- Gary Thomas
I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord GOD, and you became mine.
Adulterous Wife and Faithful Husband:
Hosea’s Wife Gomer:
When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.”
“For their mother has played the harlot;
She who conceived them has acted shamefully."
The unfaithfulness of their mother, children of whoredom, the children were possibly not fathered by Hosea.
“For their mother has played the harlot;
She who conceived them has acted shamefully."
The unfaithfulness of their mother, children of whoredom, the children were possibly not fathered by Hosea.
“Name him Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will punish the house of Jehu for the bloodshed of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.”
“Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer have compassion on the house of Israel, that I would ever forgive them.
“But I will have compassion on the house of Judah and deliver them by the LORD their God, and will not deliver them by bow, sword, battle, horses or horsemen.”
“Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not My people and I am not your God.”
Hosea Redeems His Wife:
'I will go after my lovers...'
She shall pursue her lovers but not overtake them, and she shall seek them but shall not find them. Then she shall say, 'I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better for me then than now.'
Go again, love. Having been previously separated, Hosea was commanded to pursue his estranged wife Gomer (illustrating God's unquenchable love for faithless Israel).
'I will go after my lovers...'
She shall pursue her lovers but not overtake them, and she shall seek them but shall not find them. Then she shall say, 'I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better for me then than now.'
Go again, love. Having been previously separated, Hosea was commanded to pursue his estranged wife Gomer (illustrating God's unquenchable love for faithless Israel).
And the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods..."
Summery:
Hosea's marriage to Gomer depicts God's marriage to Israel. The physical immorality of Gomer pictures the spiritual idolatry with Israel.
Israel brings nothing to the marriage; God makes all the promises and provides all the dowry.
Dowry: מֹ֣הַר, “purchase price,” “purchase money”
The actual meaning of the word is in effect “bride-price,” a sum paid
Summery:
Hosea's marriage to Gomer depicts God's marriage to Israel. The physical immorality of Gomer pictures the spiritual idolatry with Israel.
Israel brings nothing to the marriage; God makes all the promises and provides all the dowry.
Dowry: מֹ֣הַר, “purchase price,” “purchase money”
The actual meaning of the word is in effect “bride-price,” a sum paid
Jeremiah 32:10
"I signed and sealed the deed, and called in witnesses, and weighed out the silver on the scales."
- Hosea bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley.
He said to her, "You must dwell as mine for many days. You shall not play the whore, or belong to another man; so will I also be to you."
Equaling 30 pieces of silver. The price paid for a common slave (Ex. 21:32).
Equaling 30 pieces of silver. The price paid for a common slave (Ex. 21:32).
- Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I (Boaz), have bought to be my wife.
- This could be paid in service:
there Israel served for a wife,
and for a wife he guarded sheep.
Genesis 30:26
"Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me depart; for you yourself know my service which I have rendered you."
- If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, and lies with her, he must pay a dowry for her (to be his wife). Exodus 22:16
Shechem had defiled Dinah, Jacob's daughter, Levi and Simeon's sister.
Shechem: "Ask me ever so much bridal payment and gift, and I will give according as you say to me; but give me the girl in marriage."
Jacob's sons (Levi and Simeon), answered Shechem and his father Hamor with deceit (because he had defiled Dinah, their sister).
Levi and Simeon: "We can't do such a thing; we can't give our sister to a man who is not circumcised.
Only on this condition will we agree with you—that you will become as we are by every male among you being circumcised. If you will not agree to be circumcised, we'll take our sister and go."
The young man, Shechem, did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob’s daughter.
On the third day, when they were sore, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and came against the city (while it felt secure), and killed all the males and they killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house and went away.
Adulterous Israel and Faithful Lord:
The Lord Accuses Israel:
The Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land (Children of Israel). There is no faithfulness or steadfast love,
and no knowledge of God in the land; there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.
and no knowledge of God in the land; there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.
Israel’s Unfaithfulness Punished:
O Ephraim, you have played the whore;
Israel is defiled.
For the spirit of whoredom is within them,
and they know not the Lord.
Israel is defiled.
