The Kingdom of Israel, formed under Jeroboam after the division of Solomon's kingdom, fell into deep sin through his religious innovations, which became a lasting transgression for the northern tribes. Subsequent kings of Israel perpetuated Jeroboam's apostasy, never turning back to the ways of the Lord, and thus the Lord grew very angry with Israel and removed them from His sight. Through prophets like Hosea, God warned Judah not to follow Israel's path of idolatry, using harlotry as an analogy for their unfaithfulness, pleading that Judah should not offend as Israel had by playing the harlot. Yet, Israel set the pace into idolatry, and Judah followed with equal zeal, stumbling together in their iniquity. God judged that backsliding Israel appeared more righteous than treacherous Judah, for Judah witnessed Israel's fall and mass deportation but refused to repent.

God's indictment of Israel and Judah reveals a profound betrayal, portraying Israel as a harlot in a spiritual sense due to their unfaithfulness to Him. He had called Israel out of Egypt, forming them into a nation with a special, intimate relationship, bound by a covenant ratified with blood to worship and obey Him alone. Yet, they forsook Him, diving wholeheartedly into idolatry, breaking the Sabbath repeatedly, and foolishly trusting in other nations rather than relying on His protection and blessings. This rebellion is likened to spiritual adultery, as He considered the covenant with Israel a marriage, with Himself as the husband and the nation as His wife. Their rejection of His benevolence and pursuit of alliances with foreign nations, seeking riches and safety on their own terms, infuriated Him, as they spurned the very promises He offered. In Amos 3 and 4, God's judgment against Israel is intensified because they should have known better, having been educated in His ways and given His laws. Despite this, they flagrantly sinned and rebelled, becoming morally warped, unable to discern right from wrong. The women of Israel, described as urging their husbands to oppress the poor to satisfy selfish desires, signify the depth of societal decay. Their religious practices were corrupted, filled with spectacle rather than sincerity, as they overdid sacrifices and tithes to be seen as pious, yet their actions were laced with sin. Repeated warnings through calamities like famine, drought, and war failed to turn them back to Him, as they remained spiritually obtuse, hardened against His correction. In II Kings 17, the historical overview of Israel's defeat and exile by the Assyrians underscores their primary sin of idolatry, equated with sin itself, as they feared other gods and forsook the One who freed and blessed them. They attempted to hide their rebellion, secretly worshipping at high places, underestimating His omniscience, reducing Him to the level of a dumb idol. Their complete apostasy is evident as they abandoned all His commandments, becoming enslaved to ungodliness, engaging in idolatry, child sacrifice, witchcraft, and selling themselves to do evil, deliberately rebelling against Him in all aspects of life. Ezekiel 16 and 20 further paint a picture of utter perversion and shameful behavior, with Judah following Israel's path, flaunting rebellion in His face. Their failure to keep the Sabbath, a sign setting them apart as His people, led to a rapid drift from Him, resulting in a loss of identity and connection, blending into the world as the lost tribes of Israel. Forsaking the Sabbath was tantamount to forsaking Him, severing the vital relationship that facilitated learning His way. Despite this profound unfaithfulness, He is not finished with Israel, promising a marvelous work to turn them back to Him, though it will come through great tribulation and harsh lessons, ultimately leading to a time when they will hallow His name and fear Him.

Israel's national sin is deeply rooted in faithlessness, vividly portrayed through the metaphor of harlotry. The book of Hosea captures this theme, where the Lord instructs Hosea to take a wife of harlotry, reflecting the land's great harlotry by departing from the Lord. This imagery presents Israel as a faithless wife, guilty of extreme betrayal in her spiritual covenant with God, which manifests as idolatry. God is depicted as a faithful Husband and a loving, longsuffering Parent, while Israel consistently fails in her responsibilities within this relationship, an act God labels as adultery and harlotry. The term "zanah," translated as harlotry, signifies not a single act of adultery but a sexually wanton way of life, ultimately pointing to spiritual idolatry. Hosea links harlotry with wine and new wine, illustrating its addictive power that enslaves the heart, destroys discretion, and erases understanding. This faithlessness permeates all aspects of life, making Israel unreliable in commitments to God, mates, country, employers, and contracts. As a people, Israelites struggle to remain faithful, always seeking personal gain and pleasure, a characteristic absorbed from a culture saturated with the spirit of harlotry. This pervasive unfaithfulness results in the loss of vital truths, including the importance of God's Word to family and community life, and Israel's relationship with Him. It extends further, eroding reliable bases for business, moral standards, trust in relationships, and dependability in all facets of life. The absence of steadfast love and the lack of true knowledge and acknowledgment of God further distance Israel from Him, reflecting a relationship that is, at best, very distant.