Bible Survey Hosea February 5, 2012

Bible Survey – Hosea February 5, 2012

Bible Geography: Who are “The Twelve?”

While the seventeen prophetic books of the Old Testament are the “dark continent of Scripture,” people are even more unfamiliar with the twelve minor prophets as a whole than they are with the five major prophets. These twelve books became known as the Minor Prophets late in the 4

century

A

.

. not because they were considered less important or less inspired, but because they are generally shorter than the five Major Prophets, especially books like Isaiah and

Jeremiah. Their messages are more succinct than those of the Major Prophets, but they are just as powerful.

Before the time of Christ, these twelve books were joined together to make one scroll known collectively as “The Twelve.” Their combined length (sixty-seven chapters) is about equal to that of Isaiah.

Hosea: (“Hosea” means “Salvation”) Date of Writing: circa 710

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Author: Hosea – Few critics refute the claim in chapter 1, verse 1, that Hosea was the author of this book. His place of birth is not given, but his familiarity and obvious concern with the northern kingdom indicate that he lived in Israel not Judah. This is also seen when he called the king of Samaria “our king” (7:5). Hosea was the son of Beeri (1:1), husband of Gomer (1:3), and father of two sons and a daughter (1:4, 6, 9). Nothing more is known of him since he is not mentioned elsewhere in the Bible.

Hosea had a real compassion for his people, and his personal suffering because of Gomer gave him some understanding of

God’s grief over their sin. Thus, his words of coming judgment

were passionately delivered but tempered with a heart of tenderness. He upbraided his people for their lying, murder, insincerity, ingratitude, idolatry, and covetousness with cutting metaphors and images; but his messages were punctuated with consolation and future hope.

Digging Deeper: Hosea is the first book of what the Hebrews call

“The Twelve.” It should be observed that the prophecies of Amos, a younger contemporary, are closely related to those of Hosea. [It is helpful to remember that some of the prophets were God’s spokesmen to the nation of Israel, some to the nation of Judah, some to both of these, and the message of some prophets was aimed at the Gentiles. It is worthwhile to keep these different

“audiences” in mind when studying the various prophetic books.]

[Though related, the ministries of Hosea and Amos] were

different in that Hosea was a native of the Northern Kingdom, and Amos was a Judean who journeyed to Israel to prophesy. [DAG – This is just one more example of God’s grace and longsuffering. If the people would not listen to one of their own, God would send an “outsider” to call the people to repentance.] Hosea was called to exemplify the relationship between God and Israel through his marriage to a harlot, while Amos was sent by the Lord to

pronounce judgment upon the rebellious people of Israel.

Hosea began prophesying at the end of a period of material prosperity under King Jeroboam II of Israel (2 Kings 14:23–27).

Unfortunately, however during most of Hosea’s lifetime, the

people were spiritually bankrupt. Their leaders permitted them to practice idolatry (2 Kgs. 15:35; 2 Chr. 27:2) and commit spiritual

“harlotry” against the Lord (Hos. 1:2; 2:8; 4:12–15). They refused to recognize that God had provided them with the wealth that they possessed (Hos. 2:8). In fact, they attributed their prosperity to the idols (Hos. 2:5; 10:1). The people had become covetous and greedy, oppressing those who were least able to defend

themselves (Hos. 4:2; 10:13; 12:6–8).

Despite the punishment that God promised to bring upon them (Hos. 5; 9; 10), there is a strong attitude of hope that is evident throughout the book. Just as Hosea brought back his unfaithful wife, Israel will be redeemed by God in the last days (Hos. 1:10, 11; 2:14–23; 3:4, 5; 11:10, 11; 14:4–7).

Digging Still Deeper: Many have questioned why God would tell Hosea to marry a harlot and they often further claim that the book is highly figurative and that the account of Hosea’s marriage and experience with his wife is allegorical not historical.

Question: Do you agree; disagree? Why; why not?

Question: What are some reasons why parts of Christendom

“prefer” an allegorical reading of this text?

Allegorical interpretation is (for them) standard operating procedure.

We like to clean up our heroes (remember Jephthah?) . . . . . . but the Bible tells it like it is! In Hosea, God intended to use this marriage as an illustration of His dealings with Israel. God used it to expose Israel’s sin in this way because it vividly reflected Israel’s unfaithfulness to Him.

Key Word: Harlot / Hesed ??

Key Verse Candidates:

1:2 When the L

first spoke through Hosea, the L

said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the L

.”

2:20 And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you

will know the L

.

4:1 Listen to the word of the L

, O sons of Israel, For the L

has a case against the inhabitants of the land, Because there is no faithfulness or kindness Or knowledge of God in the land.

6:6 For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. [cf. Psalm 51:17]

11:7–9

So My people are bent on turning from Me.

Though they call them to the One on high, None at all exalts Him.

How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I

surrender you, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah?

How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned over within Me, All My compassions are kindled.

I will not execute My fierce anger; I will not destroy Ephraim again.

For I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst, And I will not come in wrath.

Pastor G’s Choice: 11:7–9 This passage captures both the harlotry of the people and the ‘hesed’ love of the Lord. The Book of Hosea repeatedly transmits both messages.

Christ in Hosea: Matthew 2:15 applies chapter 1, verse 1, to Christ in Egypt; “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.” Matthew quotes the second half of this verse to show that the Exodus of Israel from Egypt as a new nation was a prophetic type of Israel’s Messiah who was also called out of

Egypt in His childhood. Both Israel and Christ left Palestine to take

refuge in Egypt. … Christ’s identification with our plight and His

loving work of redemption can be seen in Hosea’s redemption of

Gomer from the slavemarket.

Practical Applications:

The prophets give us insight into the future [Just 1 Example]:

o 1:10 – Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people (see 1:9), there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

o This brief prophecy of the millennial reign of Christ . . . clearly affirms that the restoration of God’s people to the land of Israel will be a physical one. They will be called “sons of the living God” in the same place where Hosea called them “not my people.”

God does not tolerate rebellion forever; He does discipline His children––for the purpose of ultimate restoration.

o Hebrews 12:4–11

You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;

and you have forgotten the

exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,

“M

,

L

, N

H

;

6

F

L

H

,

A

H

H

.”

It

is for discipline that you endure; God deals with

you as with sons; for what son is there whom his

father does not discipline?

But if you are

without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of

spirits, and live?

For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He

disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.

All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

o Therefore we should Ephesians 5:15–16 —

“be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,

making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”

i TTtOT.

ii RSB, Ryrie.

iii TTtOT.

iv Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Old Testament.

v Ibid.

vi TTtOT.