THE BOOK OF HOSEA
Hosea |hōˈzāə, -ˈzēə| a Hebrew minor prophet of the 8th century bc. • a book of the Bible containing the prophecies of Hosea.
The book of Hosea is a beautiful, poetic story about God’s relentless love for all people. It is a book that prophetically symbolizes God’s relationship and love for not only Israel but for all humankind.
Back in the book of Exodus, God entered a covenant with the people of Israel on Mount Sinai when He gave them the Ten Commandments through Moses. But throughout the whole Old Testament, the Israelites continued to turn their backs on God and their covenant with Him by serving and worshiping other gods and idols.
In the story of Hosea, God commanded the prophet Hosea to marry a prostitute named Gomer to illustrate how Israel had acted like a prostitute by turning against the Lord. (Hosea 1:2) Hosea and Gomer had three children together but she continued to commit adultery and leave him for other men.
Hosea had every right to divorce his wife—but God commanded him to run after her instead, to pay off her debts, and to rescue her—even though she had been unfaithful.
“But then I will win her back once again. I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there. I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope!” Hosea 2:14-15
In the same way, God had a legitimate reason to break His covenant with Israel, to “divorce” her and turn away.
But He chose not to. Instead, God said He would pursue Israel again and again—to renew His covenant with them, over and over—all because of His own “love, compassion, and faithfulness.” (Hosea 2:19-20)
There are always consequences for sin and disobedience. But the book of Hosea proves that God’s love and mercy are more powerful than our sin and disobedience will ever be. Hosea prophesies that because of Israel’s choices they will be sent into exile—but there will be hope for future restoration because one day, they will return to God, repent, and live for Him in faithful obedience!
The book of Hosea is like a beautiful bow wrapping up the Old Testament displaying God’s huge heart for the people He created. God says, “I want to show you love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6)
God wanted the people of Israel to not simply know about Him—He wanted them to KNOW HIM intimately. He wanted to be in relationship with them so they could experience His love—and He wanted their love and adoration in return.
Even when Israel was turning away from God to worship idols God said, “Oh, how can I give you up? How can I let you go? How can I destroy you? My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows. No, I will not unleash my fierce anger. I will not completely destroy you, for I am God and not a mere mortal. I am the Holy One living among you, and I will not come to destroy. For someday the people will follow me… And I will bring them home again.” (Hosea 11:8-11)
At the end of Hosea, God promises to send a “Messianic King” from the line of David to bring blessing and hope for the future. This is Jesus—the one true hope for a people who will never be able to save themselves.
The book of Hosea is a beautiful story of restoration that reveals God’s character and unconditional love for humankind. God’s ultimate desire is to heal, to save, and to bring everyone into a real relationship with Him.
This book helps us to see and understand the kind of intimate and loving relationship God wants to have with each of us. That’s why He sent His Son Jesus—the greatest gift we could ever receive—all because of His incredible love for us.
XO-
Sabrina