The Strand Study Bible

HOSEA

Author : Hosea Theme : Israel’s Unfaithfulness to God (and eventual fall to Assyria) Book’s Main Character : Hosea (and the Nation of Israel)

About the Author: Hosea, whose name means “ Jehovah is help,” was the son of Beeri and a prophet to the northern ten tribes (called Israel). He began his ministry c. 765 BC (around the same year as Amos). He prophesied in Israel during the reign of seven kings: Jeroboam II (806-765 B.C.), Zechariah (765-764 BC), Shallum (764 BC), Menahem (764-753 BC), Pekahiah (753-751 BC), Pekah (751-731 BC), and Hoshea (731-722 BC). Hosea was a contemporary of Jonah and Amos (in Israel) and of Isaiah and Micah (in Judah). About the Book : Hosea was the last prophet to speak to the Northern Kingdom (Israel). His message for them was not one of hope, but of hopelessness. Because the northern ten tribes chose to serve themselves (material prosperity) instead of God (“ No man can serve two masters… ” - Mt 6:24), infidelity and eventual spiritual bankruptcy occurred, thus forcing the LORD to chasten that part of the nation in 721 BC (II Ki 17:6 & 18:10-11). Approximately forty-four years before the fall of Israel to Assyria, Hosea was divinely commanded by God to marry a harlot, named Gomer, in order to illustrate to Israel her unfaithfulness to Him. The book of Hosea covers 42 years (from c. 765-723 BC). Helpful Background : Unlike Judah, Israel never experienced good leadership under any of her kings. Throughout her 249-year history (from 970-721 BC), Israel failed repeatedly to please the LORD. Like Jonah and Amos, Hosea lived and preached at a time when Israel was at her zenith economically. Spiritually, however, her condition had gone unchanged since her beginning under Jeroboam I. Chastisement was inevitable. Notes of Interest : 1. Hosea is quoted in the NT 6 times. 1 of those 6 quotes refer directly to CHRIST . 2. Prophecies are referred to 109 times in Hosea . 3. Prophecies concerning CHRIST are referred to 5 of those 109 times. 4. There is 1 inset map used in the book of Hosea . It is numbered chronologically (#232). Outline of Hosea : 1. Unfaithful Israel to be chastened (Hos 1-3) 2. The reason for chastening (Hos 4-6) 3. Israel’s inevitable chastisement (Hos 7-14) Hosea 1 The marriage of Hosea (a picture of God) and Gomer (a picture of Israel) 4 And the LORD said unto him, Call his name 4 Jezreel; for yet a 5 little while , 6 and I will avenge the 7 blood of Jezreel upon the house of 8 Jehu, and will cause to 9 cease the kingdom of the house of Israel. PP

1. II Ki 15-20 (See - Amos 1:1) 2. II Ki 14:23-29 3. Deut 31:16 & Jms 4:4 4. meaning, “God sows” 5. that is, “44 years” Note - Israel fell to Assyria in 721 BC. 6. Fulfilled - II Ki 15:10,12 (Death of Zachariah) 7. I Ki 21:1-3,17-19 & II Ki 10:11 8. II Ki 10:30-31 & 15:12 9. Fulfilled - II Ki 17:6 & 18:10-11 (Fall of Israel) 10. or, “war-like strength” - Rev 6:2 11. meaning, “not having obtained mercy; unpitied” 12. Fulfilled - II Ki 19:35-36 & II Chro 32:21 & Isa 37:36-37 (Assyria Defeated) 13. Isa 48:14 14. meaning, “not my people”

(Note - Hosea’s prophecy took place in the 38th year of King Jeroboam II’s reign and the 35th year of King Uzziah’s reign) Date Written - c. 765 BC/AM 3235

5 And it shall come to pass at that day, 9 that I will break the 10 bow of Israel, in the valley of Jezreel. P 6 And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name 11 Lo-ruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; 9 but I will utterly take them away. P 7 12 But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save themby the 13 LO R D their G O D , and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen. P 8 Now when she had weaned Lo-ruha- mah, she conceived, and bare a son. 9 Then said GOD , Call his name 14 Lo- ammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God . The promise of defeat to Assyria (Fulfilled - II Ki 19:35,36 - 701 BC)

1 The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, 1 in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and 2 in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. 2 The 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: 3 for the land hath committed great whoredom, depart- ing from the LORD. 3 So he went and took Gomer the daugh- ter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son. The promise of death to Jehu’s descendants; of Israel’s fall to Assyria (Fulfilled - II Ki 15:10-12 - 764 BC & II Ki 17:6 & 18:10,11 - 721 BC)

1:1 Hosea’s name means “ Jehovah is help.” Hosea is referred to 2 times in the NT (Mt 2:15 and Rom 9:25). 1:2 Though divinely commanded to marry a wife of whoredoms (a picture of Israel’s unfaithfulness to the LORD), harlots never make good wives and/or good mothers. Why? Because “ their feet abide not in their house: ” (Prov 2:16-19 & 5:3-11 & 6:24-26 & 7:5-11). 1363