We’ve been working through the Old Testament looking for the New Testament Jesus 100’s even 1,000’s of years before He was born. Today we’re looking for Jesus in the Book of Hosea.

Hosea was a prophet. He was warning people of the judgement of God and calling them to repent of their sins. But he did this by living out a seemingly impossible situation. Hosea was commanded by God to marry and have children with a prostitute named Gomer (Hosea 1:2). And is wasn’t just that she was a prostitute, it was that she would continue to be one. Hosea was going to marry a woman he knew would be unfaithful to him. He knew she would betray his trust over and over again. And that’s exactly what Gomer did, even when he begged her not to. She simply would not listen to him.

Through all of this, Hosea keeps providing a way for Gomer to return. He even goes so far as to pay a price to buy her back (Hosea 3:2). Hosea continually shows us what forgiveness, redemption and restoration look like.

What does this have to do with us? God does the same thing for us. God knew we’d ignore Him, go back to our sin, and attempt to find our satisfaction elsewhere. He knew that we would be unfaithful to Him, yet God continually calls us back. He longs for us to set aside our sin and be with Him. He even went so far as to send His son Jesus to give up His life and buy us back. God uses the Book of Hosea to point to Jesus as our faithful savior.

Praise God for His Grace and Mercy. May we do all we can to be evidence of a changed life through the work of the Holy Spirit, and in the name of Jesus.

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