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All things work together….
Count it all joy……
For I know the plans…
The Lord is my shepherd…
Do not be conformed…
I can do all things…
Do not be anxious…
Seek first…
Cast all your anxiety…
Fear not, for I am with you…
Be strong and courageous…
Whoever dwells in the shelter…
The book of Hosea contains mature content, so if you’re reading with little ones, please use discretion! Need some more tips on reading hard topics with young kids? Read our article Should I Read Sensitive Bible Passages with My Kids? here.
Read this 4-minute introduction to help you find your bearings in the Bible story, and be inspired to read Hosea!
This overview video illustrates for us the literary design of the book of Hosea using creative animations.
This video was originally published by BibleProject on their YouTube Channel.
This lesson walks us through the story of Hosea and helps us understand what this book teaches us about the love of God.
This video was originally published by The Gospel Project on their YouTube Channel.
This compelling dramatization of the book of Hosea introduces us to the main theme of the book and how it points to Jesus through spoken word poetry.
This video was originally published by Spoken Gospel on their YouTube Channel.
This video is part of the series, The Gospel One Chapter at a Time, where Paul David Tripp summarizes each book of the Bible and shows how it points us to Jesus.
This video was originally published by Paul Tripp Ministries, Inc. on their YouTube Channel.
Hosea is identified in relationship to his father, like Joel, Jonah, Zephaniah, and Zechariah in the Book of the Twelve, rather than in connection with his hometown, like Amos, Micah, and Nahum. He was called to be a prophet while of marriageable age (Hosea 1:2), thus presumably while still young, perhaps as a late teenager. He was married to a woman named Gomer who gave birth to two sons and a daughter (Hosea 1:3-9). Chapter 3 indicates that Hosea bought a woman and took her as his wife; this was apparently Gomer, whom he took back after she had been unfaithful to him. All the evidence in the book suggests that the prophet lived his life in Israel, the Northern Kingdom. Places named are in the north: Samaria, the capital city (Hosea 7:1; 8:5-6; 10:5, 7; 13:16), Bethel (or Beth-Aven; Hosea 4:15; 5:8; 10:5; 12:4), Gilgal (Hosea 4:15; 9:15; 12:11). References to “the land” (Hosea 4:1) and “our king” (Hosea 7:5) indicate that Hosea was a citizen of the land to white he delivered his message.
—James Limburg
Source: Limburg, James. Hosea-Micah. Interpretation: a Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching. Atlanta, GA: John Knox Press, 1988.
From Bibles.net: Remember that the ultimate author of every book of the Bible is the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). He has written this book to equip you for life, to help you know the true God, and to give you hope (2 Timothy 3:16; Romans 15:4). The Holy Spirit wrote Hosea for your good and to lead you into joy.
Hosea prophesied during the latter half of the eighth century BC (c. 753–722 BC). This period was an extremely difficult time in Israel’s history, just before the northern kingdom went into exile.
Hosea’s primary audience was Ephraim (another name for the northern kingdom, Israel), which is mentioned 35 times in the book. Hosea wanted to see Israel turn back to God.
The Near East at the Time of Hosea
c. 740 BC
Hosea prophesied to Israel and Judah during the decades leading up to the fall of the northern kingdom of Assyria. The resurgence of this ancient empire dominated much of the politics of the ancient Near East from the time of Jeroboam until Assyria’s demise at the end of the seventh century BC.
—ESV Global Study Bible
Turn to 2 Kings 15–17, and read the page of history that covers the period of this prophet. As already stated, it was a very unsettled time. Sin was rampant. The golden age of Jeroboam II was passing and a dark cloud hung over Israel. On the death of Jeroboam, six kings followed in quick succession. Within 20 years, four were assassinated. At about the middle of Hosea’s ministry, the Assyrians carried away a large part of the nation. At the end of Hosea’s life, the kingdom of Israel came to an end with the fall of Samaria. The prophet lived to see his prophecies fulfilled.
—Henrietta Mears
Source: This content is from What the Bible Is All About, written by Henrietta Mears. Copyright © 1953, 2011 by Gospel Light. Copyright assigned to Tyndale House Publishers, 2015. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise indicated, this content is adapted from the ESV Global Study Bible® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright ©2012 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Come, Let Us Return to the Lord by Marty Voltz
In this 37-minute message, Pastor Marty Voltz helps us hear the invitation from the Lord ringing out from the book of Hosea: “Return to me.” In this powerful short message, you will be moved by the character of God revealed to us in Hosea, and drawn to love and trust him more.
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As you read through Hosea, you might come across words and ideas that are foreign to you. Here are a few definitions you will want to know! Note that this dictionary was created for the New International Version (NIV) Bible.
Sexual union between a man and a woman when either or both of them are married to someone else. Adultery is a sin.
A powerful and aggressive nation, the most powerful Middle Eastern empire from the tenth century BC through most of the seventh century. Nineveh was the capital city. Assyria conquered Israel and took its inhabitants captive.
