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Introduction
The novel Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers retells the story of true unfailing love from the Book of Hosea.
She sets her novel in the time of Gold Rush in California. Such time setting reflects the wickedness and
corruption that was going on in Israel the prophet Hosea was living in. The hostile environment is described as
the God proclaims ‘There is not man faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land. There is only
cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and blood sheds to bloodshed.’ (4:2)
During the Gold Rush, as portrayed in Rivers novel, people indulged in sins more than they could afford and
suffered from the wickedness of their own. In Book of Hosea, God’s covenantal relationship is portrayed
through the marriage between the prophet Hosea and a prostitute Gomer. In this portrayal God exemplify his
unconditional love that he has for Israel and faithfulness to the covenant promise that he has made. Rivers
portrays such love through her romance fiction of a marriage between a respectful farmer Michael Hosea and
high price prostitute, Angel.
Rivers , highly successful with this novel has sold over million copies in past twenty years earned
generous critics mainly through Christian critics. One critic quoted ‘the timeless biblical them… are beautifully
portrayed and brought to live through her unforgettable character.’ I was first introduced to her work by a
friend when I was struggling through my spiritual faith. The novel made such a great impact; I reread the novel
many times more. But when I read the Book of Hosea I was taken by how well Rivers created her characters to
portray the relationship between Israel and God. So in this paper I investigated the way how Francine Rivers
characters portrays of God and Israel in order to retell the difficult yet redeeming covenantal relationship.
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Hosea
God’s command to Prophet Hosea’s to marry a prostitute, Gomer, resembles his promise to restore corrupted
Israel. In the novel Redeeming Love, well respected farmer, Michael Hosea, is also called to marry a famous,
high-price prostitute, Angel. Like God has suffered watching his covenant being shattered by immoral Israel,
Michael Hosea also suffers and struggles due to Angel’s unwillingness to let go of her self-dependent mindset
as a formal prostitute. In his struggle Hosea seeks God for guidance. God responds to Michael’s cry by
constantly reminding him to ‘love her as I have loved you.’(280).In this way Michael’s characteristic as a
husband is shaped after God’s compassionate characteristic towards Israel. They share same desire of being
acknowledged and are portrayed as defender and provider to their wife. By showing such love, Angel is
redeemed and makes further impact to the woman like herself. Just as prophet Hosea‘s marriage influenced lost
Israel that has turned against God
Being called by their name is portrayed as God and Michael’s greatest desire. In the Book of Hosea,
God proclaims , ‘ you will call me ‘ husband’; you will no longer call me ‘my master’ I will remove the names
of the Baals from her lips; no longer will their names be invoked.’(2:16, 17) This proclamation indicates the
contrast between the false gods, Baals, and God. The gods that Israel has been idolizing and giving credit to are
called to be their ‘master.’ However God is illustrated as the ‘husband.’ God’s unique characteristic of both
divine righteousness and compassion unlike any other gods is also shown as he quotes, ‘for I am God, and not
man – the Holy One among you. I will not come in wrath’ (11:9b). The dramatic imagery of removing other
gods’ names from Israel is portrays God’s great desire for Israel to call him and recognize him as the God that is
always faithful and passionate to the promise he has made to Israel.
In the novel Redeeming love, Angel refuses to call Michael by his name and calls him ‘mister’, the name she
used to call any other men who dealt businesses with her. This represents Angel’s unwillingness to recognize
Michael as her husband just as Israel has refused. It also creates distance between Michael and Angel’s
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relationship. The word ‘mister’ is symbolizes another block that Angel uses to built her wall against Michael.
Michael’s refusal to have sex with Angel until she calls him name farther define his desire to be recognized as a
man different from all the men. One of the core reason why Michael detest being called ‘mister’ is because of
the tone and the attitude within. Misters resemble her self-reliance knowledge of men based on her experience.
To her knowledge love does not exist but lust does. Sex is an act of lust not an act of love based of faith and
pleasure for wife and husband. The recognition of Michael’s name resembles the break from Angle’s false
knowledge and understanding the true meaning behind the act of love. God’s desire’s for Israel’s understanding
of heartfelt love is also evident in the book of Hosea as he quotes ‘For I desire mercy not sacrifice and
acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.’
Despite their unfulfilled desire to be recognized as the significant other. Michael continues to resemble
God’s love. One of the parallelizing characteristic that is evident is the portrayal of Michael as a the fierce
defender.
