Hosea

God’s Unfaithful Bride

Hosea 1:1

The word of the LORD which came to Hosea the son of Beeri, during the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.

During the Reign of Jeroboam II

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Hosea: Called to act out relationship between Yahweh and Israel Emphasis on Spiritual unfaithfulness

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Amos: Shepherd-prophet Emphasis on Social Injustice

Outline of Hosea

Hosea 1-3 Hosea 4-13 Hosea 14

Hosea’s Marriage

 Gomer’s Unfaithfulness  Gomer’s Discipline  Gomer’s Restoration

Hosea’s Message

The case of God's covenant lawsuit is set forth, showing how Israel has been an unfaithful bride Ultimate restoration

Hosea 1:2-3

When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry, and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the LORD.” 3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.

(Hosea 1:2-3).

Hosea’s Children

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Jezreel:

The Hebrew word “Jezreel” means “God sows” or “God scatters” and is taken from the word [r;z < , “to scatter seed.”

Lo-Ruhamah

: The Hebrew word aOl means “no.” Thus

Lo-ruhamah

“no compassion.” means 

Lo-Ammi:

to “people.” The Hebrew word

am

refers

Hosea 1:10

Yet the number of the sons of Israel Will be like the sand of the sea, Which cannot be measured or numbered; And it will come about that, in the place Where it is said to them, “You are not My people,” It will be said to them, “You are the sons of the living God.”

Hosea 1:11

And the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel will be gathered together, And they will appoint for themselves one leader, And they will go up from the land, For great will be the day of Jezreel

Romans 9:22-24

What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? 23 And He did so in order that He might make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.

Romans 9:25-26

As He says also in Hosea, “I will call those who were not My people, ‘My people,’ And her who was not beloved, ‘beloved.’ 26 And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, 'you are not My people,' There they shall be called sons of the living God.”

Hosea 3:1-3

Then the LORD said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.” 2 So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a half of barley. 3 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.”

Hosea 3:4-5

For the sons of Israel will remain for many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, and without ephod or household idols. 5 Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king; and they will come trembling to the LORD and to His goodness in the last days.

Statement of God’s Covenant Lawsuit (4:1) You have rejected knowledge (4:2-10) Spiritual prostitution (4:11 - 5:15).

Note the use of the term “harlotry.” Warning against insincere Repentance (6).

Case against Kings and Leaders (7).

Warning against insincere Repentance (8).

Spiritual prostitution (9-10).

Israel has “played the harlot.” God’s love and compassion rejected (11).

God’s Covenant Lawsuit (12-13).

Hosea 4:1

Listen to the word of the LORD, O sons of Israel, For the LORD has a case against the inhabitants of the land, Because there is no faithfulness or kindness Or knowledge of God in the land.

Hosea 6:6-7

6 For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

7 But like Adam they have transgressed the covenant; There they have dealt treacherously against Me.

Hosea 14:1-2

1 Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, For you have stumbled because of your iniquity.

2 Take words with you and return to the LORD.

Say to Him, “Take away all iniquity, And receive us graciously, That we may present the fruit of our lips.”

Hosea 14:4-7

4 I will heal their apostasy, I will love them freely, 5 For My anger has turned away from them.

I will be like the dew to Israel; He will blossom like the lily, And he will take root like the cedars of Lebanon.

6 His shoots will sprout, And his beauty will be like the olive tree, And his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon.

7 Those who live in his shadow Will again raise grain, And they will blossom like the vine.

His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.

Lessons from Hosea

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The Problem of Insincere Repentance.

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What shall I do with you, O Judah?

For your loyalty is like a morning cloud, And like the dew which goes away early.

(Hosea 6:4).