HOSEA'S "*WIFE OF WHOREDOMS" (*KJV)

² When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, “Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife… Hosea 1:2a (NIV)

“Go take for yourself an adulterous wife…”  Say what, God?

I like how King James put it:  “Go take unto thee a wife of whoredoms…”  Yikes!  This verse proves the fact that not all verses in the Bible are meant to be followed by everyone.  The verse says, “…the Lord said to him…”  God said, “…take for yourself…”  This was to be done by Hosea alone.

I wonder how Hosea felt about these words.  Why couldn’t he get what Isaiah got:  God revealed Himself sitting in the temple, adored by the Seraphim.  To Ezekiel God appeared enthroned above the cherubim in the holy of holies.  To Jeremiah God revealed that before he was born God had sanctified him for the office of prophet.  But to Hosea:  “marry a whore!”

“God, why do you give me this and You give them that?  I want that.”  That’s what we think at times, right?  “You bless them and curse me, why?”  “They can afford a new car, but I can’t, why?”  “You want me to surrender my Sunday’s to teach kids.  Why don’t you tell sister so n so to do the same?”  “God, why do you exalt them and yet I feel demoted?”  “You said the last will be first.  Why do I still feel like the last?”  “Why are their kids so well behaved?  What kind of defective kids did you give me, God?”  We can easily spend our days questioning our lot in life and fail to see the big picture…there is one!  Hosea’s big picture is awesome:  Hosea’s life became an image of the Redeemer, uniting Himself with what was unholy, in order to make it holy.

I can’t tell you what your “big picture” is.  But what I can tell you is what God has promised:  “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  Romans 8:28

Questions to consider:

What lot in life do you struggle accepting?

Do you struggle with wanting what others have?  If so what in particular and why do you think you struggle with it?

What do you know about God that can give you comfort for this struggle?