Jilted Lovers (Allies)

The book of Hosea, like the books of Daniel, Ezekiel, Amos, Joel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, etc, gives us a dramatic portrayal of prophecy; some that have been fulfilled and some due to be fulfilled in the last days (duality).  Since Jesus Christ was married  to Israel (Jer. 31:32, Isa. 54:5); the vivid portrayals listed in Hosea by God shows how far Israel had departed from God and gone heavily into idolatry and going after foreign lovers, committing adultery against Jesus Christ (the God of the Old Testament).  Almighty God uses the analogy of the unfaithful wife (Hosea 1:1-11) of the prophet Hosea to give an example of Israel abandoning God and that God is very angry at this!

Gomer left Hosea for another man and became his slave, but God told Hosea to have mercy upon her and to buy her back (Hos. 3:1, also refer to Ezk.. 23). This symbolizes two things:

1.      Hosea’s forgiveness of Gomer and

2.      God’s forgiving mercy and enduring love for Israel

Commentary On Israel’s Adultery

The book of Hosea makes it plain that God is bringing judgment and destruction upon Israel, but he is holding back his wrath by exhorting Israel to repent and to return to Him.  History shows that both the northern ten tribes in Samaria and the southern nation of Judah failed to repent and they were both defeated and taken into exile (slavery) in 722 B.C. and 586 B.C. respectively.

Hosea list’s the major sins committed by Israel (personally and nationally) as:

Idolatry

swearing

lying

robbery (crime)

adultery

drunkenness

letting in foreigners sapping the  nations strength

excessive pride and arrogance

lack of vision and purpose

lusting after silver/gold and other material things

ungrateful for the blessings God had given them

a lack of truth in the land (lies and deceit)

no knowledge of the Lord being proclaimed to the people by the leaders and the priests (Hos.8:12)

Israel considered God’s law as a strange thing  (review Hos. 4:1).

Doesn’t the modern-day nations of Israel behave in the same way?  What an indictment!

Israel’s Modern-Day Adultery

Modern-day Israel is committing adultery in many forms; not only in the marriage realm where over fifty percent of all marriages end in divorce, but in many other forms such as:

1.      The US and Britain relying on foreign gentile nations “to like us” giving billions in foreign aid to them each year. This is a major form of adultery, because we are buying affection and loyalty instead of putting the nations trust in God and his laws.

2.      Both the books of Jeremiah and Hosea (Jer 4:30, & Hos.2:7) plainly state that our lovers (so-called allies) will desert us at a critical time in the future leaving us naked and exposed unable to stand, because they will turn against Israel and attack her, and God’s word says that He will allow it to happen, in strong rebukes (punishment) like no nation has ever been punished before (review Ezk. 5).

The curses listed in Lev. 26 and Deut. 28 are already afflicting the nations or Israel; just look around you today!  Our material blessings are being taken away from us, because of the escalating immoral sins being committed by the people, from the head to the foot (leaders at the top to the lowly poor). One of the ways that God can turn Israel around is to strip them of everything and to send them back into slavery; to refine and humble them into repentance.  God says that he will then heal Ephraim (the whole House of Israel; read Hosea 14 and Jer. 31). God will then be reconciled to Israel and make a new covenant with them that will be everlasting  (Jer.31:31 and Jer. 32:40).

Conclusion

As God’s Firstfruits (spiritual Israel), let us learn a valuable lesson from the mistakes from physical Israel; of how much God expects us to be faithful to him and his word.  One commits adultery against Christ; after God has called us and bestowed upon us the gift of His Holy Spirit, making us his own (a type of marriage agreement).  If one then goes back into the world abandoning that calling and reverting back to one’s former sinful life, then that person will face the inevitable consequences of that adultery; the ultimate rejection by Christ by being gathered and thrown into the lake of fire  (review Heb. 6, Matt. 13:37-43, Matt. 22:8-14 and Matt. 25:28-30).

God’s Fall Holydays picture the conclusion of God’s Master Plan for mankind.  Let us be inspired as never before to finish our individual race to salvation, by being faithful to our Creator Jesus Christ; there is no time to lose!

George A. Bratcher