Poor Hosea. He lived in hard times, a time hard to find a good wife. Prophet for the Most High God of the Bible, during a time when the nation was, let's say very sexually active. Finally God said "Go ahead, get yourself a wife from the nation, she'll symbolize the unfaithfulness of my people".
Now lest we get on our high horse and judge Israel, it's not hard to see Israel is but a micro example of the macro situation.. the world has wandered far from the One who created it as a garden of peace and delight.
It's been said of prophet Hosea, "his sentences fall like the throbs of a broken heart." His wife had run off with another man, likely one who could pamper her with luxury. Hosea's heart was broken. This, God said, was the exact same thing Israel (and mankind) had done to him. Like sheep gone astray, Israel then, and the world now, has wandered far away from Him and life's simple garden of peace and delight. We could truthfully say God's heart mourns.
Mourning the unfaithfulness of his wife, Hosea, wrote that he "bought her back". Before we judge them too harshly, let's note it was a day when religion (other than Israel's) involved sex rites in the shade of lush groves. "The spirit of harlotry leads them astray" Hosea recorded, "and Most High God is a stranger to them".
This marriage was an example of God's marriage to mankind, and Israel, appointed to prophecy, to record the words of Scripture, and to be the place a little bit prepared for the rescuer, Messiah, whom it is prophesied will return and restore paradise and eternal life, after the course of mankind and world history has run its course. You see, God too, has "bought back" His unfaithful wife.
Before God sent Hosea to prophecy, He had sent Elijah, Elisha and Amos. Meanwhile, He also had sent Jonah to preach to Nineveh the capital of Assyria. You see Assyria was a great nation whose main theme and occupation was conquest, and they had their eye on Israel.
Back when Israel was faithful to God, His radiant Spirit (His Presence with them) was a shield round about them. But this could no longer be said. Mighty Nineveh, and all Assyria amended their ways at the preaching of Jonah, long enough to delay their aggressive conquest of Israel, what God called "fiery judgment".
In the day when mighty Assyria was getting ready to pounce on Israel, Israel, according to the Bible, had, for some time, fallen prey to practices of the popular religion of the day, which had progressed into human sacrifice, especially of infants and children. Sex rites brought about what was likely many unwanted babes, and it doesn't seem too big a leap to assume one had to do with the other, a natural progression if you will.
What Almighty God worth his salt wouldn't cease to protect a people who had adopted such horrific practice!
Bible prophet Hosea never did say how he and his (once) unfaithful wife got on. Did they end their days in peace and grow old together? Assyria did come, make war with and terrify Israel, and carried the people away with them back to Assyria, to be the slaves they had become. But a few poor folk of the land had been left behind. I like to think Hosea and his wife, Gomer, found peace and happiness in the end.
And as for Israel? (The northern ten tribes of Israel that is.. the ones some think of as "the lost ten tribes of Israel, but that's another story.)
God also said through His prophets that Messiah would regather and restore Israel. They would turn to Him and the nations would stream to Jerusalem to learn. And Jerusalem/Israel will become the beautiful and verdant capital of a New Earth within a New Heavens, where the "lion will eat straw like the ox, and the bear will be seen grazing with the cow" (paraphrased just a little).
Now lest we get on our high horse and judge Israel, it's not hard to see Israel is but a micro example of the macro situation.. the world has wandered far from the One who created it as a garden of peace and delight.
It's been said of prophet Hosea, "his sentences fall like the throbs of a broken heart." His wife had run off with another man, likely one who could pamper her with luxury. Hosea's heart was broken. This, God said, was the exact same thing Israel (and mankind) had done to him. Like sheep gone astray, Israel then, and the world now, has wandered far away from Him and life's simple garden of peace and delight. We could truthfully say God's heart mourns.
Mourning the unfaithfulness of his wife, Hosea, wrote that he "bought her back". Before we judge them too harshly, let's note it was a day when religion (other than Israel's) involved sex rites in the shade of lush groves. "The spirit of harlotry leads them astray" Hosea recorded, "and Most High God is a stranger to them".
This marriage was an example of God's marriage to mankind, and Israel, appointed to prophecy, to record the words of Scripture, and to be the place a little bit prepared for the rescuer, Messiah, whom it is prophesied will return and restore paradise and eternal life, after the course of mankind and world history has run its course. You see, God too, has "bought back" His unfaithful wife.
Before God sent Hosea to prophecy, He had sent Elijah, Elisha and Amos. Meanwhile, He also had sent Jonah to preach to Nineveh the capital of Assyria. You see Assyria was a great nation whose main theme and occupation was conquest, and they had their eye on Israel.
Back when Israel was faithful to God, His radiant Spirit (His Presence with them) was a shield round about them. But this could no longer be said. Mighty Nineveh, and all Assyria amended their ways at the preaching of Jonah, long enough to delay their aggressive conquest of Israel, what God called "fiery judgment".
In the day when mighty Assyria was getting ready to pounce on Israel, Israel, according to the Bible, had, for some time, fallen prey to practices of the popular religion of the day, which had progressed into human sacrifice, especially of infants and children. Sex rites brought about what was likely many unwanted babes, and it doesn't seem too big a leap to assume one had to do with the other, a natural progression if you will.
What Almighty God worth his salt wouldn't cease to protect a people who had adopted such horrific practice!
Bible prophet Hosea never did say how he and his (once) unfaithful wife got on. Did they end their days in peace and grow old together? Assyria did come, make war with and terrify Israel, and carried the people away with them back to Assyria, to be the slaves they had become. But a few poor folk of the land had been left behind. I like to think Hosea and his wife, Gomer, found peace and happiness in the end.
And as for Israel? (The northern ten tribes of Israel that is.. the ones some think of as "the lost ten tribes of Israel, but that's another story.)
God also said through His prophets that Messiah would regather and restore Israel. They would turn to Him and the nations would stream to Jerusalem to learn. And Jerusalem/Israel will become the beautiful and verdant capital of a New Earth within a New Heavens, where the "lion will eat straw like the ox, and the bear will be seen grazing with the cow" (paraphrased just a little).
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