Chapter 14 closes with an appeal to true repentance. They are called minor prophets not because their material is less important or insignificant, but because of the size of the book they wrote was shorter in length. Hosea was instructed by god to marry a certain woman and experience with her a domestic life which was a dramatization of the sin and unfaithfulness of israel. Introduction to the book of hosea why study this book. If he prophesied in the reign of all these princes, he must have lived a very long time. Unlike amos, hosea preached to his own people in israel d. At the same time he shows the future ways of god with his people. In chapters 4 to 14 the message of hoseas illustration is expanded, god speaks directly to the nation of israel, through the words of hosea. Jeremiah and hosea have a great many things in common. Discover the basics of the book of hosea with the esv study bible from crossway, video from the bible project, audio from mark dever, and more. Ibd the book of hosea is noted for its many references to the history of israel, as well as its vivid poetic images. Hosea introduction commentary commentary critical and. Chapters 1 and 3 are historical narrative of the life and times of hosea, while chapter 2 is poetry.
Hosea with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. Hosea, the son of beeri, is the first of the minor prophets. The study of the book of hosea is timely for the people of god in the last half of the twentieth century. Hosea 1 new revised standard version nrsv bible gateway. Whether hosea himself authored the book that preserves his prophecies is not known. Andersen and freedman conclude that chapters are basically written in prose narrative, while chapters 414 are typical of poetry. A highly complex and rhetorically rich text, the books backdrop is the rise of the assyrian empire in the mid8th century bce. Israel is under the rule of jeroboam 11 and later pekah depending on actual date. I shall let it serve as the introduction to this marvelous prophecy of hosea. We read, in the introduction to his prophecy, that he prophesied under the kings of judah, uzziah, jotham, ahaz, and hezekiah, and under jeroboam ii. Introduction to the book of hosea introduction to the book of hosea, old testament seminary teacher material 2018 why study this book. I have a message entitled, the greatest sin in all the world, which emphasizes the great theme of this book.
First, that god suffers exceedingly because of human rebellion against him. Hosea prophesied to israel and judah during the decades leading up to the fall of the northern kingdom to assyria. As a result, the english translations of the book sometimes offer very different readings of the same passage. This describes a time when the presence of the lord brings judgment andor deliverance and blessing, depending on the circumstances. Therefore, although the day results in destruction for the nations, it can also be seen as a. Hosea boldly pictured this faithlessness in terms of his own disastrous marriage to an unfaithful. The theme of this book is a plea to return unto the lord. The book of hosea, a minor prophet, is part of the book of the twelve. Hoseas life and marriage were used in an analogous way to demonstrate the waywardness of israel and the steadfast, intimately personal love of yhwh. Hosea introduction easy english bible easy hosea wrote his book in the middle of the 8th century bc before christ.
Hoshea rebelled and was defeated by shalmaneser v in his taking. Introduction three major themes are reflected in the book of hosea. Book of hosea biblical studies oxford bibliographies. By studying hoseas words, students will learn that although there are consequences for our unfaithfulness, the lord. Epiphanius says that he was of the town of belemoth, in the tribe of issachar. The book of hosea stands first in the division of the bible called the book of the twelve in the apocrypha cf. His name is the equivalent of joshua meaning salvation. The book of hosea which we have constitutes only that portion of his public teachings which the holy spirit saw fit to preserve for the benefit of the church. Video video download options bible book introduction videos share. He lived during the reigns of jeroboam ii king of israel 793753 b.
Like the books of isaiah, jeremiah, and ezekiel, these twelve smaller books fit on one scroll. Amos denounces the injustices evident in contemporary society and warns that god will punish the nation for the widespread oppression of the poor. Probably the most famous of the minor prophets, this book details the adventures of a prophet named jonah who was unwilling to proclaim gods message to the assyrians in nineveh thats because jonah was afraid the ninevites would repent and avoid gods wrath. In short, hosea had to demonstrate, through his love for gomer, the kind of love god felt for israel. It is a research tool for publications in various languages produced by jehovahs witnesses. The second part of the book contains longish lamentations of hosea. Hoseas primary audience was ephraim another name for the northern kingdom, israel, which is mentioned 35 times in the book.
