What does Hosea's marriage to a prostitute picture?
This union pictures the nation of Israel as the adulterous wife of Jehovah. Israel chased after the pagan gods of the Canaanites, but at the end Hosea's wife has a real conversion, returns, and becomes an obedient wife and mother, illustrating Israel's restoration.
Les explains that the church is the virgin, pure bride of Christ, while Israel is the adulterous, restored wife of Jehovah. He clarifies that this is not about bigamy or sexuality but about a position. He directs students to the book of Hosea, where Hosea is instructed to go out and marry a woman of the street, a prostitute, and live it out literally. She soon leaves him to go back to her lovers out on the street, but by the end of Hosea she has a real conversion of heart, returns, and becomes the obedient wife of Hosea and the mother of his children. Les says this is all a picture of the nation of Israel, which chased after the pagan gods of the Canaanites.
The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.
Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.