Condition of the people of Israel

Previously, we learned the following from verse 3: (1) Gomer will no longer enter into relationships with other men. (2) At the same time, Hosea will refrain from marital relations with her for a certain period. This serves as a time of discipline for her. Verse 4 applies the above situation directly to the people of Israel. (1) The people of Israel will live without a king or a leader. In other words, they will enter a period in which they have no government of their own. During the Babylonian captivity, there was no king, but there were leaders. However, from the Roman period onward, they enter a life without either king or leader. (2) The people of Israel will also live without “sacrifice” and without “ephod.” This means they will live without temple worship and without the priestly system. (3) Furthermore, the people of Israel will live without “household idols” and without “teraphim.” This is a prophecy that the people of Israel will be freed from idolatry. (4) All of this is a prophecy of the condition of the people of Israel after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. And this remains the present condition of the people of Israel. They no longer practice idolatry, yet at the same time they are still without true worship and without faith in God.

Restoration of the people of Israel

Verse 5 prophesies the restoration of the people of Israel. (1) In the last days, they will seek the God of Israel (Yahweh). (2) At the same time, they will also seek their king David (in the Millennial Kingdom, King David will rule the people of Israel together with the Messiah). (3) The people of Israel will finally return to the God of Israel with trembling. This is the national salvation of the people of Israel. The same prophecy appears in Jeremiah and Ezekiel: “But they shall serve the Lord their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them” (Jer. 30:9). “Then I will appoint over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them; he will feed them himself and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and My servant David will be prince among them; I the Lord have spoken” (Ezek. 34:23-24 [Ref. also Ezek. 37:24-25]). God has a plan for the people of Israel, and He has also prepared a wonderful plan for us Gentile believers. God’s love never changes for all eternity. Blessed are those who walk in faith, trusting in His promises.