A Hebrew word that means “master.” Baal (plural, Baalim) was the name of many false gods worshiped by the people of Canaan. They thought the Baalim ruled their land, crops, and animals. When the Israelites came to the Promised Land, each area of the land had its own Baal god. Names of places were often combined with the name “Baal” to indicate ownership (Baal-Hermon shows that Hermon belonged to Baal). Eventually, Baal became the name for the chief male god of the Canaanites. They believed that Baal brought the sun and the rain and made the crops grow. The Israelites were often tempted to worship Baal, something God had told them they were never to do.
To promise to marry.
An agreement. In the ancient Near East, sometimes covenants were made between two people or groups of people. Both sides decided what the agreement would be. However, in the Bible, the word usually refers to agreements between God and people, when God decides what will be done and the people agree to live by the covenant. The Old Covenant of law set standards of behavior in order to please God. The New Covenant of grace presents God’s forgiveness based on faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection.
A statue or other image of a god that is made by people and then worshiped as if it had the power of God. Idols are often made of wood, stone, or metal. Sometimes the Bible calls anything that takes the place of God in a person’s life an idol. God tells us not to worship idols but, rather, to worship only him.
(1) One of the sons of Jacob and Leah. (2) The descendants of Jacob and Leah’s son of the same name, who became the tribe of Judah. (3) The southern kingdom when the Israelites divided into two separate countries after the death of King Solomon. (The northern kingdom was called Israel.)
Among the Jews, a man who offered prayers and sacrifices to God for the people. Priests led the public worship services at the tabernacle and later at the temple. Often the priests also taught the Law of God to the people. The priests of Israel were all descendants of Aaron’s family. All Christians are also priests (see 1 Peter 2:9). We are to help others learn about and worship God.
(1) To gather ripe grain and fruit. (2) The reward or punishment people receive for their actions (see Galatians 6:9).
To turn around and go in the opposite direction. In the Bible, repent means feeling sorrow for wrongdoing, stopping the wrong action and doing what God says is right. Repentance always involves making a change away from sin and toward God.
(1) To bring back; to establish again. (2) To bring back to a former or original condition. (3) To return something lost, stolen or taken. The return of the Jews from being captives in Babylon is referred to as their restoration.
Thinking and doing what is correct (or right) and holy. God is righteous because he does only what is perfect and holy. A person who has accepted Jesus as Savior is looked at by God as being free from the guilt of sin, so God sees that person as being righteous. People who are members of God’s family show their love for him by doing what is correct and holy, living in righteous ways.
A gift or offering given to God. A sacrifice usually involved killing an animal to pay for sin. The New Testament tells us that Jesus died as the once-for-all sacrifice for sinners, and that no further sacrifices for sin are necessary.
Dictionary Source
This content is from What the Bible Is All About, written by Henrietta Mears. Copyright © 1953, 2011 by Gospel Light. Copyright assigned to Tyndale House Publishers, 2015. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
We have found answers to some tough questions that we anticipate may arise as you read Hosea. We know we can’t answer every question you will have; therefore, we have written this article, so you know how to find answers for your kids: How Do I Answer Tough Questions About the Bible?
The following insights are from pastors and scholars who have spent significant time studying the book of Hosea.
Hosea is primarily a love story, specifically one of redemptive love. The pain Hosea has endured in his marriage to unfaithful Gomer uniquely qualifies him for his prophetic ministry to the Lord’s unfaithful people. Failing to trust the Lord, Israel has sought security in foreign powers and false gods. Yet, as Hosea is eager to show, Israel’s unfaithfulness has not diminished God’s love for them. Hosea paints Israel’s spiritual adultery with vivid images, calling God’s people with both warnings and heartfelt appeals to turn back to the Lord. Failure to repent will result in punishment, but God takes no delight in that prospect. Rather, he desires them to turn from idols to him, their true husband and the only one who can provide for their needs.
—Lydia Brownback
Content taken from Hosea: A 12-Week Study by Lydia Brownback ©2016. Used by permission of Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
The book of Hosea is not about Hosea; it’s not about Gomer; it’s not about Israel; it’s about God who graciously, lovingly, righteously, jealously redeems wayward people—and not because they’re worthy or because they have any promise of fidelity in and of themselves. He loves wayward people because he is God.
—Reuben Hunter
Source: Hunter, Reuben. “Broken Hearted Love.” Word of the Week. Podcast Audio. August 2, 2017. This podcast originally appeared here at The Gospel Coalition.
From Bibles.net: We would strongly encourage you to listen to this full podcast as a family!
Though Hosea is a difficult book, it is also a great book. It is like a tree whose roots go down deep into the Torah and whose branches bear the fruit of a discourse that became the grammar of biblical prophecy. Many of the themes, and much of the vocabulary, of the great literary prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel originate in Hosea. It is also a book that jolts the reader; it refuses to be domesticated and made conventional. It does comfort the afflicted, but it most surely afflicts the comfortable. It is as startling in its presentation of sin as it is surprising in its stubborn certainty of grace. It is as blunt as it is enigmatic. It is a book to be experienced, and the experience is with God.
—Duane A. Garrett
Source: Garrett, Duane A. The New American Commentary: Hosea, Joel. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing, 2011.
