Marriage as Prophecy?

Today, I would like to discuss the book of Hosea. In the Old Testament, the book is about a prophet named Hosea, and God told him to use his marriage to represent the Lord's relationship with His people, Israel. If you have read the Old Testament, you know that the people of Israel were often mind-bogglingly rebellious toward God. Reading it today, it's difficult to understand how hard-hearted they had to have been to worship a false god after seeing their God part the sea and lead them by fire and smoke to free them from slavery in Egypt. Even after all of God’s provisions, faithfulness, and communication with His people, they were still constantly in rebellion. Hosea is an incredibly interesting story, and I don’t often hear people talking about it.

It starts with Hosea hearing from the Lord to “Go and marry a woman of promiscuity and have children of promiscuity, for the land is committing blatant acts of promiscuity by abandoning the Lord” – Hosea 1:2. So, Hosea did what God said and married a lady named Gomer who bore him a son that was named Jezreel, meaning “God sows.” Gomer conceived again, and it was a girl who was named Lo-ruhamah, meaning “no compassion,” “For I will no longer have compassion on the house of Israel” – Hosea 1:6. Then Gomer had another son named Lo-ammi, meaning “not my people.” Jezreel signified the fact that judgment was incoming. Lo-ruhamah showed Israel that God had no compassion left for the blatant disobedience. Lo-ammi is significant because it meant the Lord was temporarily suspending the covenant He had with Israel.

There is a bit to unpack here. First, we should applaud Hosea’s obedience. Most men, I imagine, are looking for a good wife and precious children. God describes them as promiscuous, yet Hosea goes and does what he’s told. Second, God using a family as a prophetic metaphor depicts in great depth how much He is in charge. He is the King of kings. That would be like a school principal renaming children to something that means “the school is closing” and “because the teachers smell bad,” to then close the school until the teachers start to take more showers. The teachers and students would know who is in charge. We can see the Lord has power over the entire universe and everything in it. Third, He shows amazing mercy and grace for us in the way He convicts us. He doesn’t just reap destruction out of nowhere. He warns, He judges, and He does what He says He’s going to.

Then, in chapter two, there is a call to repentance, “Rebuke your mother; rebuke her. For she is not my wife and I am not her husband.” – Hosea 2:2. This was their sign to rebuke those living among them promiscuously. As if Israel is a devoted husband whose wife (the ungodly people of Israel) were pursuing adulterous relationships. God says He will shame Israel if they don’t change their ways. He also says something interesting in chapter 2 verse 6: “Therefore, this is what I will do: I will block her way with thorns; I will enclose her with a wall so that she cannot find her paths.” It’s as if God wanted to completely remove the temptations for Israel to sin. He continues in chapter two to say that Israel will be led to the wilderness where they once knew God as the provider and the life. Then He says, “I will take you to be my wife forever. I will take you to be my wife in righteousness, justice, love, and compassion. I will take you to be my wife in faithfulness, and you will know the Lord.” Hosea 2:19-20.

Chapter two gets me thinking about the things in the world today that we would have to rebuke. While we don’t bow to idols in the same way people did in ancient days, there are things we do place on a pedestal when we just need to rely on Jesus as our lifeline. Then I think about how even though we idolize people or things, the Lord desires us to have Him in our hearts. Even though we metaphorically have this great Husband who loves us at an incomprehensible depth, who is loyal to us, who keeps promises He makes, and provides for us everything we need, we still are putting people who have never helped us, don’t do us any good, and often aren’t even real above him. Even though we do that, God accepts our repentance. How many husbands would do that? God says He will take us as His forever, and He will take us righteously and justly, lovingly and with compassion. He says He will show us who He is, that we will know Him. He is the best relationship we will ever have, and we, as a society, need to keep that in our hearts and actions way more than we do.

Now that His relationship is restored and God shows how loving and compassionate He is, He also restores Hosea’s children. Jezreel (God sows) will sprout new wine and fresh oil. God says He will have compassion on Lo-ruhamah (No compassion), and that Lo-ammi (Not my people) will be His people. God calls for Hosea to go back to Gomer and restore her. So Hosea goes and tells her, “You are to live with me many days. You must not be promiscuous or belong to any man, and I will act in the same way toward you.” – Hosea 3:3. We are called to belong to God, one God, the true God. Exactly like how in a covenant marriage, we are called to belong to someone else and do right by them.

