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Doing the Unthinkable Then the Lord said to me, “Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them.” 2 So I bought her back for fifteen pieces of silver and five bushels of barley and a measure of wine. --- Hosea 3:1-2 No prophet so deeply reveals the heart of God for those who turn from Him to sin than Hosea. He lived it out in his personal life. There is no greater hurt in marriage than the unfaithfulness of a spouse toward their mate. Yet, Hosea experienced that when God told him to marry a woman of harlotry (an adulterer). They had 3 children and the 3rd was not their own. His wife Gomer goes back into harlotry (adultery). But God told him to retrieve her. So, he buys his own wife who is on the slave auction back for 15 pieces of silver. The people's unfaithfulness had hurt God to him and their adopting other gods and living in sin in the same way that Hosea had through Gomer's faithfulness. The unspeakable act of love was when Hosea bought her back. What hurt and heartache he experienced, just as God had with His people. God did not give up on them, however. He continues to love and forgive despite the heartache of spiritual adultery. God will continue to hold out His mercy and forgiveness in hopes that they will repent and return to Him. That is how much God loves you and has proven it through Hosea's own experience. adultery --- note from Dan Nelson