SetApart1

It was right there in front of me and I glanced right over it not realizing that it was to be that diamond in the rough. It’s found in the opening verse of the book of Hosea and simply reads, “in the days of Uzziah.”  Now some might be thinking that I tripping or that I am getting a little too deep into finding comfort from the Scriptures. But here is why I was thrown off my chair. You see, the last time I remember reading that name “Uzziah” in my Bible was WAY back in the book of Isaiah in the sixth chapter that reads, “In the year that king Uzziah died…”

But you see, even though in my Bible that name is WAY back in Isaiah it wasn’t that way for Hosea. Hosea and Isaiah lived during the same times! Did they know each other? Did they tag team their prophet work as they proclaimed God’s message? Nothing in Scripture would show that they knew each other. I personally don’t think they did at least Isaiah wasn’t aware of Hosea but it may be likely that Hosea knew of Isaiah.

Isaiah was a very well known prophet. He was prophet to the prophets, a leader of the prophets. You wouldn’t find Isaiah out in the remote areas of the land rather he was found in the courts of the king speaking on behalf of God before the royal courts. In today’s world he would be compared to a Billy Graham, Rick Warren, Chuck Smith, John McArthur, or RC Sproul. These men are leaders to the leaders and often times they are called upon by political figures for advice or counseling. That was Isaiah’s position.

But what about Hosea, well, he wasn’t that. Hosea was that person that was found off in the country not really in the light of the “who’s who” game. He would be like that the guy teaching the kids on Sunday morning whose not really seen as one making an impact as he is a baby sitter. He would be like the guy that loves God, swings a hammer and simply seeks to be a great husband and father.  In fact, Hosea was not called by God to go and stand in front of kings of royal dignitaries. God told Hosea to go and marry a woman that was a whore because God was going to use his family as a living example of how Israel was acting to God. Can you imagine that! “You ready Hosea?” God says. “Yes sir!” is Hosea immediate reply with full excitement. “I want you to get married and the woman you are to marry is that woman over there that is known for being loose and jumping from bed to bed with various men. That’s going to be your wife Hosea. When you do get married she is going to cheat on you and you will even have kids that aren’t yours that you will have to raise.”

What was his response? That would be a face I would want to see after hearing such a task. Did he get mad or did he raise his finger and point toward Jerusalem where Isaiah was and say “why can’t I be like him?”

There it is!!! This is what through me off my chair. Here are two men of the same time with the same calling, obedient to the same God.  To one God says you will be before kings and be known the other he says you will have a jacked up marriage and not be recognized by the “who’s who” group. So the question that hit me like a semi doing 120 MPH is this…am I content to be a Hosea. Maybe not have his exact call but maybe God calls us to be poor, deal with cancer or live with a disability. Because regardless of place or approach God’s call is the same…display the value and beauty of God in the allotment God gives. The danger is pointing to the other person and saying “But God I want to be like them.  God, I want THAT life.” The truth is there are more Hosea’s in this world than there are Isaiah’s and too many people are clawing their ways trying to be Isaiah’s when God has called them to be Hosea’s.

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