The book of Hosea is a beautiful representation of God’s love for His people. Even though they were unfaithful, idolatrous, and behaved wickedly, God redeemed them again. For God to compare His love for us to the love of a marriage is a special revelation into who He is. A marriage isn’t easy; there are ups and downs, good times and bad, all of the vows, yet there is also a desire for reconciliation, which is what is depicted here. God wants us to return to Him even amid our sins. But just like Gomer had to stop being promiscuous, we too need to cut ties with our temptations.

There are six things the Lord hates,

Proverbs 6:16-19

Seven that are detestable to Him. The Lord lays out His standard, the moral guide we are supposed to follow. The ways of the narrow path and a simple, peaceful life. God spells it out for us many times in the Bible; when He gave Moses the 10 Commandments and through many of Jesus’ teachings, we are reminded of the baseline standard for righteousness. Let us plant these seeds of truth on rich soil within us to produce good fruit and multiply by the hundreds.

The Lord hates haughty eyes. Haughty - adjective, which means arrogantly superior and disdainful. “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” – Matthew 7:3. Why are we in judgment of our brothers and sisters when we are sinners, too? I often feel conviction from this, and a beautiful revelation that Jesus brought before me was that each person I meet is someone He died for. Jesus offers the humility to recognize that we are no better than anybody else and have no right to come from a place of righteous superiority. Coming to people with loving conviction and concern could mean the world of a difference. We should speak up to our neighbors who claim Christ, and even those who don’t. Our relationship with the Lord is the biggest blessing, and we should want everyone we meet to feel His love radiating from us.

God hates a lying tongue. In this day and age, it’s hard to trust anything - it’s as though everything is meant to deceive us. We weren’t taught to lie. The first lie in the Bible: “Now Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘Let’s go out to the field.’ While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is your brother Abel?’ ‘I don’t know,’ he replied. ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’” – Genesis 4:8,9. Nobody told Cain to lie. The most common reason why people lie is to avoid punishment, according to the Paul Ekman Group. Everybody in the world lies, and we all know that lying comes with repercussions almost every single time. Something that always throws me off is that after I lie, I don’t even know why I did. It’s almost always just a simple situation where the lie slips out of my mouth and I’m stuck wondering why the heck I just said that. Something that has helped me personally was realizing that I don’t have to pretend I’m something I’m not. We were created in the image of God and should feel positively impacted by that knowledge. We don’t have to lie to save face or anything else.

He hates hands that shed innocent blood. Cain is a good example of what not to be like for us, as he committed the first lie as well as the first murder in the Bible. I’m guessing (hoping) the people who read this haven’t murdered anybody. In the New Testament, Jesus teaches us that anger towards someone is like murdering them: “But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.” – Matthew 5:22. I know I have multiple counts in the court of this law. There are many reasons we get angry with others: jealousy, disrespect, annoyance, personal trials, etc.. We always have to remember that getting angry (committing mental murder) never made things better. The best way to overcome anger, from my experience, is to open up about what you’re feeling toward that person before it festers into a resentment that is difficult to redeem.

The Lord hates a heart that devises wicked schemes. Our flesh is constantly being tempted by wickedness, and it’s of great importance for us to guard our hearts not to listen to the flesh. Humankind is doomed to the fate of constant and loud worldly desires. Jesus says we should deny our flesh, pick up our crosses, and follow Him. We should work each day to keep this plan in our hearts. When we follow Jesus, we don’t desire to do evil. When we seek the Lord with our whole being, we are brought into a light that is scarcely penetrated by darkness.

