Hosea Introduction
Introduction
Hosea was a prophet to the people living in the nation of Israel. At that time Israel and Judah were two separate nations. This was about 800 years before Jesus the Messiah was born. It was a very upsetting time period. King Jeroboam II had died. Six kings had ruled in Israel during the 20 years after he died. The last king had been forced from the throne. Finally the nation of Assyria attacked Israel and conquered it. The Assyrians took most of the people of Israel away as prisoners.
The people of Israel had become unfaithful to God. They mixed their worship of God with the worship of a Canaanite god named Baal. The name Baal means master or lord. By the time of Hosea, the people were visiting temple prostitutes. And the people practiced magic. Hosea tells the people over and over again that this is wrong. Their relationship with God is like a woman who is unfaithful to her husband.
Hosea also condemns Israel for looking to other nations for help rather than God. He condemns them for not obeying God’s laws for right living. He condemns Israel for being greedy. The people of Israel, however, do not listen to Hosea’s warnings. Instead, they make fun of him.
The book of Hosea has two main parts. The first part is shorter. It tells that God commanded Hosea to marry a woman named Gomer. She is an unfaithful woman. Gomer is a picture of Israel’s lack of faithfulness to the Lord. Hosea’s own life then becomes a picture of God’s plan for Israel. The second part includes speeches about both judgment and hope. The people will be judged. But when they repent, God will restore them.
Currently Selected:
Hosea Introduction: NIrV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.