Did God Tell Hosea to Marry a Prostitute?

[secularhermit]

I think, what hurts more a man (a woman) is being emotionally betrayed, emotionally hurt, when thinking our loved ones "loved" another and not us.

Those days children were not their parents and, today, the thing is the same but, according to my own life, what hurt me is (was) I loved a person who was loving another (not solely me).

I feel pity when I know of those who loved their children and, any moment, they knew those they loved, were not their biological children, because their adulterous woman had intercourses with other men. That´s sad! Horrid! I would say, because in my process of divorce, I had the chance to know my ex-wife deeper and, certain day, I found out torn letters she wrote to her lover, and i read the things she did, the things she felt and I knew I wasn´t loved the way that adulterous man was loved by my ex wife so, what hurt me, it was being jelous of another man, who probably gave my ex-wife what i wasn´t willing to give or, what I didn´t know what to give. It was jealousy! i could have loved her better, both emotionally and physically, but i married her wothout real love (that was my fault).

Each time I read Ezekiel 23, when he mentioned Ahola and Aholiba, I surely knew what GOD felt so, those are two "examples" of spiritualized prostitution; because men and women had endangered (indulged) in those sins alike.

 

[GodIsSalvation]

If you disbelieve Paul that two or more who have sex are joined together does not help to prove my case that it is wrong for God to tell Hosea to marry a prostitute, I think a chapter by chapter break down is not going to help you (Because you will have your preconceived idea of what is actually happening). Although you are free to do so if you want to start such a thing. The purpose of this thread is to show that God is good and that He always does that which is righteous and good.

I think here be the err in your thinking, for you say it is wrong of God to do this and that. If God command it and Hosea be a prophet of God perhaps it would be beneficial to read what God says in the book of Hosea.

Assuming Hosea was unmarried beforehand if Paul be correct then Hosea married Gomer when he slept with her. This I do not disbelieve. Nor do I disbelieve Hosea was a prophet of God. One of the most provable too in fact.

 

[notuptome]

There is so much here in Hosea. We have a picture of the covenant relationship of God to Israel, Hosea to his wife and the church to Christ. Covenants broken by unfaithfulness. Hosea's wife unfaithful to him despite his love for her. Israel's unfaithfulness despite Jehovah's faithfulness and goodness to them. The church unfaithful to Christ despite His unwavering love for lost mankind.

An illustration only God could write.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

 

[Jason0047]

There is so much here in Hosea. We have a picture of the covenant relationship of God to Israel, Hosea to his wife and the church to Christ. Covenants broken by unfaithfulness. Hosea's wife unfaithful to him despite his love for her. Israel's unfaithfulness despite Jehovah's faithfulness and goodness to them. The church unfaithful to Christ despite His unwavering love for lost mankind.

An illustration only God could write.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

It must be important to point out that when God chose Israel as a nation, they were not initially unfaithful. Abraham represented the father of that nation and Abraham was faithful to the Lord. Also, when Jacob (Israel) and his house moved to be with Joseph, they served God. Also, when Israel as a nation was being delivered, they obeyed God in following the Passover, and in leaving Egypt.

 

[Jason0047]

I think here be the err in your thinking, for you say it is wrong of God to do this and that. If God command it and Hosea be a prophet of God perhaps it would be beneficial to read what God says in the book of Hosea.

Assuming Hosea was unmarried beforehand if Paul be correct then Hosea married Gomer when he slept with her. This I do not disbelieve. Nor do I disbelieve Hosea was a prophet of God. One of the most provable too in fact.

See, this is why I believe the Modern Day Church will be deceived into accepting the Mark of the Beast or the Anti-Christ. For if they believe it is not wrong for God to tell a prophet of God to marry a prostitute, then what makes it morally wrong to feed your family by taking the Mark of the Beast?

For God's morality or righteousness does not change with the passage of time. God is always going to uphold that which is good and right in every situation.

For God cannot be salvation if He told people to do sinful things. For what exactly would God be saving a person from? Is it to save them so that they can continue to stay in their sin or for God to tell them to do sinful things? No, most certainly not.

