Hosea appears to have had the temperament of a poet; his thoughts are usually expressed in terms of strong analogies and striking figures of speech. But it is not always easy to understand what he is saying, for his statements are not arranged in chronological order, nor do they indicate the time or circumstances under which they were delivered.
In spite of these difficulties, the materials contained in these chapters reveal some remarkable insights that contributed in no small way to the development of Israel's religious ideals. Anyone who reads the Book of Hosea will be impressed by Hosea's conception of the deity. For Amos, as well as for most of his predecessors, Yahweh is conceived primarily as a god of justice. He gave laws for his people to obey, and disobedience of these laws must inevitably bring punishment sufficient to atone for the wrongdoing.
But for Hosea, Yahweh is a god of love and mercy. Our best understanding of Yahweh's nature can be grasped by means of analogies drawn from family relationships. The love of a husband for his wife and the love of a father for his children are appropriate symbols for indicating the character of the deity.
How can I hand you over, Israel? I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim. Punishment for wrongdoing is indeed necessary, but according to Hosea, the purpose of punishment is not to meet the demands of justice but rather to restore the ones who have done the wrong.
This moral restoration is achieved by getting the wrongdoers themselves to recognize the error of their ways and then to repent in humility and turn from their evil paths. In other words, for Hosea, punishment is remedial rather than retributive, an expression of Yahweh's love for his people.
Punishment should be used as a last resort to teach lessons that people have refused to learn in any other way. Israel will surely go into captivity, but it will not be a final or complete destruction of the nation. Rather, it will be an opportunity for Israelites to gain a clearer understanding of the character of Yahweh so that when they return to their land as free people, they will know how to worship Yahweh in an appropriate manner. The responsibility for what has happened to the nation rests heavily on the priests, whose function was to guide the affairs of the nation, especially in regard to their religious duties.
But this they have not done. They have been blind guides leading the people to believe that Yahweh demands nothing more than sacrifices, long prayers, solemn assemblies, and other forms of ritualistic observances. The truth of the matter, according to Hosea, is that Yahweh cares nothing at all for these services: "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgement of God rather than burnt offerings.
He desires the correct personal attitudes rather than external conformity to a given set of rules. If the people had a correct understanding of the character of Yahweh, they would not try to worship him after the manner in which the Canaanites worshiped their Baal gods. Because of this lack of understanding on their part, Hosea criticizes not only the priests but the people who have allowed themselves to be misled in this manner.
The Israelites, and especially the priests, have had the chance to know better; their responsibilities include making the proper use of the opportunities given them: "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.
God promises chastisement, which would make Israel seek God once again. Hosea is an early reference to the Jewish belief in resurrection. Paul cites Hosea and and in this English translation in Romans concerning God's free election, and Hosea in First Corinthians in a different way, that of the ultimate victory of life over death in the resurrection of the body through Christ's passion, death, and resurrection.
King James I commissioned a group of Biblical scholars in to establish an authoritative translation of the Bible from the ancient languages and other translations at the time, and the work was completed in Who wrote the book? Where are we? Why is Hosea so important?
What's the big idea? How do I apply this? Francis Brown, S. Chapters 1. Summary Summary of the Book of Hosea This summary of the book of Hosea provides information about the title, author s , date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the Book of Hosea. Author and Date Hosea son of Beeri prophesied about the middle of the eighth century b.
Background Hosea lived in the tragic final days of the northern kingdom, during which six kings following Jeroboam II reigned within 25 years 2Ki -- Theological Theme and Message The first part of the book chs. Special Problems The book of Hosea has at least two perplexing problems.
Jim Hamilton. What Is Unique about the Book of Hosea? Byron Yawn. Jason Morrison. What's the Central Theme of the Book of Hosea? Sandra Hamer Smith. Emma Danzey. How Long Should a Pastor Preach? Clarence L. Haynes Jr. Britt Mooney. Jason Soroski.
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