Hosea: God Speaks Through Tragedy

MEMORY VERSE: “And I will betroth thee unto Me forever; yea, I will betroth thee unto Me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto Me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord.” —Hosea 2:19,20

HOSEA 1:1-9; 3:1-3

IT IS generally believed that Hosea’s prophecy was directed principally to the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel. He was called to enter upon his prophetic office in a very peculiar manner. When a young man, he was commanded by the Lord to marry an unchaste woman, whose children might well be considered as not belonging to Hosea. The general thought among scholars is that this arrangement was intended to be symbolic of the Lord’s dealings with the idolatrous Israelites, whom he had espoused to himself.

It has been suggested that it was nothing more than a parable. There is certainly no intimation in the text to suggest this. Some, considering the narrative as being truly historical, have taken the view that this sinful woman had reformed before Hosea married her, even as Rahab reformed before she was married to Salmon. But this is not indicated in the narrative.

We can conclude, however, that the Lord permitted Hosea to have certain very trying experiences in his domestic life, to impress upon his mind the Lord’s view of Israel, his spouse. If we take the view that the woman Hosea married was pure at the time of their marriage, it would indicate why he accepted her first child as belonging to him. Dr. George Adam Smith remarks:

“Hosea did not claim the second child, and in the name of this little lass Lo-ruhamah, ‘she that never knew a father’s love,’ orphaned, not by death, but by her mother’s sin, we find proof of the prophet’s awakening to the tragedy of his home. Nor does he own the third child, named Lo-ammi, ‘Not my people.’ That could also mean, ‘No kin of mine.’ At least once, but probably oftener, Hosea had forgiven the woman, and until the sixth year she stayed in his house. Then, either he put her from him, or she went her own way. She sold herself for money and finally, like all of her class, drifted into slavery.”

Later Hosea’s sympathy went out to his wife to the extent that he redeemed her from slavery, as recorded. (3:1-3) These severe experiences through which Hosea passed seemed to be preparing him to voice the Lord’s sentiments of tender compassion to Israel, his espoused one, who so frequently and persistently went after other gods. If the prophecy of Hosea be read from this standpoint, its tender, compassionate appeals will be appreciated as from no other.

Our memory verses, if applied to the fleshly seed of Israel at all, should be applied to all Israel, that is to those of the two-tribe kingdom of Judah, together with those of the ten-tribe kingdom who remained in the land when this kingdom was destroyed and the majority taken into captivity in Assyria. This minority subsequently became associated with the two-tribe kingdom, and went into captivity in Babylon when this kingdom was overthrown.

“But,” to quote from “Thy Kingdom Come,” “there is good reason for believing that these verses (19 and 20) relate to the spiritual class, selected during the time when fleshly Israel has been cast off. To this view the 23rd verse, as well as chapter 1 verse 10, gives support, both being quoted in Romans 9:23-26, and agreeing well with the apostle’s other statement, ‘Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.’”—p. 297

In keeping with this observation we have Paul’s words in Romans 15:4: “Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” And again, Peter states that “not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you.”—I Pet. 1:12

QUESTIONS

To whom did Hosea direct his prophecy?

Explain the circumstances of Hosea’s unfaithful wife, and of what was it an illustration?

To whom does our memory verse probably apply?

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