Jeroboam II becomes king of Israel | Amos becomes a prophet | Hosea becomes a prophet; King Zachariah of Israel is killed | King Shallum of Israel is killed | Tiglath-pileser III invades Israel | Micah becomes a prophet to Judah | Isaiah becomes a prophet to Judah | Israel (northern kingdom) falls | Hosea's ministry ends | 793 B.C. | 760 | 753 | 752 | 743 | 742 | 740 | 722 | 715 |
Vital statistics
Purpose: | To illustrate God's love for his sinful people | Author: | Hosea son of Beeri ("Hosea" means "salvation") | Original audience: | The people of Israel (the northern kingdom) | Date written: | Approximately 715 B.C., recording events from about 753-715 B.C. | Setting: | Hosea began his ministry during the end of the prosperous but morally declining reign of Jeroboam II of Israel (the upper classes were doing well, but they were oppressing the poor). He prophesied until shortly after the fall of Samaria in 722 B.C. | Key verse: | "Then the Lord said to me, 'Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them" (3:1) | Key people: | Hosea, Gomer, their children | Key places: | The northern kingdom (Israel), Samaria, Ephraim. | Special features: | Hosea employs many images from daily life: God is depicted as husband, lion, leopard, bear, dew, rain, moth, and others; Israel is pictured as wife, sick person, vine, grapes, early fruit, olive tree, woman in childbirth, oven, morning mist, chaff, and smoke, to name a few. |
The Rulers and Prophets of Hosea's Time
840 | 830 | 820 | 810 | 800 | 790 | 780 | 770 | 760 | 750 | 740 | 730 | 720 | 710 | 700 | 690 | 680 | Kings of Assyria | | | | | | | 755-745 Ashurnirari | 722-705 Sargon II | | | | | | | | | | Tiglath-pileserIII 745-727 | 705-781Sennacherib | | | | | | | | | 727-722 ShalmanaserV | | | Kings of Israel (Northern Kingdom) | | | 793 Jeroboam II 753 | Menahem 752 742 | Northern ten tribes taken captive by King Shalmaneser V of Assyria in 722 | | | | | 752 Pekah 732 | 732 Hoshea 722 | | | | | | | | | | Zechariah | | | | | | | | | | | | Shallum one month | | | | | Hosea and His Contemporary Prophets (Northern Kingdom) | | | | | | | 765 HOSEA 714 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Jonah 784 772 | Amos 767 755 | | | | | | | | | Kings of Judah (Southern Kingdom) | | | 790 Uzziah or Azariah 739 | 735 Ahaz 715 | | | | | | | | | | | 750 Jotham 731 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 730 Hezekiah 686 | Prophets to Judah (Southern Kingdom) | | | | | | | | 739 Isaiah 681 | | | | | | | | | 733 Micah 701 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 840 | 830 | 820 | 810 | 800 | 790 | 780 | 770 | 760 | 750 | 740 | 730 | 720 | 710 | 700 | 690 | 680 |
Stage |
Israel’s Prophets |
Hosea’s Marriage |
Betrothal |
Jer. 2:2 |
Hos. 1:2 |
Marriage |
Ezek. 16:8–14 |
Hos. 1:3 |
Adultery |
Jer. 5:7; Ezek. 16:15–34 |
Hos. 3:1 |
Estrangement |
Jer. 3:8–10; Ezek. 16:35–52 |
Hos. 3:3–4 |
Restoration |
Ezek. 16:53–63 |
Hos. 3:5 |
Word in life study Bible . 1997, c1996 (electronic ed.) (Os 3.1). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Israel’s Apostasy and Hosea’s MarriageThe stages of Israel’s relationship with God are depicted in the prophecies of Jeremiah an Ezekiel, as well as in Hosea’s relationship with Gomer.
Stage | Israel’s Prophets | Hosea’s Marriage | Betrothal | Jeremiah 2:2 | Hosea 1:2 | Marriage | Ezekiel 16:8-14 | Hosea 1:3 | Adultery | Jeremiah 5:7; Ezekiel 16:15-34 | Hosea 3:1 | Estrangement | Jeremiah 3:8-10; Ezekiel 16:35-52 | Hosea 3:3, 4 | Restoration | Ezekiel 16:53-63 | Hosea 3:5 |
New Geneva study Bible. 1997, c1995 (electronic ed.) (Os 2.15). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Hosea
Served as a prophet to Israel (the northern kingdom) from 753-715 B.C. CLIMATE OF THE TIMES
| Israel's last six kings were especially wicked, they promoted heavy taxes, oppression of the poor, idol worship, and total disregard for God. Israel was subjected to Assyria and was forced to pay tribute, which depleted its few remaining resources. | MAIN MESSAGE
| The people of Israel had sinned against God, as an adulterous woman sins against her husband. Judgment was sure to come for living in total disregard for God and fellow humans. Israel fell to Assyria in 722 B.C.
| IMPORTANCE OF MESSAGE
| When we sin, we sever our relationship with God, breaking our commitment to him. White all must answer to God for their sins, those who seek God's forgiveness are spared eternal judgment. | CONTEMPORARY PROPHETS
| Jonah (793-753 B.C.), Amos (760-750 B.C.), Micah (742-687 B.C.), Isaiah (740-681 B.C.)
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A. HOSEA'S WAYWARD WIFE (1:1-3:5)
| Hosea was commanded by God to marry a woman who would be unfaithful to him and would cause him many heartaches. Just as Gomer lost interest in Hosea and ran after other lovers, we, too, can easily lose appreciation for our special relationship with God and pursue dreams and goals that do not include him. When we compromise our Christian lifestyles and adopt the ways of the world, we are being unfaithful. | B. GOD'S WAYWARD PEOPLE (4:1-14:9)
| God wanted the people in the northern kingdom to turn from their sin and return to worshiping him alone, but they persisted in their wickedness. Throughout the book Israel is described as ignorant of God, with no desire to please him. Israel did not understand God at all, just as Gomer did not understand Hosea. Like a loving husband or patient father, God wants people to know him and to turn to him daily.
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Hosea Overview
God's Loving Kindness to Israel
| Hosea and Gomer | God and Israel | Betrothal | Hos 1:2 | Assumed; Jer 2:2; Eze 16:8 | One Flesh | Hos 1:3 | Assumed; Jer 3:1; Eze 16:9-14 | Adultery | Hos 2:2; 3:1 | Hos 2:5; 4:12; Jer 3:6; 5:7; Eze 16:15-34 | Divorce | Hos 3:1 | Hos 2:2; Jer 3:8-10, 20; Eze 16:35-59 | Remarriage | Hos 3:3-5 | Hos 1:10, 11; 2:14-23; 14:4-9; Jer 3:22-4:2; Eze 16:60-63 |
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