Harlotry and spiritual adultery imagery uses marital betrayal and prostitution language to describe idolatry, covenant unfaithfulness, worldly compromise, and the seduction of false worship.
Harlotry and spiritual adultery imagery uses marital betrayal and prostitution language to describe idolatry, covenant unfaithfulness, worldly compromise, and the seduction of false worship.
A covenant-betrayal motif in which sexual unfaithfulness language is applied figuratively to Israel, Jerusalem, religious systems, or professing people who forsake the LORD for idols, alliances, or corrupt desires.
These examples show how Harlotry and Spiritual Adultery Imagery functions in biblical language, rhetoric, poetry, prophecy, narrative, or theological imagery.
they go a whoring after their gods
Harlotry language describes idolatry as covenant betrayal rather than mere private religious preference.
they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring
Spiritual prostitution imagery connects illicit worship with demonic corruption.
this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers
The image anticipates Israel’s future covenant infidelity after entering the land.
they went a whoring after other gods
The refrain uses adultery imagery to summarize repeated apostasy in the judges period.
How is the faithful city become an harlot!
Jerusalem is pictured as an unfaithful city whose justice and righteousness have been corrupted.
thou hast played the harlot with many lovers
The prophetic image exposes Judah’s multiplied alliances and idolatries as marital treachery.
thou... playedst the harlot because of thy renown
Jerusalem’s gifts and beauty become instruments of unfaithfulness in the prophetic allegory.
the land hath committed great whoredom
Hosea’s sign-act and language portray the nation’s departure from the LORD as covenant adultery.
An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign
Jesus uses adulterous-generation language for covenant unbelief and demand for signs apart from repentance.
the great whore... Mystery, Babylon the Great
Harlot imagery portrays a corrupt world-religious and political system seducing the nations.
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