Hosea 1,3
Dear RTB’ers,
Hosea. Like Amos, Hosea was prophesying to the Northern Kingdom, Israel. Unlike Amos (and unlike all the rest of the major and minor prophets), Hosea was from the north and was speaking to his kinsmen.
STS has us reading chapters 1 and 3 today, skipping chapter 2 until tomorrow, which is good since 1 and 3 are both narrative chapters. However there is some controversy as to whether these two chapters relate one incident or two, that Hosea went to the harlots and bought Gomer to be his wife (chapter 3) and the mother of his three children (chapter 1)? Or is chapter 3 a second incident between Hosea and Gomer, that after birthing three children Gomer went back to harlotry, then Hosea went back for her, bought her and brought her “home”? And, since no name is given to the harlot in chapter 3, is that harlot Gomer or another person? Finally, in verse 1:3 Gomer “bore him a son”. The word “him” is absent in the birth of the other two children, suggesting possibly that Hosea was not their father, but that Gomer had resumed harlotry even while married to Hosea. Confusions. However, I get the sense that both tradition and scholarship see two incidents and one harlot, Gomer.
Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the LORD and to his goodness in the latter days. (v. 3:5) Two comments here. “Return.” My Study Bible noted that “return” is a major theme for the book of Hosea. “Latter days.” (Or “last days” in the NASB and many other translations.) Together with the reference to “David their king”, many scholars see “last days” as a Messianic prophecy.
Hosea. Whatever the confusions in these two chapters, the truth that we need to embrace is God’s love for His children, Israel – in spite of their many sins. A lesson today for us also…
Blessings!