Israel's relationship with God is portrayed as a sacred marriage covenant, marked by intimacy and exclusivity. When God called Israel out of Egypt and formed them into a nation, He knew the inclination of their hearts and their potential for carnality, which would lead to their destruction. Despite this, He bound Himself to them through a covenant ratified with blood, expecting their worship and obedience to Him alone. His eyes were fixed on them, and He desired to bless them abundantly, as seen in the numerous promises of blessing in the Pentateuch. However, Israel forsook Him, turning to idols and incurring His wrath. They rebelled against Him, failing to obey the Angel of the Lord as commanded, and became among the most sinful of nations. This betrayal is likened to spiritual adultery, as God considered the covenant with Israel a marriage, positioning Himself as their Husband and the nation as His wife, with the individuals as His children. Despite His willingness to provide protection and prosperity, Israel spurned His benevolence, seeking alliances with foreign nations and their gods, thus infuriating Him. Their sins were grievous, as they should have known better due to their privileged position. God educated them in His ways, yet they flagrantly sinned and rebelled, deserving severe punishment under His justice. Only His mercy prevented their utter annihilation. Israel's religious practices became corrupt, filled with spectacle rather than sincerity, and they abandoned all of His commandments, engaging in idolatry, child sacrifice, witchcraft, and other anti-God behaviors. They became enslaved to ungodliness, deliberately rebelling against Him in all aspects of their lives. God warned them repeatedly through calamities like famine, drought, blight, locusts, disease, destruction, and war, intending to draw their attention to His displeasure. Yet, they remained spiritually obtuse, failing to connect these disasters with their sins and refusing to return to a right relationship with Him. They even attempted to hide their idolatry, underestimating Him by likening Him to their impotent idols, thinking He could not see their secret actions. They limited the Holy One of Israel, misunderstanding His true nature as the all-powerful, all-knowing Sovereign. Their rejection of the Sabbath further distanced them from God, as it was a sign setting them apart as His people. Forsaking this day of intimate connection led them to forget both Him and their own identity, blending into the world as the lost tribes of Israel. Despite this, God's ultimate plan holds hope, promising a marvelous work to turn wicked Israel back to Him, though only through great tribulation and harsh lessons.

The book of Hosea reveals the profound relationship between God and Israel, portraying Israel as His wife. The Eternal viewed Israel's worship of other gods as spiritual adultery, a theme recurrent in the Old Testament where Israel is described as whoring after or playing the harlot with other gods. Despite His command that they shall have no other gods before Him, Israel persistently ignored His laws, leading to a state of moral and spiritual degeneration by the time of Jeroboam II. God's grief over this idolatry was immense, and He spoke through the prophet Hosea to mirror His relationship with unfaithful Israel through Hosea's personal life. God directed Hosea to marry Gomer, a woman affected by the moral laxity of her society, as an object lesson of His bond with Israel. Despite the early joy in their marriage and the birth of their son Jezreel, named by God for prophetic significance, Gomer grew restless and unfaithful. Her subsequent children, Lo-Ruhamah and Lo-Ammi, symbolized Israel's alienation from God and Gomer's adultery, reflecting the nation's wandering from His love. Hosea's pain and persistence in loving Gomer, even after her repeated unfaithfulness and eventual departure, echoed God's enduring love for Israel. He sought her out, found her in a degraded state, and bought her back from slavery, restoring her as his wife. This narrative illustrates God's never-ending love for His people, as He continually pleaded with Israel to return to Him despite their sins. Hosea's forgiving love for Gomer parallels God's desire for Israel to repent and stay close to Him, showing that His heart churned with love even as He allowed them to suffer the consequences of their actions. Through Hosea's life, God demonstrated the depth of His love and His longing for reconciliation with His unfaithful people.

God entered into a sacred agreement with Israel, viewing the Old Covenant as a marriage contract between Himself and the nation. Through the prophet Jeremiah, He declares to Israel, "I am married to You." He considered Israel to be His wife, reflecting on the kindness of their youth and the love of their betrothal when they followed Him in the wilderness. As recorded by Ezekiel, God connects this covenant with marriage, emphasizing His ownership of the land and His power to fulfill His promises. He demands Israel's loyalty and commitment to obey His voice, expecting faithfulness to the covenant's terms. With the words "My voice," He refers to the Ten Commandments spoken from Mount Sinai, as well as the statutes and judgments given to Moses, reiterating His requirement for obedience.