THE BOOK OF HOSEA

INTRODUCTION:

1.This is one of the MINOR PROPHETS (Minor only in relative length).

2.AUTHOR: Hosea, 1:1; He was a Pre-Exile Prophet to the Northern Kingdom of Israel.

a.He was contemporary with Amos (prophet to Israel) and with Micah and Isaiah (prophets to Judah).

b.Hosea was the “Weeping Prophet” of Israel just as Jeremiah was the “Weeping Prophet” of Judah.

3.DATE: About 750 BC; Hosea actually worked more than half a century, and he lived to see the fulfillment of his prophecy in the Assyrian Captivity of Israel.

4.Two hundred years before Hosea, ten tribes had seceded from the kingdom of David and set up an independent kingdom, with the Golden Calf as its god - 1Kg 12:26-28.

5.CONTEXT: 2Kg 14:23-18:12

6.This is the Book of a husband’s love, and patience, and forgiveness (all of that was Hosea’s for Gomer, and Jehovah’s for Israel).

a.Israel was Jehovah’s bride: They adulterated the marriage - Jer 3:14; Ezek 16:10-15,20-21,26-27,32,377-41.

b.Gomer ran after other men, and Israel ran after other gods.

c.The people had lost faith and were depending on Egypt, Assyria, and idols, instead of Jehovah.

d.In these last years before captivity the land was full of all kinds of immorality, idolatry, violence, and confusion.

e.Hosea still loved Gomer, so he bought her back out of slavery and took her into his home again. Thus he was prepared to speak for God to Israel -- God loved Israel, and was willing to take them back.

f.God had already sent Elijah, Elisha, Jonah, and Amos to Israel.

g.In a last effort to keep these unfaithful people from being lost, He sent Hosea.

7.THEME: The Loyal Love Of God (even for backsliders).

1.ILLUSTRATION OF GOD AND ISRAEL -- CHAPTERS 1-3: SIN / JUDGMENT / AND PERSONAL RESTORATION.
THIS IS NARRATIVE -- AN ADULTEROUS WIFE AND A FORGIVING HUSBAND.

Chapter 1, HOSEA’S WIFE AND CHILDREN -- MARRIAGE; SIN, Verses 1-2.

A.Hosea’s attitude of sorrow, patience, compassion, love, and redemption for Gomer was God’s attitude and actions toward Israel (and His attitude toward backsliders now).

B.Symbolism: Gomer is the Nation of Israel; Her children are the people of the Nation. The names of her three children expressed God’s judgment of the Nation (the names represent Hosea’s message).

1.Jezreel: “Scattered by God.” God would judge and scatter the Nation of Israel because of their sin. This child was born to Hosea, Verses 3-4.

2.Loruhamah: “Not pitied.” No more mercy (there would be mercy for southern Judah, but not for Northern Israel), Verses 6-7. Hosea does not claim this child: The literal meaning of this name is “she that never knew a father’s love.”

3.Loammi: “Not my people.” No longer His (God’s utter rejection of Israel), Verses 8-9. Hosea disavows this child; The name suggests “no kin of mine.”

C.Promise, Verses 10-11 (This promise is fulfilled spiritually in Christ Jesus - Rom 9:23-26).

D.Christ can be seen, Verse 11.

Chapter 2, ADULTERY OF GOMER: SEPARATION; JUDGMENT (See in this evil woman the unfaithfulness of Israel).

A.Details of Gomer’s adultery, Verses 1-13 (1-6,8-9,11-13).

1.“His sentences fall like the throbs of a broken heart.”

2.This immorality probably was true of many women of the immoral time (cf 4:13).

B.Promise: Adulterous Israel could yet be restored, Verses 14-15, 19-20 (This was to be fulfilled spiritually, and has been fulfilled).

C.He predicted the day when other nations would be called the people of God, Verse 23 (Paul says this is the extension of the Gospel to the Gentiles - Rom 9:23-26).

Chapter 3, HOSEA CONTINUED TO LOVE GOMER: REUNION; RESTORATION.

A.Compassionate Hosea redeemed his wife, Verses 1-2 (This is a picture of God’s undying love for Israel, and Israel’s repentance and restoration).

