The Book of Hosea
The book is named after the prophet whose message it preserves. Hosea's time encompasses the tragic last days of the northern kingdom (Israel), during which six kings reigned within twenty-five years. Assyria was expanding westward, and in about 733 B.C. they dismembered Israel. Then in 722-721 B.C., Samaria was captured and its people exiled. The northern kingdom was at an end.
Hosea prophesied about the middles of the eighth century B.C., shortly after the ministry of Amos. Amos threatened God's judgment on Israel at the hands of an unnamed enemy; Hosea identifies that enemy as Assyria.
Hosea prophesied about the middles of the eighth century B.C., shortly after the ministry of Amos. Amos threatened God's judgment on Israel at the hands of an unnamed enemy; Hosea identifies that enemy as Assyria.
In the first half of the book Hosea's Family life is made a symbolic action to convey the message Hosea had from the Lord for His people. The Lord loved His covenant people and would take them back, however often they would wander.
The second half of the bookgives the details of Israel's involvement in Canaanite religion. Like other prphetic books, Hosea carried a call to repentance. The alternative to destruction is to forsake idols and return to the Lord
In chapters 1-3, God gives Hosea instructions to marry an unfaithful woman and
he obeys. Hosea describes his wife Gomer, she was a Harlot, and they had
children of his own wife who was unfaithful. She leaves him and finds another
man. Hosea is faithful; he finds her, redeems her and brings her back home to
him. “Then I said to her, “You shall stay with me for many days. You shall
not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man; so I will also be toward
you” (3:3).
In chapters 4-14, Hosea describes how Israel has been unfaithful to God. God wants Israel to repent and turn from their wickedness. He wants to restore Israel however, they continue to disobey and follow their own ways, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children” (4:6).
Foreshadowing of Jesus
Hosea 2:23 is the wonderful prophetic message from God to include the Gentiles [non-Jews] as His children as recorded also in Romans 9:25 and 1 Peter 2:10. Gentiles are not originally “God’s people,” but through His mercy and grace, He has provided Jesus Christ, and by faith in Him we are grafted into the tree of His people (Romans 11:11-18). This is an amazing truth about the Church, one that is called a “mystery” because before Christ, God’s people were considered to be the Jews alone. When Christ came, the Jews were temporarily blinded until the “full number of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25).
continue in Joel...
he obeys. Hosea describes his wife Gomer, she was a Harlot, and they had
children of his own wife who was unfaithful. She leaves him and finds another
man. Hosea is faithful; he finds her, redeems her and brings her back home to
him. “Then I said to her, “You shall stay with me for many days. You shall
not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man; so I will also be toward
you” (3:3).
In chapters 4-14, Hosea describes how Israel has been unfaithful to God. God wants Israel to repent and turn from their wickedness. He wants to restore Israel however, they continue to disobey and follow their own ways, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children” (4:6).
Foreshadowing of Jesus
Hosea 2:23 is the wonderful prophetic message from God to include the Gentiles [non-Jews] as His children as recorded also in Romans 9:25 and 1 Peter 2:10. Gentiles are not originally “God’s people,” but through His mercy and grace, He has provided Jesus Christ, and by faith in Him we are grafted into the tree of His people (Romans 11:11-18). This is an amazing truth about the Church, one that is called a “mystery” because before Christ, God’s people were considered to be the Jews alone. When Christ came, the Jews were temporarily blinded until the “full number of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25).
continue in Joel...
