MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13
Scripture: Hosea 1:2-9

Hosea 1:2-9 says, “When the Lord began to speak by Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea: ‘Go, take yourself a wife of harlotry And children of harlotry, For the land has committed great harlotry By departing from the Lord.’ So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. Then the Lord said to him: ‘Call his name Jezreel, For in a little while I will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu, And bring an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. It shall come to pass in that day That I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.’ And she conceived again and bore a daughter. Then God said to him: ‘Call her name Lo-Ruhamah, For I will no longer have mercy on the house of Israel, But I will utterly take them away. Yet I will have mercy on the house of Judah, Will save them by the Lord their God, And will not save them by bow, Nor by sword or battle, By horses or horsemen.’ Now when she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. Then God said: ‘Call his name Lo-Ammi, For you are not My people, And I will not be your God.’” This is one of the toughest passages in the Bible if you are called to be a prophet because it shows the length God will go to, to let people see what is coming if they refuse to change and repent. Hosea’s whole family consisted of a picture of judgment for the nation. He had to take a wife of harlotry and name his children names that would grieve any parent because they would have to explain to everyone what the name meant and why the child was so named. Studying the prophets makes us realize why it has never been a coveted calling. Yet in the end-times, the true church will indeed have to move in the spirit of prophecy.