B.Hosea bought Gomer back, but there was no reunion before there was discipline and chastening -- As a picture of Israel remaining “many days without king and without sacrifice” before her return to God, Verses 3-4.

C.Promise; Christ can be seen, Verse 5; Lk 1:32; Rom 1:3-4.

2.ISRAEL’S SIN AND GOD’S HOLINESS -- CHAPTERS 4-7:
SIN -- THE MESSAGE OF HOSEA (PROPHETIC SERMONS). THIS IS ADULTEROUS PEOPLE AND A FAITHFUL LORD.

Introduction to Chapters 4-7:

A.The behavior of Gomer is seen as a type of the unfaithfulness of the Nation of Israel.

B.Because of his own painful experience, Hosea could feel some of the sorrow which God felt over the sinfulness of His people Israel.

C.The remainder of the BOOK is an application of the Word of God to Israel.

1.GOD IS HOLY: Israel indicted for its many sins, Chapters 4-7.

2.GOD IS JUST: Israel was told of punishment to come, Chapters 8-10.

3.GOD IS LOVE: There still was hope, because of God’s love for Israel; They could repent and be restored, Chapters 11-14.

D.It is the story of a faithless nation and a forgiving God.

Chapter 4, EPHRAIM (PART OF ISRAEL) JOINED TO IDOLS: CHARGES AGAINST ISRAEL FOR HER SINFULNESS, HER IDOLATRY, AND HER IGNORANCE.

A.Jehovah’s controversy against the whole Nation, Verses 1-3.

B.Ignorance was one of their basic crimes, Verses 6-7.

C.The Priests fed on the sins of the people, Verses 8-10.

D.The people had gone into immorality, Verses 11-13.

E.Spiritual adultery was now the accepted way of life, Verses 16-17.

Chapter 5, EPHRAIM (PART OF ISRAEL) TO BE DESOLATE: JEHOVAH’S FACE WITHDRAWN FROM ISRAEL; RULERS ARE DENOUNCED.

A.Priests, king, and people REVOLTED against God, Verses 1-2.

B.Being steeped in sin, and being proud of it, they would not turn to God, Verses 4-5.

C.They had gone too far -- God had given them up, Verses 6-7.

D.The king’s effort to buy off Assyria would be to no avail, because God had withdrawn from His people, Verses 13-15 (see Verse 6).

Chapter 6, WICKED PRIESTS: AN APPEAL TO GUILTY PRIESTS AND GUILTY PEOPLE.

A.An appeal to them to return, Verse 1.

B.Promised blessings to the penitent, Verse 3.

C.Their goodness was fickle, Verse 4.

D.The priests were guilty, Verses 9-10.

Chapter 7, UNTURNED CAKE, SILLY DOVE: ISRAEL’S SAD CONDITION; THEIR HYPOCRISY.

A.God was aware of their wickedness, Verses 1-2; cf Heb 4:13.

B.“Hot as an oven” (fervent in their sin), Verse 7.

C.“Kings are fallen” may refer to the violence in which four kings were assassinated in quick succession, Verse 7; (Compare 2Kg 15:10,14,25).

D.“A cake not turned” suggests its being burned on one side while still raw on the other; Therefore it was unfit for use -- totally worthless, Verse 8.

E.“Gray hairs” -- Symptoms of the approaching end, Verse 9.

F.“A silly dove” -- Alternately seeking the aid of Egypt and Assyria (enemies!), instead of Jehovah, Verses 11-13.

G.Their service to the true God was hypocritical, Verses 14-16.

3.ISRAEL’S SUFFERING AND GOD’S JUSTICE -- CHAPTERS 8-10: JUDGMENT.

Chapter 8, SOW THE WIND, REAP THE WHIRLWIND: IDOLATRY; CAPTIVITY FORETOLD.

A.“Set up kings” -- God had appointed David’s family to rule His people; Ten tribes rebelled, and set up a different line of kings, Verse 4.

B.Doom was coming for idols and idolaters, Verses 5-6.

