I recently put an old Spartan Christian Fellowship (SCF) t-shirt back in the cycle of wear-ables, the bright green one with yellow letters (and a yellow corn cob) proclaiming “Pray Like a Farmer.”  Two things happened the first day I wore it. First, an elderly black gentleman at the grocery stopped and admired what the shirt said; this makes me think it will be a good conversation starter.  Second, I read the first three chapters of the book of Hosea, which ties mistaken farmers, adultery, strange names for children, and repudiation of the Baals with the good news of a forgiving God.

The modern farmers the SCF t-shirt refers to are praying to the One True God and His son, Jesus Christ.  They know their only hope for good crops lies in the timely rain and good weather provided by a loving Father. 

The farmers in Hosea’s time, however, had included weather-gods – the Baals, who were thought to have control over fertility, rainfall, and productivity – as part of their worship mix. Like Israel, Hosea’s wife Gomer had broken faithfulness by lusting after other men and borne children to them, even while remaining married to Hosea.  Gomer’s first son, by Hosea, is named Jezreel, referring to the house of Ahab and the ongoing confrontation between Baal and the God of Israel.  The next two sons, likely from other fathers, are named by Hosea “No Mercy” and “Not My People,” indicating a loss of the Father’s love/mercy and a repudiation of the nation.

But even though Israel (and Gomer) sinned, God keeps his covenantal promises (and Hosea stays married).  There is hope for restoration (the number of children of Israel shall be like the grains of sand, vs 1.10) and a declaration of the need for repentance (put away your whoring, in vs 2.2).  God promises his actions for the nation with analogies for the wayward wife.  There will be “hedges” to prevent continued wayward activity (vs 2.6); the LORD will show the worthlessness of the Baals by stripping the land bare (vs 2.9-13); and the LORD will tenderly call his people back (vs 2.14-15).

In Chapter 3, Hosea redeems his wife financially with a trade of goods, then commands an enforced faithfulness (like God is doing with Israel) for an unspecified period of time. The future of Gomer and Israel are intertwined with “Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the LORD and to his goodness in the latter days” (vs 3.5).  The heir of David will be part of God’s glorious future for his people.