Good morning -
He took her back in spite of her promiscuous lifestyle. God specifically directed the prophet Hosea to take back his adulterous wife:
"Then the LORD said to me, "Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes." So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a half of barley. Then I said to her, "You shall stay with me for many days. You shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man; so I will also be toward you." For the sons of Israel will remain for many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar and without ephod or household idols. Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king; and they will come trembling to the LORD and to His goodness in the last days." (Hosea 3:1-5)
Adultery is a biblically-sanctioned basis for divorce. Marriage is potentially destroyed when adultery occurs and the offended spouse is rightfully released from the marriage vows if he or she chooses. To seek reconciliation and healing is a sheer act of grace.
Gomer, Hosea's prostitute wife, had been unfaithful and the marriage had been dissolved. Yet God instructed Hosea to buy her back and remarry her, not just for the sake of their marriage, but as an object lesson for the people of Israel. The lesson was crystal-clear: Israel had been unfaithful to God even as Gomer had been unfaithful to Hosea. God had every right to divorce Israel and be free of the covenant arrangement He had made with them, but instead the remarriage of Gomer and Hosea represented God's supernatural forgiveness and grace.
We are Hosea's adulterous wife: "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). None are immune to lusting after the pleasures and treasures of this age, and all have adulterously indulged in various ways. But through Christ we have each been reconciled back to God in spite of our adultery: "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly ... But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:6,8)
If we are thankful for our saved "marriage" with God, the best prevention against future adultery is to focus on the desires and priorities of our "Spouse". That's one of many reason why it is so to important to "seek first the kingdom of God". Loving our spouse is the key to a healthy and lasting marriage, and loving the Lord is the key to a lasting and healthy spiritual marriage: `YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' "This is the great and foremost commandment." (Matthew 22:37-38)
May you fall deeply in love with the One who loves you enough to be faithful in spite of your unfaithfulness.
Pastor Steve
He took her back in spite of her promiscuous lifestyle. God specifically directed the prophet Hosea to take back his adulterous wife:
"Then the LORD said to me, "Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes." So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a half of barley. Then I said to her, "You shall stay with me for many days. You shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man; so I will also be toward you." For the sons of Israel will remain for many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar and without ephod or household idols. Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king; and they will come trembling to the LORD and to His goodness in the last days." (Hosea 3:1-5)
Adultery is a biblically-sanctioned basis for divorce. Marriage is potentially destroyed when adultery occurs and the offended spouse is rightfully released from the marriage vows if he or she chooses. To seek reconciliation and healing is a sheer act of grace.
Gomer, Hosea's prostitute wife, had been unfaithful and the marriage had been dissolved. Yet God instructed Hosea to buy her back and remarry her, not just for the sake of their marriage, but as an object lesson for the people of Israel. The lesson was crystal-clear: Israel had been unfaithful to God even as Gomer had been unfaithful to Hosea. God had every right to divorce Israel and be free of the covenant arrangement He had made with them, but instead the remarriage of Gomer and Hosea represented God's supernatural forgiveness and grace.
We are Hosea's adulterous wife: "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). None are immune to lusting after the pleasures and treasures of this age, and all have adulterously indulged in various ways. But through Christ we have each been reconciled back to God in spite of our adultery: "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly ... But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:6,8)
If we are thankful for our saved "marriage" with God, the best prevention against future adultery is to focus on the desires and priorities of our "Spouse". That's one of many reason why it is so to important to "seek first the kingdom of God". Loving our spouse is the key to a healthy and lasting marriage, and loving the Lord is the key to a lasting and healthy spiritual marriage: `YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' "This is the great and foremost commandment." (Matthew 22:37-38)
May you fall deeply in love with the One who loves you enough to be faithful in spite of your unfaithfulness.
Pastor Steve
posted by steve @ 10:01 AM
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