In the Bible, God proclaims through the prophet Hosea,
‘I will come upon them like a lion, like a leopard I will lurk by the path. Like a bear robbed of her cubs’ (V.137:8a)
This metaphor foreshadows that when God returns to rescue Israel from its misery, there will be great wrath and
fury. The comparison of the lion reemphasizes God’s sovereignty. Just as the lion struts in to the field of prey,
God’s authoritative presence will be upon Israel. The metaphor of God as a lurking leopard not only indicates
unexpected relevance but also indicates the absence Israel’s desire to be rescued. Because Israel views him as
her predator who will take away their pleasure, God must come upon them by concealing himself. Last, God’s
returning is compared to a bear robbed of her cubs. This illustrates God’s anger towards Israel ignited by his
passion and betrayal. God promises to show no mercy to those who have robbed the covenant between him and
Israel.
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Rivers takes this metaphoric expression into a literal action in one of her scene to show Michael’s
characteristic of a fierce defender. When Angel runs away from Michael to return back to the prostitution, he
runs after to bring her back. When Michael bursts into the room she is working in he entered with such an
authority that Angel quotes,
‘at the sight of him she wanted to fall at his feet’(192) . This is direct comparison made to Hosea’s prophecy.
‘he(God) will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come rambling from the west. ‘Also, when
Michael bellowed his commands to Angel, he said it with such a power ‘She did not dare disobey’ (193). The
way he fought the other men in the brothel was so fierce, Angel believed ‘he had been doing it all his life
instead of plowing furrows and planting corn’ (193). Before Michael exits the bethel he daringly proclaims
‘Who else wants to get between me and my wife?’(193). Michael’s violent reaction indicates his willingness
and power to save his marriage. Like God he is not kind to the sinfulness. However they both fight furiously
against such sin so that their loved one will be defended end restored.
In the Book of Hosea, God makes a promise to Israel that he ‘will lead her into the desert and speak
tenderly o her. (He) will give her back her vineyards, and make valley of Achor a door of hope as in the day she
came up out of Egypt’ (2:14-15). In his promise, God creates a flash back to the time when God provided Israel
all she needed in the desert as they were rescued from Egypt. In the flash back God reminds her he ‘cared for
(her) in the desert, in the land of burning heat.’ and how they were satisfied when he fed them (13:5-6). This
reference is made to give hope to Israel that he is greatly capable of saving Israel from most harsh, unbearable
situation, even like the present time. Through his power, God is able to restore Israel just as new as she walked
out of the desert. The promise symbolizes God’s characteristic as the great provider and faithful lover of Israel.
In Rivers novel, use of flash back is also used to allow Michael to give Angel hope. In order to detach
Angel from her past and old way, Michael shares his personal experience with her. When he sees Angel’s
grudge against her cruel, unforgiving childhood he opens himself up to share his childhood with his family. He
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explains that ‘from the very beginning (he) did not fit the mold.’ and because of this, he was called name by the
wealthiest plantation owner of the town, his father. Rivers creates this flash back to show how Michael and
Angel were both rejected in their childhood. As Angel becomes aware to Michael’s past similar to hers, she also
becomes aware of the hope that one can overcome rejections and forgive others who rejected her, including
herself.
Later in the novel, as the relationship of the couple progresses, Angel’s guilt and shame in her sins
becomes greater. In response, hope that that she does not have to be slave to her sin is revealed through
Michael’s flash back. Michael recalls, ‘When I came back for you the first time and saw what Magowan had
done to you… I’ve killed him a hundred times in a hundred ways, each worse than the last.’(pg.315)This flash
back is made to relate to Angel’s biggest unforgotten sin committed; she slept with her father to revenge him,
who eventually committed suicide. The idea that thinking about killing someone is no different form actually
committing a murder is explained along. This new concept is made brings Angel assurance that even the darkest
past of her life cannot destroy Michael’s faithfulness. But most importantly it shows her hope that like Michael
she can be free from her sinful nature. Parallel to the Book of Hosea in Redeeming love, the hope of restoration
is made through the restoration that has been made in the past. However, Michael differs from God because in
Rivers flash backs Michael is described more like his beloved, where as the flash back in the Book of Hosea is
made to emphasize the sovereignty of God over Israel.
