Graphics Hos

Graphics of Hosea

Contents

1 Hosea's Time
2 Vital statistics
3 The Rulers and Prophets of Hosea's Time
4 Israel’s Apostasy and Hosea’s Marriage
5 Hosea
6 The Blueprint
7 Hosea Overview

Hosea's Time

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 Marriage

The 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.)

The Blueprint

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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