Daily Archive

In applying this text this week we see Hosea is talking about more than his marriage and even more than God’s plan to redeem us. We see an application even for our families. In these 5 verses we find a pattern to follow. It is reflected in Ephesians 5. We have already looked at Ephesians 5:1-2, “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” But what happens at the end of Ephesians 5? There we find the most detailed instructions given to husbands and wives.

In Ephesians 5 starting in verse 22 we read, “22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.”

Husbands, looking at Hosea and Gomer, and then looking at Christ and His Church – here we find the standard for loving our wives. We rarely love like this, sadly. And yet this is what is expected of us as men. Our relationships to our wives preaches the gospel, it provides a living parable – just like the story of Hosea and Gomer. Our family life presents the gospel. Maybe not well. But it does. Husbands, love your wives like Christ loves the Church.

Verse 32 says, “This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.”

 When we look to 1 Corinthians 13 to find out what love is, we must also look at Hosea 3. Hosea had a right to divorce Gomer and even to have her put to death. Think about the pain she caused him, and her children. Think about the cost to redeem her, to buy her back at that slave auction. He didn’t have to do any of that. But he was obedient, and he shows us how to love like Christ loves. True love does what it does for God’s glory!

Here then is the pattern we see in Hosea: Hosea in obedience to God’s command, chose Gomer. He claimed her for himself when he bought her back. He clothed her covering her shame and sin when he brought her back home. He cherished her and promised to cleave to her, to be faithful to her.

See the gospel there? God has chosen us, claimed us as His own and paid the price to redeem us, clothed us with the righteousness of Christ, He cherishes us and will never leave or forsake us, and He cleaves to us as there is nothing can separate us from His love.

These 5 verses this week have shown us the definition of the word “redeemed.” God has paid the highest price for us, He gave His only Son for us so that we might be His people and He might be our God.