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Angel
The Book of Hosea contains records of wicked action and God’s indictment of Israel. The covenant
between God and Israel, is destroyed due to the false teachings of corrupted priests. The foreign gods and
religious practice is infiltrated by religious due to meaningless sacrifice and foolish foreign alliance. God
compares Israel’s tainted soul to prostitutes as he quotes ‘they have deserted the Lord to give themselves to
prostitution, to old wine and new…A spirit of prostitution leads them astray; they are unfaithful to their
God.”(4:10, 12) As the prophet Hosea’s marriage with a prostitute, Gomer, represents the covenantal
relationship between God and Israel, River introduces Angel, contrives beautiful yet cold and unfortunately lost
prostitute, Angel, to portray Israel.
River first opens the novel with a prolog titled ‘Child of Darkness.’ In this chapter plot, River tells of
distorted childhood of Angel. Difficulty life of Angel began with her birth as an illegitimate child. Her rich,
prestigious father rejects her and her mother, Mae. The pain of rejection results in death of Mae and Angel
under the possession of Duke. As Angel is neglected from humanity in a distorted environment, Angel’s
knowledge of true love is also isolated and distorted. Just as Israel’s knowledge of God. Angel’s robbed
innocence is replaced by adulterous teaching of her worldly, pleasure centered care taker Duke. Rivers develop
a powerful and influential character, Duke, to serves as a character that represents the priests of Israel, who
thought false knowledge of God for their own pleasure. As God proclaims “The more the priests increased, the
more they sinned against me; they exchanged their Glory for something disgraceful. They feed on the sins of
my people and relish their wickedness.’(4:7-8)Priests were significant figures in Israel. The purpose of their
existence was to be the mediator between the earth and the Holy God. Duke matches up the power of priests
first by his name. The name Duke meaning a royal ruler signifies his power gives him a great charisma as a
powerful man. Angel suffering from frequently reoccurring nightmare of his vulgar crime of raping in her later
years farther confirms his influential character. Duke’s character is a primary reason that brings Angel to
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believe what Cleo has thought, ‘All men want to do is use you. When you give them your heart, they tear
apart.’(30) Through Duke Angel’s perception that all men only wants her to have the ways that their lusting
desires; thus falling in love will lead her into destruction..
As the false teaching leads to broken covenant between God and Israel, Angle’s marriage with Michael
Hosea also becomes frequently troubled due to the false teachings in her past experience. God proclaims in the
Book of Hosea towards adulterous Israel, ‘Like Adam, they have broken the covenant – they were unfaithful to
me there.’ The allusion made in this quotes indicate a charter of self-reliance of Israel. In Genesis, Adam and
Eve had fell prey to the hissing voice of the snake. They were tempted to eat the forbidden fruit that gave them
knowledge though God had given them everything that they could possibly need. Because of their own
knowledge and understanding, their exclusive relationship with God was forever destroyed. Like Adam, Israel
fall prey to the voice of the world. They went against Gods teaching and over looked their blessing. As a result
they became more reliant to what the world offered and taught. Angel also falls prey to the dark voice in her
head. River’s repeating pattern of the dark voice intruding Angel’s mind reminds her the past has thought her.
The voice has a pattern of appearing when Angel starts to become vulnerable and open with her emotion. As
she begins to contemplate her love for Michael, the voice in her head intrudes and quotes, “Fool! You want to
end up like your mother? … make him let you go now while you can still bear it. If you wait, it will only hurt
worse. He’ll cut your heart out and carve it up for dinner.’(280) The voice in her head becomes the primary
issues in the covenantal relationship between Angel and Michael. Such influence feeds the desire of running
away from Michael in her heart. In her desperate search of worldly freedom and independence Angle only find
herself returning to her old ways of prostitution.
The priests’ failure to teach the Israel the laws of God also leads them in to meaningless and empty act
of religious faith. God criticizes such foolishness as he quotes “Though Ephraim built many alters for sin
offerings, these have become altars for sinning … They offer sacrifices given to me and they eat the meat, but
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the Lord is not pleased with them.”(8:11, 13) Israel may possess the knowledge to build to declare their
faithfulness to God, yet this knowledge is meaningless to the covenant that they have with God. Without the
true understanding of repentance and mercy these are just a man made masks for them to cover up their
disobedience and wickedness. The mindless towards the covenant is also a characteristic that is found in
Angel’s character. Though Angel has been bought out of prostitution, her thought s and understanding remains
the same. Just as God observed Israel to be as he quotes ‘A sprit of prostitution is in their heart. They do not
acknowledge the Lord’(5:4b). Angel used to hide her emotions behind her beautiful physical attraction and
men’s lust just as Duke taught her. While she was captive by him, he used to tell her ‘Love is a trap Angel.
