Hosea 3

The LORD said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.” Hosea 3:1

Although it is brief, Chapter 3 is considered to be extremely important. Boice says of it: “The third chapter of Hosea is, in my judgment, the greatest chapter in the Bible, because it portrays the greatest story in the Bible – the death of the Lord Jesus Christ for his people – in the most concise and poignant form to be found anywhere.” [1] Feinberg says, “it rightfully takes its place among the greatest prophetic pronouncements in the whole revelation of God…God makes large disclosures of his plans and dealings, past, present, and future, with Israel, his chosen.” [2]

Hosea’s wife Gomer had left her husband and sold herself to adultery. Over the years, her plight had apparently worsened. Phillips feels that she had actually sold herself as a slave to the man with whom she was living. The low price later mentioned indicated that the man did not value her too highly. [3] Slavery was a cruel and humiliating thing in the ancient world. The female slave was brought to the market, stripped naked, and bid on by lustful men. The new owner had every right to do as he pleased with the slave, even to kill her if he desired. [4]

God instructed the prophet to love Gomer as he loves Israel. God’s love was not reciprocated, since Israel loved their sacred raisin cakes. The sacred cakes were used in idolatry, as we note in Jeremiah 7:18 and in Jeremiah 44:19. God loved her despite her rejection of him.

“So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley” (3:2). The normal price of a female slave was thirty shekels (cf. Exo. 21:32; Lev. 27:4). [5] We can see by this that her price was severely discounted, probably due to her poor condition. In addition to the silver, the price included a homer and a lethek of barley. Barley made the poor man’s bread and was also fed to animals. Commentators have made many attempts to bring this price into our modern understanding. The Bible scholar Bob Utley tells us that a homer means a “donkey load,” or about five bushels. He determines that a homer and a half would have been about 7.5 bushels. [6]

Slavery was a very common thing in the ancient world. Boice comments: “One could become a slave by conquest…Second, you could become a slave by birth…Finally, you could become a slave through debt. Gomer presumably became a slave in this fashion…the slaves were always sold naked.” [7] How our situation parallels that of Gomer. It was Jesus “who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good” (Tit. 2:14).

“Then I told her, ‘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” (3:3). Barnes seems to best sum up the situation between the prophet and Gomer: “Thou shalt abide for me many days – Literally, ‘thou shalt sit,’ solitary and as a widow (Deuteronomy 21:13), quiet and sequestered; not going after others, as heretofore, but waiting for him; (Exodus 24:14; Jeremiah 3:2); and ‘that,’ for an undefined, but long season, until he should come and take her to himself.” [8]

We can imagine that this whole situation was quite an embarrassment to God’s holy prophet. Phillips tries to elaborate on the scene by asking some important questions: “What do the children think? Does Gomer finally give her heart unreservedly to Hosea? How does she get along with her gossipy neighbors?” [9] We cannot help but wonder if this situation might correspond to Israel at the present? Israel was sent away because of her idolatry and disobedience. When shall she be redeemed by her forsaken husband? The remainder of the chapter deals with this incredible scenario.

“For the Israelites will live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred stones, without ephod or household gods” (3:4). This amazing verse accurately describes Israel’s existence for nineteen centuries. Only in the twentieth century did this situation begin to change. Israel, like redeemed Gomer, would be in a trial period to see if she could be true to God. Just as Gomer had no conjugal relations during her time, likewise, Israel would not have intimate wifely relations with her husband. Israel would not have a secular ruler or prince, a temple with its sacrifices, and the priestly ephod with its Urim and Thummim. On the positive side, Israel would not have teraphim or household gods (cf. Gen. 31:19, 34; 1 Sam. 19:13, 16). Israel has certainly tried to stay clear of idols during this time. By the middle of the twentieth century, the nation of Israel was reborn with its government and leaders.

“Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the LORD and to his blessings in the last days” (3:5). Phillips summarizes this chapter, saying, “Hosea was anticipating the coming millennial reign of Christ.” [10] Other commentators like Guzik, Pett, and Utley agree. However, many commentators are antisemitic and deny that Israel will ever be restored. Boice says, “I do not see how so many scholars can deny that there will be a regathering of Israel and a national repentance of Israel in those last days that are yet to come.” [11]

How we lost the Millennium makes up a very long story going all the way back to the early centuries of the Christian church. There were two early church leaders who were largely responsible for our loss. The church historian Eusebius (d. 339) and the great and influential Augustine of Hippo (354-430). [12] Also, Origen of Alexandria (AD 185-253) was very influential in this matter. Origen is known as the father of the allegorical method of Bible interpretation. He looked at many things in the Bible as allegories. This emphasis originally came from the Greeks. So it became easy to allegorize the Millennium. With the rise of Christian ruler Constantine, many of the early church fathers looked for a Christian kingdom, not one that had anything to do with the Jews.

