Ep. 151. Hosea 5-7, 11, 13 | Hosea Part 2

EPISODE 151

HOSEA PART 2: HOSEA 5-7, 11, 13

If we are honest with ourselves about Hosea's language, we might admit that it seems contradictory in some places. Israel has been a wayward wife and departed from God, but God promises restoration. We saw very early on that he would woo his rebellious wife back to himself. However, first comes the judgment, and that's where it gets sticky for us. After the promise of restoration, most of the remaining chapters of Hosea sound like judgment, and we might be scratching our heads, wondering if this is a second punishment. God already knows he will restore his people to himself, and he tells them as much through the prophet, but he also tells them about the judgment that MUST fall on them first. 

Another problem in reading Hosea is that we don't fully comprehend the timeline. Hosea was a prophet during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. That might not mean anything to us at first, but consider that Uzziah was king for 52 years, Jotham and Ahaz were kings for 16 years each, and Hezekiah reigned for 29 years. Let's assume that Hosea was a prophet for only Uzziah's last year to Hezekiah's first year; that still means he was a prophet for 34 years. But he could have been a prophet for significantly longer. If you wonder why that matters, consider that we only have 14 chapters in the book of Hosea spread out over at least 34 years. It is probable that though we view these chapters as a single declaration of the prophet, they are, in fact, spread out over a few decades. When we get to Jeremiah, we will see that his book is entirely out of order. 

At any rate, the people of God have rebelled against him and rejected him as God. He repeatedly declares that he will be like a lion to the houses of Judah and Ephraim. "Like Adam," they transgressed God's covenant and dealt faithlessly with him. 

The most significant challenge in understanding Hosea often arises from our misinterpretation of 1 Corinthians 15:55. We must not approach our understanding of 'Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?' in Corinthians and use it to shape our view of Hosea. It's crucial to remember that Hosea is the source material for the quote Paul uses in his letter to the Corinthian church. Therefore, we must grasp Hosea's original meaning to fully comprehend Paul's usage. 

As we already discussed, there are disagreements between translation teams, though most footnotes will acknowledge the conflict. The context shapes for us whether we should read the quote as "I shall ransom them" or "Shall I ransom them." The verses leading up to Hosea 13:14 again have God like a Lion, a leopard, a bear, and a wild beast ripping open and devouring his rebellious people. Immediately after the quote in question, we see God declaring that the fountain of his people will be dried up and parched. The final point is, "They shall fall by the sword." It seems clear that the correct context here is that God has hidden compassion from his eyes and has beckoned for Death and Sheol to come and deal with his wayward nation. 

So, what do we make of 1 Corinthians? We can talk about that some more when we get there. 

ADDITIONAL READING: Matthew 6:18-20; 1 Samuel 15: 22-23; Matthew 9:13; Matthew 12:7; Romans 11:25,29; Psalm 1:4; 1 Corinthians 15:55