Hosea was God's prophet sent primarily to the northern kingdom of Israel. He proclaimed impending divine judgment upon a people who were guilty of rebellion, idolatry and gross wickedness against the Lord. The wrath of God, he declared, is deserved by every son and daughter of Adam because of our vileness.
Hosea, however, was not only a true prophet of the Lord and a faithful minister of the word, but he was also a type of our Lord Jesus Christ. His name signifies savior. In this prophesy, Hosea is commanded to show unconditional love and undeserved mercy to a fallen, sinful woman, whose name was Gomer. When she was to be sold upon the auction block, Hosea paid her ransom. Gomer is a type of every sinner God saves by His almighty, sovereign grace.
Blessed be the name of the Lord, He loves and has purposed to save a sinful people! Though we are guilty of innumerable crimes against Him, the God of grace declares, "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely" (Hosea 14:4). Long before the sun cast forth its first rays, God ordained to save an undeserving people in Christ Jesus, "to the praise of the glory of His grace" (Ephesians 1:6). Christ came and paid our indebtedness to God by His substitutionary death upon the cross. We belong to Him by purpose and purchase, and in time the Spirit of God moves upon our hearts in almighty power and brings us to saving faith in this glorious Savior.