The Divine Romance

Referred to by Martin Luther as “a divine wedding ring with six precious stones,” the prophetic words penned by the prophet Hosea in verses nineteen and twenty of the second chapter of the Old Testament book that bears his name is the epitome of true romance. It speaks of the everlasting betrothal of the believer to God accomplished through Christ. God’s steadfast love for His children is illustrated through the marriage of Hosea to Gomer, an adulterous woman and prostitute. However, the relationship between the prophet and his unfaithful wife are not the primary theme of the book, rather their marriage is symbolic of the covenantal relationship between the Divine Husband (Yahweh) and His faithless wife (Israel). Over a sixty year period, through God’s revealed revelation, Hosea prophesied to the northern kingdom of Israel during its decline and subsequent fall to the Assyrians in 8th century B.C. The people of Israel were the means by which God chose to reveal Himself to all mankind. They were to be set apart as a holy nation that would reveal the nature of the one, true God to the surrounding nations in a very unique way. Instead of remaining loyal to their covenant after entering Canaan, the Israelites began to mingle elements of the Canaanites’ fertility religion with Yahweh worship by engaging in sexual rites and drunken orgies which were thought to secure the giving of rain and the fertility of the land for their crops. Gomer/Israel’s immorality echoed the words of Moses in Deutoronomy 31:16, “And the LORD said to Moses: "You are going to rest with your fathers, and these people will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them” ...

... middle of paper ...

... and cannot be swayed by passion or diverted by disobedience. Israel’s unfaithfulness has no effect upon God’s unwavering commitment towards them. It is a love based not on conditions, but rooted solely in the character of God. It was conceived in eternity past and was initiated in the Abrahamic Covenant and continued to channel down to the Mosaic Covenant through the Davidic Covenant until its final fulfillment in the New Covenant, which would supersede all of the others. The dowry itself is the greatest expression of God’s love. Though undeserving, Israel is promised to be treated with a tender affection by Jehovah. The love and mercy of God for His people are connected with one another in that His mercy is the visible expression of His love. He will look upon His bride’s suffering with empathy as He is moved to alleviate the distress caused by her waywardness.