God's Difficult Job for His Prophet - Hosea 1:1-3

Have you ever had a job that was really difficult? A truly hard job or task is one that asks you to take risks, to put your life, your reputation, or your comfort on the line. In the Old Testament, there was another job that was equally difficult, that was being a prophet of God. God had given the Israelites a nation and promised that if they obeyed Him they would be protected and blessed. But the people constantly turned from God to worship idols and commit acts of sin. Eventually, the great nation of Israel was split into two kingdoms: Israel in the north and Judah in the south. In time, both nations were conquered by foreign powers.During these dark and challenging times, God sent prophets. The role of a prophet was to deliver God’s messages, messages that could bring comfort or warning. Sometimes, these messages were welcomed; often, they were ignored or rejected just like Hosea, a prophet who had a difficult and unique assignment from God.