Minor Prophets - Hosea - Pt. I
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Setting the stage
Setting the stage
Last week we look at a narrative view of chapters 1-3 now this week we are going to look at the biblical view. So we need to set the stage for it.
At the time: Amos preaching in the Northern kingdom; this is also the time of Hosea, whose name means “salvation”
Remember Amos was from Judah and did not have much compassion, mercy or patience
Hosea is sympathetic, understanding and forgiving. Amos, well he is reminiscent of say, John the Baptizer and Hosea is more like Jesus and Jesus approach to people.
(Transition) We look at the narrative and not the scripture itself last week, something we had not done before, so now we need to look at the scripture of Hosea over the next few weeks. Today you will see a picture of God’s redeeming love and some more background details.
Some reminders
He is the son of Beeri (1:1)
Wife is Gomer (1:3)
Son Jezreel = God scatters, God seeds (1:4)
Lo-Ruhmah, Daughter = No mercy (1:6)
Lo-Ammi, Son = Not my people (1:8-9)
Through his family, wife and children, God will use them to illustrate the basic message of Hosea.
Date: about 750-725 B.C.
He prophesied during reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah (Judah) and Jeroboam II during that time in Israel.
It is believed that he was a young man when he entered the scene, while Amos may have been drawing to an end his work.
Keeping things in context too. At the time of Amos/Hosea who were in the North, it is the time of Isaiah and Micah who were at work in Judah..
You can find more on the background of the times in 2Kings14-17 and 2Chr26-29.
The Northern Kingdom (Israel) was on its last legs, the cup of iniquity was about to be full.
There was sin rampant and as we look at the book itself you will see more info than even that than in Amos.
Understanding more of this book, you may see the analogy is made between Hosea/Gomer and God/Israel. This is developed in the chapters we are looking at this morning, and seen in the background, backdrop of chapters 4-14.
Here is a simple breakdown for this morning
Israel’s rejection symbolized (1:1-9)
Israel’s restoration foretold (1:10-2:1)
Israel’s unfaithfulness (2:2-13)
Israel’s restoration described (2:14-23)
Finally, Israel’s restoration symbolized (3:1-5)
(transition) We have lots of reading to do, and will make some points along the way. Again a reminder that this is a basically a survey of the minor prophets not an in depth study.
Israel’s rejection symbolized
Israel’s rejection symbolized
In brief we will see the command given to Hosea, the birth of the children in this section.
1 The word of the Lord which came to Hosea the son of Beeri, during the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. 2 When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the Lord.”
3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. 4 And the Lord said to him, “Name him Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will punish the house of Jehu for the bloodshed of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel.
5 “On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.” 6 Then she conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. And the Lord said to him, “Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer have compassion on the house of Israel, that I would ever forgive them.
7 “But I will have compassion on the house of Judah and deliver them by the Lord their God, and will not deliver them by bow, sword, battle, horses or horsemen.” 8 When she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and gave birth to a son.
9 And the Lord said, “Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not My people and I am not your God.”
Hosea commanded to marry a wife of harlotry (vv.1-3)
If the parallel with Israel, then Gomer was not a harlot upon marriage, but became one. Israel was faithful and then became a harlot.
Gomer bears three children (vv4-9)
With Jezreel the name symbolizes God’s scattering, planting His seeds (this is prior to judgment in view); believed this is son of Hosea
With Lo-Ruhamah. this symbolizes goes attitude toward Israel, but still with grace for Judah in sight. By this time it appears that Gomer has become a harlot as did Israel.
Now as for Lo-Ammi the name symbolizes God’s rejection of Israel
Israel’s restoration foretold
Israel’s restoration foretold
As you look at this passage there are a couple of views that people come to on it.
10 Yet the number of the sons of Israel Will be like the sand of the sea, Which cannot be measured or numbered; And in the place Where it is said to them, “You are not My people,” It will be said to them, “You are the sons of the living God.”
11 And the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel will be gathered together, And they will appoint for themselves one leader, And they will go up from the land, For great will be the day of Jezreel.
