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While most prophecies begin with an explicit command for the prophet to prophesy, the book of Hosea begins with God’s instructions for him to get married (Hosea 3:1)

This is no ordinary marriage. God shockingly commands Hosea, a respectable young man, to propose to a prostitute. 

Hosea’s marriage became a living sermon: a reflection of the sad relationship between God and Israel. What Hosea did for Gomer, God did for Israel; what Gomer did to Hosea, Israel did to God.

Humanly speaking, Hosea’s love for Gomer did not make any sense. People must have thought, “What is wrong with Hosea? Why doesn’t he divorce her and get himself a decent wife?” But, that was the very point of the message. God’s love for sinners is unexplainable apart from his free and sovereign grace. 

The message of Hosea transcends his time and circumstance to ours. We too have turned to strange gods of money, politics, traditions, fame and wealth. At the cross, God enters into a marriage covenant with us, having saved us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8).

As it was in the marriage of Hosea, so is it in the covenant of grace. God continues to love us despite our constant failures. The only one proper response to this kind of love is always genuine repentance.

Can you think of any other stories in the Bible about the grace of God that are jarringly shocking? Now think about your own experience. Is there a similar story there? How are you responding to it in your own life?