Payton Roth

Prof. Sultz
25 September 2021
REL 3227-1

The book of Hosea could perhaps be written about in terms of textual divisions, but I

have chosen to address it primarily according to subject matter (though at times I will draw out

interwoven themes in the text). This book, in contrast to many of the 12, begins with a look at

Hosea, the prophet’s life in chapters 1-3 which sets the stage for this being a personal

connection to which the prophet relates. This then drives most of the following drama for the

rest of the book. We are introduced to a situation in which God calls Hosea to marry a

prostitute and have children with her as representative of Israel’s condition of spiritual

adultery. The product of conception through Gomer is 3 children- Jezreel, Lo-ruhama, and Lo-

ammi which are all symbolic for judgement. This shows that Israel has forsaken God and gone

after a harlot and the product of this will be judgement and disaster. This book shows us that

Israel has not just broken a contractual agreement with God but a relationship of love and

commitment! This tone is underscored and emphasized throughout the rest of the book.

What’s interesting considering the fact that Israel has provoked God’s judgment and

anger by abandoning him, their husband, for prostitutes is that God cannot stay mad at them

but in fact he repeatedly moves to offer hope for his people if they will return to him in

repentance! This theme develops very early as in chapter 2 you see the contrast between God

stripping Israel naked and the pronounced judgment of laying “waste to her vines and her fig

trees” (2:12, ESV) and yet alluring her to himself in the wilderness and being gentle to her and

betrothing her to him and lying “her down in safety” (2:18). This becomes even more

impressive when you consider the extent to which Israel has abandoned God and corrupted
themselves! In chapter 4 we see that the leaders themselves are corrupt in that they are using

the sins of the people as an opportunity to get more for themselves by the necessity of

sacrifices and in chapter 5 the nation has become so defiled that it causes even Judah to

stumble (5:5). They call on other nations (7:11; 8:9-10), inquire of other gods (4:12) and even

attribute to these man-made idols the gain they have (2:5,9)! But never once do they do not

give glory or call on God (7:7)! Even if God wrote down his word for them it would mean

nothing to them (8:12)!

And this corruption isn’t anything new- from the time of their inception as a nation

they’ve been like this (9:10,15). Thy have sought other gods at Mount Sinai in Exodus 34

immediately following being delivered from slavery to Egypt! In the wilderness in Numbers 25

they intermarry with Moabite women and worship Baal. After entering the land, they continue

to be idolatrous throughout most of the divided kingdom era in which this is. But in spite of

God’s urgent entreaty to return he cannot force them to return and in fact they are so far gone

that they will not return (7:10). This is the condition in which he finds Israel and despite his

initial anger his reaction is to call them back and take them back to himself! Even in his

supposed judgement like stripping her naked (2:10-11)- this is to make her less attractive to

others so that she will return to him! From the very beginning of this book God is wanting to

take them back (for instance the names of children changed to represent a restoration and

message of hope) Additionally, this book ends with a message of hope for the people of Israel

through an agricultural metaphor (a kind that’s been used throughout the book) looking

forward to the time when they will be holy, healed, and beautiful, united with God in covenant

faithfulness! God never gives up on them. The question really is what will they do?
 Some of these themes brought up just briefly I will now take the time to consider briefly

within its historical context and against the backdrop of the bible as a larger literary unit. An

interesting note of consideration is that Hosea ends with the promise of restoration mentioning

wine and grain (this agricultural metaphor) (Hosea 14:7). Joel picks this up in Joel 1:10 saying

that these things are destroyed and lost! Perhaps this is a message that despite fervent calls

from God many will not return but there is still an awaited time that for those who do return to

God they will flourish once more (Fuhr and Yates, 45). This is a message for us to be soft-

hearted-- to have a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26) and come to him in humility so that he may

restore us!

Within the book of Hosea and thru the rest of the bible we see a portrayal of God that

has been misunderstood by people for centuries, perhaps even millennia. God has been viewed

as a sort of cosmic Santa Claus who will give us anything we ask for. He has this sort of cheap

grace attitude where he doesn’t seem to really care about sin- he will just keep on forgiving us

and we can pretty much do what we want. On the other side of this coin some have had the

idea that God is just a vengeful God who pours out his wrath on us for every small infraction (or

at least ‘the God of the OT’ is like that {as if there is should even be that distinction…}) and

lashes out on every whim in which he feels angry. God is neither of these. In fact, Hosea

presents a very different picture of an abandoned husband enraged over the flagrant sins of his

people yet as a father broken hearted and suffering over the sad condition of his children who

will not return to him. Even from the law, which is often viewed as judgmental and restrictive

we can see the foundation in the grace and love of God (Ex. 19:4-6)! While somewhat difficult

one must understand this nature of God in order to treat him properly. This is both a fearful
thing for those walking in contradiction to his will and a comforting thing for those seeking him

in that even if we sin, he is longsuffering and he remains our father (Ps. 103:8-10).

One final point of worth considering is that the people who should be the best are often

the worst. Picture the neighborhood kids that are the sons of rich parents who feel entitle to

everything and are spoiled rotten and you’ve got pretty good idea about how many of God’s

people thought of themselves in history. This is the way we can become towards God if we are

not careful as well. This is seen in many contexts with regards to the people of God. In NT times

the ones you would expect to receive Jesus- the scribes and pharisees who have been looking

forward to the time when the Messiah will come don’t understand who Jesus is, but a

Samaritan does (John 4). The tax collectors and sinners are the ones coming to God in fact. And

in fact, in Mark 7 they are using the temple as a way to justify their unjust practices. In the book

of Hosea this is seen very clearly. They may claim to know God (8:2) but they do not!

Furthermore, in Amos the people seem to think that their special relationship from God

somehow exempts them from judgment, yet they are worse than the pagan nations around

them! For Judah later in the Babylonian period they are just as bad too. Jeremiah chapter 7 is

case and point of this (which is referenced in Mark 11:17) in that they want to justify their

wicked immoral actions by saying we have the temple- the dwelling place of God. God is not

with them though! How could they have such blatant and utter hypocrisy!? They on one hand

claim to be his people and yet they are doing all the things he commands them not to do! This

applies to us as well though. We ought not to think because we go to church on Sunday or

attend bible class or even know a lot of the bible that we will be covered! If we are not doing

what God says and keeping our covenant with him it doesn’t matter!
 While I am not among the people Hosea was speaking to in many ways, I am just like

them. I can use my special relationship with God as justification for not trying to do my best to

stay holy, even as justification for my continued wicked patterns. I can place other things over

God all too often and attribute to my knowledge, my money, and my expertise my success. I

often trust and follow others- my peers, media, etc. more than I trust and follow God. So, I have

much to learn from this about the importance of my relationship with God as just that—as a

relationship in which I give myself whole heartedly to him and overflow with gratitude for what

his’s done submitting to his authority as a loving and caring father who knows what is best for

me and will never give up on me!