1 Say to your brothers, “Ammi,” and to your sisters, “Ruhamah.”
Though Israel was cast off, God promises restoration.
Restoration from Assyrian/Babylonian captivity
There is a view by Paul and Peter that this promise is to believing Jews and Gentiles in the church, consider these passages (Rom9:25-26; 1Pt2:10)
25 As He says also in Hosea, “I will call those who were not My people, ‘My people,’ And her who was not beloved, ‘beloved.’ ” 26 “And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, ‘you are not My people,’ There they shall be called sons of the living God.”
The Gentiles were not God’s people, they were considered far off, but through Christ we were made one people.
10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
This just further paints the thing I just said.
Israel’s unfaithfulness
Israel’s unfaithfulness
Conduct has consequences. Isreal has been unfaithful. Hosea brings the charges (condemnation) from God and the consequences (punishment) in this section too.
2 “Contend with your mother, contend, For she is not my wife, and I am not her husband; And let her put away her harlotry from her face And her adultery from between her breasts, 3 Or I will strip her naked And expose her as on the day when she was born. I will also make her like a wilderness, Make her like desert land And slay her with thirst.
4 “Also, I will have no compassion on her children, Because they are children of harlotry. 5 “For their mother has played the harlot; She who conceived them has acted shamefully. For she said, ‘I will go after my lovers, Who give me my bread and my water, My wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.’
6 “Therefore, behold, I will hedge up her way with thorns, And I will build a wall against her so that she cannot find her paths. 7 “She will pursue her lovers, but she will not overtake them; And she will seek them, but will not find them. Then she will say, ‘I will go back to my first husband, For it was better for me then than now!’
8 “For she does not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the new wine and the oil, And lavished on her silver and gold, Which they used for Baal. 9 “Therefore, I will take back My grain at harvest time And My new wine in its season. I will also take away My wool and My flax Given to cover her nakedness.
10 “And then I will uncover her lewdness In the sight of her lovers, And no one will rescue her out of My hand. 11 “I will also put an end to all her gaiety, Her feasts, her new moons, her sabbaths And all her festal assemblies.
12 “I will destroy her vines and fig trees, Of which she said, ‘These are my wages Which my lovers have given me.’ And I will make them a forest, And the beasts of the field will devour them. 13 “I will punish her for the days of the Baals When she used to offer sacrifices to them And adorn herself with her earrings and jewelry, And follow her lovers, so that she forgot Me,” declares the Lord.
Anything stick out to you in this passage?
See the condemnation (charges) for her sinful conduct (vv.2-5)
The charges, harlotry and adultery
The statement there will be no mercy
There would be no mercy on her children, as the children of harlotry.
God’s rage for Israel’s unfaithfulness is described as an enraged husband about a wife’s unfaithfulness and also children of that unfaithfulness.
The consequences for the conduct (vv.6-13)
God will prevent Israel from finding her lovers
lovers of other things other than God. Will find no satisfaction or fulfillment in things that they thought once brought that to them.
God will take away blessings
This is blessings as God’s covenant people as well as the feasts that Israel enjoyed.
God will destroy
God was going to destroy the things they used to commit spiritual harlotry, adultery, unfaithfulness.
Israel’s sin was foremost their idolatry (i.e. Baal) God viewed this type of idolatry as harlotry.
Israel’s restoration described
Israel’s restoration described
The biblical meaning of the word "restoration" is to receive back more than has been lost to the point where the final state is greater than the original condition. The main point is that someone or something is improved beyond measure. (Taken from reference.com) - So, here, Hosea is going to through the Spirit speak of the restoration of Israel (see if you see the picture of the church here too).
14 “Therefore, behold, I will allure her, Bring her into the wilderness And speak kindly to her. 15 “Then I will give her her vineyards from there, And the valley of Achor as a door of hope. And she will sing there as in the days of her youth, As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.
