Hosea 3: 1 – 5
Will David rule again?
1 Then the LORD said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery, just like the love of the LORD for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love the raisin cakes of the pagans.” 2 So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver, and one and one-half homers of barley. 3 And I said to her, “You shall stay with me many days; you shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man—so, too, will I be toward you.” 4 For the children of Israel shall abide many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, without ephod or teraphim. 5 Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They shall fear the LORD and His goodness in the latter days.
In today’s Scripture study we read an interesting verse 5 ‘Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God and David their king.’ So a good question to consider is ‘Will David reign with Jesus in the Millennial Kingdom?
After the Tribulation and the Battle of Armageddon our Lord Jesus Christ will establish His 1,000-year Kingdom on earth. The prophet Jeremiah prophesied in chapter 30 verse 9 of his book that our Holy Father God Yahweh promises Israel that the yoke of foreign oppression would be cast off forever, and “But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.”
Speaking of the same time, God says through the prophet Ezekiel as recorded in chapter 37 verse 24, “My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees”.
From the prophecies of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, some have concluded that King David will be resurrected during the Millennium and be installed as co-regent over Israel, ruling the Kingdom with our Lord and God Jesus Christ.
Jeremiah’s and Ezekiel’s prophecies should be understood this way: the Jews would one day return to their own country, their yoke of slavery would be removed, their fellowship with God would be restored, and God would provide them with a King of His own choosing. This King would, in some way, be like King David of old. These passages can refer to none other than the long-awaited Messiah, the “Servant of the Lord” as recorded in Isaiah chapter 42 verse 1, “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.”
The Jews sometimes referred to the Messiah as “David” because it was known the Messiah would come from David’s lineage. The New Testament often refers to Jesus as the “Son of David” like we read in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 15 verse 22, “And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”
There are other reasons, besides being the Son of David, that the Messiah is referred to as “David.” King David in the Old Testament was a man after God’s own heart as we glean from the book of Acts 13 verse 22, “And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’
He was an unlikely king of God’s own choosing, and the Spirit of God was upon Him taught to us in the book of 1 Samuel 16, “So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the LORD said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!” hen Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.”
David, then, is a type of Christ (a type is a person who foreshadows someone else).
We will get into this deeper as we go through the chapter but another example of this kind of typology is Elijah, whose ministry foreshadowed that of John the Baptist to the extent that Malachi chapter 3 verse 5 called John “Elijah” behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.”
So just to state right from the start of this teaching that David will be resurrected at the beginning of the Millennium, along with all the other Old Testament saints. And David will be one of those who reign with Jesus in the Kingdom recorded in the book of Daniel chapter 7 verse 27, then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’.
However, all believers will rule the nations as the book of Revelation chapter 2 reveals, “26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations— 27 ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels”.
Christians will judge the world as 1 Corinthians chapter 6 points out, “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
In Revelation chapter 3, our Lord Jesus says about the believer who conquers, “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” In some sense, then, us Christians will share authority with our King Jesus Christ as taught in the book of Ephesians chapter 2, “And raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”
Our Lord Jesus Is the King of kings as declared in Revelation chapter 19). Humanly speaking, our Lord and Savior Jesus Is from the Davidic dynasty; but in power, in glory, in righteousness, and in every other way, He Is rightly called the Greater David. “The government will be on his shoulders” as the prophet Isaiah listed in chapter 9 verse 6 of his book.
The Old and New Testaments reveal that the future King during the Millennium and all eternity Is Jesus Christ and Him alone Jeremiah 23: 5, “Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.”
Isaiah 9: 7, “Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”
So, with all this said and will get back to in our coverage of verses 4 and 5, let us return to our review of today’s Scripture passages.
Hosea is now to take a wife who is beloved by someone else and who is in an adulterous situation with that person, just as YHWH loves Israel in spite of the fact that she is ‘playing the harlot’ and loves false gods. This he is to do by the payment of either a bride price or a ransom. The thought in 2.19-20 of YHWH becoming ‘betrothed’ to Israel may suggest that a bride price is in mind here. However, the treatment of her suggests a slave-wife. No other could be refused her conjugal rights prior to having a child without her family protesting. But either way the condition is that she is neither to see her lover again, nor is she to have sexual relations with Hosea. This is to be a picture of the relationship of Israel as over against YHWH. They also are to be separated from their lover (Baal), and abstain from false gods, but without having any kind of relationship with YHWH, until the time comes when they turn and seek God and His king, and YHWH receives her to Himself again.
1 Then the LORD said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery, just like the love of the LORD for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love the raisin cakes of the pagans.”
Hosea is to ‘love’ a woman who is having an adulterous relationship. This is to be a picture of the fact that YHWH still loves adulterous Israel, even though she herself turns to other gods and ‘loves’ cakes of raisins. In other words, she hungers after the tasty delights of those gods.
