Hosea 3)
1 Then said the LORD to me, "Go again, love a woman (not "Gomer" [1:3] again, but another; hence we must believe had Gomer died; and that this was a 2nd marriage with its own special signification) beloved of her friend (i.e. Hosea himself), though [she has become] an adulteress, (I.e. an Idolatress; and denotes only a woman of the northern tribes. Referring to Israel's present condition in this Dispensation.)
according to the love of the LORD toward the sons of Israel, who look to other gods (cp. Deut. 31:18,30), and love cakes of grapes."
2 So I bought her to Me for fifteen shekels (the price of the redemption of a slave), and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:
3 And I said to her, "You shall abide (Heb. yashab = to dwell sequestered) for Me many days (in case of the sign = a full month. Cp. Jer. 3:1,2. The signification is seen now, in the present Dispensation); you shall not play the harlot, and you shall not be for another man: so will I also be for you." (Remain in the truth. Satan can't touch you.)
D E K1 4-. Time. "Many days.' Present.
L g -4-. "Shall abide." "
h -4-. "The sons of Israel." "
i -4. "Without a king", &c. "
F K2 5-. Time. "Afterward." Future.
L g -5-. "Shall return." "
h -5-. "The sons of Israel." "
-5-. "Yahaveh, and David their king." "
K3 -5. Time. "In the latter days." "
4 For the sons of Israel (not merely Judah, but the 12 tribes) shall abide many days (all the days of the present Dispensation; "many" implying length of time; 'days' implying their limitation) without a king (having rejected Messiah [John 19:15]. This therefore cannot be interpreted now of any People which has a king), and without a ruler, and without a sacrifice (including all sacrifices where there is shedding of blood), and without an image (any upright standing image. Cp. Ex. 23:24; 34:13. Isa. 19:19), and without an ephod (this was the girdle of the breastplate which contains the "Urim and Thummim", the wearing to which pertained solely to the high priest. Cp. 1 Sam. 22:18; 23:9. Ezra 2:63; Neh. 7:63), and without teraphim (= idols of any kind. In v.3 Yehovah says they shall not 'play the harlot': and, now, for since [426. B.C] over 2,400 years the truth of this has been seen): (There will be pastors that come that will not put up with it.)
5 Afterward shall the sons of Israel return (This time we live in now beginning in 1948. See the parable of the fig tree.), and seek the LORD their God (cp. 5:6. Jer. 50:4,5), and David their king (cp. Jer. 30:9. Ezek. 34:23,24; 37:22,24. Therefore David must rise again, as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob must; and note the fact of Israel seeking David); and shall rejoice in the LORD (as in Isa. 60:6. Jer. 33;9) and His Gracious One (i.e. the Messiah) in the latter days. (In the days of Messiah, i.e. the Millennium. Cp. Jer. 30:24. Ezek. 38:8,16. Dan. 2:28. Mic. 4:1. Ref. Gen. 49:1. Num. 24:14. Deut. 4:30; 31:29.)