At the heart of Hosea’s charge against Israel is her not “knowing” the Lord (4:1). The knowledge of God signifies a dynamic and growing covenantal relationship that comes to expression in an integrated lifestyle that is consistent with the “covenant” relationship. The covenant is graciously initiated by God himself. It is like a marriage in which God as the Groom offers himself to Israel (the Bride). His presence is the assurance that he will protect and provide for his Bride. The image of Bridegroom and Bride readily metamorphizes to the image of Father and Children (Son). Both sets of images flow out of God’s covenantal commitment.

The Theological Reading of Hosea

Hosea, as the first of the Twelve, should be understood in association with the “Twelve,” with the Former and Latter Prophets, and with the Torah of Moses (the Law).[1] Hosea opens, and Malachi closes the Twelve. These two books reflect a broad sweep of history and geography. Hosea addresses the pre-exilic concerns of the Northern Kingdom and of Judah (ca. 750 BC), whereas Malachi is situated in the post-exilic world of the province of Judea (Yehud), as a Persian province (ca. 450 BC). They charge Israel with spurning God.

Hosea’s images of God’s persistent love for his people/children in the contexts of a failed marriage (chs. 1-3) and of the open rebellion of God’s children (ch. 11) demonstrate that salvation is God’s alone. The imagery is found in one form or another throughout the Twelve. Malachi charges the post-exilic community with showing their “father” no respect (Mal. 1:6) and holds out hope for the small community of faithful children who serve him (Mal. 3:17-18). At the end of Malachi, the prophet calls on the people to remember Moses and to long for a Elijah redivivus, “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel. See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse” (Mal. 3:4-6; cf. Matt. 11:13-14). Malachi closes on a reminder of the special status of Moses as the servant of the Lord in anticipation of an Elijah-like prophet. The Law and the Prophets are linked together.

Covenant, Marriage, and Children

At the heart of Hosea’s charge against Israel is her not “knowing” the Lord (4:1). The knowledge of God signifies a dynamic and growing covenantal relationship that comes to expression in an integrated lifestyle that is consistent with the “covenant” relationship. The covenant is graciously initiated by God himself. It is like a marriage in which God as the Groom offers himself to Israel (the Bride). His presence is the assurance that he will protect and provide for his Bride. The image of Bridegroom and Bride readily metamorphizes to the image of Father and Children (Son). Both sets of images flow out of God’s covenantal commitment.[2]

God has spoken through Hosea whom he commanded to marry “an adulterous wife” and have “children of unfaithfulness” (1:2). The word of God to Israel is symbolically represented in Hosea’s marriage to Gomer and in the naming of his children (1:2, 4, 6, 9). The marriage to Gomer seems to be reprehensible. How can God command Hosea to marry a whoring (zenunim) woman? “Whoring” is a metaphor for unfaithfulness or worldliness (Deut. 31:16).[3] Gomer, representing Israel, had many interests, but little commitment. She was open to opportunities, promoted her self-interest, and looked out for herself. The image of prostitution/adultery powerfully and harshly suggests Israel’s apostacy and lack of commitments (4:10-14), her corruption (5:3), and lack of knowledge of the Lord, “Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. For the spirit of whoredom is within them, and they know not the Lord” (Hos. 5:4). The people and the land are defiled because of whoredom (1:2). They have turned away from their God (1:2; cf. Isa. 1:4. 21), and he will leave them to their own devices (2:13). Their future is exile, wandering, and subjugation (10:5-6).

Hosea charges Israel with idolatry, hypocrisy, arrogance, and immorality, “There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land. cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; … bloodshed” (4:1-2).. The nation of Israel must go into exile as Moses had threatened (Deut. 31:19-30). The coming exile is symbolized by the name of the first child, Jezreel (1:4). The people will no longer be treated as the people of God, symbolized by the second child, Lo-Ammi (1:9), and could not expect God’s compassion and forgiveness, symbolized by the naming of the third child, Lo-Ruhamah (1:6).

God’s Hiddenness and Holiness

God’s separation and rejection (5:6) is only for a time. He did not “divorce” his people. The marriage/covenant relationship will not be broken. At the time of Israel’s exile, he had planned to “allure” his Bride (2:14) and restore what was lost (2:15). She will return to her senses and call him “my husband” (2:16). God promises to inaugurate an era greater than the first creation and a covenant relationship greater than the former covenant. He promises a world of lasting peace, safety, righteousness, justice, love, compassion, and faithfulness (2:18-20). In the enjoyment of God’s presence, the Bride would get to “know” her husband (2:20).

The Lord invites his people to know him through his loving and lasting commitment with them. This era is marked with God’s evident provisions and protection (2:21-23), and the people will be loved, forgiven, and known as “children of the living God” (1:10; Jezreel, 2:22), Beloved (Ruhamah), and as “my people” (Ammi, 2:23). Though the people will have to wait till the time that God restores the covenant and its privileges to them in Exile, they must return to “the LORD their God and David their king” (3:5). After all, God hates the realpolitik that had permitted Israel to survive politically and economically (5:13; ch. 7). He is not readily fooled by her religiosity or “repentance” (6:1-4; ch. 8). True repentance must include a return to God and the evident transformation of life, “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings” (6:6).

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