Hosea

Intro

Hosea was written somewhere in the reign of Jeroboam II (786-746 and active up until 721, seeing the Assyrian takeover)

Northern Israel (broke from Judah under Jeroboam I, 1 Kings 12)

Hosea’s Marriage to Gomer

The story

1. Marriage
   • Three kids: Jezreel Lo-Ruhamah (not loved) Lo-Ammi (not my people)
2. Adultery
3. Redemption (15 shekels = $134.30 + about 430 pounds of barley)

Parallel to God’s Relationship with Israel

1. Mt Sinai
2. Idolatry to Baal (she has not acknowledged that I was the one […] who lavished on her the silver and gold which they used for Baal)
3. God ponders two options:
   • Divorce - defeat & exile (This happens in 722 BCE, 2 Kings 14-17)
     • I will take away my grain
     • take back my wool, intended to cover her naked body
     • I will stop her celebrations: festivals, new moons, Sabbath days, and feasts
   • Renew the covenant - Messianic king (Jeremiah, Jesus)
     • You will call me “my husband” not “my master” (master = “Baal”)
     • I will remove the name of the Baals from her lips
     • Bow and sword I will abolish from the land
     • I will betroth you to me forever
     • I will show Love on the one called “not my loved one”; I will say to those called “not my people” “you are my people” and they will say “You are my God”

Accusations and Warnings

1. Israel knew about God but didn’t KNOW God
2. Worshiped God and Baal as if nothing were wrong (golden calf)
3. Relied on Egypt to protect them from Assyria instead of God
4. Callbacks to how Israel acts historically:
   1. Jacob lied to his father to gain inheritance
   2. Israel rebelled against Moses in the desert
   3. Chose to have a king (Saul) instead of having God as their ruler

God’s Response

• A parable:
  • God is a loving father who raises his son Israel
  • Israel rebels and leaves his father, taking advantage of his father’s kindness
  • God is angry, the sad, then merciful
• Repent, though it won’t last
• God will step in and provide healing and renewal, offering hope and a future

Authors note:

Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand.The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.