Dr. Robert Vasholz explains how Hosea's love for Gomer points to God's act of love in the atonement.
The eternal atonement of Christ reaches out to two audiences. It reaches out to mankind. The atonement reconciles, rescues, ransoms, redeems, restores, relieves, renews, resurrects and rejuvenates. Its effect on men is astonishing.
The other audience is God Himself. In Exodus 12 the Lord said, "When I see the blood, I will pass over you." God saw the blood atonement and where the blood was He passed over the slaying of the firstborn. What that tells us is that the effect of the eternal atonement that the lamb represents causes God to act in special ways toward His own. The atonement extends God-ward; it stirs His compassion. " … the Lord was pleased to crush him…. As a result of the anguish of his soul He will see it and be satisfied…." One-way that the atonement effects God is illustrated is in Hosea 1-3.
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The drama of the prophet Hosea's marriage is well known. Marriage and family were regarded as among the highest values in the culture. The prophet married a woman from Israel, the northern tribes. While there is a debate as to whether this woman was promiscuous or not, the beginning of Hosea's marriage is commendable. He was commanded by the Lord to do so. It specifically says that she gave him a son. "…he went and took Gomer… and she conceived and bore him a son" (Hosea 1:3). O happy day! Keep reading
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