Hosea to marry a woman who would be unfaithful to him (Hos. 1:1-2), and the prophet chose to marry Gomer (Hos. 1:3). It is not known whether Gomer was a prostitute at the time of the marriage (perhaps she was a temple prostitute), or whether she became one afterward. “The expression ‘adulterous wife’ (lit., ‘wife of adultery’) does not describe her condition at the time of marriage, but anticipates what she proved to be, a wife characterized by unfaithfulness.”[1] Gomer bore three children to Hosea during the time of her infidelity (Hos. 1:3-9). This unusual command of God was intended to make Hosea’s life a pedagogical analogy of God and Israel. Negatively speaking, Gomer was unfaithful to Hosea, and Israel was unfaithful to God. Positively speaking, Hosea loved Gomer and was faithful to her, and God loved and was faithful to Israel. It should be noted that God has called other prophets to behavior that pedagogically pictures His relationship with His people, such as when Isaiah was called to go naked and barefoot for three years (Isa. 20:1-4), or when He called Ezekiel to lay on his left side for three hundred and ninety days (Ezek. 4:1-5), then to lay on his right side for forty days (Ezek. 4:6), and to eat a barely cake that had been cooked over human excrement (Ezek. 4:12). Gomer’s first child was a son named Jezreel (Hos. 1:3b-5), a place noted for its bloodshed, where Jehu overthrew king Joram, as God commanded (2 Ki. 9:1-26), but went too far and killed Ahaziah and his family, as God had not commanded (2 Ki. 9:27-28; 10:12-14). Gomer then conceived and gave birth to a daughter named Lo-Ruhamah, which means “no compassion” (Hos. 1:6-7). This meant that God’s compassion for His people was now replaced by His demand for justice. Lastly, Gomer conceived and bore another son named Lo-Ammi, which means “not my people” (Hos. 1:8-9). This meant that Israel would no longer experience the blessings associated with being close to God and walking with Him.
- "The Lord no longer regarded the kingdom of Israel as His people or Himself as their God. He did not mean, of course, that He would break His unconditional promises to His people (e.g., Exod. 6:7; Lev. 26:12; Deut. 26:17–18), but that the relationship that they had enjoyed so far would come to an end. The last phrase of verse 9 literally is “I [am] not I AM [‘ehyeh] to you” (cf. Exod. 3:14). He would withdraw the covenant He had so dramatically made with the revelation of this same name. He would remove protection that He had formerly provided and allow another nation to invade and discipline His people."[2]
The message of judgment is followed by one of salvation, where God reaffirmed His unconditional covenant promise that Israel would be numerous and would be called “sons of the living God” (Hos. 1:10). He also stated there would come a time when the kingdom would be united, and Israel and Judah would be one people, with one leader (Hos. 1:11).
[1] Robert B. Chisholm, Jr., “Hosea,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1379.
[2] Tom Constable, Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), Ho 1:8.
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