HOSEA- MINOR PROPHET

Hosea means salvation

Ministry-8th century BC

Son of Beeri

He ministers to the northern kingdom of Israel for 40 years of prophetic ministry.

Hosea a younger contemporary of Amos , Isaiah and Micah

Outwardly - prospered and enjoyed

inwardly- spiritual adultery and morally corrupted

The sin of Israel - idolatry, adultery, covetousness, ingratitude, insincerity, murder, lying and apostasy

The sins of Israel mentioned 150 times in the book of Hosea

Idolatry of Israel is mentioned 75 times.

Hosea portrays Gods faithfulness, justice love and forgiveness towards his people.

He pleads to return to him but they do not.

Hosea was a faithful husband but he married Gomer an adulterous wife.

Through the potrayal their life God teaches his people their adulterous behaviour towards his faithful
nature.

Faithful Lord Vs adulterous Israel

Faithful husband Hosea Vs adulterous wife Gomer

They had three children:

Jezreel - 'God scatters', Lo-Ruhamah-'Not Pitied' ,

Lo Ammi- 'Not My People'

Hosea 4:1:

“There is no truth or mercy

Or knowledge of God in the land.

Hosea 4:6

You rejected knowledge

I will also reject you

You forgot the Law of God

I will also forget your children

Hosea 4:11

“Harlotry, wine, and new wine enslave the heart.

Hosea 4:14 The men themselves go apart with harlots, And offer sacrifices with a ritual harlot.

Hosea 5:5

Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity;

Judah also stumbles with them.

Hosea 5:14 For I will be like a lion to Ephraim,

And like a young lion to the house of Judah.

I, even I, will tear them and go away;

I will take them away, and no one shall rescue.

Hosea 6:1

Come, and let us return to the Lord;

For He has torn, but He will heal us;

He has stricken, but He will bind us up.

Hosea 6:6 For I desire mercy and not sacrifice,

And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Hosea 6:10 I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel:

There is the harlotry of Ephraim;

Israel is defiled.

Hosea 6:11 Also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed for you,

When I return the captives of My people.

Hosea 7:10 And the pride of Israel testifies to his face,

But they do not return to the Lord their God,

Nor seek Him for all this.

Hosea 7:14 They did not cry out to Me with their heart

When they wailed upon their beds.

“They assemble together for grain and new wine,

They rebel against Me;

Hosea 8:12 I have written for him the great things of My law,

But they were considered a strange thing.

Hosea 8:14 “For Israel has forgotten his Maker,

And has built temples;

Judah also has multiplied fortified cities;

But I will send fire upon his cities,

And it shall devour his palaces.”

The Judgement of Israel

Hosea 9:1

Do not rejoice, O Israel, with joy like other peoples,

For you have played the harlot against your God.

You have made love for hire on every threshing floor.

Hosea 9:3 They shall not dwell in the Lord’s land,

But Ephraim shall return to Egypt,

And shall eat unclean things in Assyria.

Hosea 9:10 “I found Israel

Like grapes in the wilderness;

I saw your fathers

As the firstfruits on the fig tree in its first season.

But they went to Baal Peor,

And separated themselves to that shame;

They became an abomination like the thing they loved.

Hosea 9:12 .. woe to them when I depart from them!

Restoration of Israel

Hosea 10:12 Sow for yourselves righteousness;

Reap in mercy;

Break up your fallow ground,

For it is time to seek the Lord,

Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.

Hosea 12:5 That is, the Lord God of hosts.

The Lord is His memorable name.

Hosea 13: 2-6

v4 .. you shall know no God but Me;

For there is no savior besides Me.

v6 When they had pasture, they were filled;

They were filled and their heart was exalted;

Therefore they forgot Me.

Hosea 14:1, 2

O Israel, return to the Lord your God,

For you have stumbled because of your iniquity;

v2 Take words with you,

And return to the Lord.

Say to Him,

“Take away all iniquity;

Receive us graciously,

For we will offer the sacrifices of our lips.

Hosea 14:9

For the ways of the Lord are right;

The righteous walk in them,

Just as Hosea accepted his unfaithful wife even after her adulterous acts, likewise God is ready to forgive
and accept us when we as for confess and reconcile with Him.