And it shall be in thay day saith the Lord that you shall call me ISHI my husband and shall call me no more BAALI my master.

Hosea 2:16

The name Hosea/Hoshea like Joshua/Y’hoshua

and Yeshua means

Salvation.

Hebrew: הוֹשֵׁעַ – Hōšēaʿ, ‘Salvation’; 

If you have never read the book of Hosea, the content in a nutshell is a love story with a thorn in it. It’s the story of a faithful husband and an adulterous, unfaithful wife. The descriptions of the two main characters Hosea /Hoshea and Gomer, also describe the relationship between Yhvh/God and the children of Israel.

In Chapter 1:2, Hosea is given the most unlikely instructions one could ever imagine; he was told to go and marry a whore/prostitute and have children with her. Hoseas marriage becomes a symbol of God’s love for His adulterous children who were prostituting themselves with idols and foreign gods; worshipping them and committing spiritual adultery against the Living God Who had made covenant with them equal to sacred marriage vows. God commands Hoshea to take a wife who the Lord knows will prove to be unfaithful and adulterous.

Anyone reading this story, may feel this is unfair to Hosea, punishing him with a promiscuous marriage to the unfaithful Gomer. However, here Hosea is speaking on behalf of God and portrays God Himself in acting out this story of the continual/ongoing unfaithfulness and spiritual adultery by Israel. Gomer represents the Isrealites/Jewish people, who are so many times portrayed as God’s beloved wife. Jeremiah 2:3. We should think, if Gomers unfaithfulness is unfair, how much more is Israel’s and His childrens’ unfaithfulness unfair to God?

Gomer the wife of Hosea.

Gomer – Hebrew: גומר,

Original Word: גֹּמֶר.  

Strongs 1586

Gomer means: complete

In Hosea 1:3 Gomer is called the Daughter of Diblaim. Diblaim is derived from the word develah meaning: fig-cake; since she was as sweet in everyone’s mouth as a fig-cake; or because everyone would tread on her as on a fig-cake. Gomer’s mother was also in the same profession and both were commonly the subject of slander and gossip. This led to another reference by the Rabbis, that the name Diblaim is a plural form of the word dibah which means: slander, ill repute: [a woman of] ill repute and the daughter of [a woman of] ill repute.

God commanded Hosea to marry Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, as this was in order to teach him correct behavior for one who was to prophesy to Israel. Despite Gomer’s harlotry, the Rabbis interpret her story as proof that, even when God is angry with Israel, He still loves them. 

After two sons, Jezreel and

Lo-ammi 

and a daughter,

Lo-ruhamah 

were born to Hosea and Gomer,

God ordered Hosea: “You must part from Gomer. You should have learned from your teacher Moses, who parted from his wife because I revealed Myself to him. You, too, separate yourself from her.” Hosea began to weep and said to God: “Master of the Universe! I have children by her. I can neither send her away nor divorce her!” Since he answered Him thus, God said: “Hosea, why do you weep?” He replied: “I take pity on my wife and my children.” God said: “Your wife is a harlot, and your children are children begotten of harlotry, and you do not know if they are yours or from others; nevertheless, you took pity on them. And as for Me—Israel are My children, my beloved children, the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Should I not have pity on them? Israel is one of the four possessions that I have acquired in this world [i.e., the Torah, heaven and earth, the Temple, and Israel], and you tell me to replace them with another nation?!”

Hearing this, Hosea realized that he had sinned and was about to ask for Divine mercy for himself. God told him:

“Hosea, Hosea, three [heavenly] decrees were issued against Israel because of you. Instead of asking for mercy for yourself, ask for mercy for Israel.”

Hosea stood and prayed on behalf of Israel, God then annulled the three decrees and Hosea gave them three blessings:

“The number of the people of Israel shall be like that of the sand of the sea” Hos. 2:1;

“instead of being told, ‘You are Not-My-People,’ they shall be called ‘Children-of-the-Living-God’” Hos. 1:10

“I will sow her in the land as My own; and I will have compassion on her who has not received compassion; and I will say to those who are not My people, ‘You are My people’” Hos. 2:23 

Another tradition relates that for every affliction that Hosea prophesied for Israel, he gave them a remedy.

