harlots, adulterers

So, I promised to tell you about my disciple class again this week.  This week was the story of Hosea and his unfaithful, adulterous wife Gomer.  My first visit to my counselor following my discovery of Mark's affair, he told me to read this story.  Probably because it ends with redemption, forgiveness and pure love. I didn't see it or get it then...I thought what an idiot Hosea is...now I get it!!

I've never heard the word harlot or adultery used so much in one book of the bible, with a little whoring thrown in now and then...Sounds like one of my outbursts!  Here is what our workbook said:

Notice how God relates the punishment to the crime..."You played the whore" therefore everything is polluted, adulterated (Hosea 9:1)
The security of home has been violated..(Hosea 9:14)
You wanted to wander like a wild ass (8:9) So be it! You will "become a wanderer among nations" (9:17)
Cause and effect is how God explains it...You plow wickedness; you reap injustice (10:13)  You break the bonds of marriage... you end up in slavery.

Sounds like one of my rampages I get on....was he talking about Gomer or the people he loved, Isreal?
It was both...That's what I love about bible study...we think it is this oh so boring book of the bible...when it is so much more...my youth would love this story because of all of the sexing and whoring...they would love to just be able to say those words!! And to think it is right there in the bible...and they think it is just Jonah and the whale.

And after all of this ranting and raving about the Isrealites...God still can't punish his people because he loves them too much...He talks a good one but talks himself out of it if they repent of their ways...just like Hosea will do if Gomer repents...and like Kim would have done if Mark would have repented.  It talked about how the prophet, Hosea could prophesy on this topic because he knew how God felt when he was betrayed he understood God's pain ...because he too had been so betrayed and heart broken...I understand too, God...I've been there with you...and I pray I never forget the pain, sorrow and that oh so sick feeling,
God responds to all the betrayal by saying....It is I (God) who answers and looks after you. (Hosea 14:8)
You know what this means?  He also knows exactly I feel and felt...wow!

Sort of goes with that song last night...God's grace...you can never get too far from it...you can never do anything so bad that God gives up on you...God's love is unconditional and forever.

I need to learn a few lessons.

Thank goodness it is.