Hosea 3

Notes

Ver. 2. Hosea's purchasing back his whorish wife at the price of a slave, denotes that base and disgraceful bondage in which the Israelites should long continue. 3, 4. This shows that the Israelites and Jews should, in the most deplorable manner, continue many ages without either civil or ecclesiastical establishment, neither worshipping the true God aright, nor professing regard to the idols of the nations. 5. But after the captivity, and especially in the beginning of the spiritual kingdom, shall all the Hebrew tribes, through the marvellous kindness of God, be converted to the Christian faith and true worship and fear of God.

Ver. 1. Go yet—go again. The former parable of the unfaithful wife, ch. 1. 2-9, related to 'the house of Israel,' ch. 1.4; that is, to the ten tribes as a kingdom. This parable relates to 'the children of Israel,' ch.2. 10, 11; 3,2, which name includes the whole 'twelve tribes scattered abroad.'—Beloved of her friend—her husband, Je. 3. 20; Ca. 5. 16.—yet an adulteress. Though an adulteress, the emblem of Israel, 'beloved for the fathers' sakes, notwithstanding all their unfaithfulness. C.

Ver. 3. The dispersion of Israel was to cure them of idolatry— justly characterized as adultery, because idolatry and licentiousness have, in all ages, been intimately, if not inseparably, united. C.

Reflections.—It is very difficult to instruct or reclaim hardened professors. Precept must be upon precept, and sign upon sign. And the kindness of God seems long lost upon obstinate sinners. Sharply he must afflict them, even while he waits to be gracious: and long and disgraceful distress must teach them to value his kind returns. But happy are those afflictions which restrain us from using sinful means of relief, or which restrain us from following after idols. And thrice happy is it when both favours and frowns effectually draw us to Jesus Christ and his service. It is only in him that we can find JEHOVAH as ours, or taste of his heart-constraining goodness.