Hosea and His Harlot

I recently read in a book that the old testament was "The long story of God's pursuit of humanity."  I've heard of all the stories in the Old Testament, they are really great, some are really boring.  Have you ever tried reading the lineage section?  Dry, but I'm sure sometime I'll fall in love with that too.  But, when I look at the stories, the prophesies, and the promises in this new way, it comes to life!  Its not just historical record, its a romance novel. 

I've recently discovered Hosea.  I'm really falling in love with the old prophets, Isaiah, and Jeremiah are awesome too.  But Hosea was asked to do a really weird thing.  Marry a prostitute.  I think I might have had few a questions for God.  One of which, being unequally yoked.  But it is exactly what He has done with us.  He is pursuing a group of harlots, who have sold themselves for far less then their worth.  We often try to find our beauty and worth in things other then Christ.  Just like a prostitute tries to find love in sex, its empty, and not even remotely the same thing. 

Read what God is going to do for us, even after we have sold ourselves out.  He doesn't give up.  Like Isaiah 62:1 says:
¹For Zion's sake I will not keep silent,
         And for Jerusalem's sake I will not keep quiet,
         Until her righteousness goes forth like brightness,
         And her salvation like a torch that is burning.

He won't stop seeking you out.  He is the great romancer, who continues to pursue until you have seen and heard him, and answered the call.  How do you get more romantic than that?  Have you ever been pursued like that by any man?

Hosea 2:14-23

¹⁴ “But then I will win her back once again.
      I will lead her into the desert
      and speak tenderly to her there.

 Allure: to entice by charm or attraction.

God is luring us with His charm, with His beauty.  He usually only has a second to do this.  We are so busy with our lives we barley give him a glance.  He has to be uniquely personal towards each of us.  He knows EXACTLY what you will respond to.  He pulls you out from your busyness and brings you into a place where you are alone with Him.  Where there are no distractions and he can speak to you softly, with the loving words He has been waiting to say to you.

¹⁵ I will return her vineyards to her
      and transform the Valley of Trouble^[a] into a gateway of hope.
   She will give herself to me there,
      as she did long ago when she was young,
      when I freed her from her captivity in Egypt.

 He will take your trouble and remove your wounds and make you like when you were young and free.  You will then give your love freely to Him again, with and renew your whole heart, and return you to who He created you to be.

 ¹⁶ When that day comes,” says the Lord,
      “you will call me ‘my husband’
      instead of ‘my master.’^[b]

We will then see Him as who He truly is, as your Husband, and not our master

¹⁷ O Israel, I will wipe the many names of Baal from your lips,
      and you will never mention them again.

He will cleans us, and remove all filth that is still in us, we will be a pure virgin bride

 ¹⁸ On that day I will make a covenant
      with all the wild animals and the birds of the sky
   and the animals that scurry along the ground
      so they will not harm you.
   I will remove all weapons of war from the land,
      all swords and bows,
   so you can live unafraid
      in peace and safety.

He will remove all worries, we will be safe and protected and have no need to war or fight against anything, we will be completely free to love and pour praise on Him

¹⁹ I will make you my wife forever,
      showing you righteousness and justice,
      unfailing love and compassion

Betroth: to promise to marry, to give in marriage

He will then marry us; we will enter into a marriage covenant with Him, but not an arranged marriage, not by one of force, but of loving kindness, of compassion, of righteousness and justice.

 ²⁰ I will be faithful to you and make you mine,
      and you will finally know me as the Lord.

 He brings a covenant of faithfulness, He never lets us down, and we will then know Him.  He has unveiled us, like the bride on her wedding day (2 cor 3:16-18).  We can then see Him without hindrance, His face, bright, shining, and FULL of glory.

 ²¹ “In that day, I will answer,”
      says the Lord.
   “I will answer the sky as it pleads for clouds.
      And the sky will answer the earth with rain.
 ²² Then the earth will answer the thirsty cries
      of the grain, the grapevines, and the olive trees.
   And they in turn will answer,
      ‘Jezreel’—‘God plants!’

It only gets better.  When we are in that covenant with Him, He will then respond to our pleas for rain, for revival, our thirst will be quenched, and our hearts will bear fruit from the vine.

²³ At that time I will plant a crop of Israelites
      and raise them for myself.
   I will show love
      to those I called ‘Not loved.’^[c]
   And to those I called ‘Not my people,’^[d]
      I will say, ‘Now you are my people.’
   And they will reply, ‘You are our God!’”

He will send us out for His glory, He will rise up a people for Himself.  We will go into the earth and speak of Him.  He will use His generous love and bring us all into His covenant, and all will recognize Him as The Only God.

This is not only for Jews, Isrealites, or the Old Testament people.  This is for YOU!  He is still calling us.  He still wants our hearts, and not just peices.  He wants it all, He wants to give you all He has promised.