BOOK OF HOSEA - PART ONE

The book is set in the last period of political strength of the Northern Kingdom of Israel/Ephraim. While the threat of Assyrian invasion hovers in the background, the book focuses on the behavior of Israel, which it evaluates and condemns in very sharp terms. It is a period of apostasy, of social disintegration, of wrongful leadership, of failed alliances, in sum a period in which knowledge of and reverence for the Lord are lacking. Just as in the time we now live!

Hosea employs sexual and family metaphors to express the relationship between God and Israel. God takes the role of an angry husband who condemns, severely punishes, and publicly dishonors his unfaithful wife, who fails to recognize how good he had been to her. After his violent and shaming punishment is carried out, God will be willing to take her back.

We also see here the metaphor of the lost tribes of Israel and their grafting into the olive tree. Israel/Ephraim are the lost sheep of Israel being reunited with Judah in the last days. The Northern Kingdom was dispersed throughout the world and mixed in with the Gentiles, in effect, losing their identity. The ‘Church’ lost her Hebraic roots, Israel lost her identity and the two have mixed together for millennia. Now God is bringing them back into the fold and revealing to them who they really are.

1. The prophet’s married life….1.1--3.5
A. His marriage to Gomer 1.1-9 Hosea is told to get himself a wife of whoredom and children of whoredom; because the land (Israel) will stray from following the Lord. He marries Gomer and she bares him a son whom they name Jezreel. The name Jezreel means “El/God sows,” and means “to scatter seeds”. God is going to scatter Israel because of their idolatry (whoredom).

Gomer then gives birth to a daughter whom the Lord says to name her Lo-ruhamah. This name means ‘unpitied’ or ‘not accepted’. God is no longer going to accept Israel or pardon her.

After weaning Lo-ruhamah Gomer conceives a son who she names Lo-ammi. This name means ‘not my people’. God is telling them He will no longer be their God because of their idolatry.


B. A message of hope 1.10-11 Now God says that the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea. God says that then, “In the place you where told you are not my people, there it will be said ‘You are the sons of the living God!’ Then God says Judah and Israel will be gathered together and appoint themselves one head over them.

This has not happened yet…it is a future event as Judah (Jews) and Israel/Ephraim (Gentiles) come together under the head of the body Jesus Christ! Jezreel becomes a place of future redemption. The valley of Jezreel is also known as Armageddon.

C. Judgment on faithless Israel 2.1-13 The brother is now called ‘My people’ and the sister ‘Lovingly accepted’ as the chapter begins. The mother or nation (Israel) is then rebuked for her harlotry. The rebuke in Hebrew means ‘reprove’ as in the hope of correcting the bad behavior. The punishment for such behavior is shaming. Going after other lovers is idolatry and/or unethical political alliances with other nations.
As the nation behaves this way and is finding her way a hedge of thorns she will think about returning to her first husband (God). She begins to see that it was her husband who provided all good things for her. None of her lovers will be able to help her against her angry husband the Lord. God is going to shame her for her sin. There will be no rejoicing, not even in the feast days.

D. The restoration of faithless Israel 2.14-23 Marital reconciliation will occur as the Lord will bring the wife (Israel) back. The fertility of the land will also return. She will call God ‘Ishi’ an adoring term for husband and not ‘Baali” which means ‘Master’ or ‘My Baal’. The Lord than speaks of betrothal to Israel (the Church-a better translation is assembly) and they will be devoted to the Lord in that day. God will take her back in favor. He will say, “You are my people” and they will say, “You are my God!”

What a wonderful promise God gives to his wayward church. At the end of the age the church will be apostate, the true believers will know who they are and will return to their roots. Then Jew and Gentile will become the ‘One new man’ that Paul speaks of in Ephesians 2.15.


NEXT: HOSEA PART TWO