The 8th Century saw the rise and fall of Israel (often called the Northern Kingdom, as opposed to Judea, called the Southern Kingdom). The Prophet Hosea’s ministry primarily focused on warning the Northern Kingdom against apostasy, but to a lesser degree, he also warned Judea. Because of Israel’s hardness of heart, Israel was ultimately destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 BC.
Throughout history, God has often spoken through His Prophets to encourage, admonish, and warn. Sometimes, the Prophets lived out their messages in unique ways that were both shocking and memorable. A Prophet sometimes acted out His message from God to his audience and embodied His message.[1] Hosea was such a Prophet.
At Hosea 1:2, we read:
When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take for yourself a wife inclined to infidelity, and children of infidelity; for the land commits flagrant infidelity, abandoning the Lord.”
The Hebrew adjective zᵊnûnîm is defined as “given to fornication” or “characterized by harlotry.”[2] Zᵊnûnîm describes a woman guilty of promiscuity, unfaithfulness, or adultery. In my opinion, the text indicates that Gomer, the wife of Hosea, was promiscuous and unfaithful before she was married to Hosea, and she relapsed into promiscuity and unfaithfulness after they were married.
Hosea 2:5, 2:12 and 9:1 establish that Gomer was given consideration or gifts for her prostitution, and we also read that ultimately, she was sold into slavery by one of her creditors. Expressing and illustrating the love of God, however, Hosea redeemed his wife from slavery for 15 shekels of silver and some barley and then brought her back home (Hos. 3:1-2). Hosea spoke about the love of God, and he embodied the love of God. Gomer, Hosea’s unfaithful wife, symbolized unfaithful Israel. I will also add that our nation, the United States, practices the same unfaithfulness as Israel. Like the Northern Kingdom, our prosperity has led us into unfaithfulness. Prosperity can often be followed by the decline of a nation.
The names of each of Gomer’s children also became a part of the Prophet’s message. Their first child, Jezreel (a boy) was named after a famous and fertile valley in Israel. At Hosea 1:4, we read, “And the Lord said to him, “Name him Jezreel; for in just a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the bloodshed of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel.’” Naboth, a vintner, owned a fertile and prosperous vineyard in the Valley of Jezreel. King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, who lived nearby, lusted for Naboth’s vineyard, but Naboth refused to sell. Then Queen Jezebel schemed to gain possession of Naboth’s property. She plotted to have Naboth accused of treason and blasphemy. Naboth was ultimately tried and stoned to death. The Northern Kingdom was full of corruption, abuse of power, and no fear of God (1 Kings 21).
Later, Gomer gave birth to a daughter that Hosea named Lo-ruhamah. Her name meant “no mercy.”[3] God told Hosea, “Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer take pity on the house of Israel” (Hos. 1:6). It appears that both Gomer’s second and third child born while married to Hosea were illegitimate. The daughter’s name was symbolic of the Nation of Israel’s continued infidelity. The second son and last child was named Lo-ammi, which means “not my people,”[4] for God told Hosea, “you [Israel] are not My people, and I am not your God.” Because of Israel’s unfaithfulness, Yahweh was going to withdraw His protection and special blessing from Israel. Israel was not acting like God’s people, and therefore, God’s blessing was going to be withdrawn when Assyria ultimately destroyed Israel. In contrast, God was going to take pity on the house of Judah and save them (Hos. 1:7). However, because of a similar pattern of apostacy, ultimately, Judah was going to be destroyed by Babylon in 586 BC.
Nevertheless, the Lord and His Prophet were going to continue to reach out in love. Gomer was going to eventually say, “I will go back to my first husband, because it was better for me then than now!” (Hosea 2:7). Similarly, Israel pursued false gods, but many would return to the Lord. There was going to be a time when they would no longer pursue false gods (Hos. 2:16). We then read that the Lord said, “I [Yahweh] will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, in favor, and in compassion” (Hos. 2:19).
Remember, over our past several lessons, our larger theme and image of study has been how God and Scripture uses marriage between a man and a woman to illustrate the relationship between God and His people. In the story of Hosea and Gomer, we see that God used the story of the unfaithful wife to explain and describe God’s unfaithful people. However, there is always a hope of restoration to our loving God (Hos. 2:23). God calls us to repentance. Our response should be “Come, let’s return to the Lord. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us…. let’s learn, let’s press on to know the Lord” (Hos. 6:1, 3), for God says, “I desire loyalty rather than sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings” (Hos. 6:6).
At Hosea 14:1, 4 and 9, we further read:
Return, Israel, to the Lord your God…. I will heal their apostasy, I will love them freely, because My anger has turned away from them…. Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right, and the righteous will walk in them, but wrongdoers will stumble in them.”
“Apostasy” is defined as “falling away” from one’s walk of faith. We can be a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, and yet, no longer consistently walk by God’s Spirit and Word. Apostasy can also describe a nation or a group of people that have abandoned their heritage or traditions of faith.
The Prophet Hosea preached to the nation of Israel during a time of apostasy and decline. At Hosea 4:1-3 and 4:6-10, we read a passage of Scripture that provides a number of verses that describe a nation in spiritual decline:
Listen to the word of the Lord, you sons of Israel, because the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land, for there is no faithfulness, nor loyalty, nor knowledge of God in the land. There is… murder, stealing, and adultery. They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed. Therefore the land mourns, and everyone who lives in it languishes…. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Since you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the Law of your God, I also will forget your children. The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me; I will change their glory into shame. They feed on the sin of My people, and long for their wrongdoing. And it will be, like people, like priest; So I will punish them for their ways and repay them for their deeds. They will eat, but not have enough; They will play the prostitute, but not increase, because they gave up devoting themselves to the Lord.
Please note that God’s people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hos. 4:6) and many of God’s people reject “the knowledge of God.” In the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matt. 25), when the foolish virgins said, “Lord, Lord, open up for us,” (Matt. 25:11) Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, I do not know you” (Matt. 25:12). Jesus is omniscient; He knows everything about us. Therefore, in this verse, Jesus is teaching us that the idea of “knowledge” in the Bible is often more than just about information or facts. Knowing and being known by God is intimate, relational, covenantal, and spiritual. Knowing God is about loyalty, love, and obedience. [5]
There will be significant consequences for our lack of obedience and loyalty. There will be consequences for our sin and rebellion. So, historically, what are we seeing in the United States? As a nation, we are more and more departing from our spiritual heritage. Further, as believers, we are more and more rejecting the knowledge of God. In the United States, we currently see all of the following:
(1) Less and less knowledge of God;
(2) Less and less people devoting themselves to the Lord;
(3) More and more people encouraging hatred and violence; and
(4) More and more people practicing hatred and violence toward others.
In closing, we believers are the Lord’s Bride, but many live like unfaithful prostitutes. Nevertheless, the Lord continues to reach out to us. We are invited to live in intimate relationship with the Lord.
[1] “Define Prophetic Symbolism” prompt. ChatGPT, GPT-4, Open AI, 11 Sept. 2025, chat.openai.com/chat.
[2] “H2183 – zᵊnûnîm – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (nasb20).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 15 Sep, 2025. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2183/nasb20/wlc/0-1/>.
[3] “H3819 – lō’ ruḥāmâ – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (nasb20).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 16 Sep, 2025. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3819/nasb20/wlc/0-1/>.
[4] “H3818 – lō’ ʿammî – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (nasb20).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 16 Sep, 2025. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3818/nasb20/wlc/0-1/>.
[5] “Describe the idea of knowledge in the Bible” prompt. ChatGPT, GPT-4, Open AI, 15 Sept. 2025, chat.openai.com/chat.