Today, most Christians do not understand this important period, and neither are they especially interested in it. Some allegorize it in Greek fashion, and some simply deny its existence. We need to understand the Millennium, and in doing so, we will open up a whole world of biblical treasure. We will also find our lives filled with excitement, like that of the earliest Christians.

The Millennium is so vast that we cannot discuss it here. We can just say that in the end, Jesus will get his bride, and she will love him forever. It is a spiritual fulfillment of Hosea’s story.

I have read and studied the Bible for well over 70 years. From my study and meditation, let me at least end this important chapter with a simple outline of events as they may happen. We do not have all the pieces to the puzzle, but we have some of them.

This Present Evil Age (Gal. 1:4) ends with the rule of Antichrist and the Great Tribulation.

The antichrist will gather all nations for a great war against Israel (Joel 3:2; Rev. 20:8-9).

This war will be centralized in Jerusalem and at Megiddo in the Jezreel Valley.

Perhaps in this time Israel will accept her Messiah, and come trembling (Ez. 36:24-34).

Untold numbers of Christians worldwide will be martyred (Rev. 6:9-11; 20:4).

Millions of Jewish people will also be martyred (Zech. 13:8-9).

Jesus appears and is seen worldwide by all people (Rev. 1:7).

The Great Trumpet sounds (1 Cor. 15:52).

God’s living saints are instantly glorified (1 Cor. 15:51-54).

Departed saints are gloriously resurrected into their spiritual bodies (1 Cor. 15:51-52).

Jesus defeats the enemy and assumes rulership over all the world.

The Antichrist and False Prophet are immediately sent to Hell (Rev. 19:20).

Satan is chained and locked up in the Bottomless Pit for a thousand years (Rev. 20:1-3).

The truly wicked people are instantly removed from the earth (Prov. 2:21-22; Matt. 13:49-50).

The Millennium, the Old Earth’s most exciting period, begins.

God’s resurrected saints, old and new, will rule through Christ (Rev.5:10).

The saints will judge the world (1 Cor. 6:2).

Resurrected David will resume rulership of Israel (Jer. 30:9; Ezek. 34:24; 37:25; Am. 9:11).

Resurrected disciples will begin to rule over Israel’s tribes (Matt. 19:28).

The Lord’s faithful saints will rule over cities (Lk. 19:17) and even over nations (Rev. 2:26).

There will be peace, even affecting the animal kingdom (Isa. 11:6-9).

God’s saints are both kings and priests (Rev. 20:6).

Apparently, the saints will help Jesus clean up and straighten up the world.

The earth becomes full of God’s knowledge and glory (Hab. 2:14, Isa. 11:9).

However, many people will continue to live in the flesh (Isa. 65:20-22; cf. Zech. 8:4-5).

There are still traces of evil on earth, so some still need spiritual ministry.

Jerusalem and the Jewish people will gain great prominence (Zech. 8:23).

Finally, all people are governed justly by God’s Law.

The law will go out from Zion to the whole world (Isa. 2:3; Mic. 4:2).

God’s saints will inherit the earth (Matt. 5:5; Psalm 115:16; Dan. 7:18).

His saints are co-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17).

The whole creation has been waiting for this (Rom. 8:19).

The earth will become wonderfully blessed and fruitful (Isa. 35:1-2; 41:18-19).

All nations will come to Israel seeking to know the True God (Isa. 2:3 NIV; Mic. 4:2).

It should finally be apparent to heavenly powers that God’s way was best.

This wonderful and blessed period will continue for a thousand years.

Then God will release Satan for a final demonstration of his rule and folly (Rev. 20:3).

Satan will raise a great fleshly army to fight Israel (Ezek. 39:11-16).

He will be quickly defeated and sent to Hell forever (Rev. 20:7-10).

The Age to Come begins (Eph. 1:21), and Christ now rules the whole earth from Jerusalem.

The great judgment of God will happen after a second resurrection.

God will make a renewed heaven and earth (Isa. 65:17; 66:22; 2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1).

Jesus will finally receive his bride. She will be forever faithful, true, and holy.

The marriage supper of the Lamb will occur (Rev. 19:6-9).

This Age to Come will continue forever without interruption.

We can truly say that “they lived happily ever after!”

Footnotes

1. Boice, The Minor Prophets, Vol. 1, p. 31.

2. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets, p. 23.

3. Phillips, Exploring The Minor Prophets, p. 46.

4. Boice, The Minor Prophets, Vol. 1, pp. 34-35.

5. Pett, Pett’s Commentary, v. 3:2.

6. Utley, Free Bible Commentary, v. 3:2.

7. Boice, The Minor Prophets, Vol. 1, p. 34.

8. Barnes, Barnes’ Notes, v. 3:3.

9. Phillips, Exploring The Minor Prophets, p. 47.

10. Ibid.

11. Boice, The Minor Prophets, Vol. 1, p. 36.

12. Daniel Gruber, The Church and the Jews, The Biblical Relationship (Springfield, MO: General Council of the Assemblies of God, 1991). pp. 215-218.