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WEEK 6
TOPIC: DIVINE LOVE
CONTENT:
- God asked Hosea to marry Gomer a harlot and raise children by her, to illustrate Israel harlotry (Hosea 1).
- The unfaithfulness of Israel to God and his continuous love for her. Hosea 2-3.
- Israel superficial response to God’s love. Hosea 6:1-11
Sub-Topic 1: GOD ASKED HOSEA TO MARRY GOMER, A HARLOT AND RAISE CHILDREN BY HER (HOSEA 1)
Hosea is referred to as the “prophet of love” because his messages centred on God’s love for the children of Israel in spite of their unfaithfulness. His marital experience served as a practical example to his message of love. His message was against immorality, political and religious corruption. He encouraged the people to repent and turn back to God. His period of prophecy spread through the reigns of king Uzziah, Jothan and Ahaz in the southern kingdom and Jeroboam in the northern kingdom.
Unlike Amos, he was a native of Israel (i.e. Northern kingdom), and he delivered his message there. At the time of his prophetic ministry, northern kingdom was witnessing a period of political instability and religious syncretism. At this point, God instructed Hosea the son of Beeri to marry a harlot, Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and have children of harlotry through her.
Hosea obeyed God’s order and eventually had three children with Gomer- two sons and one daughter. These children were given symbolic names that expressed God’s anger at the people of Israel who had forsaken their God to play harlotry with other gods.
The name of the first son was Jezreel which meant that God would punish the house of Jehu for the “blood of Jezreel”. This refers to the innocent blood which the wicked Jehu shed at the valley of Jezreel during his revolution.
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