Intro to Hosea

“For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” 
Hosea 6:6 

The book of Hosea is a very odd book when you consider it in the scope of the prophetic writings. In all of the other prophetic works, you find what you expect to find, prophetic pronouncements. But in Hosea, it is more of an autobiography which serves as a metaphor for the relationship between God and His people. And although Hosea does have many utterances from God in it, they are reinforced by the love that Hosea has for an adulterous wife. Hosea was a prophet of God for about 40 years (1:1) in the Northern Kingdom, but did have some words for the Southern Kingdom (1:7, 5:2, 7:1).

There are several themes in this book, and I will just highlight three of them here: Indictment, Instruction, and Hope. The people of God had turned away from God and were living very wickedly. They had rejected God’s law and covenant (4:1), acted in idolatrous practices (11:2), and placed their faith in man as opposed to God (2:7). Thus, God appoints Hosea to instruct the people to turn away from their idolatry and sexual immorality and to repent from their sins and return in faithful obedience to God. The warning to them is that if they neglect to heed the instruction, they would fall into greater condemnation. The result would be further exile and control from foreign, godless powers.

The final theme, however, is one of hope. God tells them that if they were to return to Him, he would heal them (14:4) and a renewal of the covenant would take place. This is a great reminder of the long-suffering love of God. The people had committed very great sins and yet, like Hosea consistently searches for his adulterous wife, God too is committed to His people. But God’s love does not tolerate other loves to compete with His own, there is a call to purity here. It is a wonderful thing that our God is one of mercy and grace. No sin we have ever committed is too great for our God to forgive. However, the lesson needs to be understood clearly that God does require for us to repent from our sins and to return to Him with faithful obedience. He has already given us His Son to pay the penalty for our constant adulterous acts. Praise God that through the Son, we have redemption, renewal, and restoration to Him. May that reflection cause us to declare His glory forevermore.

Grace and Peace,
Alex Galvez

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