After telling Israel “I will no longer pardon the House of Israel” (Hos. 1:6),

the prophet promises “I will have compassion on her who has not received compassion.”

After having told the Israelites “For you are not My people” (Hos. 1:9),

the prophet assures them “I will say to those who are not My people, ‘You are My people’” (Hos. 2:25). The mouth that uttered “For she is not my wife” (Hos. 2:4) recanted and amended “You will call [Me] Ishi [husband]” (Hos. 2:18).

Even when God is provoked by Israel, He still loves them. Hosea learns this himself when he realizes that Gomer’s harlotry does not prevent him from being attached to her.

This shows us that Hosea was emotionally attached to Gomer and felt obligated to her. God tested and tried him when He told him to part from her and her children, but He did not intend this to be fulfilled. Rather, Hosea was to learn from the husband and wife relationship the emotions of love, compassion, and commitment that a prophet must feel for his people.

We sometimes overlook the significance of the given names in scripture and on occasion the children of prophets give a prophetic indication of God’s plans. For example: the names given by God to Hosea/Hoshea. He had 2 sons and 1 daughter with Gomer

1:4 call him Yizre’el/Jezreel

which means:

scattering, especially about seeds and is the same name as the valley near Megiddo that has been a famous battleground all through history and is the site of the final battle, we are familiar with as Armageddon. This is also pointing strongly to the future of the Northern kingdom and meaning that they will literally be scattered.

The 2 other children, one called

Lo Ruchamah/Lo Ruhama,

meaning: not loved, not received compassion or unpitied.

The other was named

Lo Ammi

meaning: not my people,

which in Hosea’s lifetime is the status of the Northern Kingdom.

Back to meaning of Baali or Ishi?

Baali – Bet Ayin Lamed Yod – my master

From the verb בעל  ba’al, to be master, owner or lord.

בעלי

means: to exercise dominion over.

The name Baali isn’t really a name and very few of the original readers and hearers of the Book of Hosea would have thought it was. It is more commonly understood to be a reference to idols or false gods of demonic origin.  

Baʻal in Hebrew: בַּעַל baʿal, was as already noted, a title meaning owner, lord in the Northwest Semitic languages spoken in the Levant in those days. The word baal means lord; the plural is baalim. In general, Baal was a fertility god who was believed to enable the earth to produce crops and people to produce children. 

Baal or Baali also means the Bull, the Golden Calf and was the god worshipped in many ancient Middle Eastern communities, especially among the Canaanites and Phoenicians they believed it was a deity and the son of the chief god El. In artistic depictions and archeological finds, Baal took the shape of a bull or ram. This was the same golden calf at Sinai incident.

Also in 1Kings 18:29 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal,

“Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god.

Jeremiah 14:5 The people of Judah stopped worshiping me and made this valley into a place of worship for Baal and other gods that have never helped them or their ancestors or their kings. 

They built high places for Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molek, 

Jeremiah 32:35

BAALI. ba’-a-li ba`ali, my master

Baal, a common name for all heathen gods, had in common practice been used also of Yahweh. 

The name Baali occurs in Hosea 2:16, where the Lord promises that when Israel is restored, that is, when every person’s knowledge of nature is complete, correct and understood; and the people will no longer call the

Creator My Master/ Baali,

but rather

My Husband -Ishi.

The word comes from

איש  ‘ish, man or husband.

There’s only a small difference between the words אישי ishi and בעלי ba’ali as both are used to mean my husband.

Ishi is an expression of marital relationship and young love.The word ishi can simply mean my man, which may denote one’s equal, a husband or a man one has employed.

The word baali is more an authoritative title; is an expression of lordship and fear.

it may also mean: my master or my lord.

