Hosea - Introduction

Introduction

Hosea is the first of the minor prophets, and one of my favourites. The minor prophets were referred to in Ecclesiasticus (an Apocryphal book, ie not part of Scripture, written in about 190 BC). The historian Josephus was also aware of the grouping of the minor prophets, and Augustine referred to them as the minor prophets. The term minor was used because of their shortness in comparison with the likes of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. They are arranged in chronological order, Hosea dealing with the period of Assyrian power, or just before this period. The point of all this is that the canonicity of the minor prophets is well attested.

Little is known about Hosea, apart from what we learn of in the book itself. Fortunately, unlike Joel, he does give us various pointers that enable us to place things quite well historically. He was active in the middle of the 8th century BC.  His ministry was either during or shortly after Amos. Hosea is also the only prophet from the northern kingdom of Israel, and his words are mostly directed towards Israel. However, he also gives references to the kings of Judah to set things in context, and it is possible that the book was put together in Judah.

Hosea was prophesying in the latter days of the kingdom of Israel.  During that time there was a fairly quick succession of kings, many being removed by assassination. Things were rather chaotic. As a nation loses its godly bearings chaos starts to reign in the kingdom. It could be said that we are seeing the same effect in the West. The likely date of writing is somewhere between 786 and 748 BC. While Hosea appears first in the minor prophets, Amos prophesied to Israel a few years earlier, highlighting the social injustices in the society.

Perhaps the most notable feature of Hosea is that he was told to marry an unfaithful wife who would become a prostitute. Chapters 1 and 3 relate this story. Some see this as purely allegorical, ie it did not actually happen, but it is far more likely that Hosea did actually do this. God wanted him to fully appreciate His heart towards Israel. God’s love for Israel runs deep, but so does Israel’s rejection of God, her unfaithfulness. The message of Hosea, indeed the message of the whole Bible, is about how this problem can be overcome.

The nation Assyria was beginning its ascendancy to being the dominant power in the region. Conquered kingdoms were given three options (i) becoming a vassal state, paying tribute; (ii) be conquered and become a vassal state, paying tribute; and (iii) be conquered and become a province of Assyria, with an Assyrian governor. Israel progressed through all three states. Assyrian records confirm Israel’s subjugation. For instance, records found on slabs at Calah record Menahem of Israel paying voluntary tribute. Assyria’s annals also record Hoshea being installed as a puppet king. Finally annals from stone slabs and inscriptions on walls at Khorsabad record the Assyrian king Sargon II installing one of his own officers as ruler over Samaria. This evidence is just another example of the historicity of the Old Testament.

Bibliography

NKJV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Zondervan