Stick to pleasure. It doesn’t require any great commitment.’(277) Duke’s teaching resembles the priests
teaching just as they taught Israel to make sacrifice for their own joy not for the love of God. This is the
teaching that helped Angel to play the part to save herself from becoming anyone like her mother. In the
beginning of the marriage, Angel stubborn belief that a man can love her without lusting over her becomes the
first major conflict in the marriage. Later uses her sexual attention as a weapon against Michael to prove her
point. Angle’s belief in sex without a any emotional attachment. Michael, fighting against her belief, describes
Angel as he responds ‘You are a wall, a stone wall, four feet think and a hundred feet high.’ River portrays the
absent knowledge due false teachings by using a wall metaphor. The wall represents Angel’s firm determined
disbelief of love without lust. Angel has been trained to play the physical part of love. Behind this thick
stubborn wall Angel stands behind and hides away from her emotion and mind, just as the Israel did with their
shiny alters. Although the wall is described as Angel’s protection from the hurting, she becomes a prisoner
surrounded by the thick walls that she has built. The wall results continuous hurting and suffering created on her
own. In this way Rivers metaphor can be also seen as irony.
Israel’s rejection of the knowledge of God and rebellion results in slavery to imperfect worldliness.
Israel quickly becomes slave to the foreign gods, Baal, by the foolish alliance with other country. God observes
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these foolish actions in his declaration, ‘The people live in Samaria fear for the calf-idol of Beth Aven. Its
people will mourn over it, and so will its idolatrous priests, those whose had rejoiced over its splendor, because
it is taken from them into exile.’(10:5, 6) The Golden Calf is symbol of Israel’s disobedience and unfaithfulness
to the covenant made with God. When they saw the need of protection they turned to other kingdoms, like
Assyria, and took the foreign gods as their own. They offered the sacrifice to Baal and other gods for the
blessings that God has poured over them. They also engaged in the sinful foreign religious actions as God
procalims, ‘they offer human sacrifice and kiss the calf-idols’ (13:2).This quote shows Israel’s lustful love that
representing that they have wondered away from love of God. Against the pure compassion of God’s covenant
they committed adultery like a prostitutes. They were once faithful servant of God and his covenant but now
they have became slaves of the wickedness of the world.
Like Israel, Angel also falls into slavery in result of her lack of understanding and rebellion. To begin
with, the business of prostitution indicates her never ending bound to slavery. First she fell into wicked hands of
infamous Duke. After years of suffering, Angel only runs away to find her falling in to hands of Duchess, who
ran a successful brothel at Sacramento. Angel feels forever trapped by her occupation and her past, even when
she is rightfully bought out of it by her husband. She constantly cries for independence during her marriage and
the voice constantly pushes her as it tells her
‘get what Duchess owes you…you have to go back, Angel. You must. You will never be free if you don’t
you’re going to get your money. There will be a lot of it, and you will be free. You can always build another
cabin just like this one, and it will be all yours. You won’t have to share it with a man.’ (145) When Michael
asks her why she ran away just to go back to be a prostitute she simply answers, ‘to get my gold.’ In this way
gold also symbolizes slavery in Rivers work. Throughout the plot, repeating pattern of Angel running away
occurs. One of the main reasons is she wants to get her gold back from Pair- a- Dice. To Angel, the gold
represents independence that will bring freedom. Like Israel, Angel becomes slave to her fantasy of worldly
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freedom that never lasts.. Though Angel desperately searches for the gold that she believes will lead her to road
of freedom, the real freedom, the real freedom that she truly needs has already been given to her right in her
hand, the gold band ring. This irony parallelizes to the foolishness of Israel
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Conclusion
In conclusion, the main characters of the novel of Redeeming Love, successfully resembles the Israel
and the covenant of God. Angel, who lived her whole life as prostitute portrays Israel’s corruption that can is
easily acceptable to the whole world except to the one who loves her the most. Michael Hosea, a faithful man
who lives by the world of God does not fail to portray as the God despite his unfaithful wife. Rivers
successfully uses variety of literary devices through her plot such as metaphor and irony to craft her characters.
The strong representation made through the character makes the novel effectively recaptures the motif of
redeeming love that is portrayed in the Book of Hosea in a time period and place that is easier to understand to
the readers today.
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Bibliography
Holy Bible New International Version, 1984 International Bible Society
Redeeming Love,1997 Francine Rivers
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