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Hosea

      THE first of the twelve minor prophets in the order of the canon (called "minor," not as less in point of inspired authority, but simply in point of size). The twelve are first mentioned by Jesus, the son of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus 49:10). St. Stephen, in Ac 7:42 (in referring to Am 5:27), quotes them as forming one collective body of writings, "the book of the prophets." So JEROME and MELITO, the first Greek father who has left us a catalogue of these books. The collection of the sacred books is by Jewish tradition attributed to the great synagogue of learned scribes formed by Ezra. Many think Nehemiah completed this collection by adding to the books already in the canon those of his own times. Malachi, the last in the series, probably aided him in determining with infallible authority what books were entitled to be ranked in the inspired canon. The chronological order differs from the canonical. Joel, about 810 B.C.; Jonah, about 810 B.C., or, as others, first, 862 B.C.; Amos, about 790 B.C.; Hosea, about 784 B.C. Hosea, the contemporary of Isaiah, Micah, and Amos, seems to have entered on his prophetical office in the last years of Jeroboam (contemporary in part with Uzziah), and to have ended it in the beginning of Hezekiah's reign, 722 B.C., that is, about sixty years in all, from 784 B.C. to 722 B.C. The prophets, however, were not uninterruptedly engaged in prophesying. Considerable intervals elapsed, though their office as divinely commissioned public teachers was never wholly laid aside. The Book of Hosea which we have constitutes only that portion of his public teachings which the Holy Spirit saw fit to preserve for the benefit of the Church. The cause of his being placed first of the twelve was, probably, the length, the vivid earnestness, and patriotism of his prophecies, as well as their closer resemblance to those of the greater prophets. His style is abrupt, sententious, and unrounded; the connecting particles are few; there are changes of person, and anomalies of gender, number, and construction. His name means Salvation. He was son of Beeri, of the tribe of Issachar, born in Beth-shemesh [JEROME]. His mention, in the inscription, of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, is no proof that he belonged to Judah: for the prophets in Israel regarded its separation from Judah, civil as well as religious, as an apostasy from God, who promised the dominion of the theocracy to the line of David. Hence Elijah in Israel took twelve stones to represent Judah, as well as Israel (1Ki 18:31). Hence Hosea dates from Judah's kings, as well as from Jeroboam of Israel, though he belonged to Israel, with whose sins and fate his book is chiefly occupied. He, however, makes incidental references to Judah. His first prophecy foretells the overthrow of Jehu's house, fulfilled on the death of Jeroboam, Jehu's great-grandson (2Ki 15:12), in Zachariah, Jeroboam's son, the fourth and last from Jehu, conspired against by Shallum. This first prediction was doubtless in Jeroboam's life, as Zachariah, his son, was only suffered to reign six months; thus the inscription is verified that "the word of the Lord came unto him in the days of Jeroboam" (Ho 1:1). Again, in Ho 10:14, Shalmaneser's expedition against Israel is alluded to as past, that is, the first inroad against King Hoshea, who began to reign in the twelfth year of Ahaz; so that as Ahaz' whole reign was sixteen years, the prophecy seems to have been given about the beginning of Hezekiah's reign. Thus the inscription is confirmed that the exercise of his prophetical functions was of such a protracted duration.

      Hosea (Ho 11:1) is quoted in Mt 2:15; also Ho 6:6 in Mt 9:13 12:7; compare Ro 9:25,26, quoting Ho 1:10 2:1, 23; 1Co 15:55, quoting Ho 13:14; 1Pe 2:10, quoting Ho 1:9,10 2:23. Messianic references are not frequent; but the predictions of the future conversion of Israel to the Lord their God, and David their king, and of the fulfilment of the promise to Abraham that his spiritual seed should be as the sand of the sea (Ho 1:10 3:5), clearly refer to the New Testament dispensation.

      The first and third chapters are in prose, the rest of the book is rhythmical.

