Harlotry allegory? Idolatry?

[Artfuldodger]

Reading a bit about Hosea's marriage to a harlot. Possibly an allegory of Israel.
Definitely harlotry was an allegory of idolatry or a big part of idolatry.

When people in the Old Testament returned to idol worship they were considered spiritual harlots. Hosea was told by God to marry a harlot or she became a harlot during the marriage. Gomer, his wife was unfaithful.

Harlotry, part of the marriage allegory along with adultery. I guess we could even throw homosexuality in the idoltatry mix as well but I'm mostly looking at marriage/harlotry/adultery as being used as allegories.

It could be that Gomer was a idol worship temple prostitute, thus representing a return to idol worship.

I guess the main point of the harlotry or adultery allegory is unfaithfulness. Regardless of it being physical or spiritual unfaithfulness.

 

[Artfuldodger]

Divorce allegory?

Did Hoses divorce Gomer?


Hosea 3:1
Then the LORD said to me, "Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the LORD still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them."

Marriage, divorce, reconciliation?

 

[hobbs27]

Pretty interesting that God tells him to take this divorced wife back, which was a direct violation of the law.

 

[Artfuldodger]

Interesting also is that Hosea preached "return to the Lord."

 

[Artfuldodger]

Pretty interesting that God tells him to take this divorced wife back, which was a direct violation of the law.

Maybe he took his adulterous wife back before divorcing her.

 

[Artfuldodger]

Concerning God's divorce of Israel is in Romans 7.

Romans 7:1-3
Do you not know, brothers (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives? 2For instance, a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. 3So then, if she is joined to another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law and is not an adulteress, even if she marries another man.

 

[Artfuldodger]

In the Hosea analogy God says go and find you wife again. Meaning she was still his wife. Adulterous but wife none the less. Hosea 3:1 illustrates Israel.
So is it safe to say that maybe adulterous Israel never remarried?
Otherwise how could God remarry Israel? Regardless of how we see or view Israel, God remarried her. Spiritual Israel is still Israel. If it's always been spiritual Israel then that's who God remarried.

You can't divorce your physical wife and remarry your spiritual wife as that is part of who you were previously married to.

Did Israel form a covenant with false gods when God divorced her?

 

[hobbs27]

I think it's all imagery for grace . Israel was playing the harlot. Jesus came for the lost sheep of Israel. Even after the cross Peter and others purged the faithful out of that wicked harlot. Paul turning to the gentiles made them jealous and drew more out. When the full number of the gentiles were brought in...the end to the harlot came. She was divorced through death then raised to life , and remarried as the spiritual new Jerusalem.....IE new covenant kingdom..new jerusalem... the Israel from above.

 

[Madman]

It is an image of God's love and faithfulness to His people.

 

[Artfuldodger]

It is an image of God's love and faithfulness to His people.

The harlotry analogy?

 

[Madman]

The harlotry analogy?

Gomer out chasing men (God's people chasing other gods)
Hosea going to bring her home and love and care for her anyway (God's pursuit of His people)