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Hosea

From: Short Sketches of the Books of the Bible

By: Nicolas Simon

Hosea’s message is to both Israel and Judah. As the house of Ahab had been judged in Jezreel (2 Kings 10:11¹¹So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining. (2 Kings 10:11)), so would Israel be judged (Hos. 1:4⁴And the Lord said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel. (Hosea 1:4)). Israel’s judgment would be final; they would not obtain mercy (Lo-ruhamah; Hos. 1:6⁶And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Lo-ruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away. (Hosea 1:6)).

Mercy was withheld from Israel, but the judgment of Judah would bring the whole nation under a worse sentence: “Then said God, Call his name Lo-ammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God” (Hosea 1:9⁹Then said God, Call his name Lo-ammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God. (Hosea 1:9)).

Today Israel is without king or prince, sacrifice or priest; but neither is she idolatrous (Hos. 3:4⁴For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: (Hosea 3:4)). Although not presently owned of God, she will be restored (Rom. 11:1¹I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. (Romans 11:1)). She will learn to call Jehovah “My Husband” and no longer “My Lord” (Hos. 2:16,¹⁶And it shall be at that day, saith the Lord, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali. (Hosea 2:16) marginal reading).

The children of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king (Hos. 3:5⁵Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days. (Hosea 3:5)). In chapter 2 a remnant—Ammi (My people) and Ruhamah (having obtained mercy)—is distinguished from their mother, a harlot from the beginning (Hos. 1:2²The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea. And the Lord said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord. (Hosea 1:2)).

In chapters 4-12, the moral corruption of the nation is exposed as Hosea appeals to the conscience of the people. The book closes with words they were to take to Jehovah (Hos. 14:2²Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips. (Hosea 14:2)), who would respond in mercy (Hos. 14:4-8⁴I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. ⁵I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. ⁶His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon. ⁷They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. ⁸Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found. (Hosea 14:4‑8)). “Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein” (Hosea 14:9⁹Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein. (Hosea 14:9)).

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Short Sketches of the Books of the Bible

• Hosea

• New Testament, The

• Acts of the Apostles, The

• First and Second Corinthians

• Philippians

• First and Second Thessalonians

• First and Second Timothy