Introduction to Hosea
by
Rev. Mark Perkins, Pastor
Denver Bible Church
326 E. Colorado Ave.
Denver, Colorado 80210
To: Hosea
Main Menu
To: Grace
Notes Home Page
In order to fully understand Hosea, it is necessary to place
this book in the time in which it was written. Therefore, before
we get into the verse by verse treatment of the book we will
study several introductory subjects.
I. The Dispensation of Israel.
A. The Word in Israel's time. The Word in our time takes on only
one form: that of the completed canon of Scripture. However,
during the dispensation of Israel, the Word of God was communicated
in many ways.
1. Sacrifices.
In general, a sacrifice was a graphic, material representation of the reality of God and His relationship with Israel, both corporately and individually.
The sacrifice often served as a simple reminder of the person of God and the importance of doing the right thing.
In this way it served as an exclamation point, as a strong emphasis on the communication of God, and the response of man.The Selah of the Psalms and Habakkuk was likely a pause in the music or prophecy so that a sacrifice could be made.
Selah in the Hebrew meant to be quiet, and it was directed towards the orchestra and choir.
Also, there were sacrifices that taught some specific aspect of Israel's relationship with God.
2. The prophet was a conduit for the word of God during this dispensation.
Topic: Prophets and Prophesying
3. Sometimes God revealed Himself through a theophany - a direct revelation of His person. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night are examples of theophanies.
4. Gradually, there was a collection of the written word, so that the by the time of Hosea there was a collection of writings that including the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy), the Wisdom Literature (Job, the Psalms, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Solomon, and Proverbs), and perhaps the books of Joshua, the Judges, and Samuel (now broken into two parts).
B. The plan of God.
1. Salvation in the Old Testament is a dispensational constant: it comes by faith alone in Christ alone, Genesis 15:6.
2. The post salvation plan of God in the Old Testament time is based on spiritual growth through the inculcation of the word, so that the individual has great and unshakeable love for God in any life situation, Deuteronomy 6:4-9.
C. The corporate vs. the individual.
1. Inviduals still brought glory to God's name during this time. The many Psalms are ample testimony to this fact.
2. But added to individual testimony is the corporate testimony of the nation of Israel, Genesis 12:2,3.a. This corporate testimony is national, but not necessarily racial. All believers in Jesus Christ of the nation became a part of the corporate testimony.
b. That there were several legitimate Jews who were not in Abraham's line testifies quite effectively to this point. Ruth, Rahab the prostitute, and others had none of Abraham's blood. Even David was only of half Jewish blood (a long and detailed study which I hope to add to the topic list).
c. It is easy to conclude that most of those in the nation of Israel were racial Jews. But it is important to note that the people of Abraham's race were not the basis for the corporate witness, but rather the nation of Israel, and the foundation for that national corporate witness was the true Jew who was a believer in Jesus Christ regardless of race, Romans 9:6.
II. Israel in Hosea's Time.
A. The Israel of Hosea's time had much in the way of prosperity.
There was plenty to eat, trade was brisk, although probably not
booming, and the Jews of the Northern Kingdom were enjoying a
pretty nice standard of living for the time.
1. Although these standards of living were nowhere near the standard in our United States today, relative to the rest of the world the comparison may be closer than what seems.
2. The people of Israel had much more than just food on the table; there were many forms of recreation and distraction according to ancient customs. The usual form of distraction was the worship of idols, and Israel was a nation beset with this problem.
B. Internal corruption is extreme.
1. There was corruption related to the tolerance of crime and criminals.
2. There was corruption related to the tolerance of idolatry and many heinous forms of demon worship.
3. There was corruption related to trade.
4. There was corruption related to politics and much political intrigue. Assassination was commonplace. Politically, there is a quite valid parallel with the United States of the 1960's and 70's.
C. Just going through the motions.
1. The Jews were only going through the motions of the sacrificial system, without really having a relationship with God.
2. The sacrifices were to bring knowledge, and the knowledge, love.
3. By just going through the motions the Jews were in contravention of the plan of God, and making a mockery of what He had ordained.
D. The iminence of Divine discipline.
1. By the time of the prophet Hosea, in the middle of the eighth century, B.C. (the mid-700's), the final cycles of Divine discipline were quite imminent.
2. This meant that Hosea's ministry was an urgent plea for the return of Israel to the true worship of God under the humble acquiescence to the various systems of truth.
Grace Notes
Warren Doud, Editor
1705 Aggie Lane, Austin, Texas 78757
Phone: 512-458-8923
wdoud@bga.com