The Book of Hosea: an Amazing Love Story
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THE BOOK OF HOSEA: AN AMAZING LOVE STORY Bro. Bill Yake Arlington, Virginia [email protected] Unless otherwise noted, all verses cited from the English Standard Version (ESV) The Book of Hosea: An Amazing Love Story 1 Class 1: Marriages of Hosea Class 3: Judgment of Israel by God and Yahweh to Unfaithful (Hosea 8-10) Spouses (Hosea 1-3) Class 4: Restoration of Israel to Class 2: Spiritual and Physical God (Hosea 11-14) Adultery of Israel (Hosea 4-7) The Book of Hosea: An Amazing Love Story 2 Class 1: Marriage of Hosea to Gomer and Marriage of Yahweh to Israel (Hosea 1-3) The Book of Hosea: An Amazing Love Story 3 The Book of Hosea: An Amazing Love Story 4 What’s In A Name? ’,Hošēā‘, ‘salvation ,הֹו ֵשׁ ַע .The prophet Hosea (Heb Gr., Ὠσηέ, Ōsēe - see Romans 9:25), whose name is identical with the original name of Joshua (Numbers 13:6), and Hoshea, the last king of Israel (2 Kings 15:30). The names Hosea, Joshua, Hoshea, and Jesus are all from the same Hebrew root word. "Hosea" translates as "salvation" but "Joshua" and "Jesus" carry an additional idea: "Yahweh Is Salvation." The Book of Hosea: An Amazing Love Story 5 The Difficulties of the Book of Hosea “Scarcely any book in the Old Testament is more difficult of exposition than the Book of Hosea….It is his heart that speaks…the sentences fall from him like the sobs of a broken heart.” James Robertson, “Hosea” in James Orr, ed., The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1939/1994), Vol. 3, p. 1426. The Book of Hosea: An Amazing Love Story 6 Timeline: From Jeroboam I to Jeroboam II Jeroboam I Elijah Jeroboam II 920 B.C. 860 B.C. 750 B.C. “Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.” - 1 Kings 19:18 (NASB) Israel’s population in 800 B.C. was estimated to be about 450,000. http://bibleissues.atspace.com/israel/finalpop.htm The Book of Hosea: An Amazing Love Story 7 Eighth Century B.C. Prophets “of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” - Hebrews 11:38 The Book of Hosea: An Amazing Love Story 8 OMRI 884-873 B.C. The Book of Hosea: An Amazing Love Story 9 The Book of Hosea: Perspectives Personal • Hosea 1-3 Prophetic • Hosea 4-14 The Book of Hosea: An Amazing Love Story 10 Israel’s Worship of Baal “They forsook the LORD, the “He [Ahaziah] served and worshiped Baal and aroused the God of their ancestors, who anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, had brought them out of just as his father had done.” Egypt. They followed and - 1 Kings 22:53 (NIV) worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the LORD's “And Elijah came near to all the anger because they forsook people and said, ‘How long will you go limping between two different him and served Baal and the opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Ashtoreths.” him; but if Baal, then follow him.’ And the people did not answer him a word.” - Judges 2:12-13 (NIV) 1 Kings 18:21 The Book of Hosea: An Amazing Love Story 11 Not Unlike Our Own Day “The days of…Jeroboam II [who reigned from about 782 to 741 B.C.] in Israel were marked by great prosperity, in fact, the most prosperous for the Northern Kingdom. Israel was at the height of her power under this king. The period was one of great wealth, luxury, arrogance, carnal security, oppression of the poor, moral decay, and formal worship. The moral declension and spiritual degeneration of the people was appalling.” Charles Lee Feinberg, The Minor Prophets (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1976), p. 86. See 2 Kings 14:23-29 for detailed account of the reign of Jeroboam II. The Book of Hosea: An Amazing Love Story 12 Between Hosea and Today: The More Things Change the More They Stay the Same The parallels between the Israel 753 B.C. that Hosea knew and the world in which we live are remarkably close: • Peace and Prosperity • Material Affluence • Moral Decay and Corruption A.D. 2019 • Religious Syncretism The Book of Hosea: An Amazing Love Story 13 “It Was The Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times” “It was a situation which in Politically and many ways is closely paralleled economically, it was by the contemporary affluent a time of peace and prosperity society of the twentieth under the long and secure reign century, a society, which like of Jeroboam II who reigned that of Israel, is characterised 41 years, and he significantly by selfishness, a lack of “restored the territory of Israel” moral sense, and a general (2 