Israel's relationship with God is marked by a profound and intimate bond, uniquely established through His covenant with Abraham and symbolically represented as a marriage with the nation of Israel, a connection He extended to no other people. Despite this sacred relationship, Israel has repeatedly rebelled, engaging in spiritual harlotry by embracing worldly ways and rejecting God as their divine Ruler, seeking instead a king like other nations. Even after God divorced Israel due to her unfaithfulness, He continued a fractious relationship with her to fulfill His promises to Abraham and to carry out His end-time prophecies, indicating that His purpose for Israel remains unfinished. Israel's faithlessness is often demonstrated through gross idolatry, serving herself and following fleeting whims rather than remaining steadfast to God's commandments. Though God has stayed faithful to His agreements across centuries, Israel has maintained a hypocritical stance, presenting herself as a godly nation while living contrary to His ways. This unfaithfulness earned her the title of the Great Harlot, as she has corrupted her covenant with God in a manner no Gentile nation or church has, outdoing others in immorality and becoming Babylon the Great. In the end times, God's focus persists on Israel, both the physical descendants of Abraham and the spiritual Israel of the church, as central to His purpose of reproducing Himself.

When God called Israel out of Egypt and made them a nation, He knew the inclination of their hearts and that their carnality would ultimately destroy them. He anticipated that they would forsake Him for idols and incur the wrath of the Angel of the Lord, whom they were ordered to obey in everything. Indeed, Israel did exactly that, becoming among the most sinful of nations, even worse than Sodom. God's judgment against Israel was severe because of their special, intimate relationship with Him. They knew, or should have known, God and His expectations, having formally agreed by covenant, ratified with blood, to worship and obey Him exclusively. Yet, they flagrantly sinned and rebelled, deserving severe punishment under His justice, though His mercy prevented their utter annihilation. God describes Israel as not knowing to do right, a staggering indictment for a nation given the Ten Commandments and witness to divine revelations at Mount Sinai. Despite all God had done to educate them in His way, they suppressed His instruction and became so saturated with sin that they had no concept of right and wrong, reaching a moral depravity akin to the pre-Flood world. God warned them repeatedly with calamities such as famine, drought, blight, locusts, disease, destruction, and war, designed to signal His displeasure and prompt repentance. Yet, they never made the connection between these disasters and their rebellion, remaining spiritually obtuse and hardened against Him. Israel's religious practices were corrupted, as they loved the spectacle of religion rather than its truth, using it for personal advancement. They perverted the worship God had given through Moses, establishing unauthorized sanctuaries at Bethel and Gilgal where they multiplied transgressions. Their frequent sacrifices and tithes were insincere, laced with corruption, as they sought to be seen as pious while their actions were full of sin. They underestimated God, perceiving Him as no different from the idols they worshipped, believing they could hide their idolatry and rebellion from Him. They thought He was blind, immobile, and weak like their false gods, not realizing He was the all-powerful, all-knowing, universal Sovereign. God reminded Israel of His true nature as the Almighty Creator, who forms mountains, creates wind, and treads the high places of the earth. They had forced Him into the role of an enemy through their terrible sins, despite His desire to be their loving husband and provider. Ignoring and rebelling against Him was a grave, often fatal mistake. Israel not only rejected God but actively sought alliances with foreign nations for wealth and safety, spurning His promises of blessing and protection. In His eyes, this was spiritual adultery, as He considered the covenant with Israel a marriage bond, with Himself as the husband and the nation as His wife. Their abandonment of His commandments was complete apostasy, leading to idolatry, child sacrifice, witchcraft, and soothsaying. They sold themselves to do evil, becoming completely enslaved to ungodliness and anti-God behavior in deliberate, all-out rebellion. God had every reason to punish them for their utter perversion and shameful behavior, brazenly flaunted in His face. Their failure to keep His Sabbaths further distanced them from Him, causing them to lose knowledge of the true God and their own identity, blending into the world as the lost tribes of Israel. The Sabbath, as a sign setting them apart, was the linchpin of their relationship with God, and forsaking it was tantamount to forsaking Him. Despite this, God is not finished with Israel. He will perform a marvelous work and wonder, turning wicked, anti-God Israel back to Him through great tribulation and harsh lessons. Ultimately, they will hallow His name and fear Him after thousands of years of rebellion.

