Hosea 3

Hosea 3:1

V. THE REDEMPTION OF HOSEA’S WIFE A TYPE OF ISRAEL’S ULTIMATE RETURN TO JEHOVAH (Chap. 3)3:1-3 Then the LORD told Hosea to go to the public market and buy back his faithless wife from her sin. The purchase price, fifteen shekels of silver and one and one-half homers of barley, was that of a female slave. For many days after that, there were to be no marital relations; later she would be restored to her full marital status. This pictures the past, present, and future of the nation of Israel. Unfaithful to Jehovah, she ran after other lovers (idols). But God brought her back. 3:4, 5 Her present condition is given in verse 4without a king, without a prince (or royal family), without a sacrifice (that is, the Levitical sacrifices have been suspended), without a sacred pillar (idol), without an ephod (symbol of the Levitical priesthood), and without teraphim (household gods). Israel’s future is given in verse 5she will return to the LORD and will love and fear Him in faithfulness.