 

[notuptome]

It must be important to point out that when God chose Israel as a nation, they were not initially unfaithful. Abraham represented the father of that nation and Abraham was faithful to the Lord. Also, when Jacob (Israel) and his house moved to be with Joseph, they served God. Also, when Israel as a nation was being delivered, they obeyed God in following the Passover, and in leaving Egypt.

They were chosen even though God knew they would be unfaithful. This is an important factor in what God told Hosea to do. God told Hosea to marry a woman that would be unfaithful to him. Hosea could relate to the feeling of having an unfaithful loved one, a person you cherish and love and do everything you can to make them happy and they betray your love.

Instead of criticizing what God did and attempting to find a translation that suits you better, you ought to reason why God did what He did. There is much edification about virtue that can be drawn from Hosea.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

 

[The_highwayman]

See, this is why I believe the Modern Day Church will be deceived into accepting the Mark of the Beast or the Anti-Christ. For if they believe it is not wrong for God to tell a prophet of God to marry a prostitute, then what makes it morally wrong to feed your family by taking the Mark of the Beast?

For God's morality or righteousness does not change with the passage of time. God is always going to uphold that which is good and right in every situation.

For God cannot be salvation if He told people to do sinful things. For what exactly would God be saving a person from? Is it to save them so that they can continue to stay in their sin or for God to tell them to do sinful things? No, most certainly not.

It is evident you lack serious understanding about God's sovereign nature and how he operated before the New Covenant.

 

[thecreationtutor]

To us it does, but I see no ability on his part

 

[notuptome]

It is evident you lack serious understanding about God's sovereign nature and how he operated before the New Covenant.

God's nature did not change, in fact it cannot change.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

 

[Jason0047]

They were chosen even though God knew they would be unfaithful. This is an important factor in what God told Hosea to do. God told Hosea to marry a woman that would be unfaithful to him. Hosea could relate to the feeling of having an unfaithful loved one, a person you cherish and love and do everything you can to make them happy and they betray your love.

Instead of criticizing what God did and attempting to find a translation that suits you better, you ought to reason why God did what He did. There is much edification about virtue that can be drawn from Hosea.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

Israel will one day come back to God and they initially were not unfaithful which fits the parallel in Hosea.

 

[Jason0047]

It is evident you lack serious understanding about God's sovereign nature and how he operated before the New Covenant.

I believe God is sovereign but He doesn't force people to believe. Also, do you believe God is capable of doing evil?

 

[posthuman]

next we will be told that Rahab wasn't a prostitute

:facepalm:

 

[thecreationtutor]

next we will be told that Rahab wasn't a prostitute

:facepalm:

lol that was my statement - and he did come up with an excuse for that

 

[Jason0047]

I guess, rahab must not have been a prostitute, especially if she is in the lineage of Jesus right. I don't know if you have a right view of who Jesus. is,

Rahab repented of her sin of whoredom. God did not tell one of the Israelites to marry her while she was still in a state of whoredom or while she was still prostituting herself. There is a big difference.

Being treated bad for bad theology, or being a jerk, isn't persecution

No. Jesus said to pray and do good towards your enemies. He never said we can treat people badly; And yes, treating the people of God badly is persecution (Whether it be verbal persecution or physical persecution). For Jesus said that if you even hate your brother, you are a murderer and no murderer has eternal life abiding in them.

 

[Jason0047]

next we will be told that Rahab wasn't a prostitute

:facepalm:

I am not denying that Gomer became a prostitute. But this was later in their relationship when they were already married. She was of a people of idolatry when she married Hosea (That is what the beginning of chapter of Hosea is telling us). Also, Rahab was not a practicing prostitute when she married either. Also, see Post #54.

 

[Jason0047]

Rahab repented of her sin of whoredom. God did not tell one of the Israelites to marry her while she was still in a state of whoredom or while she was still prostituting herself. There is a big difference.