Hosea

The Written Prophecy of Hosea

By H. A. "Buster" Dobbs 
I.  Introduction.
    A.  The man.
        1.  Hosea was apparently a native of the northern kingdom.
        2.  The word of Jehovah came to Hosea (1:1)
            a.  His message was directed primarily to Israel.
            b.  He had a deep understanding of the political and social 
                conditions of his time.
            c.  He taught during the days of Jeroboam II (circa 745 B C.).
        3.  His marriage.
            a.  He married a woman, Gomer, who was very immoral.
            b.  She was not sexually promiscuous before the marriage.
            c.  She caused the prophet much agony and grief, but he 
                continued to love her by seeking her highest good.
    B.  The background.
        1.  The reign of Jeroboam II in Israel was a time of peace and 
            prosperity.
            a.  The people were idle and wealthy.
            b.  This caused wastefulness and tyranny.
            c.  Plenty of money and lots of time also produced gross 
                immorality.
        2.  The people did not know the law of God.
            a.  Ignorance of God and his word was the chief cause of 
                their infidelity (4:1; 4:6; 6:6).
            b.  A knowledge of God and his word is the strongest guard 
                against immorality and destruction.
II.  The Book.
     A.  The personal history of Hosea (1:1 to 3:5).
         1.  Hosea commanded to take a wife (1:1-3).
             a.  The prophet married Gomer, daughter of Diblaim (1:3).
             b.  First child named Jezreel (1:4-5).
             c.  Second child named Loruhamah (no mercy) (1:6-7).
             d.  Third child named Loammi (not my people) 1:8-9).
         2.  A promise to restore Israel and Judah (1:10-11).
         3.  Gomer's children witnessed her adultery (2:1-7).
             a.  Gomer's children born of fornication (2:1-4).
             b.  Their mother played the harlot (2:5).
             c.  Gomer found no satisfaction in waywardness (2:6-7).
         4.  Gomer's infidelity symbolized Israel's faithlessness (2:8-13).
             a.  Israel did not know the source of her blessings (2:8).
             b.  Israel to suffer the loss of everything (2:9-13).
         5.  Israel to be restored (2:14-23).
         6.  Hosea's bringing Gomer back to him is symbolic of Israel's 
             opportunity to return to Jehovah (3:1-5).
     B.  Israel charged with sin (4:1-18).
         1.  Sins of Israel multiplied and progressive (4:1-5).
         2.  Lack of knowledge of Jehovah's law (4:6-10).
         3.  Idolatry rampant in the land (4:11-14).
         4.  Swift destruction is sure to come (4:15-18).
     C.  Priests and leaders charged with sin (5:1 to 6:3).
         1.  An indictment of both priest and king (5:1-7).
         2.  There is no deliverance for the sinful (5:8-15).
             a.  The idols of Gilgal and Bethaven cannot save (5:8).
             b.  Assyria will not deliver the people (5:13).
         3.  National disaster calls for repentance (6:1-3).
     D.  The love of God pleads with a rebellious and hardhearted 
         people (6:4 to 7:16).
         1.  God's unrequited love (6:5-11).
         2.  Israel's moral rottenness (7:1-16).
             a.  Jehovah sees and knows their behavior (7:2).
             b.  They are ever ready to flame up in unbridled passions and 
                unrestrained evil (7:3-7).
             c.  Ephraim fellowships evil and is half-baked (7:8).
             d.  Sinners not aware of deplorable condition (7:9).
             e.  The judgment of God is inescapable (7:10-16).
     E.  Destruction because of obscene conduct (8:1 to 9:9).
         1.  An outline of Israel's sins (8:1-7).
         2.  Sow the wind and reap the whirlwind (8:8-14).
         3.  Punishment for infidelity (9:1-9).
     F.  Disrespect and idolatry reproved; strong warnings of coming 
         doom (9:10 to 11:12).
         1.  A brief summary of the Jews (9:11-17).
         2.  Prosperity brought sin and shame (10:1-3).
         3.  Punishment cannot be escaped (10:4-8).
         4.  From the beginning of the kingdom, the ungrateful nation 
             has sinned (10:9-11).
         5.  The bitter fruit of war will come upon the sinful people 
             (10:12-15).
         6.  God's tender love rejected (11:1-4).
         7.  God's love, when trampled under foot, expressed in 
             destructive judgment (11:5-7).
         8.  Harsh punishment is reluctantly inflicted; God takes no 
             delight in chastising the wicked (11:8-11).
         9.  Israel and Judah contrasted (11:12).
III.  Promises and Hope.
      A.  Jehovah, Judah and Israel (12:1-14).
          1.  Israel appealed to foreign powers (12:1-2).
          2.  They are reminded of their great ancestor, Jacob, and urged 
              to follow his example (12:3-6).
          3.  Another description of Israel's apostasy (12:7-14).
              a.  Gained wealth by trickery (12:7).
              b.  Trusted in riches (12:8).
              c.  God's prophecies have never failed (12:9-13).
              d.  Israel's destruction is sure (12:14).
      B.  Ephraim entreated (13:1-16).
          1.  Ephraim exalted and abased (13:1-3).
          2.  Jehovah is their only hope (13:4-8).
              a.  Jehovah is either a savior of life unto life or of death unto 
                  death (13:4-6).
              b.  Rejecting God's law causes destruction (13:7-8).
          3.  The day of reckoning is at hand (13:9-16).
              a.  No earthly king shall save (13:9-14).
              b.  Debauchery brings pitiless judgment (13:10-16).
      C.  Promises of pardon (14:1-9).
          1.  Return unto Jehovah (14:1-3).
          2.  The beauty of holiness (14:4-8).
              a.  It looks good (14:4).
              b.  It smells good (14:5-6).
              c.  It tastes good (14:7-8).
          3.  The wise find victory in Jehovah; the foolish front deathless 
              ruin (14:9).
Hosea