16 “It will come about in that day,” declares the Lord, “That you will call Me Ishi And will no longer call Me Baali. 17 “For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, So that they will be mentioned by their names no more.
18 “In that day I will also make a covenant for them With the beasts of the field, The birds of the sky And the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword and war from the land, And will make them lie down in safety. 19 “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, In lovingkindness and in compassion,
20 And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know the Lord. 21 “It will come about in that day that I will respond,” declares the Lord. “I will respond to the heavens, and they will respond to the earth,
22 And the earth will respond to the grain, to the new wine and to the oil, And they will respond to Jezreel. 23 “I will sow her for Myself in the land. I will also have compassion on her who had not obtained compassion, And I will say to those who were not My people, ‘You are My people!’ And they will say, ‘You are my God!’ ”
God uses the wilderness to allure her back (vv.14-15)
God used the wilderness with Moses and Joshua; and will use it again to bring them back in.
God will cure her of using the names of Baal. (vv.16-17)
He is going to remove the names of the Baal’s from her, they will speak them no more.
They will return to the Lord thy God and have no other god’s before Him.
God will make a covenant, and betroth them forever (vv.18-20)
Also let’s look again at these verses and see what more you can pull from there.
Abolish tools of war (of man) (v.18)
The covenant will be a forever covenant, made in righteousness, in justice, in lovingkindness and compassion (v.19)
This covenant will be in faithfulness and you will know the Lord.
Is this by works or by faith? Is this bigger than the restoration of unfaithful Israel? Can you see a picture of the church?
God will respond in the heavens and earth (v.21)
They were going to come to know Him (truly know Him) v.20) and then the Lord will respond with grain, new wine and oil.
They, Israel, will respond to the Lord’s seed (Jezreel; the Lord sows, makes seed), I wonder who else does, so read on.
God will sow her for Himself, and have compassion on those who had not obtained compassion. (v.23).
Can you see the picture of the church now, of the new covenant, the eternal covenant, of Jesus?
Other scripture to consider (Rom9:25-26; 1Pt2:10)
25 As He says also in Hosea, “I will call those who were not My people, ‘My people,’ And her who was not beloved, ‘beloved.’ ” 26 “And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, ‘you are not My people,’ There they shall be called sons of the living God.”
and
10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Who is Paul, who is Peter speaking of, using the words of Hosea the prophet? - - - - the church! The Gentiles!
Israel’s restoration symbolized
Israel’s restoration symbolized
Symbolism according to literarydevices.net means: Symbolism is to convey the hidden meaning to the reader or listener. ... While reading the Bible, we come across many people, objects, and events that have multiple meanings and significance. If we understand them, we can raise our faith and strengthen our relationship with God.
Look at the rest of our passage this morning and let’s quickly look at the symbolism used.
1 Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.” 2 So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a half of barley.
3 Then I said to her, “You shall stay with me for many days. You shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man; so I will also be toward you.” 4 For the sons of Israel will remain for many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar and without ephod or household idols.
5 Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king; and they will come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the last days.
Hosea is called to love an adulterous woman (vv.1-3)
Gomer was the picture painted of the unfaithful adulterous people Israel, and Hosea was a picture of God loving an unfaithful covenant breaking people.
Hosea took the people back after a time of chastening, or a as some commentators says a time of probation to see if they would turn and be faithful.
Through Hosea, God symbolizes His love, His willingness to take back unfaithful people if they turn to Him (vv.4-5)
During the probation period there would be no king or prince, no sacrifice or holy items. Think was there a time when that happened with Israel? Yep, sure was and it was in the not very distant future to them (Assyrian captivity, Babylonian captivity to the South)
After the time, period, they would return and seek David the king (Is this the Messiah now?) and is this the last days, the days of the Messiah?
God had illustrated beautifully the picture of the relationship with God and his people through Hosea and Gomer. From the harlotry to the restoration, from apostate to betrothed to Christ
2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.
To the church today, it can be a warning about apostasy, harlotry, idolatry
3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.
Speak a word of encouragement prior to (Prayer) (Close)