Introduction
Hosea 3:1—4:3: Hosea is told to love his unfaithful wife. His love for her is to demonstrate the LORD’s continuing love for unfaithful Israel.
Today’s Key Verse: Hosea 3:5
The time will come when the people of Israel will once again turn to the LORD their God and to a descendant of David their king. Then they will fear the LORD and will receive his good gifts.
Reading
3 The Lord said to me, “Go again and show your love for a woman who is committing adultery with a lover. You must love her just as I still love the people of Israel, even though they turn to other gods and like to take offerings of raisins to idols.”
2 So I paid fifteen pieces of silver and seven bushels of barley to buy her. 3 I told her that for a long time she would have to wait for me without being a prostitute or committing adultery; and during this time I would wait for her. 4 In just this way the people of Israel will have to live for a long time without kings or leaders, without sacrifices or sacred stone pillars, without idols or images to use for divination. 5 But the time will come when the people of Israel will once again turn to the Lord their God and to a descendant of David their king. Then they will fear the Lord and will receive his good gifts.
4 The Lord has an accusation to bring against the people who live in this land. Listen, Israel, to what he says: “There is no faithfulness or love in the land, and the people do not acknowledge me as God. 2 They make promises and break them; they lie, murder, steal, and commit adultery. Crimes increase, and there is one murder after another. 3 And so the land will dry up, and everything that lives on it will die. All the animals and birds, and even the fish, will die.”
Reflect
Reread 3:1–5. What words of hope are offered? What promise is given? What accusations are cited in 4:1–3? What punishments will be meted out? What does today’s reading teach you about God?
Pray
God of truth, you alone are my God and I worship you. Help me not to be led astray by false teachings, and guide me in the way of your truth. Amen.
Tomorrow’s Reading
Hosea 4:4–19: The LORD accuses the priests and condemns pagan worship.
