Hosea and the Adulteress – God and the adulterers

Hos. 3:1-5

The story of Hosea makes an interesting read. The LORD told Hosea to marry an adulteress. He did, and had Jezreel, Lo-Ruhamah and Lo-Ammi. After a period of time, the LORD again asked Hosea to love the woman. This time, the adulteress was bought for “fifteen shekels of silver and a homer of barley and a measure of wine” (Hos. 3:2). As he bought her, Hosea said, “You must remain as mine for many days, you shall not play the whore, you shall not have intercourse with a man, nor I with you” (Hos. 3:3).

The reason why the LORD told Hosea to do this is to show that “the LORD loves the people of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes” (Hos. 3:1). As Hosea bought the adulteress, “the Israelites shall return and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; they shall come in awe to the LORD and to his goodness in the latter days” (Hos. 3:5).

Oh, how deep the love of God is! He created us to be in fellowship with Him. But we strayed away from him of our own volition. We committed adultery from Him, but we did not seek Him. But the LORD loved us and sent His only Son to save us, and bought us with a price – His blood.

Being saved and bought, why would we sin again? Why do we still keep on sinning? Maybe we have not really thought of the love of God and the price with which He saved us.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “you are not your own… for you were bought with a price.”