Then the LORD said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.” So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a half of barley. Hosea 3:1-2 NASB
Romance and redemption are the themes of Hosea. And, yes, there is even a happily ever after!
Hosea’s two marriages are a picture of Israel and the church, both are “brides” of God. Israel as the unfaithful wife and God as the Faithful Husband is a familiar allegory in the prophetic books. The prophet Hosea lives out that allegory. He is instructed by God to “take a wife of harlotry.”
All of chapter 2 compares Hosea’s unfaithful wife with the nation of Israel who is unfaithful by worshiping idols. So God declared that they were no longer His people. The nation of Israel was no longer His wife. Let me just pause here for a moment. Can you feel the weight of that? Can you feel the oppressive weight of being disowned by God? Only when you struggle to breath under that weight, can you truly appreciate the promise of future restoration.
I believe that Hosea’s second marriage in chapter 3 is a picture of the church as the bride of Christ. The evidence of that is in the symbolism of the details. Notice that Hosea bought her for himself with 15 shekels of silver and 1 ½ homers of barley. In comparison, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. This is the divine romance; the King of the universe left His throne to pay it all for you and for me! We were bought at a price. . . for the joy set before Him. We are that joy!! Jesus Christ purchased us for Himself. Praise God!!
Silver is symbolic of the redemption that we have in Christ. The number 15 represents the “rest that comes after deliverance” (biblestudy.org). And barley represents, among other things, the Passover harvest. That is significant because Jesus is our Passover Lamb, who takes away the sin of the world. Not only that, barley is what is offered at the Feast of Firstfruits (Lev. 23:9-14). Jesus’ resurrection from the dead occurred on the Feast of Firstfruits; He is “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1Cor. 15:20-23).
With all this symbolism, you can see why I believe that Hosea’s second wife represents the church or the bride of Christ. Jesus has purchased us for Himself. He has redeemed us from slavery. He has delivered us into His rest. We are the barley harvest; the first harvest. Thank You, Jesus!!
But what about the happily ever after? What about Israel? God says, “I will betroth you to Me forever” (Hosea 2:19a). God has made a “forever” promise to Israel. Israel’s happily ever after rests on God’s faithfulness, not their own. He will restore His people Israel . . . Forever! Amen and Amen!