Hosea 1:1-3

An innocent husband and an immoral wife -- Hosea 1:1-3: Hosea spoke with the authority of God. The book begins powerfully with the words, "The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea." This is not man's message; it is a message from God. God gave Hosea an object lesson that made it possible for him to preach to Israel concerning God's feelings about their unfaithfulness. God told Hosea to take a wife from among prostitutes. Sadly, like Israel in her relationship with God, Gomer, Hosea's wife did not remain faithful to him after their marriage. Israel's love for other gods and for idols was often pictured as spiritual adultery.

Hosea's life must have been very difficult. The way Israel was acting toward God was a grief to his heart; therefore his preaching was very unpopular among the people. He also had to deal with the challenge of an unfaithful wife. The Northern Kingdom was about to be destroyed because of their many other forms of idolatry and fornication.

The name "Hoses" means Salvation. By the word of the Lord He brought salvation to Israel if they would only listen. Hosea's "wife of whoredoms" and her unfaithfulness pictured the "House of Israel" and their ungodly way of life. Instead of worshipping God's way Israel had fallen into all forms of idolatry. God ordered Hosea to go and marry "a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD." Hosea was a great servant of God. He went and did exactly as God commanded.