Daily Bread for Sep 20, Hos 1-7
Today’s readings are Hos 1-7.
Hosea had a long career as a prophet, running from early to
mid-eighth century BC, when Jeroboam II was king of Israel, until early in the
seventh century BC, when Hezekiah was king of Judah. His prophetic messages
were delivered primarily to Israel during the thirty years leading up to the
Assyrian invasion of 722 BC. In the Book of Hosea, he mentions Judah, but the
main message is to Israel, sometimes referred to as Samaria (the capital city
of Israel) but also known as Ephraim.
During Hosea's time, which spans much of the same time as
Amos', Israel was first ruled over by Jeroboam II. Hosea lived in or near
Samaria. Times were good, the economy was robust, the standard of living, at
least for the upper class, was very high and life was good but not godly.
Always a problem, the Syrians had been severely weakened by an Assyrian attack
on Damascus in 805 BC. Taking advantage of Assyria’s weakness, Israel’s kingdom
expanded. By any worldly measure, things were great.
By the beginning of Hosea's era, even the Assyrians were
not much of a threat...yet. When Jeroboam II died, Israel slipped into near
anarchy. Beginning with King Zechariah, there were six kings in thirty years.
Four of them were assassinated very early in their reigns.
Hosea is divided into three main sections. Hos 1-3 demonstrates,
in Hosea’s failed and restored marriage, God’s divine love and the extent of
its unconditional nature. We see accusations leveled and a call to repent in
Hos 4-7. In the last half of the book, we see a series of proclamations in the
form of songs and poems.
In Hos 1-3, Hosea
is called to marry a prostitute, something that is highly offensive and
distasteful to a Jew. Hosea is likened to God, his wife to Israel, who has been
unfaithful. God gives Hosea's children names that are part of the message he
carries. They are "Not Loved" and "Not My People." This is
not an indication that God has abandoned Hosea or Israel. It is more an
indication that Israel is not acting like God’s people (not my people) and is
therefore cut off from His blessing (not loved). To emphasize this point, Hosea
is called to be faithful to his wife even if she is not faithful to him.
Hosea’s dedication to his unworthy wife is a picture of God's faithfulness and
Israel’s failure to be likewise.
Through Hosea, his marriage and the names of his children,
God speaks a sobering message to a comfortable, prosperous people. As Hosea
walks through the streets of Samaria, as living evidence that despite all
outward appearances something is dreadfully wrong in the kingdom, he becomes
notorious for marrying a prostitute, even more so for the names of the children
he carries.
Hosea’s calling is to speak the truth, not only in what he
preaches but in some of the outrageous things he does, things which are
symbolic of Israel’s fate if they don’t repent. Prophets are frequently called
to live out their messages as a graphic portrayal of God's truth.
In Hos 4-7, we
read all the reasons Israel is unfaithful and see how far they have fallen.
It’s a tough message for people that are experiencing prosperity. There is a
warning and a call to repent. God grieves over the rebellion of His children
and implores them to mend their ways. If not, judgment is coming.
In short, Israel has become complacent in their faith. When
they’re in trouble, they cry out to God for help. When things are going well,
they put Him on the back burner. God will neither be taken for granted nor
displaced in priority. The upcoming tribulation is not designed to punish
Israel but to demonstrate their need for Him. As their alliances with pagan
nations fail, as they lose their prosperity, as they become captive to their
own sinful desires, they will realize that God is their only hope and
salvation.
What an accurate description of the human condition! We all
fall victims to our own sinful desires. By His grace, some realize their only
hope is in God.
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