No. Jesus said to pray and do good towards your enemies. He never said we can treat people badly; And yes, treating the people of God badly is persecution (Whether it be verbal persecution or physical persecution). For Jesus said that if you even hate your brother, you are a murderer and no murderer has eternal life abiding in them.

Edit: Sorry, John, not Jesus says this. I was proof reading what I wrote, and typed that wrong. Sorry about that.

 

[posthuman]

lol that was my statement - and he did come up with an excuse for that

yes i see that now having read the whole thread...

as for me, when the Lord does something shocking to my human nature, that i do not understand,
i don't try to change it in my mind into something more palatable to my intellect, denying the truth of it.
instead i try to understand His ways, knowing that He is God, and i am man, and He is much higher than me.

to me it is quite clear, as God has spoken through many of His prophets calling Israel an adulterous nation, that Hosea was called to do things as a sign to the people.

when i read of Ezekiel tunneling through the wall of his house, bags packed and ready to go, i don't need to declare that this goes against all building codes so must be a mistranslation. what i need to do is believe.

 

[Jason0047]

lol that was my statement - and he did come up with an excuse for that

It's not an excuse. The Bible does not say an Israelite had married Rahab while she was prostituting herself. For obviously if she was still doing so, the Israelites would not accept her because of the Law that condemns such a thing.

 

[Jason0047]

yes i see that now having read the whole thread...

as for me, when the Lord does something shocking to my human nature, that i do not understand,
i don't try to change it in my mind into something more palatable to my intellect, denying the truth of it.
instead i try to understand His ways, knowing that He is God, and i am man, and He is much higher than me.

to me it is quite clear, as God has spoken through many of His prophets calling Israel an adulterous nation, that Hosea was called to do things as a sign to the people.

when i read of Ezekiel tunneling through the wall of his house, bags packed and ready to go, i don't need to declare that this goes against all building codes so must be a mistranslation. what i need to do is believe.

There is a point of accepting by faith in God's Word when we don't understand. Trust me. I have thought plenty of times there might have been an error in God's Word. But I always took it by faith and trusted in Him even when I didn't have the answer. But what you are proposing is that God can go outside His moral character or that He can do something that is not good or righteous. The fact that you cannot explain the morality of the issue shows the flaw in your interpretation. God is good. Not evil. He is always good and my interpretation fits what dictionaries, lexicons, and the context of what the Bible says. If you don''t want to believe it because maybe some pastor you respect taught you this, or maybe because you are comfortable in the idea that this what you always believed, then you are free to take the blue pill and believe, whatever you want to believe. But truth is determined not by our own standard but by the Word of God, though.

In other words, I don't want you to take my word for it. I want you to pray to God and ask Him to show you the truth on this matter and compare Scripture with Scripture and seek out what other well seasoned believers have said on this topic.

 

[posthuman]

I am not denying that Gomer became a prostitute. But this was later in their relationship when they were already married. She was of a people of idolatry when she married Hosea (That is what the beginning of chapter of Hosea is telling us). Also, Rahab was not a practicing prostitute when she married either. Also, see Post #54.

what i can perceive of you doing is being offended by the idea of harlotry, which is good of you, but so offended that you blind yourself to the plain speech of the scripture in order to make God conform to your own sense of good and evil, which is not good.

the reason that your lexicons mention that prostitution sometimes means idolatry is because the prophets used this as a metaphor for Israel's pantheism. what we read in Hosea is not a metaphor of what actually occurred - it is the corporeal actions of the prophet that provide a sign and metaphor for the people. try replacing "prostitute" with "idolater" through the whole scripture and see where that gets you. no? only do it when it offends your sensibilities? my friend, we must let the Word instruct us; we do not instruct the Word.

how do you reconcile this, my friend? if Hosea could not have married an actual harlot because that is against the code of the law, how could he marry an idolater since that is also against the code of the law (Deut. 17) ?

however you understand this prophecy, God bade His prophet to do a shocking thing -- as Israel herself had done!

Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.)
But my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols.
(Jeremiah 2:11)

shocking! but true.