Hosea 1:4-9 (ESV)
And the LORD said to him, “Call his name Jezreel, for in just a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. And on that day I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.”
She conceived again and bore a daughter. And the LORD said to him, “Call her name No Mercy, for I will no more have mercy on the house of Israel, to forgive them at all. But I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the LORD their God. I will not save them by bow or by sword or by war or by horses or by horsemen.”
When she had weaned No Mercy, she conceived and bore a son. And the LORD said, “Call his name Not My People, for you are not my people, and I am not your God.”
To be a prophet for God in the days of Israel and Judah was an interesting call from God. Unlike our leaders in churches today, the prophet was often a living example of God’s relationship with His people, Israel. Jeremiah was giving a task to buy a ruined piece of material to show a truth about God and His relationship with Israel (Jeremiah 13). Ezekiel was told to lay on his left side for a long amount of time and then on his right side (Ezekiel 4). The prophet not only conveyed God’s message verbally, they did so with their life style.
In the above passage we see the requirements for the prophet Hosea. Because Israel had been so unfaithful to God, God told Hosea to marry a woman of “whoredom” and engage in relationships with her to produce children. The children would be used as examples of God’s relationship with His children. They were unfaithful to God and God is a jealous God. Hosea’s wife had two children. Their names would become the message God had for His people. The first child would be called “Jezreel” which means, “God sows.” God is going to sow disaster into the nation. The second child was to be called, “No Mercy” (Hebrew, Lo-ruhama). Why? Because God would sow disaster but have no mercy on them. Why? Because they turned away from the living God. Hosea’s wife would have a third child, as well, a son. His name was, “Not My People” (Hebrew Lo-ammi). Why? Because God would sow disaster on the Israel, have no mercy on them and reject them as His people. Hosea’s entire life would be a living example of God’s relationship with His people. Two lessons:
1. God chooses to use His people the way He wants. No one life looks the same under God’s love. We are to be living sacrifices to allow Him to work in us what is pleasing in His sight (Romans 12:1-2; Hebrews 13:20-21)
2. God is a jealous God. As Hosea was WILLING to allow God to use him as a message board to the nation, the nation was UNWILLING to follow God in obedience. Hence, God took them into captivity.
Our God created us to bring glory to Him. When we don’t, He will solicit others to convey His message to use. We are either the living message board for God, or we are the audience of His wrath.
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