This post is Day 13 in a series of studies about “Babies and Children”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Babies and Children – Day 13

One of the saddest things about the story of Hosea is that his wife, Gomer, did not become a righteous woman after their marriage. But the Lord was consistent. And each of the children from the union was called by a word which referred to a message from Almighty God.

Hosea 1:2

When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to The Lord.”

The Thought

The book of Hosea opens by giving us the timing of his work as a prophet. It tells us the kings who ruled in both Israel and Judah at the time. We have no idea how old Hosea was when God began to speak through him, but this seems to me to be a dramatic beginning.

God was asking Hosea to live his life as a demonstration of what God was saying! That would be a challenge for many of us today! How many of the prophets across our world would want to hear God tell them to go and marry a prostitute? It would not be an acceptable practice in our day. And was obviously a surprising thing to do in Hosea’s time too (755-715BC).

One of the saddest things about the story of Hosea is that his wife, Gomer, did not become a righteous woman after their marriage. But the Lord was consistent. And each of the children from the union was called by a word which referred to a message from Almighty God.

The names of their children were: Jezreel (remembering a massacre) (v4), Lo-Ruhamah (not loved) (v6), Lo-Ammi (not my people) (v9).

Action

Read the first 2 chapters of Hosea today. Think about the names of his children, and how God used each one as an image to give a message to His unfaithful people.

Consider how God uses you and your christian friends today.

Is your life a picture of a loving God? Ask The Lord how you can improve. All of us need to in some way.

Thank God that He loves you even if you are unfaithful to Him.

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