For the spirit of whoredom is within them,
and they know not the Lord.
They have dealt faithlessly with the Lord.
Proverbs 6:32
He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself.
He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself.
Ezekiel 23:7
She bestowed her whoring upon them, the choicest men of Assyria all of them, and she defiled herself with all the idols of everyone after whom she lusted.
She bestowed her whoring upon them, the choicest men of Assyria all of them, and she defiled herself with all the idols of everyone after whom she lusted.
Jeremiah 3:20
"Surely, as a treacherous wife leaves her husband, so have you been treacherous to me, O house of Israel, declares the LORD."
She forgot Me,” declares the LORD. Israel forgot her true God.
"Surely, as a treacherous wife leaves her husband, so have you been treacherous to me, O house of Israel, declares the LORD."
She forgot Me,” declares the LORD. Israel forgot her true God.
I will betroth you. God's restoring love...
Israel will no longer be thought of as a prostitute.
The Lord’s Mercy on Israel:
I will return again to my place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face, and in their distress earnestly seek me.
I gave you a king in my anger,
and I took him away in my wrath.
For the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or household gods. Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the Lord and to his goodness in the latter days.
I will return again to my place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face, and in their distress earnestly seek me.
I gave you a king in my anger,
and I took him away in my wrath.
For the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or household gods. Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the Lord and to his goodness in the latter days.
Hosea 2:7
She shall pursue her lovers but not overtake them, and she shall seek them but shall not find them. Then she shall say, 'I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better for me then than now.'
She shall pursue her lovers but not overtake them, and she shall seek them but shall not find them. Then she shall say, 'I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better for me then than now.'
I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord.
Isaiah 54:5
For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth He is called.
For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth He is called.
62:4
You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate, but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the LORD delights in you, and your land shall be married.
2 Corinthians 11:2
For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
A New Covenant:
(In contrast to The Mosaic Covenant)
(In contrast to The Mosaic Covenant)
Promise:
I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers (Abraham & David), on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts.
Jeremiah 31:31-34
The church of God, was obtained with his own blood (Acts 20:28).
You were sold for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money.
...not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of His own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption (The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord).
“purchase price,” “purchase money,” “bride-price”
1 Corinthians 6:20, 7:23
For you were bought with a price.
You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.
Ephesians 1:7
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.
Titus 2:14
Who gave himself for us to redeem us...
1 Peter 1:18-19
Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
Romans 14:8
For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.
God circumcises our hearts:
Circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit (Romans 2:29).
'I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the LORD; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.
The LORD your God will circumcise your heart (remove the foreskins of your heart), and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.
I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
"Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
"Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit."
His Bride:
The Betrothal, The Church was betrothed to Christ (Ephesians 1:4; Hebrews 13:20). We will be presented to Him (without spot or wrinkle or any such thing).
“bride-price”
Christ loved the church, and gave Himself for it...
Ephesians 5:25-27
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
For many are called, but few are chosen.
"Those who are called" (Guests)
I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers (Abraham & David), on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts.
Jeremiah 31:31-34
The church of God, was obtained with his own blood (Acts 20:28).
You were sold for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money.
...not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of His own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption (The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord).
“purchase price,” “purchase money,” “bride-price”
1 Corinthians 6:20, 7:23
For you were bought with a price.
You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.
Ephesians 1:7
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.
Titus 2:14
Who gave himself for us to redeem us...
1 Peter 1:18-19
Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
Romans 14:8
For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.
God circumcises our hearts:
Circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit (Romans 2:29).
'I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the LORD; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.
The LORD your God will circumcise your heart (remove the foreskins of your heart), and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.
I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
"Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
"Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit."
His Bride:
The Betrothal, The Church was betrothed to Christ (Ephesians 1:4; Hebrews 13:20). We will be presented to Him (without spot or wrinkle or any such thing).
“bride-price”
Christ loved the church, and gave Himself for it...
Ephesians 5:25-27
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
For many are called, but few are chosen.
Matthew 22
“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come (For many are called, but few are chosen).
“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come (For many are called, but few are chosen).
Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast. (For many are called, but few are chosen).”