God hates feet that are quick to rush into evil. In my personal life, the times I’ve been more susceptible to sin were when I was around secular people. “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” – Proverbs 27:27. The Lord has given me many great friendships from whom I have learned a lot of life lessons. The most important lesson I learned from them was that after finding true peace and fulfillment in Jesus, the things I used to place above everything else, and the things that my old friends and I used to bond over, became incredibly futile and pointless to me. I don’t think I would be here writing this today if I were still being sharpened by those people. So my advice: take an inventory of those whom you surround yourself with, and if your main bond isn’t Christ, maybe they aren’t the best examples for you.

The Lord hates a false witness who pours out lies. God really hates it when we lie, according to this proverb. The lying mentioned here is noticeably different from what was written before. God hates injustice, which, when you think about it, is ironic. God’s mercy and love for us are not fair- we deserve way worse than what He gives. The injustice He hates is the kind that causes unfair punishment to His people. There’s a reason God warns us about this. During the events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion: “Now the chief priests, the elders, and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death” – Matthew 26:59. There are also several recent examples in American courts that this sin has proven to be frustrating and ultimately degrading for society. God warns about it because swaying the scales of justice isn’t a human responsibility.

Finally, the Lord hates a person who stirs up conflict in the community. This covers a plethora of sins. This person could be a gossip, or a drunk, or an addict, or mentally ill, or judgmental, etc., etc.. If our actions cause negative chaos and darkness within other people, we are probably doing the wrong thing. We need to engulf the Word into our mind, soul, and spirit, so that we have a chance of living in peace and joy by the will of our God.

Breaking Down Holy Week

A lot can happen in a week. This week was a remembrance of the most monumental occasion in history. Holy Week tugs on my heart more and more every year. I start feeling extra convicted and find myself more lost in thought about what Christianity and the sacrifice Jesus made truly mean. I ponder how it must have felt when Jesus died, and the absolute joy when He rose again. I think about Mary, Jesus’ mother, having to watch her baby boy. He was saving her soul while breaking her heart. I think about the women who were able to see the empty tomb of their savior. The confusion, fear, optimism, and hope they must have been feeling. This week is beautiful, it’s sad, it’s hopeful, and it is life-giving.

Palm Sunday

Without getting into the specifics of the Davidic Covenant, if you haven’t read the Old Testament, Jesus fulfills the covenant by being the last descendant of David and being seated permanently on the throne of Heaven. Palm Sunday is almost a coronation for Jesus and is similar to King Solomon's (the heir of his father, King David) coronation. “And King David said, ‘Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah... have Solomon ride on my own mule... and anoint him king over Israel.’”— 1 Kings 1:32–35. In a much more profound way, Jesus triumphantly enters Jerusalem on a never-before-ridden donkey. People laid out and held up palm branches which symbolize many things: victory, a fulfillment of prophecy, and a traditional Jewish form of worship. The prophecy fulfilled by Jesus entering Jerusalem this way is written in Zechariah 9:9 "Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O Daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." Jesus rode into Jerusalem not on a warhorse, but a donkey. Not for condemnation, but for deliverance. For His death, but our life. This prophecy was written approximately 500 B.C. - around 500 years before it played out. Then, the crowd that welcomed Jesus shouted “Hosanna!” a beautiful way to honor our King. Hosanna means “save us now.” They were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” — Matthew 21:9. They acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah and the One who came to save them.

Holy Monday

Many people relate Holy Monday to a day of cleansing. It could be a beautiful tribute to Jesus to take inventory of the things in and around you that cause you to slip into sin. Examples of this include throwing away alcohol if you struggle with drunkenness or deleting Instagram if you find yourself lost in lust. We might think about doing this because it relates to the actions of Jesus on this day. Picture this, on your way into the temple thousands of years ago, you get stopped by tons of vendors trying to sell you things in the name of worship. Jesus saw all of that going on in the temple, the house of the Lord, and was righteously angered by it. He began to flip over tables to cleanse the temple of greed. “It is written, my house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers” — Matthew 21:13

