The book of Hosea is the first of twelve Minor prophecies at the end of the Old Testament, so called because they are short books. Like all the last seventeen books in the Old Testament they concern Israel while still in exile in Babylon which all started around 800BC. Hosea highlights the results of Israel’s evil rebellion, the curse brought upon Israel by the impoverishment of the land and its creatures resulting in dire starvation. Yet God is yearning and waiting for them to return, repent to know his love and faithfulness.
At the beginning of the book, Hosea is asked by God to marry an adulterous women see Hosea 1: 2- 2 When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord.” 3 So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. This symbolism is to highlight Israel’s adulterous ways, who are Gods chosen people spiritually indulging in Satan’s evil ways. They have left their first love with the Lord their God and run after Satan.
In Hosea 4: God speaks through Hosea and says – 1 Hear the word of the LORD, you Israelites, because the LORD has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: "There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land. 2:There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. 3: Because of this the land mourns, and all who live in it waste away; the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the fish of the sea are dying.
In Hosea 5: God shows a principle by highlighting that if they did wished to turn back to Him, they needed to change their ways, their needed to be a heart of repentance, a change of heart and a sincere turning around in behaviour. In Hosea 5: we read - 4 “Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. A spirit of prostitution is in their heart; they do not acknowledge the Lord.
5 Israel’s arrogance testifies against them; the Israelites, even Ephraim, stumble in their sin; Judah also stumbles with them.
6 When they go with their flocks and herds to seek the Lord, they will not find him; he has withdrawn himself from them. 7 They are unfaithful to the Lord; they give birth to illegitimate children. When they celebrate their New Moon feasts, he will devour their fields.
But before their turning back to God would happen, God would have to bring them to a very low place, we read in Hosea 5: 16 For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, like a great lion to Judah. I will tear them to pieces and go away; I will carry them off, with no one to rescue them.
15 Then I will go back to my place until they admit their guilt. And they will seek my face; in their misery they will earnestly seek me."
The people thought they could turn back to the Lord on their terms – We read in Hosea 6:1:"Come; let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds.
2: After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence.
3: Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth."
God then explains what is needed Hosea 6: 4 “What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears.
5 Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets, I killed you with the words of my mouth—then my judgments go forth like the sun.[a]
6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.
In Hosea 8: God continues to highlight Israel’s unstable nature – 1 whenever I would heal Israel, the sins of Ephraim are exposed and the crimes of Samaria revealed. They practice deceit, thieves break into houses, bandits rob in the streets;
2 but they do not realize that I remember all their evil deeds. Their sins engulf them; they are always before me. Again in Hosea 10 God emphasises their wayward behaviour - 4 : They make many promises, take false oaths and make agreements; therefore lawsuits spring up like poisonous weeds in a ploughed field.11: Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh; so I will put a yoke on her fair neck. I will drive Ephraim, Judah must plough, and Jacob must break up the ground.
Yet God shows them how to change their ways in Hosea 10:12 we read - 12:Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unploughed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you.
Those words spoken remind us of God’s deep love and longsuffering kindness for all mankind, in Exodus 34:6 we read - "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; Here in Hosea 11:8 God opens his heart to Israel by saying - 8 “How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboyim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.
9 I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I devastate Ephraim again. For I am God, and not a man- the Holy One among you. I will not come against their cities.
10 They will follow the Lord; he will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west.
God continues to remind them in Hosea 12:6 - But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always. God continues to reason with them in Hosea 13:4
4 “But I have been the Lord your God ever since you came out of Egypt. You shall acknowledge no God but me, no Saviour except me.
5 I cared for you in the wilderness, in the land of burning heat.
6 When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me.
God shows them the way back; He offers His hand of forgiveness by asking them again in Hosea 14: 1- 1Return, Israel, to the Lord your God. Your sins have been your downfall!2 Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to him: “Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips.
We read in Jeremiah 39: Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege to it. God had to send the warriors of Babylon to besiege the land of Israel and take most of the Israelites back to Babylon into captivity, before they would turn back to Him the true God.
God is an unchanging God, in Malachi 3:6 we read - "For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed. His divine laws and principles never change. He is a just God, but we have to be so thankful He is also a forgiving God. If we follow His divine laws and obey Him, He will bless us far beyond our expectations – To God be the Glory.
