Prophet Hosea

Prophet Hosea

Introduction: The main feature of Hosea’s prophecy is its insistence on God’s love for Israel. His presentation of the message of God’s love is metaphorical. Hosea’s love for his wife is symbolic; it expresses the love of God for Israel. “God’s forgiving love is portrayed in the account of Hosea’s love for his harlot wife.”[1]

Short Biography of Hosea: “The name of Hosea Hebrew word which means “God has saved” or “God is Salvation”, He was a son of Beeri. He is the first of the so called Minor Prophets (Hos. 1:1). He has three children. He was called the first prophet of grace and Israel’s earliest evangelist. He lived at a time of great crisis for the northern kingdom of Israel. He began his career in the middle of the eighty century (c. 750 BC.).  He is the only writing prophet who came from the northern kingdom of Israel. He began exercising his prophetic ministry there in the last years of king Jeroboam II (786-746 BC). He was either a priest or cultic prophet.” [2]

God’s Vocation of Hosea and Date of prophecy (745-721 B.C.): “Hosea was another prophet aimed at the northern kingdom, whose name means “salvation”. God had often compared his relationship to Israel to that of a marriage, so He instructed Hosea to take a prostitute as his wife. Hosea experienced all the events one would expect from this situation. There were, however, reasons why God did this:

1. So Hosea could, better than other prophets of the Bible, understand the anguish in God’s own heart over the northern kingdom, whose people were constantly committing spiritual fornication and adultery against Jehovah, making him more effective prophet.
2. His own marriage would become a walking and visible example of his message to Israel.
3. God would command him to name his children by those titles which would describe the future punishment and eventual restoration of all Israel.”[3]

Main Message of Hosea: The main theme of Hosea’s prophecy is the idolatry of Israel and infidelity to Yahweh. His marriage is a part of his message. This might be called a parable. He was told to “take a wife of harlotry” which may mean he married a prostitute. Hosea gives a call to Israel to return to God. He is the only prophet in the OT who explains the relationship between God and Israel in terms of marriage. Overall it is very clear that; Hosea speaks during the great crisis in the northern Kingdom, when they worshiped god of Baal.Therefore he spoke against Idolatry and cultic behavior to Baal where ethical conduct was not given importance.

Division of the Book of Hosea

1.      Personal Experiences of Hoshea and their Significance (chs:1-30)

2.      Preaches of Doom against Israel (4:1-14:1)

3.      Oracles of Weal for Israel (14: 2-9)

4.      Conclusion (14:10)

Theological synthesis: What becomes clear from the analogous metaphor of the marriage account of the prophet about the relationship between Israel and God is Yahweh as the loving yet rejected husband. Israel’s guilt as we have already said is unfaithfulness to Yahweh by her cultic practices and her dependence upon Cananite mythology and thought. So it can say that; the right relationship with God is expressed in human relationship with neighbors.

Bibliography

               1.The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, by D. Harvey, Vol. 2, Abingdon, Mashville, 1980.

              2.Today’s Dictionary of the Bible, by Bryant T. A., Guidepost, New York, 1982.

3.New Catholic Encyclopedia, Second Edition Vol,  VII, p. 115-116,

4.Harpers Bible Dictionary, by Paul J. Achtemeir, Ed, Theological Publications in India, Bngalore, 2002.

5.A New Catholoc Comentary on Holy Scripture. ‘Hosea’ by D. Ryan, London, Thomas Nelson. 1969.

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[1] . James Lunburg, Hosea-Micha, Interpretation, Atlanta, John Knox Press, 1998, p.2.

[2]New Catholic Encyclopedia, Second Edition Vol,  VII, p. 115-116,

3 Harpers Bible Dictionary, by Paul J. Achtemeir, Ed, s.v. “Hosea”, Theological Publications in India, Bangalore, 2002, Pp- 317-318.