Hosea Chapter 3 "The Present and Future States" This Bible Study is written by Roger
Christopherson, and made available with written
permission by http://www.theseason.org Hosea 3:1 "Then said the LORD unto me, "Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine." This is another lesson God is going to give the nation of Israel (the House of Israel), and not to the Jews. It will also be a symbol of God's feelings towards Israel, but Hosea's wife this time will be an adulteress (Idolatrous) as Gomer was. This woman, not Gomer as in verse 1:3, would be Hosea's second wife and marriage with it's own special significance. She also will be a harlot, and deep into idolatries. This marriage is to show the Northern tribes (House of Israel) God's divine love ("According to the love of the Lord"). The Northern Tribes continued in their worship to Baalim, and the lesson flew right over their heads. These "Flagons of wine" were round wafers or cakes of grapes taken as a religious order to the sun God. Hosea 3:2 "So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:" Fifteen pieces of silver is fifteen shekel's, the price required to buy a slave. The second part of the purchased price was one and one half homer of Barley; that's about 12 bushels of barley. This has a special significance, for in Leviticus 27:19 this is what a man gave to the Lord to sanctify himself, and his house unto the Lord. Hosea 3:3 "And I said unto her, "Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man; so will I also be for thee." The significance of this we will see in verses four and five, however Hosea is asking this woman, who was also a harlot, not to "be for" (sexually engaged) another man for "many days", which in the Hebrew was a test for a sign. This meant she was to abstain from sex for "one full month". This was a pledge, a sign to Hosea that she was ready and willing to assume the role of His wife. This sign can be seen today in this current dispensation. God is asking Israel to stop the idolatrous acts just as a sign of their pledge of love for Him. Hosea 3:4 "For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim;" When the "Children of Israel: is given, it is in reference to all twelve tribes. everything through this chapter from Hosea 1:1 is a lesson in symbolism. God is using Hosea to tell the whole House of Israel that they will exist many days without a king, without, a prince. They had rejected God, and turned to idol worship and God was going to keep away from them. The time of this with drawl was for a set of time (The time of this dispensation), and marked with a definite limit. They will be without a king, having rejected the Messiah (see John 19:15) the "Sacrifice", or "Zabach" in the Hebrew, is all sacrifices which includes the shedding of blood. The "image", or "mazzeah" in the Hebrew, is any standing image. The "ephod" is the priests cloths; with the breast plate containing the "Urim and the Thummim", These are requirements of the priest to wear before approaching the altar of God. Death came to the priest by approaching God's altar not wearing the proper clothing and breastplate. Reference: Leviticus 8:8 "And he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim." The "Teraphim" are idols of any kind. God told Israel they shall "not play the harlot" in verse three; and now, 2300 years later the truth can be seen clearly. The people of Israel still don't know who they are. Jehovah is a stranger, their inheritance is totally unknown. The altar of God, and all knowledge of the "Urim and thummim" is strange to them (Israel). God kept His word. Hosea 3:5 "Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and His goodness in the latter days." The time of separation is near the end. We are in the latter days, and God's chosen, His elect are being called out. The word of God is going forth to His own. Their will still be a cloud of misunderstanding hovering over most Christians, and offspring's of Israel until the True Messiah returns, at the Seventh Trump. Then we shall see David, and our Lord Jesus Christ in reverence and not fear Him. Celebrated Jewish commentators state that, "In the Latter days", when stated in the scripture, always refers to, "in the days of the Messiah." Those who will face the Messiah, Jesus Christ and have waited for His return, and not bowed a knee to Satan the Antichrist will truly see our Lords Godliness. We are in this final generation of our Lords return, yet there is one more war to take place. That was is a spiritual war, fought with words right out of the Bible. It is fought with ideas, verses, concepts, and doctrines. Satan and his people are experts, and "Higher Critics" in the misuse, deceptions, and lies about the truth of the Bible. Hosea, chapters one through three, deal with a part of God's children called "The House of Israel". They were the 10 tribes comprising the Northern Kingdom "Israel". These people are not the Jews, nor were they ever from the tribe of Judah, or of the "House of Judah". They are the Christian Nations of today. Because of the sins of our forefathers "The House of Israel", God did exactly as He foretold through the prophet Hosea. So why is Hosea important? It let's us know that though God divorced us, we are still part of His overall plan. He has purchased us back through His son's shed blood on the cross; and "one the day of the Messiah", when He returns, a marriage will take place and All Israel will be joined together as one. That will be the bride of Christ. You must know this to understand end time Bible prophecy. Because Israel does not return to Palestine (Israel of today) but only the Jews. They are both the good and bad figs (Kenites), and when they established a nation, a prophecy was fulfilled by Jesus in Matthew 24, Luke 21, Mark 13. He said that generation which saw this happen would not pass away (die) until all the end time prophecy had occurred. They would see it and live through it. So if God deals with Judah and Israel separately, it's good to know exactly who He is talking about. This requires many Christians to wake up, and see the error in their Bible teaching's; if they are to understand any of the Minor Prophet's, or prophecies concerning our times, they must know that God will address the "House of Judah" with prophecies dealing with Judah only, and totally different prophecies are given only for the "House of Israel". Without this understanding it's no great wonder that Christian's are confused about Bible Prophecies.
Home .~ Plough .~ Seeds .~ Vine .~ Potter .~ Seasons .~ Sonshine .~ Rain .~ Field |