The Prophetic Symbol of Covenant Love
Hosea 2:16-23, Isaiah 54:5-8, Revelation 21:2-3
God uses Hosea’s life as a prophetic symbol--that of redeeming love and a promise of restoration.Hosea is instructed to marry a woman named Gomer, who then becomes unfaithful to Hosea. He is instructed to find her, pay off her debts and then to redeem and restore her; just like God does with Israel. God’s established covenant with Israel in Genesis with Abraham and again at Mt. Sinai in Exodus is continually broken throughout history. Like Gomer, Israel chases the idols of this world, being a nation that “commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.” (Hosea 1:2b) God who is faithful, good, merciful and just has every reason to abandon and forsake the people of Israel
Doesn’t this story sound familiar? It should because it was a foreshadowing of the pursuit of the Good Shepherd towards sheep. It’s a story that points to the better covenant in Christ. “But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.” (Hebrews 8:6) Jesus the better covenant is the climax of the story and Hosea is pointing to both the current and coming covenant. Hosea states “And I will say to Not My People, ‘you are my people’ and he shall say, ‘you are my God.” Jesus’s covenant made the way for us to become his people. He is the very one that set our place at the table.
“Let your hearts not be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:1-3) God doesn’t just declare that we are his people, he came to us. He brought us into his house where he prepared a place for us. Hosea isn’t just a prophecy for the 8th century BC people of Israel, it's a reminder of the better covenant, of Jesus coming to claim his people and restore them as sons & daughters.
Yet, it doesn’t end here. Praise God! God’s story of redemption continues for eternity. In Revelation we see God say this, “He dwells with them and they will be his people and God himself will be with them as their God.” Wow, God how deep is your love for your people that hundreds of years before the promised Messianic King arrives you foreshadow an even greater promise that tells of an eternal redemption. God’s plan for redemption is seen in Genesis 3, in Hosea, the Gospels and ends in Revelation. That redemption happened, is happening and will happen. God hasn’t forsaken us, though we do too often. He is coming for you. Hosea is a picture of that. Let us rejoice as we read this prophetic word knowing the story of Jesus has made away for redemption today and a coming eternal redemption.
