Hosea
chapter 3 reminds me of something our Pastor’s wife told us before
our wedding. With a smile, she said, “We do not believe in divorce
in this church; murder, maybe, but never divorce”. The meaning
behind the joke is as simple as it is profound. If divorce is not an
option, you have to find other solutions to problems. We have never
considered divorce, spoken of divorce, or threatened divorce because
we never allowed it to be an option. Today’s chapter deals with
the most extreme situation imaginable in a marriage. Many married
couples deal with separation, some even have to deal with infidelity,
but Hosea’s wife had abandoned the marriage to become a paid
prostitute. It is important to point out that sexual sin is literally
in a category of its own. 1 Corinthians chapter 6 explains, “Flee
from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside
the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body“.
Why is that important? “Do
you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit?”
Remember, God is using Hosea as an illustration to the nation. God
said, “Go, show your love to
your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an
adulteress“. God places no
conditions on her behavior, He simply adds, “Love
her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other
gods“.
Please
understand the picture; she is not in some penthouse suite with a
kindhearted-millionaire, she is likely a slave being used and abused
by many. Hosea writes, “So I
bought her for fifteen shekels
of silver and about a
homer… of barley“. That is
basically 6 ounces of silver and a few sacks of flour. I believe
Hosea would have paid any priced asked, but her owner did not value
her very highly. She was not a Pretty Woman at this point. Sadly
most of us do not think very highly of ourselves when we fail.
Hosea
adds another important piece to the bargain, “You
are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be
intimate with any man, and I will behave the same way toward you“.
I am reminded of the words of Jesus to the woman caught in adultery,
“‘Then
neither do I condemn you’,
Jesus declared. ‘Go now and
leave your life of sin’“.
It seems that Hosea’s wife could have rejected the deal and
continued in her ways in spite of his generosity. The short chapter
ends with an explanation of the future of the nation, “Israelites
will live many days without king or prince,
without sacrifice“.
Today Israel has no king and no Temple for sacrifice, but one day,
“the Israelites will return and
seek the Lord their God and David their king“.
This is a reference to the Messiah. “They
will come trembling to the Lord and to His blessings in the last
days“. What about today? 1
Corinthians 6 has a promise for anyone that has been in bondage to
sin. Jesus Christ died for your sins to purchase you out of your
separation without conditions. “You
are not your own; you
were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies“.
You have a choice; will you accept the deal by faith?