Hosea 1

The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.

During the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and Jeroboam, king of Israel, God's message reached Hosea, Beeri's son.

The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.

The moment God first spoke to Hosea, He gave him a challenging task. God told Hosea to marry a woman known for her unfaithfulness, and to have children born of such disloyalty, because the land had committed gross prostitution by turning its back on Him.

So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.

And so, he chose Gomer, Diblaim's daughter, to be his. She became pregnant and gifted him a son.

And the LORD said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel.

The Lord spoke with a heavy heart, "Name him Jezreel. Soon, I will seek justice for Jezreel's bloodshed against Jehu's family, ending the reign of Israel's house."

And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel, in the valley of Jezreel.

On that fateful day, I will shatter Israel's strength, right in the heart of Jezreel Valley.

And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away.

She became pregnant once more, this time with a daughter. God instructed him, "Name her Loruhamah, for I've run out of patience with Israel and will no longer show them mercy. I will completely remove them."

But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.

I promise to show kindness to the family of Judah, rescuing them through their God, not by weapons, war, or warriors.

Now when she had weaned Loruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son.

After she had gently stopped nursing Loruhamah, she became pregnant again, giving birth to a beautiful baby boy.

Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.

God declared, "Name him Loammi, for you are no longer mine, and I will no longer be your God." His voice was heavy with sorrow and finality.

Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

The descendants of Israel will be countless, like grains of sand on a beach. Even in places where they were once rejected, they will be recognized as children of the living God.

Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.

The day will come when the children of Judah and Israel will unite under one leader, rising from their land. That day, the day of Jezreel, will be a day of immense significance.