Kings 14:25). indifference towards the needs of others… The lesson of Israel Spiritually, however, it was needs to be remembered in this a time of rampant corruption day and age.” and moral decay (2 Kings 14:24). J.K. Howard, Amos Among The Prophets (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1967), p. 93. The Book of Hosea: An Amazing Love Story 14 “Now I Know What You Mean” “The message of hope in Hosea’s book reveals that the harsh punishment was not an end in itself, but rather paved the way for a rekindled romance. After all, one cannot build a true relationship on the basis of punishment.” -Zdravko Stefanovic, Thus Says the Lord: Messages From the Minor Prophets (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2012), p. 18. The Book of Hosea: An Amazing Love Story 15 Style in the Book of Hosea “An interesting characteristic of Hosea’s literary style is a rare skill in using graphic metaphors and apposite epigrams [fitting, clever sayings], which convey his message most arrestingly. These parables in miniature undoubtedly made considerable impact upon the minds of his hearers; and they would linger in their memories, for such vivid word-pictures are not soon forgotten.” Herbert F. Stevenson, Three Prophetic Voices: Studies in Joel, Amos and Hosea (Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1969), p. 126. The Book of Hosea: An Amazing Love Story 16 Flora and Fauna Similes in The Book of Hosea FAUNA FLORA Israel: “heifer” and “lamb” - Hosea 4:16 Israel: “grapes” - Hosea 9:10 God: “moth” and “dry rot” - Hosea 5:12 Ephraim: “palm” – Hosea 9:13 God: “lion” and “young lion” - Hosea 5:14 Israel: “dove” - Hosea 7:11 Israel: “root” and “fruit” - Hosea 9:16 Assyria: “eagle” or “vulture” – Hosea 8:1 Israel: “vine” - Hosea 10:1 Israel: “wild ass” - Hosea 8:9 Israel: “chaff” - Hosea 13:3 Israel: “bird” - Hosea 9:11 Israel: “lily,” “trees of Lebanon” Israel: “calf” - Hosea 10:11 and “olive” – Hosea 14:5-6 God: “lion” - Hosea 11:10 God: “evergreen Cyprus” - Hosea 14:8 Israel: “birds” and “doves” - Hosea 11:11 About 40 similes God: “lion” and “leopard” - Hosea 13:7 God: “bear,” “lion” and “wild beast” - Hosea 13:8 in Book of Hosea The Book of Hosea: An Amazing Love Story 17 Metaphors of People in The Book of Hosea PEOPLE “Guilty Mother” – Hosea 2:2 “Wife” – Hosea 2:2 “Harlot” – Hosea 2:4, 7 “Sick Person” – Hosea 5:13 “Gray Haired Man” – Hosea 7:9 “A Young Child” – Hosea 11:1 “Dishonest Merchant” – Hosea 12:7 “Unborn Son” – Hosea 13:13 The Book of Hosea: An Amazing Love Story 18 Breakdown of Hosea 1-3 1. REJECTION: Symbolized in Hosea’s marriage (Hosea 1:2-9) 2. RESTORATION: On the basis of the covenant (Hosea 1:10-2:1) 3. REBUKE: Due to Israel’s infidelity (Hosea 2:2-13) 4. RENEWAL: Based on the covenant (2:14-23) 5. RECONCILIATION: Symbolized by Hosea’s marriage (3:1-5) The Book of Hosea: An Amazing Love Story 19 The Book of Hosea: Its Three Main Sections Section Beginning: Section Ending: Section Chapters The Accusation The Return Section 1 Hosea 1-3 “…the land commits great harlotry “Afterward the children of Israel shall by forsaking the Lord” (Hosea 1:2) return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king” (Hosea 3:5) Section 2 Hosea 4-11 “Hear the word of the LORD, O “they shall come trembling like birds children of Israel, for the LORD has a from Egypt, and like doves from the controversy with the inhabitants of land of Assyria, and I will return them the land. There is no faithfulness or to their homes, declares the LORD.” steadfast love, and no knowledge of (Hosea 11:11) God in the land” (Hosea 4:1) Section 3 Hosea 12-14 “…they multiply falsehood and “Those who live under its protection violence…The Lord has an will surely return. Their grain will indictment against Judah, and will flourish; they will blossom like a vine, punish Jacob according to his ways” and Israel's scent will be like wine (Hosea 12:1-2) from Lebanon.” (Hosea 14:7, ISV) The Book of Hosea: An Amazing Love Story 20 Book of Hosea: 5 Cycles of Judgment and Restoration Cycle 1 Judgment: Hosea 1:2-9 Restoration: Hosea 1:10 – Hosea 2:1 Judgment Cycle 2 Judgment: Hosea 2: 2-13 Restoration: Hosea 2:14 – Hosea 3:5 Cycle 3 Judgment: Hosea 4:1 – Hosea 5:14 Restoration: Hosea 5:15 – Hosea 6:3 Restoration Cycle 4 Judgment: Hosea 6:4 – Hosea 11:7 Restoration: Hosea 11:8-11 Cycle 5 Judgment: Hosea 11:12 – Hosea 13:16 Restoration: Hosea 14:1-9 The Book of Hosea: An Amazing Love Story 21 Hosea 3:1 Gomer: The Adulterous Wife “But the wife of the prophet became an adulteress.