Among the Twelve Minor Prophets, Hosea stands out as a giant. And you’ll hear me say this a number of times throughout this series, but I find Hosea to be deeply inspiring. You’ll see why as we get into his life and teaching.
When it comes to Hosea, the Talmud goes so far as to call him the greatest prophet of his generation. That’s a remarkable statement when you consider who his contemporaries were. Hosea lived at the same time as Amos, Isaiah, Micah, and Joel. Yet the rabbis singled him out. Why? Well, there are some good reasons.
Arguably, no prophet illustrates the depth of God’s covenant love for Israel quite like Hosea. And his book is ultimately a story about God’s faithfulness in the face of human unfaithfulness. So Hosea really is a big deal.
But let’s take a moment and put Hosea in context. Hoshea (which is Hebrew for Hosea) prophesied during the middle of the eighth century BC, a period of tremendous change in Israel’s history. The nation was quite prosperous under Jeroboam II. And politically, Israel found itself situated between two great empires: Assyria to the north and Egypt to the south. Practically, that meant Israel enjoyed relative peace for a season, allowing the nation to flourish economically. But alongside the prosperity were some profoundly troubling ethical and spiritual issues.
This is one of the great themes that the prophets hammered during this period. They repeatedly emphasized that true faith is about more than maintaining a vertical relationship with God. Yes, the Temple mattered. And the priesthood mattered. And of course, the commandments mattered. All of these things were important.
But the prophets repeatedly reminded Israel that God also cares deeply about how we treat other people. In other words, you can be very religious and spiritual and still be, simply stated, a jerk! Or, to put it another way, God doesn’t just want our devotion; He wants us to treat others well and reflect His character in the real world! This was very important to Hosea (and the other prophets).
It’s also important, contextually speaking, to note that Hosea was focused primarily on the northern kingdom of Israel, which had separated from Judah (in the south) generations earlier. While Jerusalem remained the center of worship in the south, the northern kingdom established its own worship centers, which included the infamous golden calves at Dan and Bethel. But Hosea’s response to the golden calves is interesting. There is no question that this was idolatry. It had to go! Yet, it’s significant that Hosea often seems even more concerned with something larger than Israel’s external forms of worship. He continually calls out people whose hearts have drifted far from the mercy and kindness of God.
That theme is vividly expressed in God’s shocking command to Hosea. Famously, God tells the prophet to marry Gomer, a woman known for her unfaithfulness. And let’s be honest: this must be one of the most difficult commands ever given to a prophet! Along this line, a fascinating rabbinic tradition suggests that God first presented Hosea with a list of Israel’s failures. Hosea supposedly responded, “Then choose another people.” God’s answer was not to argue. Rather, He instructed Hosea to marry an unfaithful woman! Only then, so the story goes, would Hosea begin to understand what it means to love someone who continually breaks covenant.
This statement in Hosea 2 reminds us of God’s character. Even when we drift, God remains tender. For anyone walking through a difficult season, Hosea offers tremendous comfort. And here is a great reminder: God’s faithfulness is never exhausted by our failures.
As I read Hosea, I cannot help but think of Yeshua’s words over Jerusalem:
“How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings…”
Like Hosea, Yeshua laments Israel’s rejection while expressing hope for the future restoration. Neither Hosea nor Yeshua ends the story with judgment. Both point us toward redemption!
Hosea chapter three continues this theme. After Gomer leaves, Hosea is told to love her…again! So Hosea purchases her back and brings her home. But then comes an unusual period of waiting. Gomer must remain with Hosea for “many days,” and immediately afterward the prophet says that Israel likewise will remain for “many days” without king, prince, sacrifice, or temple worship before finally returning to the Lord. Those words have prophetic significance. The navi seems to be pointing toward a long season in Israel’s history…a long period of waiting…before the fullness of redemption arrives. That season will be dry and difficult. But even within that season, there is a constant: God will be faithful.
This, I think, is the greatness of Hosea.
We fail and wander. And there are long seasons of waiting. Yet throughout it all, God’s covenant faithfulness never wavers.
Hosea reminds us that while God’s people may not always be faithful to Him, He remains faithful to His people. And that is a truth we can count on even in the longest and driest seasons of waiting.
Next week, we’ll look at the remaining chapters of this “greatest” of prophets!
