Hosea was a prophet in Israel in the 8th century BCE
He is one of the Twelve Prophets of the Jewish Bible and Minor Prophets of the Christian Old Testament
Hosea’s name in English would translate into “Joseph” but is also related to the name Joshua which means “salvation”
Hosea was a young preacher in the nation of Israel which was than referred to as the Northern Kingdom
Hosea lived in the Northern Kingdom from 740-725 BCE
Hosea often spoke of judgment and chastisement
He also prophesied about the punishment that God was going to lay down upon the people of the Assyrian nation
Hosea was often ignored by the people which discouraged him
At God’s command Hosea married the prostitute, Gomer
The couple had two sons and a daughter together
The children’s names such as “not pitied,” “cast-away” and “not for my people” depicted the relationships between God and the Hebrew people
Hosea’s family life reflected on the “adulterous” relationship that the people of Israel had with God
Hosea was often referred to as the “prophet of doom” because of his prophecies of destruction
The Talmud claims that Hosea was one of the greatest prophets of his generation which included Isaiah
To prophesize in the lands of: Israel Judah
Many curses and blessings
Make sure that Israel kept his covenant
Special mission Share the Lord’s anguish with the
people’s unfaithfulness by experiencing his own anguish at his wife’s unfaithfulness
Urge them to return to God
Connected to the covenant at Sinai God was going to punish his people Israel will have death and illness Another nation will;
destroy Israel take them away
God will be able to bless Israel again Israel will not be able to avoid God’s
anger Israel has broken the covenant and so the
curses are going to happen
"Israel was a luxuriant vine that yields its fruit" (10:1).
By saying this Hosea meant that Israel is the vine of God’s creation, and should be a sign to the world with its living, producing prophets and right action, as well as spreading the Word of God.
"The more his fruit increased the more altars he built.”
This means that the more that Israel's people
praise God the more that they will be rewarded
by God’s gifts of love and appreciation.
I also think Hosea’s marriage is a picture of
God’s relationship with Israel. It symbolizes an almost perfect being,
Hosea and God, and then the sinning people of
Israel, as Gomer.
Hosea is a prophet who had a wife, lost her to
other men and then forgave her and took her back. This relationship symbolizes God’s
relationship with his people and with the people of Israel.
He took them in as children, they sinned against him, and in the end God forgives them of all of their sins.
Hosea’s marriage to the prostitute, Gomer, is a great example of redeeming love in the Bible.
When Gomer becomes unfaithful and goes back to her old ways of prostitution, Hosea is saddened and hurt.
Gomer realizes her wrongdoings and comes back to Hosea.
Hosea shows his unconditional love for Gomer and accepts her into his life again.
This is the theme of the beginning chapters in Hosea.
Hosea’s unfaithful marriage parallels the relationship between Israel and God.
Israel had turned to the worshipping of other Gods and was constantly involved in war.
Instead of looking to God, Israel sought help from other countries.
Just as Hosea forgave Gomer, God always forgives His people
Marriage was a big part in God’s plan. God commanded Hosea to take an unfaithful
wife. This was important because God used Hosea’s
story to give a living example of God’s relationship with Israel.
Just as Hosea entered the marriage knowing that Gomer would betray him, God knew that Israel would do the same, yet he chose to love them anyway.
Names play an important role in the book of Hosea They each have a figurative meaning Beeri, Hosea’s father means, “a source of water as a
living spring.”(Sweeney) Hosea has the meaning of “Eternal saves”
(Sweeney). Combining the two meanings together mean,
“Eternal is the source of living water that saves” (Sweeney).
This is talking about salvation and its meaning. “Only the Mighty One is able to save His people
Israel”(Isa 45:17: Jer 26:3).