Chapter 3:1-3
(f).Gomer loved again.
Verse 1.
The narritive returns to Hosea's problem with his adulterous wife, Gomer. Gomer obviously left Hosea after the birth of her third child, "Lo-ammi", she had betrayed the sacred relationship of marriage for another sexual relationship that was outside that marriage bond.
It would seem from the Text that Hosea was living alone, and God asked him to seek out his wife, forgive her and bring her back and love her again. Humanily speaking this was a very difficult task to carry out but having said that Hosea obeyed. Hosea would be acting out how Yahweh felt toward adulterous Isreal.
Verse 2.
Hosea paid 15 shekels and about 10 bushels of barley to get Gomer back,offically Gomer was still his wife and no payement was necessary, it was probably given as a bridal gift, the idea behind it signified a new marriage and a new beginning.
Verse 3.
"You will live with me for many days", simply means that there was no strings attached to the new relationship between Hosea and Gomer, it was to be indefinite. Gomer was not to be intimate (welo`tihyile`is) with any other man but was to be totally faithful to her husband Hosea. Some have suggested that these words were to be taken as a disciplining act by Hosea. Some have even suggested that Gomer was not even allowed to have any sexual relationship with her husband.
But the writter uses the word ('ehab) which means love, Hosea was to love Gomer and surely that meant more than just living in the same house. If the relationship is symbolic of Yahweh's new relationship with Isreal then the full marital rights must of necessity be restored.
(g). Isreal's future return to God.(ch.3:4-5).
In these two verses, we can see the prophet Hosea opening up with the hope of future blessing for the children of Isreal.The parallel between Yahweh with Isreal and Hosea with Gomer is used to bring out spiritual truth. Hosea was called to love Gomer even though she had been unfaithful. So to Yahweh would love Isreal even through she had fallen into sin.
Verse 4.
This fourth verse is very significant because it opens to us an understanding concerning what it really meant for Isreal to be seperated from God.
Firstly, Isreal would be without 'king or prince', this meant that they would not be able to govern themselves, they would not be atonomous as a nation.
Secondly, 'sacrifice and sacred stones' ( mass ebah ) represents pure idolatry. So Isreal would be without any form of religion, they would have every aid to religion removed from them.
Thirdly, they often relied on the 'ephod' to search out the future, this also was to be removed from their midst.Also the 'idol' (terapim) which bacically was a heathen instrument used in whitch craft was also to be removed.
So Isreal was to be stripped of every thing that made them what they were so that God could make them new creatures and give to them fresh hope in committement to Him.
Verse 5.
According to this verse, a great change will take place in the life of the children of Isreal.They will begin to seek their 'King David' again. They will come trembling (pahad) seeking the Lord,calling upon His name.This is to happen in the last days (`aharithayyamim). Again if we are to fully understand this verse we must look for its fulfillment in the mellennial period.
There king David`s throne will be taken over by the true son of David, the Lord Jesus Christ.