In the bible book of hosea, the prophets marriage to gomer pictures gods dealings with the nation of israel and provides vital lessons about worship and mercy. Their order reflects the traditional view of each books chronology. He was born in the northern kingdom of israel, little is known about him outside this book. The resurgence of this ancient empire dominated much of the politics of the ancient near east from the time of jeroboam until assyrias demise at the end of the seventh century b. The prophet hosea preached in the northern kingdom of israel, after the prophet amos, during the troubled times before the fall of samaria in 721 b. Youll find david jeremiahs introduction to the book of hosea on page 11451147 of the jeremiah study bible. Ibd hosea contains 14 chapters that are filled with some of the most powerful truths in all the bible.
So you dont want to miss this gods word is alive and active and i know we are going to grow together. Minor refers to the brevity of the prophecies, as compared to the length of the works of isaiah, jeremiah, and ezekiel. This is a reference to the largest of the ten northern tribes of palestine that made up the nation of israel. Read hosea introduction commentary using commentary critical and explanatory on the whole bible. Garrett canadian southern baptist seminary cochrane, alberta tol owo the book of hosea is the written record of the prophecies that ho sea son of beeri1, gave to the nation of israel in the eighth century b. This is an authorized web site of jehovahs witnesses.
An introduction to the book of hosea a summary of the chapter and a reflection question for each day the verse of the day each day blank space for soaking each chapter of the book of hosea. He was especially concerned about the idolatry of the people and their faithlessness toward god. Lesson 1 in the series the prophetic wisdom of hosea. Book of hosea overview insight for living ministries.
One of the central messages of the book of hosea is that jehovah loves his people even when they are unfaithful to him, and he will mercifully offer them reconciliation. The hebrew of the book of hosea is challenging to translate, possibly because the text is corrupt or because it is written in a nonstandard dialect of hebrew. The book of hosea is a narrative history and prophetic oracle. The bible journey introduction to the book of amos. Hosea introduction, new american bible, revised edition. Tgc course introduction to hosea the gospel coalition. Jonah had a whale of a time trying to run from god, but. The book is a mixture of prose and poetry mostly poetry. He may have been among the priests in his station in view of his knowledge concerning religious. The first fouruzziah, jotham, ahaz, and hezekiahreigned over the southern kingdom of judah from 790 bc to 686 bc, while jeroboam ii ruled the northern kingdom of israel from 782 bc to 753 bc. The marital life of hosea and his wife, gomer, provide the rich metaphor which clarifies the themes of the book. Throughout the book the prophet speaks tenderly of the nation of israel as ephraim. Title the title is derived from the main character and author of the book.
Little is known about him, and even less about his father, beeri. The book of hosea can be broken into two parts chapters 1 to 3, use the life of hosea the prophet to illustrate gods relationship with israel. The condition in the churches today is similar to that in israel in the middle of the eighth century b. Discover practical insights into the book of hosea. Book of hosea, also spelled osee, the first of 12 old testament books that bear the names of the minor prophets, considered as one book, the twelve, in the jewish canon. Introduction to the book of the prophet hosea hosea, the son of beeri, is the first of the minor prophets. Israel is the lords bride, but israel has instead joined itself to. Bryce sandlin southwestern journal of theology vol. According to the superscription, hosea began his prophetic activity during the reign of jeroboam ii c. Author and date the book of hosea is the sole source of information about the author. Hosea continues to love his wife, despite her unfaithfulness to him and so his marriage is a picture of gods covenantal love for his people and israels continual unfaithfulness to him. Hoseas life and marriage were used in an analogous way to demonstrate the waywardness of israel.
The dominant theme of the book is the day of the lord. According to the traditional order of most hebrew bibles, it is the first of the twelve minor prophets. After a brief introduction of himself as gods prophet, hosea tells. Intro to hosea biblica the international bible society. Historical context abstract the book of hosea portrays the dangers of the observance of religious ceremony without genuine devotion and commitment to the lord. Introduces the background of the prophet hosea and his book, and provides an. Six kings ruled during the last tragic 25 years of israel. His prophetic style is so elevated that it is often difficult to distinguish between his prose and poetry. By them hosea expresses his deep woe over israels condition.
The best selling book, redeeming love, is based on the first 3 chapters of hosea but most of us have not studied the last 11 chapters of hosea. Set around the fall of the northern kingdom of israel, the book of hosea denounces the. The first three chapters use hosea s life to illustrate his prophetic message, as he marries gomer, who is repeatedly unfaithful to him. Summary of the minor prophet hosea the prophet hosea. Before talking about hosea, i need to give you some historical background to the book of hosea and the other minor prophets. Study the bible online using commentary on hosea introduction and more. This does distinguish him from the last king of israel hoshea c. The meaning of his name, salvation, is the same as that of joshua cf. Hosea is the first book in the sections of minor prophets.