Hosea

People had me fooled by what they told me about Hosea. I always hear people say, "Oh Hosea is my favorite book. It is just such an awesome picture of God's unconditional love for us." So I was thinking, 'Okay this is going to be cool. I've been hearing all this judgment. It'll be a nice change of pace to just hear some good news.' Not so. The whole book is about God's judgment on Israel because they are unfaithful and unrepentant.

Chapter 1 is the story of Hosea buying Gomer out of prostitution like I always have heard. Then Gomer has kids. The first one is named Jezereel, because God will "break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezereel" (1-4-5). The next child is named No Mercy, because God will have no mercy on Israel (1:6). The next child is named Not My People, because Israel are not His people, and He is not their God (1:9). Then chapter 2 talks about Israel's unfaithfulness and the punishment they will receive because of it. But there is a glimmer of future hope in God's mercy at the end of the chapter (2:14-23). Chapter 3 returns to Hosea and Gomer. Hosea buys back Gomer and says that it is a picture of the time Israel will be without Yahweh but they will return to seek Him (3:5). Then the rough part comes. Chapters 4-10 is God pronouncing the coming judgment of Israel for the transgressing of His covenant (8:1). I thought that chapter 11 would return back to the topic of God's mercy and love for Israel because of the heading. It doesn't until the last few verses. It shows that Yahweh has this great and awesome love for Israel, but they keep running from Him. Chapters 12 and 13 return to the relentless judgment that is coming to Israel. Finally, chapter 14 is a plea to return to Yahweh. It seems like God is begging them to turn from these worthless idols and come back to Him. Hosea then ends with a proverb:

"Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know theml for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but the transgressors stumble in them."

I hope this didn't sound cynical (I'm saying that realizing that it did). I just want to get the point across that these prophetic books are not the stories we heard in Sunday school when we were little. They are all pronouncing judgment for the sins of Israel, Judah, and then nations of the world. This paves the way for the coming of Christ. Those people knew how detestable their sin was to God. He had told them with every prophet that He sent to them. They knew what the punishment was for the things that they had done. Anyway, just stick with me on that. I'm sure it will come up another time or two as I finish the Old Testament. I hope this made you think and hopefully made you get into the text as well.

All for His glory,

Mitchell