 Hosea 2:16 reveals that at this point in their relationship, Gomer is calling him Baali /my master because whatever she is doing for him is out of obligation, duty and fear. It seems that Baali is the most common word used in Hebrew and Aramaic for husband. This is because in those times most cultures considered that a husband was a master to whom women were forced to be totally submissive, or would face physical punishment or even death for disobedience to their baali/abusive husband. Sadly this is still the case in some Middle Eastern and Asian countries and no doubt has had an influence on the western cultures; who still exert dominance and suppress womens freedoms. Before being influenced by pagan cultures however, the Hebrew children of Israel were known for their fair and equal treatment of women. It is because of this there are the 2 words for husband. As noted, the one is baali that is referring to the husband who is an abusive master figure and the other, Ishi.. The word Ishi can be applied to many relationship types, for example, like a friend, a helper or a companion. Whereas a baali, and uses of the word, all indicate very negative meanings.

Ishi is used in a very positive way because an

Ishi husband is one who loves his wife,

cares for and cherishes her.

On the other hand,

a baali husband

only sees his wife as someone or something, more as a possession; an object who is there to serve him like a slave and meet his needs in every way he wants.

Hosea was speaking God’s words to His people. The prophets’ ministry is just that, hearing from God, taking the message of God to His people, not the prophet’s own message. The priest on the other hand, heard from the people and took the peoples words and offerings and ministered them to the Lord.

The children of Israel saw God as a baali, a master who had to be served in case they suffered severe consequences. It may help us to read this passage of scripture and to see that like Hosea, our Heavenly Father Creator God is pleading for His bride to allow Him to be an Ishi, to be able to show His affection, His love and His caring protection. Gomer could not see the love Hosea had for he because she was so wrapped up in her own guilt, her adultery and promiscuity to believe that Hosea could forgive her and overlook all that she had done.

This raises the questions:

What is God to us?

How do we see him and how do we relate to Him?

Is He a Baali or an Ishi to us?

Do we think of Him as an unfair, abusive, baali husband, demanding that we follow every letter of his laws and rules; living in fear that he will punish us severely and even send us to hell without any mercy grace or loving-kindness?

Are we so deeply wrapped up in guilt over our past sins, our failures and even fear of sinning/falling into sin and being punished; that we don’t see His forgiveness and the power of His unconditional love and tender mercies that are new every morning? Lamentations 22:23

He is the Ishi, the One Who wants to love us, to forgive us and pour out His care, provision and protection.

In Hosea 2:18 Adonai will not continue to discipline Israel forever but he will renew His vows to her and in verse 20, there is a future of promise for the people once again. Hosea is told in chapter 3:1 show love to this wife of yours. Hosea’s relationship with Gomer is once again compared to God’s relationship with the northern kingdom. In speaking of Gomers unfaithfulness, it’s noted by the Rabbis that Hosea cherished Gomer, yet she broke covenant with him by committing adultery under his domain. In this passage the love that the Lord God has for the nation of Israel is given freely but she too strayed from under the Lord’s domain, prostituting themselves with foreign gods whom they did not know.

Chapter 6:2 is seen as predicting Messiahs death and resurrection and verse 6 is an echo of Ps 51:16 which was quoted by Messiah in Matthew 9:13, 12:7.

Our God desires that the relationship between a husband and wife to be that of a partnership, not one of dominance and mastery. And in the Tanach/old testament, the relationship between God and the Jewish people is often compared, to the relationship between a husband and wife.

In Hoshea 2:18-19 We read: “It shall be on that day — the word of God — you will say ‘ishi’ (my Husband) and you will no longer say ‘baali’ (my Master).

An interesting fact is that in 1953, David Ben Gurion wrote a letter stating that on government documents and forms the word “ishi” should be used, as opposed to the word “baali,” since “baali” conjures up images of the husband being the master as well as a god of idol worship and does not show respect for women. Ben Gurion then quoted that verse from Hoshea to prove his point.

David Ben Gurion took the Tanach and Biblical Hebrew seriously. Today, unfortunately, many Israelis are not as well educated in Biblical Hebrew and are only familiar with Modern and Spoken Hebrew.

If more women used the word “ishi” to describe their husbands, the word might eventually become standard. From looking at scripture it seems is clear that “ishi” is the word that God prefers.

