Prophet to the North - Why Study the Book of Hosea?

Prophet to the North: Why Study the Book of Hosea

For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up. ⁸Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure — Hosea 8:7-8

Introduction

A prophet from the Northern Kingdom of Israel, prophesying to the Northern Kingdom, Hosea is a faithful man who marries an exceptionally unfaithful wife named Gomer. How else can it be since she was a prostitute? The prophet’s marriage was like a metaphor of God’s relationship with Israel, which is likened to a troubled marriage with an unfaithful spouse.

Hebrew Name of Hosea

The prophet’s name comes from Hoshea, meaning ‘salvation.’ The great conqueror of Canaan, Joshua the son of Nun, has the Hebrew name Yehoshua, meaning ‘Yahweh’ or ‘God’ is salvation.

Author of Hosea

Though the text is written in the first and third person, it is commonly believed that Hosea was the author of the prophetic book that bears his name. His assignment was daunting: he was called to minister to his nation, the Northern Kingdom of Israel. This Israelite entity started on the wrong foot from the beginning: its founding monarch Jeroboam I instituted the worship of the golden calves in Bethel and Dan. This ‘sin of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin’ would be replicated by all 19 monarchs of Israel. For this reason alone, the Word of God says the Northern kings did ‘evil in the sight of the Lord.’ Add to his domestic problems with Gomer and you can see Hosea lived a troubled life.

The Northern Kingdom was outwardly prosperous but decaying inside. Whatever Hosea experienced with Gomer was replicated multifold with God and Israel. He ministered for around 50 years, up to and including the conquest of the Northern Kingdom by Assyria and the deportation of the population into Mesopotamian captivity (722 BC). Hosea was a contemporary of Amos the Judaean, who also ministered to the Northern Kingdom, and of Isaiah and Micah, prophets to Judah. Apart from his compassion, integrity, and that he fathered 3 children, we don’t know anything else about him.

Portrait of Christ in Hosea

Jesus is the Son of God who is called out of Egypt (11:1). Likewise, He is faithful and the Lord, called to serve double-minded, two-timing Israel.

Theme of Hosea

God has in love, grace, and faithfulness called Israel to be His special people. Despite their unfaithfulness and spiritual adultery, there is the promise of restoration. Spiritual adultery of Israel was shown in the worship of Baal, the fertility cults, and temple prostitutes. Gomer mirrors the unfaithfulness and adultery of the nation.

Yet, the faithfulness of God becomes all the more apparent and He longs to show mercy and give redemption to Israel. Yet, in the face of their impenitence, judgement must follow. God’s covenant-keeping nature also readily manifests, since He deals with humanity by covenant. The Lord can be trusted to keep His word. Finally, God’s willingness to love Israel despite everything is a faithful testament of His love for all humanity.

Key Verses of Hosea

For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink. ⁶Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths. ⁷And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now — Hosea 2:5-7

Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. — Hosea 4:1

And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him. ⁸How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. ⁹I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city — Hosea 11:7-9

Summary of Hosea

Hosea is the first of the 12 minor prophets. He is only one of two who prophesied to the Northern Kingdom of Israel and he is the only one from the North. His marriage to Gomer was difficult due to her unfaithfulness, which mirrors what God had to deal with in Israel.

His first child was a son named Jezreel: God scatters and speaks about the destruction of the Israelite dynasty, specifically the House of Ahad, including his wicked wife Jezebel and his 70 sons - he must have had a large harem (II Kings 9:13-37; also chapter 10). The 2nd child was a daughter called Lo-Ruhamah: not loved or pitied. The third child is a son called Lo-Ammi: not my people. It was as if God was divorcing Israel, but it was not the end of the relationship. There were promises of restoration.

The second part of Hosea were poetic prophecies about the consequences of Israel’s unfaithfulness, which include moral, ethical, and political sins. Yet, the grace of God shines through, as there is the promise of forgiveness and restoration if Israel repents.

Outline of Hosea

(NOTE: Israel means the ‘Northern Kingdom’ & its golden calves at Bethel & Dan; ‘Judah’ means the Southern Kingdom, ruled by the House of David, custodian of Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem)

Hosea’s Miserable Marriage (1-3)

1:1:                  Background

1:2-3:               Hosea marries Gomer, a prostitute

1:4-2:1:            Hosea’s 3 children

2:2-2:13           Judgement on Israel for idolatry and adultery

2:14-23            Restoration follows judgement (a common theme of the prophets)

3:1-5:               Gomer redeemed from harlotry

Faithfulness of God and Unfaithfulness of Israel (4-14)

4:1-19:             God speaks of Israel’s idolatry

5:1-15              Judgement of Israel

6:1-7:16           Israel ignores the invitation to repent

8:1-9:9             Israel will be destroyed (722 BC)

9:10-17            Israel’s record of unfaithfulness to God

10:1-15            God judges Israel’s sin

11:1-4              History of divine deliverance

11:5-11                        God still desires Israel to obey Him

11:12-12:14     Both Israelite kingdoms have forsaken God and ignored the prophets

13:1-16            God’s redemption rejected

14:1-9              Repentance by Israel will bring restoration