HOSEA, A PROPHET WITH AN UNFAITHFUL WIFE HOSEA 1:1-11

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1 1 Commentary by Charles Box Questions by John C. Sewell HOSEA, A PROPHET WITH AN UNFAITHFUL WIFE HOSEA 1:1-11 By Charles Box, Walnut Street Church of Christ, P. O. Box 551 Greenville, Alabama USA

2 2 Text: Hosea 1:1-11, Hosea, A Prophet With An Unfaithful Wife by Charles Box 1. The word of the LORD that came to Hosea son of Beeri during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the reign of Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel: 2. When the LORD began to speak through Hosea, the LORD said to him, "Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the LORD." 3. So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. 4. Then the LORD said to Hosea, "Call him Jezreel, because I will soon punish the house of Jehu for the massacre at Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel. 5. In that day I will break Israel's bow in the Valley of Jezreel." 6. Gomer conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. Then the LORD said to Hosea, "Call her Lo-Ruhamah, for I will no longer show love to the house of Israel, that I should at all forgive them. 7. Yet I will show love to the house of Judah; and I will save them not by bow, sword or battle, or by horses and horsemen, but by the LORD their God." 8. After she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, Gomer had another son. 9. Then the LORD said, "Call him Lo-Ammi, for you are not my people, and I am not your God. 10. "Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to

3 3 them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'sons of the living God.' 11. The people of Judah and the people of Israel will be reunited, and they will appoint one leader and will come up out of the land, for great will be the day of Jezreel. (NIV) Introduction: I. In our Bible the books of Hosea through Malachi are called Minor Prophets. A. They were classified as "Minor" because of the short length of each book. B. These shorter books are inspired of God just as are the longer books of the prophets that are called "Major" prophets. II. The Old Testament prophets were both "forth tellers" and "fore tellers." A. As forth tellers their purpose was that of preaching and teaching in order to communicate God's message to Israel. B. Their work as fore tellers was that of giving specific predictions concerning the Messiah, His work and His kingdom. C. These men were inspired by the Holy Spirit in both their preaching and their writing. D. The Minor Prophets wrote their messages as a part of Old Testament scriptures. E. However, it must be observed that the books are not arranged in chronological order in the Bible.

4 4 F. These books fit in at various points in the history of Israel and Judah. 1. Hosea's time frame corresponds to 2 Kings 14 and onward in that book, 1 Chronicles 2 and 2 Chronicles 2 and onward in those books. 2. Some prophets were contemporaries. 3. Isaiah and Hosea were among those that prophesied at the same time. II. Hosea must have been a relatively young man when he became a prophet. A. He prophesied "in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel." (Hosea 1:1) B. The time of Hosea's prophecy covered seventy-two years, from the reign of Uzziah to the reign of Hezekiah. C. He was a prophet to the Northern Kingdom. III. God provided Hosea with an unforgettable object lesson for Israel. A. God instructed Hosea to "Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD." B. Gomer would leave Hosea to run around with others and gradually sink lower and lower. C. Hosea would seek after her and forgive her when she repented.

5 5 D. This vivid lesson was used by Hosea to preach to Israel about how they had deserted the Lord and gone after other god's. E. If Israel would repent God would take her back in His grace. F. The days of Hosea were a time of peace and prosperity for Israel. G. However, the people had become very materialist and immoral. An Innocent Husband and an Immoral Wife Hosea 1:1-3, The word of the LORD that came to Hosea son of Beeri during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the reign of Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel: When the LORD began to speak through Hosea, the LORD said to him, "Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the LORD." So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. (NIV) I. Hosea spoke with the authority of God. A. The book begins powerfully with the words, "The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea." B. This is not man's message; it is a message from God. C. God gave Hosea an object lesson that made it possible for him to preach to Israel concerning God's feelings about their unfaithfulness. D. God told Hosea to take a wife from among prostitutes.

6 6 E. Sadly, like Israel in her relationship with God, Gomer, Hosea's wife, did not remain faithful to him after their marriage. F. Israel's love for other gods and for idols was often pictured as spiritual adultery. II. Hosea's life must have been very difficult. A. The way Israel was acting toward God was a grief to his heart; therefore, his preaching was very unpopular among the people. B. He also had to deal with the challenge of an unfaithful wife. C. The Northern Kingdom was about to be destroyed because of their many other forms of idolatry and fornication. III. The name "Hosea" means Salvation. A. By the word of the Lord he brought salvation to Israel if they would only listen. B. Hosea's "wife of whoredoms" and her unfaithfulness pictured the "House of Israel" and its ungodly way of life. C. Instead of worshipping God's way Israel had fallen into all forms of idolatry. D. God ordered Hosea to go and marry "a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD." E. Hosea was a great servant of God. F. He went and did exactly as God commanded.