But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them.
The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy (For many are called, but few are chosen).
Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’
And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good.
So the wedding hall was filled with guests.
And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good.
So the wedding hall was filled with guests.
“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’
And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
"For many are called, but few are chosen.”
"Those who are called" (Guests)
Revelation 19:7-9
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.
And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
Summery:
The Comparison
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.
And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
Summery:
The Comparison
The Kingdom of Heaven (Revelation 19), may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast (Matthew 22).
The King sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. For many are called, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22).
Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19).
Invitation:
Tell those who are invited, come to the wedding feast.
But they would not come (For many are called, but few are chosen).
Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited come to the wedding feast (For many are called, but few are chosen).'
But they paid no attention and went off..
They who paid no attention and went off...
one to his farm, another to his business.
...while the rest seized his servants (those who were sent to call those who were invited), treated them shamefully, and killed them (persecution of the saints).
Hindering the servants, from calling those who were invited.
Saul (Paul), before conversion, can be compared to those who seized the servants.
Saul (Paul), not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them, I persecuted them.
Conversion: A light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me, I heard a voice...
"Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me (Jesus whom you are persecuting)?
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God.
Paul appeared before many, for this purpose, to appoint them as servants, to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light. Paul declared they should repent and turn to God and from the power of Satan, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and having a place among those, who are sanctified by faith.
For that reason Jews seized him (Paul), in the temple and tried to put him to death.
‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy.
Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’
The servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good.
A highway (the main roads), shall be there,
and it shall be called the Way of Holiness;
the unclean shall not pass over it.
It shall belong to those who walk on the way;
even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.
The King sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. For many are called, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22).
Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19).
Tell those who are invited, come to the wedding feast.
But they would not come (For many are called, but few are chosen).
Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited come to the wedding feast (For many are called, but few are chosen).'
But they paid no attention and went off..
They who paid no attention and went off...
one to his farm, another to his business.
...while the rest seized his servants (those who were sent to call those who were invited), treated them shamefully, and killed them (persecution of the saints).
Hindering the servants, from calling those who were invited.
Saul (Paul), before conversion, can be compared to those who seized the servants.
Saul (Paul), not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them, I persecuted them.
Conversion: A light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me, I heard a voice...
"Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me (Jesus whom you are persecuting)?
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God.
Paul appeared before many, for this purpose, to appoint them as servants, to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light. Paul declared they should repent and turn to God and from the power of Satan, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and having a place among those, who are sanctified by faith.
For that reason Jews seized him (Paul), in the temple and tried to put him to death.
‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’
The servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good.
A highway (the main roads), shall be there,and it shall be called the Way of Holiness;
the unclean shall not pass over it.
It shall belong to those who walk on the way;
even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.
The distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.
Malachi 3:18; Isaiah 35:8
The Wedding Garments are supplied by The King Himself (He has clothed them in righteousness).
His wife hath made herself ready... To her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white (for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints).
The King came in to look at the guests... A man who had no wedding garment was questioned and asked... 'How did you get in here without a wedding garment?’
You can not array yourself in fine linen (for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints), the wedding garments are supplied by The King Himself.
You can not clean yourself... Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”?
Without a garment, symbolizing you have been made clean, given a pure heart, and cleansed from sin... All without a garment, will be destroyed, cast into outer darkness.
The King was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city (Matthew 22).
Then the King said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness.
In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Revelation 19).'
To be continued...
Malachi 3:18; Isaiah 35:8
The Wedding Garments are supplied by The King Himself (He has clothed them in righteousness).
His wife hath made herself ready... To her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white (for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints).The King came in to look at the guests... A man who had no wedding garment was questioned and asked... 'How did you get in here without a wedding garment?’
You can not array yourself in fine linen (for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints), the wedding garments are supplied by The King Himself.
You can not clean yourself... Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”?
Without a garment, symbolizing you have been made clean, given a pure heart, and cleansed from sin... All without a garment, will be destroyed, cast into outer darkness.
The King was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city (Matthew 22).
Then the King said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness.
In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Revelation 19).'
To be continued...
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