THE BOOK OF HOSEA
The Book of Hosea“Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right; The righteous walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.” – Hosea 14:9
The prophet Hosea ministered to the northern kingdom of Israel before its destruction and deportation by the vicious Assyrians. During his time, the nation appeared to enjoy a season of prosperity and growth. But inwardly, moral corruption and spiritual adultery had thoroughly infected the people.
When God instructed Hosea to marry a promiscuous woman named Gomer, the prophet found his domestic life to be a tragic dramatization of the unfaithfulness of God’s people. The Lord even had the prophet name one of his children Lo-Ruhamah (“no mercy”) and another child Lo-Ammi (“not My people”) to help the people of Israel realize how far they had fallen away from their God.
During his half century of prophetic ministry, Hosea repeatedly echoed a threefold message: God abhors the sins of His people, judgment is certain, but God’s loyal love stands firm. Hosea insisted that while God would certainly punish His people for their persistent and blatant sins—prophecies that God fulfilled to the letter during the Assyrian invasion of 722 b.c.—He would never completely reject His people. A time would come when He would just as certainly draw them back to their land and give them a heart to obey Him joyfully, so He could bless them abundantly.
The names Hosea, Joshua, and Jesus all come from the same Hebrew root word. While the word Hoshea means “salvation,” the names Joshua and Jesus include an additional idea: “Yahweh is salvation.” As God’s messenger, Hosea told the straying people that if they would turn from idolatry back to God, He would certainly save them.
The Book of Hosea presents a compelling love story of God’s unfailing, steadfast care for His people despite their unfaithfulness, ingratitude, and repeated rebellion. While God’s people abandoned Him for pagan idols, in love He would continue to call His people back to Himself.
Themes: Spiritual adultery will always bring God’s judgment, but God will never stop loving His covenant people.
Author: Hosea.
Time: During the latter years of the northern kingdom of Israel and beyond, circa 755–715 b.c.
Structure: The first section of Hosea (Hosea 1–3) records the apostasy of the northern kingdom of Israel, symbolized in the prophet’s marriage to the prostitute Gomer. The second section (Hosea 4–13) chronicles Israel’s sins and the prophetic consequences of those sins.
Hosea 1:6 “Call her name Lo-Ruhamah, for I will no longer have mercy on the house of Israel, but I will utterly take them away.” God allowed Israel to be conquered by Assyria because of their many years with consistently idolatrous and evil kings. However, He protected Judah from the threat because of kings such as Hezekiah who willingly repented and sought Him (2 Kings. 19:15–36). Yet, understand, God did not desire calamity for His people (Jer. 29:11); rather, He wanted to bring Israel back into fellowship with Him through the judgment (Hos. 2:14–23). Mercy is not earned or deserved. In fact, the Lord is clear: “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy” (Rom. 9:15).
Hosea 1:10 “Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. and it shall come to pass
In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ There it shall be said to them, ‘You aresons of the living God.’”
Even in judgment, God shows mercy. Throughout the prophets, declarations of awful judgment are intertwined with promises of restoration and mercy. Here, God foreshadows the coming of Christ, where He would not rescue the people in an earthly, national way, but offer salvation to the whole world on an eternal, personal level (Jer. 31:31–34; Ezek. 11:16–20; 36:22–28 ).
Hosea 2:8 “For she did not know that I gave her grain, new wine, and oil,
And multiplied her silver and gold.”
Which they prepared for Baal. Every good thing we have and enjoy is nothing but a gift from the hand of God (James 1:17). We must never attribute the good gifts of God to anyone or anything other than Him or use His gifts for evil purposes.
Gomer: What Did She Want?
“Therefore, behold, I will allure her, will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her.” – Hosea 2:14
It’s difficult to understand a woman like Gomer. The prophet Hosea loved her faithfully, provided for her consistently, and invited her to enjoy a safe, fulfilling relationship with him. Instead, she opted for a series of “lovers” who sought nothing but their own pleasure. What was her problem? What did she want?
Scripture tells us the reason behind her (and Israel’s) adultery: “I will go after my lovers, who give me my bread and my water, my wool and my linen, my oil and my drink” (Hos. 2:5). In other words, she was looking for someone to satisfy her needs in her way rather than God’s. This is the definition of arrogance—when we believe we know better than the Lord.
Unfortunately, the same pride that corrupted her heart threatens to lead us away from our First Love as well. This happens whenever we seek something other than the Lord to meet the deep longings within us.
What is it that you look to for significance, acceptance, and worth?
• a bigger house
• a better job
• more wealth and possessions
• an exciting relationship
• beauty
• intelligence
Yet God says to us, as He did to her, “Behold, I will allure her, will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her” (Hosea 2:14). So turn to Him, friend, because only He can truly satisfy the hunger in your heart.
Hosea 2:16 “And it shall be, in that day,” says the Lord, “That you will call Me ‘My Husband, ’And no longer call Me ‘My Master’”
The Hebrew word Ishi means “husband,” while Baali means “owner.” The first word expresses the deepest desire of God’s heart for us — that we would know Him intimately as a wife loves and trusts her mate. We should never serve God out of obligation or tradition. Rather, our obedience to Him should spring from the adoration and respect we feel for Him.
Knowing All of God
“I will betroth you to Me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know the Lord.” – Hosea 2:19-20
God extends His lovingkindness to us, even when we stray from Him. Our highest and most fulfilling purpose is an intimate relationship with the Lord God. Certainly, when we seek Him, we will find Him (Jer. 29:11–13; Matt. 7:7, 8; Luke 11:9, 10). In order to know someone intimately, you can’t just know what they do—you must know their character and heart. You have to know what motivates them. The same is true for God. In Hosea 2:19-20, He says, “I will betroth you to Me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know the Lord.” He has “betrothed” (or engaged) His people to Himself for one reason: to let Himself be known.
Unfortunately, sometimes we know about God, but we really don’t know Him. Yet God wants us to love Him in a deep, intimate relationship. Here are six reasons we should know God’s ways.
- We should know the ways of God because they are essential in knowing Him. By learning the ways God works, we become acquainted with His heart—and life’s greatest joy is knowing Him personally and intimately (Ps. 25:4, 5).
- We should know the ways of God because He requires that we know them. The Lord desires for us to go beyond a surface relationship with Him, so He has given us commands to follow to facilitate it. We learn not merely to see Him as our Master, but as our Beloved (Deut. 10:12).
- We should know the ways of God because it is the yearning of His heart for us to do so. The Lord desires our fellowship—for us to seek and to worship Him wholeheartedly (Jer. 33:3). This fact alone should motivate us to pursue a deep, meaningful relationship with Him.
- We should know the ways of God because He loves us. Our heavenly Father desires the very best for us, and He wants each of us to realize that His plans for us will always be above and beyond all we could ask or imagine (Jer. 31:3; 1 Cor. 2:9; Eph. 3:20).
- We should know the ways of God because they are the best way. No matter what situation we must endure or how difficult a choice we have to make, we can be certain that God’s way is the best way to face it. He will guide us and will give us the strength and wisdom to handle our circumstances in a godly manner (Jer. 29:11).
- We should know the ways of God because they are the pathway to success. Although the world’s definition of achievement involves wealth and power, to the Lord true success lies in obedience to His will (1 John 2:17). Ultimately, no one can thwart the plans of God—He will succeed and achieve the victory (Job 42:2). And when we submit to Him, we share in His triumph.
Therefore, set your heart to know all of God—His works, His ways, and His will for your life. Because He promises, “You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:13).