HOSEA

The first Biblical Awesome Husband I want to highlight is: (drumroll please….) HOSEA

Some may find this interesting, however I am teaching about Hosea and Gomer tomorrow so the timing for me is right.

WHO IS HOSEA? Hosea was a “minor” prophet in the Old Testament. He’s got a chapter in the Bible called… YOU GUESSED IT… Hosea… He was instructed by God to marry a prostitute to demonstrate the spiritual adultery of Israel. At this time Israel was separated into two nations… North (Israel) and South (Judah). Israel had been under some wicked leadership that led the people astray… (P.S. I will ask you selflessly to PLEASE remember that leadership matters and vote in November!!!) Sorry about that… it needed to be said.

Back to this awesome and obedient husband… He was obedient to GOD.

That alone should have every Bible believing Christian woman in the applause position.

Hosea lived way before Christ the Man walked earth, Dude would have been a bajillion years old today. That’s not biblical, that’s Peach, but you understand this was a long time ago. Notice I didn’t say before Christ because JESUS CHRIST always IS. Paul gives a CLEAR description of Wife and Husband in the NEW Testament, but the institution was created established by God. One of the things mentioned in that description is the order of submission for the family. Ephesians 5:23- “For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.” So in Peach-talk: HUSBANDS should be submitted to God. Pastor John and Aventer Gray spoke at The Answer Conference 2016 and said something that spoke to my past, present, and future. They said, “Submission begins where Agreement ends”.

Can we just pause here? Think about your relationships (work, family, betrothed, marital, parental, friendship…), what have you disagreed with someone about? IF they are in a position of authority, what did you do? If YOU are in a position of authority, how do YOU respond? I wonder what woman is forming opinions like spears to send through their computer screens toward me right now. I don’t understand, right? Keep reading.

Hosea submitted to the Lord, whom he revered. When God told this Old Testament prophet, still under Mosaic Law, to marry a prostitute, he did it. Not only did he marry his wife, they had children. The first one is a son- huge in the Jewish culture. Boys carry legacy. I would even venture and say boys still carry legacy and family names in 2016. Gomer, Hosea’s wife, ended up having three children, a daughter and a second son. There are those who would indicate that all of the children were not for Hosea. You see, at some point the home of the minister wasn’t one that was all hunky dory. Gomer reverted back to her old ways and eventually, after she’d weaned all of her children, she left. Not only did she leave, but she had other lovers. ONE OF THEM…enslaved her.

Now, why does this still make sense? Concretely, relationships go through “stuff”. Marriages go through things. Figuratively, Israel cheated on her relationship with God. Insert city, state, territory, person’s name, and/or reflection of self, here. Israel isn’t the only entity that has turned away from God at some point.

In an effort to really let my research ruminate, I had a conversation with my first pastor. He said to me, “I bet Hosea REALLY loved Gomer. I bet he tossed at night when she was gone. I bet it pained him to serve and she was in the hands of another…” Hosea didn’t get to go into hiding because his home life was in shambles. As a matter of fact… God wasn’t surprised. Israel left the God who provided miracles, deliverance, and forgiveness before. In chapter three, God told Hosea to GO GET HIS WIFE. Yes…God speaks to men. Hosea listened. Not only did he go get Gomer, he BOUGHT her back. What was the equivalent of 30 pieces of silver, he paid the slave’s price to bring his wife home. That’s the last time we hear about Gomer’s reverted behavior. He says to his wife, no more. You are restored to wife, to me, and I to you.

Hosea had the courage to be obedient even though it wasn’t socially acceptable. He had the fortitude to continue to serve and worship God in the midst of trouble. And WHEN God said go get your wife, he loved and forgave her. I want a husband who will be that obedient to God that he can forgive me WHEN I mess up. No, I don’t mean in the way of prostitution, but as a human being who makes mistakes. A husband who can serve God, forgive and love his wife, that’s what I want. He isn’t Boaz… He’s Hosea. He is one of many notable biblical husbands.

 

I hope you will continue this journey with me.

 

Ivy Out