Daily Devotions

For the rest of the month of January, we continue on our journey through the Old Testament books that we started last Autumn.

Today we start with the book of Hosea – one of the earliest of the writing prophets, along with Amos and preached to the northern kingdom of Israel (750s to 720s BC). Hosea is famous for being commanded by God to marry an unfaithful wife. His obedience is a living metaphor for Israel’s own unfaithfulness to God. 

The prophet Hosea, whose name means “salvation”, ministered for 60 or 70 years in the northern kingdom of Israel, but little more is known of his background. He was a contemporary of both Isaiah and Micah. Following God’s direction, Hosea married Gomer, a prostitute (Hosea 1:2–3) and his marriage along with the resultant offspring served as an illustration of the troubling relationship between God and the Israelites.

Hosea’s uniqueness lies in the integration of his personal life with his prophecies, emphasising that Scripture should not be confined to abstract contemplation but should profoundly impact our lives. We are also offered a picture of God’s faithfulness despite the faithlessness of His people, ultimately displayed when Jesus laid down His life for the world.

The story of this Old Testament prophet’s faithfulness and forgiveness towards his unfaithful wife, relates to God’s forgiveness of His people who had broken their promises to Him.

The resulting writings contains one of Jesus’ favourite verses to quote comes from Hosea 6:6 – “For I desire faithful love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”

Here is a Hymn from the Gowan and Larsson Musical Hosea.

If human hearts are often tender,
And human minds can pity know;
If human love is touched with splendour,
And human hands compassion show,

If sometimes men can live for others,
And sometimes give where gifts are spurned;
If sometimes treat their foes as brothers,
And love where love is not returned,

Then how much more shall God our Father
In love forgive, in love forgive!
Then how much more shall God our Father
Our wants supply, and none deny!

Lord God,

we sometimes wonder why our lives take the paths they do.

We seem to find ourselves in all

sorts of situations we had never envisaged,

and we wonder what You are doing with us.

Keep close to us, we pray,

and give us the faith to trust You, for whatever happens.

Then, in Your providence,

show us more of Your glory and grace,

so that we may be encouraged, and praise You forever: Amen.