Hosea 1:7 KJV

The marriage of the virtuous Hosea to his adulteress wife serves as an astounding metaphor for Israel’s atonement and God’s continued love for them. It strikingly contrasts Hosea’s obedient, godly love with his wife’s disobedient, immoral adultery. The Lord has never abandoned His outrageously irresponsible nation, just as Hosea did not abandon his repulsively wicked bride. Furthermore, Israel and Judah quickly broke their pious promises, forcing God to reveal their guilt and impose punishment on His disobedient servants despite the fact that they had far exceeded the parameters of the conditional covenant they had made with God through Moses, where they solemnly vowed to “do all that God has said.”

But as Church age believers, this serves as an illustration for our knowledge and its application. We must look within to determine whether we are in the faith or whether our carnal tendencies are luring us into the camps of heresy and apostasy, which is spiritual adultery. We must consider where our allegiances lie, what drives our behavior and attitudes, and whether we have abandoned our first love in favor of the fluff and flitter of this corrupt global economic system.

May we all be moved by this poignant illustration of the Lord’s unfathomable love for His people, and if we have ever acted or thought in an ungodly manner toward the Lord or have simply abandoned our first love, may we repent and turn back to the Lord. As we keep our hearts fixed on the Lord Jesus Christ, our steadfast God and kind Saviour, may we practice kindness and justice.