Author and Date

The prophet Hosea "the son of Beeri" wrote the book that is named for him. He prophesied during the divided kingdom, around 750 - 725 B.C., under the reigns of "Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel" (1:1), from the time Israel and Judah enjoyed their last period of prosperity and power until the decline of Israel that led to her destruction by Assyria in 721.

Audience

Hosea was a prophet sent by the Lord primarily to Israel (Ephraim), the ten northern tribes, for the purpose of warning them of impending destruction in a final effort to save them (cf. 1:4-6; 3:1,4-5; 4:1,15-17; 5:8-14; 6:4; 7:1,8,10-11; 8:5-6,8-9,11,14; 9:1,3,8,10-11,13,16; 10:1,5-9,11,15; 11:1,3,8-9,12; 12:1,8,11-12,14;13:1,9,12,16; 14:1,5,8). Hosea secondarily spoke to Judah, the Southern kingdom, as well (1:7; 4:15; 5:5,10,13-14; 6:4,11; 8:14; 10:11; 11:12; 12:2).

Background

By the time of Hosea, Israel had reached the depth of complete apostasy and was ripe for immediate destruction (9:7-9), but Judah was not yet ready for annihilation (1:7; 5:10,14; 11:12; 12:2).

Religious

Israel was guilty of spiritual "harlotry" (1:2). She was worse than an adulteress, for she had prostituted herself for hire (2:12-13). Since the days of Jeroboam I, Israel had worshiped the calves at Dan and Bethel (8:5-6; 13:2), and since the time of Ahab they had served Baal (2:8,13,17; 11:2; 13:1). Israel gave lip service to the Lord (4:15), but were joined to idols in spiritual harlotry (4:11-18). They rejected the knowledge of the Lord (4:6; 5:4) and His law (8:1,12), and broke His covenant (6:7; 8:1).

Moral

Ephraim's religious apostasy was accompanied by moral decay. They were guilty of swearing, lying, killing, stealing, committing adultery, harlotry, and drunkenness (4:2,11-12,18; 6:8-9; 10:4).

Political

The period of Hosea's prophesying was one of political upheaval in Israel. Upon the death of Jeroboam, his son Zechariah reigned for only six months, being unable to maintain his throne for a longer period. He was slain by Shallum, who reigned in his stead (II Kings 15:8-12). Shallum reigned for only one month, and was slain by Menahem, who assumed the throne and reigned for ten years (II Kings 15:13ff). During the reign of Menahem, Tiglath-pileser (Pul), king of Assyria, came up against Israel and exacted heavy tribute from the nation. At the death of Menahem, Pekahiah, his son, succeeded him (II Kings 15:17-22). Pekahiah reigned two years and was slain by a conspiring captain, Pekah. During the reign of Pekah, Tiglath-pileser (who reigned over Assyria from 745 to 727 B.C.) began his conquest of northern Israel (II Kings 15:29). During the reign of king Ahaz in Judah, Pekah, king of Israel, and Rezin, king of Syria, conspired against Judah because Ahaz would not join them in alliance against Tiglath-pileser (II Kings 16:1-9; Isa. 7). Hoshea, who became the last king of Israel, conspired against Pekah and slew him (II Kings 15:30). Hoshea also conspired against Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, by sending messengers to Egypt for help. Shalmaneser then lay siege against Israel, carrying away many of the people into Assyria as captives (II Kings 17:1-6). Shalmaneser died during the siege of Samaria (722 B.C.), and was succeeded by Sargon, who completed the siege. The city fell to Assyria in 721 B.C..... These were trying times of conniving and intrigue, of anarchy and rebellion, of treachery and murder. God was completely left out of the people's thinking.

Their faithlessness was manifest in a twofold manner: (1) in rebellion against all constituted authority, a rebellion demonstrated in the assassination of various kings and princes (7:1-7; 8:4; 13:10); and (2) in their dependence upon human defenses and foreign alliances, rather than upon the power of Jehovah (5:13; 7:11-13; 10:13; 14:3; etc.). For this they would go into captivity (Hailey. 130-31).

Purpose

The purpose of Hosea is summarized in his plea: "O Israel, return to the Lord your God" (14:1). Through Hosea, the Lord made his final attempt to save Ephraim.

Message

His great purpose is to reveal the love of God for a sinful and rebellious nation. He pictures the nation, under the symbolism of a faithless wife, as a nation that had committed spiritual adultery, and he pleads with the people to repent and to turn from their ungodly ways (Young. 251-52)

Key

"The real key to the book is the parallel between Hosea's experience with Gomer and Jehovah's experience with Israel" (Hailey, 128). At the Lord's direction, Hosea married a prostitute named Gomer, and she bore three children, all of whom Hosea gave names symbolic of Israel's destruction (1:2-9). Though Gomer committed adultery, Hosea was instructed to buy her back and love her (3:1-3). This symbolized God's relationship with Israel and Israel's eventual restoration (1:10 - 3:5).

Hosea and Amos

Amos was sent from Judah shortly before the time of Hosea to warn Israel of destruction (Amos 1:1). Amos showed no sympathy for Israel, but sternly warned of judgment (Amos 4:12-5:2; 9:8). Hosea, on the other hand, while also warning of impending judgment, emphasized God's love for Israel.

Outline

I. Israel's Adultery - chapters 1-3
II. Prophetic Discourses: The Ungodliness of Israel & Its Inevitable Punishment - chapters 4-13
III. Israel's Conversion & Pardon - chapter 14

Works Cited

Hailey, Homer, A Commentary on the Minor Prophets
Young, Edward J., An Introduction to the Old Testament