In CASH & in KIND: an illustration of God's sacrificial love

Namumuhay na ng payapa't tahimik si Hosea. Iniwanan siya ng kanyang asawa-- ang taksil na si Gomer. Mag-isa niyang pasan-pasan ang responsibilidad ng pagpapalaki at pag-aaruga sa kanilang tatlong supling. Ngunit 'di na bale. "It's time to move on" ika nga.

Subalit pagdating sa kabanata 3, ginambala ulit ng Panginoon ang payapang buhay ni Hosea. Ang utos:

"Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes." (Hosea 3:1 NIV).

Kailangan niyang tubusin ang kanyang asawa. Mangyari kasi ay ibinenta ni Gomer ang kanyang sarili bilang alipin. Ginawa iyon ni Gomer upang matustusan niya ang kanyang mga pangangailangan mula nang lisanin niya ang tahanan ni Hosea.

Bilang isang masunuring propeta, tumalima si Hosea sa tinig ng Panginoon. Habang siya'y nagbibilang, natuklasan niya na hindi sapat ang kanyang salapi. Kulang ang hawak niyang "cash". Panandaliang nag-isip si Hosea. Aha! Naalala niya ang nakatagong barley na kanyang inuunti-unting ipinapakain sa kanyang pamilya. Ngayo'y nakahanda na siyang tubusin si Gomer (3:2).

"That the payment is both in money and in kind is curious; it suggests that Hosea had difficulty in coming up with enough money to purchase her." (Duanne Garrett, Hosea, Joel; New American Commentary).

Pagdating sa pamilihan, matindi ang tawaran na naganap.

"... the Hebrew word translated as "bought" includes the idea of haggling." (Duanne Garret, NAC)

haggle- "to argue over something such as a price or contract in order to reach an agreement" (Encarta Dictionaries)

Perhaps you  are ready to spend your fortunes to save the life of a loving and deserving wife. But will you do the same for a blatantly unfaithful wife?

Remember that the story of Hosea and Gomer was meant to illustrate God's love for his people.

Romans 5:7-8 "Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (NIV)

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