7 7 A Son Named Jezreel Hosea 1:4-5, Then the LORD said to Hosea, "Call him Jezreel, because I will soon punish the house of Jehu for the massacre at Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel. In that day I will break Israel's bow in the Valley of Jezreel." (NIV) I. Concerning the first son that was born God told Hosea, "Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel. And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel." A. It was at Jezreel that Jezebel was killed and there Ahab's dynasty ended. II. The day of destruction for the nation of Israel was certain. A. They continued to reject God s mercy and grace. B. They refused His worship, so only doom awaited. C. Their "bow" was broken just as God said it would be. D. The "House of Israel" was dismantled. E. God used the Assyrian's to wipe out these rebellious people. F. A lack of repentance in Israel led to there being no hope for the nation. A Daughter Named Loruhamah Hosea 1:6-8, Gomer conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. Then the LORD said to Hosea, "Call her Lo-Ruhamah, for I will no

8 8 longer show love to the house of Israel, that I should at all forgive them. Yet I will show love to the house of Judah; and I will save them not by bow, sword or battle, or by horses and horsemen, but by the LORD their God." After she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, Gomer had another son. (NIV) I. When Gomer conceived a second time she bore a daughter. A. God told Hosea to call her name "Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away." B. This child pictured very vividly the total fall of the nation of Israel. C. When God's grace is taken away nations fall. D. God's judgment came without mercy upon Israel. E. In contrast God said, "But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, or by sword, or by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen." II. The name "Loruhamah" means "not compassionate", or "not beloved." A. The house of Israel did not obtain mercy from God. B. In 722 B.C. the Assyrian nation defeated the nation of Israel. C. The "house of Israel" was completely dismantled. D. They were so scattered they forgot who they were as a nation.

9 9 E. Israel and Judah were dealt with in separate ways. 1. While God had "No mercy" (Loruhamah) on Israel he would show mercy to Judah. F. How sad to perish without the mercy of God! A Son Named Loammi Hosea 1:9-11, Then the LORD said, "Call him Lo-Ammi, for you are not my people, and I am not your God. "Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'sons of the living God.' The people of Judah and the people of Israel will be reunited, and they will appoint one leader and will come up out of the land, for great will be the day of Jezreel. (NIV) I. The third child that was born was a son named "Loammi." A. God named these children and the reason that He named this son Loammi was "for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God." B. In the last verses of this chapter God disclaims any ownership of Israel. C. Through these three children, God has sent His message to Israel; "Jezreel" means, God will cease the Kingdom of Israel, "LoRuhamah" means, God will not have compassion on their people; and "LoAmmi" means, you are not my people." II. God had chosen the Jews to be His people above all people. A. He had blessed and protected them.

10 10 B. Sadly, in spite of all the ways God blessed Israel they did not serve and worship Him. C. They did not respond to the many ways God blessed them. D. Though Israel would be rejected there would come a time when the "children of Israel shall be as the sand." E. This refers to Pentecost and the time of the gospel when many would come to the one Lord. F. In the present day the term Israel of God not only refers to the Jews but also to a great number of Gentiles. G. That is how Paul applied the words of Hosea in Romans 9: Romans 9:24-26, even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? As he says in Hosea: "I will call them 'my people' who are not my people; and I will call her 'my loved one' who is not my loved one," and, "It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'sons of the living God.' "(NIV) H. Thus the numbers of the true Israel of God, both Jews and Gentiles, will be as the sand of the sea. I. All throughout the world people that had not been the people of God can now, by the process of conversion, be called "the sons of the living God."

11 11 Conclusion: I. The Israel of God is gathered together in one body, the church. Jews and Gentiles are made one in this body. A. They are gathered in one Lord Jesus Christ. B. In the Christian age Gentiles, the children of Israel and the children of Judah join together in seeking the Lord our God. C. The day of Jezreel may be taken as a time of great comfort, joy, and happiness. D. The entire Gospel dispensation may be called the day of Jezreel, or the day of salvation. E. Those in the kingdom of Christ are blessed with great peace and spiritual prosperity; great love and unity. II. Today is the day when we should seriously consider God's judgment against the wicked. A. Will you not receive Christ as your Lord and Savior this day? B. To become a Christian you must hear the gospel (Romans 10:17), believe in Jesus (John 8:24), repent of sins (Acts 17:30), confess Christ as Lord (Acts 8:37), and be baptized in order to be saved. (1 Peter 3:21) C. After becoming a Christian worship and serve God according to His truth!

12 12 Questions Hosea 1:1-11 (Questions based on NIV text.) 1. The of the that came to son of during the reigns of,, and, Kings of, and during the reign of son of king of. 2. Why did God tell Hosea to marry an adulterous wife and to have children by this unfaithful wife? 3. How are the Minor Prophets and Major prophets different? 4. How can it be said that the prophets were both forth tellers and fore tellers?

13 Are the Old Testament books arranged in chronological order? If not, arrange the names of the Old Testament books in chronological order. 6. What events were transpiring in Israel and Judah during Hosea s lifetime? Give an extended response. 7. Was Hosea a popular preacher? If not, why not? 8. What would happen if your preacher decided to marry a prostitute? Give Bible reasons for your answer.

14 What does Hosea mean? Why is this name appropriate for this prophet? 10. Identify each of the following people, give the meaning of each person s name and tell why each name is appropriate. (1) Gomer (2) Jezreel (3) Lorohamah (4) Loammi 11. What happened to unrepentant Israel because of their sins? 12. Why did God have mercy on Judah but not on Israel?

15 Who are God s chosen people today? 14. Ancient Israel and Judah squandered their favored relationship with God by their sinful rebellion. Are present day Christians squandering our favored relationship with God? If so, how? Be specific. 15. Explain verses 10, 11. Date the great day of Jezreel.