The book of Hosea reveals the profound relationship between Israel and God, portraying Israel as His wife and their worship of other gods as spiritual adultery. God viewed this idolatry with deep grief, as it violated His command to have no other gods before Him. Despite Israel's persistent disobedience, even from the times of Moses and the judges, God's love for His people remained unwavering. He sent prophets like Amos and Hosea to warn Israel of imminent judgment and to call them to repentance, urging them to return to Him. Through Hosea's personal life, particularly his marriage to Gomer, God illustrated His own relationship with unfaithful Israel, showing a love that endures despite betrayal. Hosea's unrelenting love and forgiveness toward Gomer mirrored God's endless love for Israel, as He continually sought to bring them back, pleading with them to repent. God's heart churned with compassion, unwilling to let Israel suffer complete destruction, reflecting His deep desire for their return. The narrative underscores that God's love never fails, always seeking reconciliation with His people, no matter how far they stray.

Israel's relationship with God reveals a history of struggle and failure, yet also a promise of future restoration. Physical Israel, called through Abraham, often failed to align with God's will, demonstrating a consistent lack of cooperation that descended into enmity. Their concerns remained earthly, material, and selfish, leading to their current state of being set aside, as God has shifted His focus from physical Israel to spiritual Israel, the church of God, His elect. Presently, they are not considered His people, though they will play a significant role in the future, at the end of this age and in the upcoming Millennium. In contrast, spiritual Israel, the true Israel of God, comprises those who walk according to Christ's rule, trusting and submitting to Him, living by His instructions. They are the elect who make up God's true church, upon whom He bestows peace and mercy. Through God's grace and justification by faith, they achieve peace with Him, enabling a personal relationship through Jesus Christ, the Mediator. This relationship demands a response of obedience and sanctification, a process of purifying and maturing into the image of Christ, unlike the physical Israelites who failed to respond appropriately. God urges His people to focus on the present and future, moving forward in lockstep with His plan for the Kingdom of God. He desires His called ones to engage with what He has provided and promised, to fear Him, and to keep His commandments as their whole duty. Spiritual Israel must adjust priorities Godward, setting their minds on things above, seeking what is ahead, and paring away earthly desires to reflect the perfection of Jesus Christ. This ongoing process of sanctification, supported by God's generous supply of His Spirit, aims to complete their transformation for glorification and positions in His Kingdom.

The history of the Israelitish people's relationship with God, spanning from Abraham through the New Testament to Jesus' appearance and beyond, reveals a pattern of intermittent highs and lows. Far more lows than highs dominate this long narrative, with exceptional relationships seen in figures like Abraham, Moses, and David, who stand out as among the highest points of connection with God. Other notable relationships include those with Noah, Joshua, Samuel, Daniel, the apostles, and numerous prophets sent to a often recalcitrant people who struggled to consistently honor the covenants made with Him. The core issue in these relationships has never been with God, whose character remains beyond reproach and unchanging. His steadfast nature is mirrored in Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The problems invariably stem from human nature, a flaw evident from Adam and Eve onward. Biblically recorded history overwhelmingly shows that God and the Israelitish people cannot maintain harmony for extended periods. This struggle, while vividly documented with Israel, is not unique to them but is a shared human failing, amplified in Israel's case due to the special advantage of God's presence among them, making their failures more pronounced. Israel's relationship with God began with warm, trusting bonds, as seen with Abraham, who is called God's friend in Scripture. Over time, this has deteriorated into the highly skeptical, casual non-relationships prevalent today among many, despite access to God's Word. Initially, moral standards drawn from His teachings were present, but these have rapidly declined, with many now viewing God as unimportant to their lives. This reflects the persistent human carnality that hinders consistent obedience, a challenge that even the church, as the spiritual Israel of God, must strive to overcome in maintaining a faithful relationship with Him.