Hosea Verse-by-Verse

Session 5 | Hosea 2:21-3:5

Hosea 2:14-23 | God's Poetic Call To Israel

Verses 14-20 -- see session 4
Verse 21 --
In that day of the Lord's return for His bride, the Lord will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth. This must surely be metaphorical speech, seemingly saying that all the heavens and the earth cries out for the restored relationship of the Lord and Israel. When considered closely, this is the original message of the Zodiac prior to its perversion.
Verse 22 --
Continuing the metaphor from verse 21, the corn, and the wine, and the oil are the sources of the cries that go up to the earth and then to the heavens (v. 21). But ultimately each of these hear from Jezreel. This is the first-born of Hosea and Gomer, and is used as a play on words, being both the name and carrying the meaning of the seed of God. Jezreel, the oldest child, will cry out (on behalf of the entire family), thus the seed will be heard by the crop and the crop by the earth and the earth by the heavens and the heavens by God. All of this being a poetic description of God hearing Israel's last-days cry.
Verse 23 --
In previous verses the sowing of Israel had negative connotations of being scattered. However, now God says I will sow her unto me, with the key phrase being unto me“I will plant her for myself."
The Lord then makes reference to the other two children. First, the sister, Lo-Ruhamah will receive mercy. Second, the brother, Lo-Ammi will hear God say Thou art my people.
Finally, in what God has longed for (and thus all of creation), they shall say, Thou art my God. The nation of Israel will once again see God and come into a right relationship with Him.
There is a grammatical oddity in the phrase translated they shall say. In Hebrew, it is literally, he shall say. The interpretation of the plural is correct, but it is the nation singularly which will respond. This is reflected in the Hebrew text.

Hosea 3:1-5 | The Physical Display of God's Love

Chapter 2 contained a poetic display of God's love (after the poetic display of His disgust). Now chapter three moves from the poetic to the physical.
Verse 1 --
The word yet is the Hebrew word for again. Hosea (identified as her friend) is here commanded to return to Gomer, and to lover her according to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel. This passage clearly marks the marriage as indicative of the Lord and His love for Israel.
Gomer is said not only to look to other gods but also to love flagons of wine“the raisin cakes* of the pagans*" (NKJV), but that translation is not well grounded, and rejected by Jewish sources. The phrase seems to refer to a tendency toward drunkenness.
As in chapter 1, whether the woman (Gomer) is an adulteress and a drunkard is unknown since the entire picture is metaphor. She was certainly representative of Israel straying from God.
Verse 2 --
Since the exact purchase price is given, it surely has significance. However, the significance is not given nor obvious. Rashi, the Jewish sage, believes it has reference to Passover (on the 15th of Nissan) and the counting of the Homer. Bullinger believes it has reference to the redemption price of a slave. No interpretations have solid evidence.
Verse 3 --
This verse implies a time of waiting and contemplation as the purchased bride reconsiders her former state. In terms of the marriage, it is described in verse 3. In terms of Israel and God it is described in verses 4-5.
Verse 4 --
“days of contemplation" so will Israel. This time will be many days and will be without.... Notice the repetition for emphasis of the word without.
These days would be without a king, and without a prince. The nation that said we have no king but Caesar (Jn. 19:15) would end up with no government whatsoever. These days would also be without a sacrifice, signifying the destruction of the Temple (modern Judaism is not sacrificial, though their Torah requires sacrifice at every turn).
The days are also void of image and ephod and teraphim. This is a mixture of Jewish symbols (ephod) and pagan image and teraphim.
The words of this verse, in part or whole, are true of Israel virtually every day of their existence since the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. Since A.D. 70 they have been true in whole. Judaism exists, but has no unified leader, has not been pagan yet also has not been able to be Torah observant.
The many days represents our entire dispensation, in addition to that which precedes (from the loss of the last King of Judah) and will continue until the Messiah comes.
Verse 5 --
In a final note of victory, it is prophetically stated that the children of Israel will return. The reference to David their king is given symbolic of the Messiah. All of this will happen in the latter days.