Holy Tuesday

Holy Tuesday is a day to remember Jesus’ wise teachings and His authority in Heaven and on Earth. During the time of Jesus, the religious leaders didn’t believe in Jesus’ title as the Messiah, and ultimately, their hard hearts and pride led to His crucifixion. Holy Tuesday reminds us that we all should stay open-minded to Biblical truth and loving conviction. The chief priests and elders were in the temple courts and asked Jesus about His authority to preach and heal. Jesus answered their question with another question that Jesus knew they could not answer: Matthew 21:23-27. Jesus also taught through a parable that can be summarized by a man who rents a vineyard to some tenants. He sends workers to collect fruit at harvest time. One by one, the tenants kill and beat the workers until the owner says he will send his son. Surely, the tenants kill him thinking they can take the son's inheritance. But the owner comes to the tenants, kills them, and gives the vineyard to others. Luke 20:9-18. This parable is connected to Psalm 118:22, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” The parable signifies how the religious leaders rejected messengers who came before the Messiah and are now rejecting the Son of God Himself. Jesus is the cornerstone we need to build our lives on.

Holy Wednesday

Holy Wednesday is also sometimes called Spy Wednesday. This is the day Judas agrees to give up Jesus and sets the betrayal in motion. It is interesting to ponder whether Judas is in Heaven or Hades. Ultimately, Judas was under God’s control to do necessary actions leading to the death and resurrection. God’s grace is ungraspable to the human mind, so you never really know. “Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve (disciples). Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.” — Luke 22:3-6

Maundy Thursday

Thursday is an important day in history, it brought us communion, a new covenant, and eternal wisdom. Jesus and His disciples were eating a Passover meal, famously known as The Last Supper. This meal is emotional as it's the last intentional time with His disciples until He rises again. He teaches them a lot about wisdom and service. Maundy comes from a Latin term, mandatum, meaning command or commandment. Jesus said “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”— John 13:34. Jesus showed His love for His disciples by washing their feet. This sounds nasty, but, all in all, it was quite generous. In those days, it was a faux pas for someone of higher status to wash someone of lower status’ feet. Plus think about it, Jesus is the King of kings, the Highest of the high. This demonstration of service, along with Jesus' humble upbringing shows us how humility and service often go hand in hand. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.” —John 13:13-16. Jesus also teaches His disciples on this night about the Holy Spirit and how it’ll advocate for all believers once He’s gone and will live in each of us. He talks about how He is the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus is the True Vine and we must remain with Him to bear fruit. John:13-17.

Good Friday

In almost every way, Good Friday seems like anything but good. Jesus suffered unthinkably and selflessly on Good Friday. His every step, every painful breath, He kept going for me and for you and for the whole world to have the chance to share in His glory. The only thing good about Good Friday is Jesus. Jesus is so, so good to us. After Jesus was arrested, he was brought before a crowd with another prisoner, named Barabbas, who was a violent criminal. In a ceremony where civilians got a choice of one prisoner to set free, the people chose the criminal Barabbas over the innocent Savior who had done nothing but speak life, heal people, and serve people. Matthew 27:11-26. After getting mocked, beaten, tortured, and battered, Jesus walked His cross to the place where they were crucifying Him. “It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: the king of the jews” —Mark 15:25-26. “Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.”With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” —John 19:28-30. It is finished. Jesus died so we could live. With His death, came the destruction of the temple, which signified that we no longer needed to have a place of worship. We became a vessel of worship, and God is with us wherever we go. This day is prophesied: "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” —Isaiah 53:5

Holy Saturday

This is a day I am thankful for never having to experience. The silence, waiting, mourning, Jesus’ descent into the dead, and the fear. Even though Jesus said He was coming back, we are all human, and we would all be undoubtedly worried. “As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.” —Matthew 27:57-61. “They went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.” – Matthew 27:66.

Easter Sunday

Hallelujah! Sunday came, and Jesus was resurrected from the dead! Jesus lives in us forever. Sin and death are defeated forever. Hope is restored forever. Mary Magdelene and the other Mary went to see the tomb of Jesus and were, as I can imagine, pretty stoked to hear this from an angel in an empty grave: “The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” —Matthew 28:5-7. Then, they saw Jesus, and He told them the same thing. “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” —Matthew 28:18-20

Surely, He is with us always, to the very end of the age. Thank you, Jesus. And thank you is not enough.