The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1911-02-16
Life [. Of the :. j. /.
i. ! If :. Prophet Hosea
(Read before the Elkins Sunday B

Nnead peIore the Elktns Sunday BIZ
= BILE Glass;
We read greatly to our astonish
ment. in, the book Of Hosea that the
prophet Hosea at Gods command
must marry a dissolute woman and
also assume the care Of her children
who We're born out of wedlock.
Many commentators have attempts
ed TO prove. this to be a spiritual oc-
cnrrence, or an allegorical repre-
lsggntatfon,, because they thought
that the command given In Lev. FL.
aa regarding the marriage of priests
s 1lted- ny 18th equal force -to--Geds
Pnt1phets, who. were Gods messen-
Etsfis's.HY saSHet that is not the case. The
TO hets Were. not priests, but we're
|Eph osesn 81. God from AMONG air GLASS;
|ea Of people, and were in a remark
EahleS manner. In both soul and body
NJ word and in deed, to become God s.
instruments Why then should this
narrative be taken in a real LITERAL
sense? Therefore, it is not true. as
some perverted commentators main
tain, that Hosea was to enter into
immoral relation with tf1e-7faifeu
woman, On the contrary he was to
take care Of her as his legal wife
and also receive her children into
his house as If they were his own.
She should bear. him children. He
should love and shield her, even
though she should prove unfaithful
to him. Hosea,;t3, 2. The COM
mand, which God gave the prophet
was certainly. very severe for an hon
orable, blameless man, His inmost
being revoltsd against it. But there
was nothing wicked or blameworthy
(about it, Undoubtedly, he would
lose the esteem and respect of the
community. = Yet a. servant; Of God
must not regard what people say or
think Of him so long as he is faith
full to God. God will justify his
course. So at the time God did not
fail to explain his unaccountable
position of the prophet to the peo-
ple' The people of Israel knew that
they stood with God in as intimate
relation as Bride to the bride
groom, yea as a wife to her hus-
band. The unfaithful people had
broken this covenant, and the bride
had gone after other men, NAMELY,
the gods of the heather. Now when
the prophet, before their eyes, had
at God $ command, taken profit
gate woman as his cherished wife,
then the meaning of this prophetical
deed became plainly this: God has
not broken his covenant; on the con-
trary, He will in grace and love re-
ceive again his unfaithful, unworthy
signify that God would Justly pun
bride and VIII espouse her. For that
reason 1.-THE prophet must call the
son whom his wife bore, Jezreel;
meaning, God scatters, This should
riish the sins of the Kingdom Of Is
real, especially those committed on
the plains of Jezreel. T.
Hosea was to give his later born
daughter the name Goruhmah,
meaning, not having obtained mercy.
This should denote that God would
no longer be gracious unto the ten
tribes of the Kingdom Of Isreal, but
would utterly reject them. Still he
would maintain his covenant with
the house of Judah, and in spite Of
His peoples shameful unfaithful-
ness He would evermore love them,
and gloriously execute His gracious
purpose towards them.
Thus this remarkable marriage Of
the prophet which created SO much
indignation was yet consoling,
glorious prediction.
=. r. R. CROSBY.