Context is needed whenever we get into texts that seem to go against what God has already revealed as to His values. Telling a godly prophet to, “Go, take for yourself a wife of whoredom” does not align with what God said earlier in the Law given to Israel. Has God changed? Is this now acceptable because God changes with the times?
‘Whoredom’ is a term for a person living out sexual activities outside of the marriage relationship. The LORD had been specific that sexual relationships were only acceptable within marriage and that those engaging in sex with anyone outside of marriage was to be denied life in Israel. But, here we have God telling His prophet to take a wife who has been a harlot and not only marry but have children with her. Most of the first four chapters of Hosea are the example of Hosea taking this wife who has sinned, loving her even when she continues to sin, buying her back from further adultery and restoring her as his wife. These chapters prepare the way for the parallel of the LORD’s seeking relationship with Israel who has ‘whored’ after other gods, dishonored relationship with Him, and who He continues to endeavor to bring back to Himself. In verse 2 the LORD states the parallel: Hosea take a wife of whoring as the land has whored by forsaking the LORD.
Hosea’s name in Hebrew means ‘salvation’ and the ‘go and take’ one who is in sin points to God’s desire to draw back to Himself, to redeem that which was lost, to take the initiative in bringing the lost to Himself. That Gomer is a harlot is not in question but that Israel is so far from being faithful to God that she is able to live in the midst, slide back into harlotry while married to Hosea and continue to be identified as an Israelite is the example of how God’s nation who had covenanted allegiance to God and yet continued to forsake Him, has fallen.
Hosea prophesies during the reigns of some of the last righteous kings before the Captivity but warns of the forsaking of God that has repeatedly separated Israel from God and just how far God had been willing to go to try to redeem them from their sin.
God’s pleas for Israel to respond to Him, to live as the “You are my people” and “You have received mercy” 1 occupy much of the remainder of the book and yet receive a deaf ear as the nation continues to forsake God and doom themselves to the consequences of whoring after other gods, living only for their pleasures.
There is a sadness in reading God’s pursuit of those who fail to care fully about Him, who fail to respond to His desire for intimacy with them, to have Him as the Lover of their life. But then, how well do we respond to God’s open arms and heart toward us? Are we interested, do we care or are we busy with other lovers?