Some things that we can learn from this story:

Sin leads to confusion, forgetfulness, and destruction. 

Personal and private sin does not stay personal or private for very long. 

God is faithful even when we are not. 

Only God can redeem and restore; and like Hosea, God was willing to go to extreme lengths to do just that. He used his own marriage to an adulterous wife, to symbolize God’s love for his people 

It shows God’s love and mercy for Israel and Judah, who have strayed from Him, and the unlimited forgiveness and redemption available to those who will return to Him.

 Gomer was not a born-and-raised, dedicated follower of God: she was a prostitute. This fact speaks volumes about the people God chooses and the enormous depth of His love for us! God commanded Hosea to ‘Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her.’ In a culture which shunned such women, and valued a respectable marriage as a measure of a man’s success. This must have made Hosea wonder, but he trusted in God, and because of his faith, Gomer was given the one thing she never thought she deserved: a loving, holy husband and a new start in life.

However, she messed up and in Hosea 3:1 we are told that she ‘is loved by another man and is an adulteress’ She couldn’t completely give up her old life, and maybe the sense of being unworthy of her new life pulled her back into old habits.

Regardless of this weakness to fall into sin, God commanded Hosea to ‘love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to another god.’ Hosea 3:1. In other words, Hosea forgave her sin against him and accepted her just as she was.

The three very encouraging things we can take from this are:

First, that God will NEVER give up on us!

According to Matthew 18:22; He will forgive us more than ‘70×7’ times for our shortfalls and His love will remain unfailing throughout. There’s nothing we have done or will ever do that will shock our ishi, because as creator of the universe there is nothing that He has not seen or does not know. No matter how far we stray from the path He set out for us, there is always a way back; and when we do return, just like the prodigal son, He will be there waiting for us as if we never left.

Secondly as Gomer found out, even the best man in the world, one who could bring happiness and give meaning and satisfaction to our lives, should not take the place of Messiah. These days, so much emphasis is placed on the search for the perfect husband and/or wife, and it can be become more important than our desire for a deeper relationship with Messiah. The truth is, that true satisfaction cannot be found anywhere else but in the Blood of Jesus/Yeshua; because that alone leads us to eternal life with our Father in Heaven. A man or woman who is sent by God will enhance the life you already have, but no one can give what Messiah Jesus can. He must be first in our lives, then we can know the fulfillment and worth that our hearts long for.

Lastly in the story of Gomer we see revealed the deep emotional healing and total redemption that only a loving ishi can provide. Falling into sin does not mean that a person is tainted forever, because by turning to Jesus/Yeshua as with any sin repented of, His Blood cleanses us. Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.

As with any sin, if we turn to Jesus/Yeshua and repent, He will remove it completely and it will be as if it had never happened.

This is how much our Ishi loves us and is always calling us back to Him, and He wants us to live the abundant life He has provided free from guilt and shame. Just as Gomer returned to Hosea, we can return to Messiah, our Ishi.

The essential aspect of this story is for us to realize that God loves us so very much and longs for us to turn to Him and want to be with Him, just as the loving relationship between a husband and wife. No matter what we have done there is forgiveness. There is no guilt, grief, or shame that cannot be removed by the love God showed in sending His Son who shed His Blood so that all sin can be wiped away completely and forever. If we say that God cannot forgive us, we are denying His Almightiness and if we say we cannot forgive ourselves; or the shame is too deep, we are denying the power in the sacrificial Blood of Messiah.

Don’t allow the enemy to make you believe you are beyond redemption because when we turn to the Lord in humility and trust, He will not turn us away.

We do not comprehend nor understand the depth of the love of the Creator of the Universe but that is no reason to reject His merciful grace. You can be free today right now all guilt and shame removed forever. Your worth in God’s eyes has never decreased, and will remain the same as it ever was. Like Gomer returned to Hosea, you can return to God.

Shalom aleikhem

chaverim and mishpachah!

Peace to friends and family.

Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week.

Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him.

It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.

You are very precious in His sight.

Not sure ..you can be…

SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute,

SAY IT RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.