HOSEA
In Hosea He is “our
Faithful Loving Husband.”
And the Lord said to me, "Go again, love a woman who is
beloved of a paramour and is an adulteress; even as the Lord loves the people
of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins." So I
bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley. And
I said to her, "You must dwell as mine for many days; you shall not play
the harlot, or belong to another man; so will I also be to you." For the
children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without
sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or teraphim. Afterward the children of
Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and they
shall come in fear to the Lord and to His goodness in the latter days.
Hos. 3 RSV
Christ’s identification with our plight and His work
of Redemption can be seen in Hosea’s redemption of Gomer from ‘the slave
market.’
Prophet Hosea preached to the entire nation of
Israel to return back to the Faithful Loving God (Read Hosea 14:1-2 NIV).
Christ is the Bridegroom of the Church Who will come
at an “unexpected hour” to wed His Bride.
Then shall the Kingdom of Heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which
took their lamps, and went forth to meet the Bridegroom.
And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the Bridegroom cometh;
go ye out to meet Him.
Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our
lamps are gone out.
But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for
us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
And while they went to buy, the Bridegroom came; and they that were
ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
Matt 25:1-10 KJV
The Holy Spirit will finish the work of perfecting
the Bride for that glorious day of the Wedding Supper of the Lamb.
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the Marriage
of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready.
And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen,
clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Rev. 19:7-8 KJV