C.Idolaters would reap as they had sown, Verses 7-8; cf Gal 6:7-8.

D.Israel spurned the warning, would not repent, and the judgment of God could no longer be delayed, Verses 9-10.

E.Unfamiliarity with God’s Word brings disaster, Verses 12-14.

Chapter 9, ISRAEL WAS ABOMINABLE LIKE THE IDOLS THEY LOVED: ISRAEL’S COMING DISTRESS BECAUSE OF SIN.

A.The days of recompense had come, Verses 6-7.

B.They had crossed the line; Now there was no remedy, Verse 9.

C.God had to give them up, Verses 10,15,17.

Chapter 10, THE GLORY OF BETHEL IS DEPARTED: MORE ABOUT ISRAEL’S SINS.

A.They were selfish and useless, Verse 1.

B.The glory of their idols was to be replaced by shame, Verses
2,5-6,8.

C.Again the eternal truth of Gal 6:7-8 is apparent, Verse 13.

D.Final overthrow would be accomplished quickly, Verse 15.

4.ISRAEL’S SALVATION AND GOD’S LOVE -- CHAPTERS
11-14: RESTORATION.

Introduction to Chapters 11-14:

A.God is holy (Chapters 4-7) and just (Chapters 8-10); But He is also loving and gracious (Chapters 11-14).

B.God must discipline, but because of His endless love, He ultimately will save and restore all of His wayward people
(that is, all who choose to repent).

Chapter 11, GOD’S YEARNING FOR ISRAEL: HIS MERCY AND TENDER LOVE FOR THEM.

A.He loved His people, Verses 1,4a.

B.But they refused His offers of mercy, Verse 7.

C.Judah was still faithful, but Ephraim (Israel) was gone, Verse 12.

Chapter 12, ISRAEL SHOULD BE LIKE JACOB: FURTHER REPROOF OF THEIR SINS.

A.They insisted on forbidden relationships, Verse 1.

B.Bethel, the center of their idolatry, was the very spot where the patriarch Jacob had dedicated his life to God (Gen 28:13-15,19), Verses 4-6.

C.But they became idolaters, thieves, hypocrites, Verses 7-8.

D.God tried to reach them, Verse 10.

Chapter 13, THEY SIN MORE AND MORE: ISRAEL COMES TO
ITS END.

A.They were on a one-way trip (“sin more and more”), Verses 2-3.

B.But even in this darkness, there was a glimmer of hope, Verses 4,9-10a.

C.The invading Assyrians would be vicious, Verse 16.

Chapter 14, ISRAEL SHALL RETURN TO GOD: THERE WILL BE HEALING.

A.The forgiving Jehovah continued to plead, Verses 1-2; cf Psa 136 (All twenty-six verses!)

B.Backsliding is dangerous, but not unforgiveable; it would be healed as a remnant repented and returned to God, Verses 4-9.

**HOSEA IN FOUR WORDS:

God’s Love For Backsliders.

**CHRIST IN THE BOOK OF HOSEA:

1.Hosea 11:1 is applied to the call of Christ out of the Land of Egypt in His childhood - Mt 2:15.

2.His identification with our plight and His loving work of redeeming us from sin is seen in Hosea’s buying of Gomer from the slave-market.

**PRACTICAL LESSONS FROM THE BOOK OF HOSEA:

1.Our knowledge of God’s law precedes our fellowship with Him.

2.God is a great Lover, seeking our hearts.

3.The marriage relation is sacred and sanctified.

4.Sin is exposed as unfaithfulness -- as adultery.

a.It decays the spirit -- gradually, but surely.

b.It blunts ability to make moral distinctions.

c.It is contagious and its influence is sure.

d.“It will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.”

e.The ROOT sin is unfaithfulness to Jehovah.

5.Inward corruption is more dangerous to a nation than its external enemies.

**CONCLUSION:

1.The Nation must be judged for its sins, but a remnant would be restored spiritually in the future because of the love and faithfulness of God - Eph 2:16; Gal 3:26-29.

2.God will still redeem His fallen children - Gal 6:1; And will still save all the lost who will obey - Gal 3:26-27; Rev 22:17.