Hosea 3 - Introduction

Hosea Takes Gomer Back

-- Hosea Three --

Gomer has gone back to her life of prostitution. This must have brought great grief to Hoses and to their children. God told Hosea to, "Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine." Gomer is being sold as a slave. Hosea goes to the slave market and buys her back with silver and barley. He said, "So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley." (Hosea 3:2) He paid the price of a female slave to purchase his own wife back.

Hosea redeemed his wife. In a beautiful scene Hosea took Gomer from the slave market saying, "Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee." (Hosea 3:3) This is a beautiful picture of how God will redeem Israel. This is an amazing picture of redemption. The picture God gave was a warning as to what sin did to them and of how beautiful redemption would be. He said, “the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days." (Hosea 3:4-5)