Background of Hosea

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Author and Date

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.

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Audience and Purpose

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.

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Background and Overview

Israel is the Lord’s bride, but Israel has instead joined itself to Baal, the false god worshiped in Syria-Palestine. Worshiping Baal violates the first of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3). It is also a betrayal of God’s intimate union with his people. Therefore Hosea describes it as spiritual adultery, an offense against the marriage between the Lord and Israel. He compares Israel’s spiritual unfaithfulness to the ingratitude of a wayward wife. Such unfaithfulness justifies the Lord’s coming judgment. But punishment is not ultimately what the Lord wants for his people. He desires that they leave their sin. He wants them to return to the One who first loved them and who can provide what is best for them.

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Key Themes

1. Hosea frequently refers to the Pentateuch, the foundation of Israel’s relationship to God (e.g., Hosea 1:10; 6:7; 7:13; 9:6–10; 11:1–4; 12:2–5, 9–10, 12–13; 13:4–6).

2. Hosea stresses divine sovereignty. God speaks in the first person, “I,” almost a hundred times in the book.

3. Hosea’s personal life illustrates the Lord’s compassion (ch. 1–3).

4. Isolation/exile, which is coming upon Israel, is a way to restoration (Hosea 1:6–7; 2:14–23; 5:6–6:3; 11:8–11; 12:9).

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Outline

Chapters 1–3 use Hosea’s own marriage as a parable for the relationship between God and Israel. The dominant image is of Israel as an unfaithful wife. Chapters 4–14 detail the comparison, with its series of accusations, warnings, appeals, and motivations for God’s people to return.

I. Biographical: Hosea’s Family (Hosea 1:1–3:5)
II. Accusations, Warnings, and Promises for Israel (Hosea 4:1–14:9)

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The Near East at the Time of Hosea

The Global Message of Hosea

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Hosea in Redemptive History

The book of Hosea depicts God’s relationship with his people through a metaphor that occurs throughout the Bible, though nowhere as strongly and pervasively as in Hosea: the metaphor of marriage. The Lord has yoked himself to Israel in the most intimate way, likened to the most profound of human relationships. Tragically, however, Israel has proven faithless—in the Lord’s stark terms, they have “played the whore” (Hosea 2:5). God’s people have committed spiritual adultery, going after other gods and forsaking their sacred relationship with the Lord.

Embedded within the book of Hosea, then, is a powerful and ever-relevant reminder for God’s people around the world and down through time. God has bound himself to his people in the most personal, self-giving way possible. He is theirs; they are his. He and they belong to one another. They have committed themselves to one another. It is nothing less than adultery when members of God’s church forsake him to flirt with the idols of this world, whatever form those idols may take in various parts of the world.

Hosea’s prophecy comes in the eighth century BC, as Assyria is threatening to invade Israel and exile God’s people out of the Promised Land. After rescuing his people from Egyptian bondage and bringing them into this land (Exodus—Joshua), God had granted Israel’s wish for a human king to rule over them (1 Samuel), yet Israel’s kings have continually proved faithless (1 Samuel—2 Chronicles). God is therefore about to bring Assyria to conquer and exile Israel.

For the sake of David and the covenant made with him, however (2 Samuel 7), God will restore the kingship one day, and thus restore the people (see Hosea 3:5). This restoration ultimately comes in Jesus, the true and final Son of David (Matthew 21:9; Revelation 22:16), who restores the kingdom (Mark 1:15) and will one day cause every knee all over the world to bow to him (Philippians 2:9–11; 1 Corinthians 15:24–28).

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Universal Themes in Hosea

The Horror of Faithlessness to God

The importance of remaining steadfastly loyal to the Lord is not a regional concern; all God’s people in all parts of the world are constantly tempted to compromise or even abandon faithfulness to God. The specific forms of temptation vary—what tempts a French believer living in downtown Paris will differ from what entices a Chilean believer living in the rural Andes mountains. Wherever we live, however, the core battle remains: will we be faithful to God, or will we commit spiritual adultery, trusting in the gods of the age in our particular corner of the world?

God’s Deep Compassion for His People

Despite his people’s utter faithlessness over many generations, God cannot forsake them once and for all. “How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel? . . . My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender” (Hosea 11:8). God speaks to his wayward people in terms of deep affection. He has bound himself to them, and while he must discipline them, even the pain of discipline will serve to restore them (Hosea 1:6–7; 2:14–23; 3:1–5; 11:8–11; 14:4–5). Believers today can be confident that as they trust him wholeheartedly, they cannot finally be separated from the Lord’s love for them, even amid suffering, persecution, sickness, and economic hardship.

Divine sovereignty and Rule

Almost one hundred times throughout Hosea, God speaks in the first person: “I . . .” It is the Lord who will judge his people; it is the Lord who will bring punishments on his people; and yet it is the Lord who will have mercy on his people. The affairs of his covenant people, and the affairs of the nations of the world, are in God’s hand. This is great encouragement for believers around the world today.

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The Global Message of Hosea for Today

The book of Hosea is rich in relevance for the church today. Because Hosea describes God’s relationship with his people in terms of marriage, we learn of the significance God attaches both to the institution of marriage as well as to the church’s relationship to God.

Human Marriage

The divine institution of marriage (see Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:3–6) is foundational to the flourishing of human society. Around the world today, however, various cultural pressures threaten to weaken this institution. Polygamy, homosexuality, adultery, fatherlessness, and gender confusion are rampant in different parts of the world. Through the prophecy of Hosea believers are strengthened as we see the significance of the covenant bond formed when one man and one woman become one flesh. We also see that when a spouse is unfaithful, God can restore the marriage—for God, supremely in Christ, has restored us to himself despite our faithlessness. He refuses to divorce his people.

Divine Marriage

Hosea sobers us with the realization that the human marriage relationship is instituted by God to portray an even more profound relationship: that of God to his people. Wherever human beings call on God’s name through Jesus Christ, regardless of ethnicity or cultural background, God enters into a covenant relationship with them. God pledges never to leave or forsake his people in this relationship. They will be his people, and he will be their God (Jeremiah 24:7; 31:33; Ezekiel 37:27; Zechariah 8:8). Ultimately, God secures this relationship through sending his own Son to redeem a people for himself. The worldwide church is therefore the Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:32; Revelation 21:9).