Hosea - salvation, the son of Beeri, and author of the book of prophecies bearing his name. He belonged to the kingdom of Israel. "His Israelitish origin is attested by the peculiar, rough, Aramaizing diction, pointing to the northern part of Palestine; by the intimate acquaintance he evinces with the localities of Ephraim (5:1; 6:8, 9; 12:12; 14:6, etc.); by passages like 1:2, where the kingdom is styled 'the land', and 7:5, where the Israelitish king is designated as 'our' king." The period of his ministry (extending to some sixty years) is indicated in the superscription (Hos. 1:1, 2). He is the only prophet of Israel who has left any written prophecy.
Hosea, Prophecies of - This book stands first in order among the "Minor Prophets." "The probable cause of the location of Hosea may be the thoroughly national character of his oracles, their length, their earnest tone, and vivid representations." This was the longest of the prophetic books written before the Captivity. Hosea prophesied in a dark and melancholy period of Israel's history, the period of Israel's decline and fall. Their sins had brought upon them great national disasters. "Their homicides and fornication, their perjury and theft, their idolatry and impiety, are censured and satirized with a faithful severity." He was a contemporary of Isaiah. The book may be divided into two parts, the first containing chapters 1-3, and symbolically representing the idolatry of Israel under imagery borrowed from the matrimonial relation. The figures of marriage and adultery are common in the Old Testament writings to represent the spiritual relations between Jehovah and the people of Israel. Here we see the apostasy of Israel and their punishment, with their future repentance, forgiveness, and restoration.

The second part, containing 4-14, is a summary of Hosea's discourses, filled with denunciations, threatenings, exhortations, promises, and revelations of mercy.

Quotations from Hosea are found in Matt. 2:15; 9:15; 12:7; Rom. 9:25, 26. There are, in addition, various allusions to it in other places (Luke 23:30; Rev. 6:16, comp. Hos. 10:8; Rom. 9:25, 26; 1 Pet. 2:10, comp. Hos. 1:10, etc.).

As regards the style of this writer, it has been said that "each verse forms a whole for itself, like one heavy toll in a funeral knell." "Inversions (7:8; 9:11, 13; 12: 8), anacolutha (9:6; 12:8, etc.), ellipses (9:4; 13:9, etc.), paranomasias, and plays upon words, are very characteristic of Hosea (8:7; 9:15; 10:5; 11:5; 12:11)."

The Book of Hosea which we have constitutes only that portion of his public teachings which the Holy Spirit saw fit to preserve for the benefit of the Church. The cause of his being placed first of the twelve was, probably, the length, the vivid earnestness, and patriotism of his prophecies, as well as their closer resemblance to those of the greater prophets. His style is abrupt, sententious, and unrounded; the connecting particles are few; there are changes of person, and anomalies of gender, number, and construction. His name means Salvation. He was son of Beeri, of the tribe of Issachar, born in Beth-shemesh [JEROME]. His mention, in the inscription, of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, is no proof that he belonged to Judah: for the prophets in Israel regarded its separation from Judah, civil as well as religious, as an apostasy from God, who promised the dominion of the theocracy to the line of David. Hence Elijah in Israel took twelve stones to represent Judah, as well as Israel (1Ki 18:31). Hence Hosea dates from Judah's kings, as well as from Jeroboam of Israel, though he belonged to Israel, with whose sins and fate his book is chiefly occupied. He, however, makes incidental references to Judah. His first prophecy foretells the overthrow of Jehu's house, fulfilled on the death of Jeroboam, Jehu's great-grandson (2Ki 15:12), in Zachariah, Jeroboam's son, the fourth and last from Jehu, conspired against by Shallum. This first prediction was doubtless in Jeroboam's life, as Zachariah, his son, was only suffered to reign six months; thus the inscription is verified that "the word of the Lord came unto him in the days of Jeroboam" (Ho 1:1). Again, in Ho 10:14, Shalmaneser's expedition against Israel is alluded to as past, that is, the first inroad against King Hoshea, who began to reign in the twelfth year of Ahaz; so that as Ahaz' whole reign was sixteen years, the prophecy seems to have been given about the beginning of Hezekiah's reign