144 - A Prostitute For A Wife

Our Library

We have now finished the book of Daniel and by doing that we also finished the section called the Major Prophets.   

For the more recent viewers to this blog, I might mention that we have been treating the Bible as a library with an older wing and a newer wing.  In the first wing there are five shelves and in the new wing, there are four shelves.  To orient yourself with this picture I suggest

 http://spaceshiptheology.blogspot.com/2014/10/38-old-testament-library.html 

 and http://spaceshiptheology.blogspot.com/2014/10/39-new-testament-library.html.

In the Major Prophets, Isaiah took us from the days of Uzziah, Isaiah 1:1, in about 736 BCE, and Daniel ended the section in circa 540 BCE.   Now by moving forward to the next shelf, the Minor Prophets, we move back in time.  

As to the dates, as in almost everything biblical, Bible scholars do not agree.  Of the sixteen Old Testament prophets who have a book named after them, it seems that Hosea may be the first one, although some place Jonah as the first.  We will, in keeping with our form, follow the arrangement in the order they are found the Protestant Bible.

In about 930 BCE, in a civil war, Israel, the Northern 10 tribes, separated from Judah, the Southern 2 tribes.  Immediately Israel fell into idolatry and pagan style worship.  It is this turn of events that the prophets lamented and preached against so vehemently. 

HOSEA - 

"Salvation"  790-755 BCE.  By comparing Ezekiel with Hosea we see some very distinct similarities.  Both are very brash in their language and both are very adept at using realistic word pictures.


And Jehovah said to Hosea, Go, take to yourself a wife of adultery and children of adultery. For the land has utterly gone lusting away from Jehovah. Hosea 1:2.  At this point in the history of the Jewish people, the Southern tribes were still worshipping Jehovah in the temple that Solomon had finished only a few years earlier.  

However, the leaders of the Northern tribes did not want their people going to Jerusalem because they were afraid that they might not return and so they built a temple of their own and soon incorporated pagan deities and styles of worship.  This is what Hosea is preaching against.

Some scholars say that Hosea actually married a prostitute; others say that he was only using the metaphor to bring his point home - concerning spiritual matters you Israelites are spending time in the "red light district".

Hosea also had three children with the "supposed" prostitute that he married.  The names of his children are so outlandish that it is hard to imagine that a caring father would burden his real kids with such names.   

Picture this: The first day of school; a little black-haired Jewish boy; the teacher asks, What is your name?  
The tyke responds, my name is God Will Sow.
Teacher: That is an interesting name, so what is your sister's name?  
Student: Oh, her name is No Mercy.
Teacher: Oh my, what is your baby brother's name? 
Student: Not-my-people. Hosea 1:4,6,9.

Based on this argument alone, it seems that it is safe to say that Hosea did not actually marry a prostitute and that the children he spoke of were not real, but simply part of his sermon.  Apart from whether or not the situation was actual, the teaching is pertinent.  

In ancient times when farmers planted their grain, they would scatter the seed by hand, this was called "sowing".  Jehovah says I will  (sow) scatter the people of the northern tribes.   

After the daughter was born Jehovah said to Hosea, call her name No Mercy, for I will no more have mercy.  

When the third child was born Jehovah said, Call his name, Not-my-people, For you are not My people, and I will not be for you (I will not fight for you). 

Restoration

As we have seen in previous posts, this picture of Jehovah rejecting Israel does not end in gloom; there is a great day coming when the number of the sons of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered. And it shall be, in the place where it was said to them, You are not My people, there it shall be said to them, You are the sons of the living God. Hos 1:10.  

Later, in history, Ezekiel also speaks of that day of restoration when the dry bones come back to life.   I will make them one nation in the land, upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all; and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms anymore at all. Ezekiel 37:22.

One part of history that the Jewish prophets did not seem to grasp is "the Church age". They believed that the Messiah was coming but they did not grasp the idea that there was a span between Messiah's arrival and the final restoration of Israel.  After the Christian church was born the New Testament writers explained "the Church age". 

When the Jews will again be gathered as one nation the Christians will also be resurrected to a new life because of the death and resurrection of Christ.  At that time the Jewish nation will set over themselves one head, He is the ruler of the house of David, the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

And I will give her vineyards to her from there.  This is easier to understand in the Darby translation, I will give her her vineyards. 

and the valley of Achor for a door of hope.   The valley of Achor is close to Jericho; it was there that Israel lost the battle against the little town of Ai.  After that, it was called The Valley of Achor, or  The Valley of Trouble.  Now Jehovah promises that The valley of Achor will become a door of hope; i.e., trouble would be turned into joy, despair into hope. Easton Bible Dictionary.

And she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.  That reference may well be to The Song of Moses and to Miriam's festival of music, as they are found in Exodus 15.

And it shall be at that day, says Jehovah, you shall call Me, My Husband.  Israel and the Christian Church will no more "play the prostitute" in the spiritual realm; after the restoration of all things, the redeemed will see Jehovah as their loving husband.  And I will betroth you to Me forever. Yea, I will betroth you to Me in 

• righteousness, 
• in judgment, 
• in loving-kindness, 
• in mercies. 
• I will even betroth you to Me in faithfulness. 

And you shall know Jehovah. 2:15-20.