Because of the characteristics of (northern) Israel in the mid-eighth century BC, God’s prophetic word could hardly have been predominantly positive. Israel was continuing a history of covenant-breaking, and her Lord had determined to move against his people by unleashing the punishments specified in the law. In the short run, therefore, God’s plan for his people was one that would necessarily seem to them negative. In the long run, on the other hand, God’s overall plan of blessing for his chosen nation would still prevail. Accordingly, the book of Hosea now and again contains reminders to the faithful that God would one day again bring prosperity to Israel. But the vast majority of the oracles God spoke through Hosea were of woe, not weal, and they depend for their substance upon the depository of covenant curses found in Leviticus and Deuteronomy.
—Douglas Stuart
Source: Stuart, Douglas. Hosea-Jonah. Word Biblical Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2014.
From Bibles.net: In other words, God had foreseen the failure of Israel years earlier and had prophesied about their moral collapse in the book of Deuteronomy. The judgment God promises in Hosea isn’t a surprise to them—it’s exactly what God told Israel would happen if Israel was unfaithful to him.
Hosea is believed to be the first prophet to use marriage as a metaphor of the covenant between God and Israel and influenced latter prophets such as Jeremiah and Ezekiel. In the New Testament, Jesus quoted from Hosea twice when he said: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Matthew 9:13; 12:7).
—The New World Encyclopedia
Source: New World Encyclopedia contributors, “Book of Hosea,” New World Encyclopedia, https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Book_of_Hosea&oldid=1112812 (accessed May 26, 2023).
This prophetic book sobers us and fills us with renewed hope. As ugly as Israel’s adulterous faithlessness has been, it cannot extinguish God’s resilient, redemptive love that defies human calculation or annulment.
—James M. Hamilton Jr.
Source: James M. Hamilton Jr., quoted from his article, “The Gospel in Hosea,” published by Crossway Publishers. Used by Permission.
In Hosea, God is by turns ‘cool’ (‘he has withdrawn from them’; ‘Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone’; ‘They sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind’ [Hosea 5:6; 4:17; 8:7]) and ‘tough’ (‘I will be like a lion to Ephraim’; ‘he will remember their iniquity, he will punish their sins’ [Hosea 5:14; 9:9] ); but above all, ‘tender’ (‘How can I give you up, O Ephraim!… My heart recoils within me’; ‘I will heal their faithlessness…’ [Hosea 11:8; 14:4]).
And Israel? She got it wrong, in the usual human way. God, she reckoned, must be wanting more religion; she would bring more sacrifices. ‘They love sacrifice’, says God. ‘With their flocks and herds they shall go to seek the Lord’ (Hosea 8:13; 5:6). But that was not the way to find him. These were religious things, and he wanted people: converted people, deeply repentant, wholly and forever his.
All the ups and downs of the book [of Hosea], the scathing portraits, dire predictions, ardent appeals, add up to this and the book ends by looking to the fruit of all this agony, when this unequal marriage, like Hosea’s, will be no longer full of tensions and betrayals, but secure and blissful, its long winter over and its spring at last arrived and in full flower.
—Derek Kidner
Source: Kidner, Derek. The Message of Hosea. The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1984.
Hosea’s calling shocks us…but an important point to make here is that God is not surprised by our sin… He knows every detail about us (the end from the beginning) and He loves us none the less… We choose to love on the basis of appearance, wealth, personality, ability…we do…not so with God. We choose to love on the basis of externals, we say: ‘I will love you if…when…because…after…’ but God is not like that. In fact it is precisely because there is nothing lovely about us that God has chosen to set his special, saving, covenant love upon us. His desire is to make us lovely through the death of his Son. This is the kind of love God has called Hosea to demonstrate. No calling could be more personally painful and costly than Hosea’s…demonstrating the love of God for (to use New Testament language) his bride the church.
—Reuben Hunter
Source: Hunter, Reuben. “Broken Hearted Love.” Word of the Week. Podcast Audio. August 2, 2017. This podcast originally appeared here at The Gospel Coalition.
From Bibles.net: We would strongly encourage you to listen to this full podcast as a family!
It might not be an unfaithful spouse, but maybe in his strange providence, as he did with Hosea, God has brought a difficult situation your way in order to work out his purposes through you. You’re not a prophet…but God will be using you through your trials to declare his glory to those around you. Don’t despise your trial, rather seek to see them as a chance to be a visual aid to God’s sufficiency and faithfulness.
This is what Hosea was called to—you may be called to something different. He was faithful to demonstrate, as God called him to, to those around him in his hardship God’s faithfulness and his sufficiency. And it may just be that in your hardship—whatever it is—that God is calling you to also to be a visual aid to those around you of his sufficiency and his faithfulness.
—Reuben Hunter
Source: Hunter, Reuben. “Broken Hearted Love.” Word of the Week. Podcast Audio. August 2, 2017. This podcast originally appeared here at The Gospel Coalition.
From Bibles.net: We would strongly encourage you to listen to this full podcast as a family!
Discover music inspired by the message and content of the book of Hosea.