The wonder of God’s love comes out in the contrast. Whereas Israel’s love is satisfied with cakes of raisins, mere food to satisfy fleshly appetites, YHWH’s love is constant, is of Israel herself, and is despite her preferring raisins to Him. He loves even those who do not reciprocate, and even those who insult Him, when they are His chosen.
Let us take note of the cakes of raisins in comparison with the bridal price paid for the wife. She seeks cakes of raisins which relate to the worship of her false gods, but it is the provisions of YHWH (silver and barley) that are used to purchase her. It is evidence of His sacrificial love.
2 So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver, and one and one-half homers of barley.
Hosea’s treatment of her would suggest that she was a bond slave and therefore had to be redeemed. The price of a female slave was thirty shekels - Exodus 21.32. In this there is a reminder of the cost to YHWH of redeeming His people.
3 And I said to her, “You shall stay with me many days; you shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man—so, too, will I be toward you.”
Then Hosea informed her of the terms of the marriage. She would have to dwell with him and wait many days before he would come in to her. And in that time, she was not to seek out anyone else, or even have relations with him. By this means he would prove whether she did wish to be a faithful wife or not. And his attitude would be the same towards her. He would seek nothing from her. This was to be a picture of Israel’s position about YHWH. While YHWH had purposed to restore Israel, they would still be subject to a long period of separation from Him and from all that religiously they held dear. They had to demonstrate that they were ready for a new relationship. Meanwhile He too would be separate from her. Israel in her exile would never have true with her prophets in exile as Judah would have.
4 For the children of Israel shall abide many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, without ephod or teraphim. 5 Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They shall fear the LORD and His goodness in the latter days.
God also spoke through prophet Hosea regarding David’s return in latter days. However, the time of David’s return comes with a different description.
Israel shall be without king or prince means there will not be any ruler for children of Israel which implies Israel will not be an independent nation.
Without sacrifice means, there will not be any temple to make the sacrifice, since the Jews cannot make sacrifice anywhere they like (Deuteronomy 12:5-6).
Without sacred pillars mean, the children of Israel will not be able to continue in their abominations of idol worship using sacred pillars (1 Kings 14:22-23)
Without Ephod means there will not be any priests, since only priests can put ephod (Exodus chapter 28; Judges 8:27).
Hence, the book of Hosea implies that Israel will not be a nation, no temple or abominations of any sacred pillars and without any priests. Then, the children of Israel will seek the Lord and David their king.
Israel is a nation today, however, there is no temple built yet for any sacrifice to happen. Does this mean the third temple in Israel is a key trigger to look for David’s return?
Let us look at David’s Characteristics described by our Holy Spirit in His Holy Word
Ezekiel 34:23-24 “I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them–My servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them; I, the LORD, have spoken.
Ezekiel 37:24-25 “David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes and do them. Then they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, where your fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell there, they, their children, and their children’s children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever.
There are some interesting characteristics about David also that we want to register.
. David is a king/prince forever (Jeremiah 30:9).
. David will be the only shepherd (Ezekiel 37:24-25)
Micah 5:2-4 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.” Therefore, He shall give them up, Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth; Then the remnant of His brethren Shall return to the children of Israel. And He shall stand and feed His flock In the strength of the LORD, In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God; And they shall abide, For now He shall be great To the ends of the earth;
Jeremiah 23:5-6 Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Interestingly, the expected King Is the Messiah and He shall feed His flock, which is also around the same time David is expected to return.
Isaiah 9:6-7 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
The Everlasting King who will sit upon the throne of David Is the Messiah, Who Is God Himself.
The greater David is that Jesus Christ as our Lord challenged the religious leaders, “41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” They said to Him, “The Son of David.” 43 He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying: 44 ‘The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”?’?? 45 If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?” 46 And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.
David was not the only person expected to return a second time on earth.”
Malachi 4:5-6 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”
Bible also refers to Elijah returning. To understand these prophecies about David, we need to see investigate how Christ explained the above verse.
Matthew 11:13-14 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come.
Matthew 17:10-13 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise, the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.
Jesus is teaching His disciples that Elijah who was prophesied to come as in the book of Malachi was John the Baptist.
It is certainly possible that many scribes may be expected a resurrected Elijah just like many today who may be expected David as prophesied by the prophets. Just as Jesus taught Elijah is John the Baptist, the prophesied David who is to come is the Messiah, who Is Jesus Himself.
Jesus is the King and the Shepherd
John 18:37 Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king.’
John 10:14-16 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep and am known by My own. … And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
Jesus Is the Messiah who Is the King forever. He Is also the One Shepherd over all His flock.
Is David to rule Israel again? Absolutely. Just like John the Baptist is Elijah, if you are willing to receive it, Jesus Christ Is King David in all the prophecies referring to King David returning to rule Israel.
