The NIV 365 Day Devotional
God Loves You Deeply
God had an odd plan for Hosea. The Lord told the prophet to marry “a promiscuous woman,” a woman who chased after other lovers (Hos 1:2). That command makes no sense — until you hear what God planned to teach the nation through his prophet. God said his people were acting like an unfaithful wife having sex with other men. That charge really hit home, especially because Israel followed false gods whose worship included sex with temple prostitutes to guarantee prosperity (see Hos 4:11 – 14). When the Lord told Hosea to take Gomer as his wife, he painted a living picture of his own persistent love for Israel. The crazy drama taught everyone that God loved them no matter what. That’s the same point the apostle Paul makes in the New Testament when he says God loves us even while we are sinners, long before we love him (Ro 5:8).
Taken from the NIV Starting Place Study Bible.