Hosea 1-3
In this first section, Yahweh instructs Hosea to marry Gomer, a woman who will prove to be unfaithful to him (Hos.1:2). Hosea’s marriage is meant to serve as a vivid illustration of the broken covenant between the Lord and Israel, as do the names of the three children Gomer bears (1:4, 6, 9), two of whom are not fathered by Hosea. The prophet then builds a legal case against his adulterous wife, which points to how Yahweh will deal with His adulterous people (2:1–23). Yahweh then instructs the prophet to go reclaim his wife and bring her home (3:1–5), which foreshadows what Yahweh has planned for his people. Although Israel has forsaken the Lord, Yahweh will remain faithful to His covenant and restore His people to himself.
1. Yahweh instructs Hosea to marry Gomer, who will prove to be an unfaithful wife (Hos. 1:2). Hosea’s broken marriage will reflect Israel’s unfaithfulness to Yahweh. What does Yahweh’s instruction reveal about the nature of His covenant with Israel?
2. “Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered” (Hos. 1:10). Hosea echoes the promise Yahweh made long ago to Abraham (Gen. 22:17; 32:12), a promise Yahweh would keep despite Israel’s ongoing disobedience. What do the things promised in Hosea 1:10–11 reveal about the nature of Yahweh’s salvation?
3. “I will hedge up her way with thorns” (Hos. 2:6). Israel is determined to pursue her lovers (v. 5), but Yahweh will prevent her from succeeding, and actually lead her back to Himself. As a jealous husband who has been wronged by the infidelity of his bride, he desires that she come to her senses and return to him. What do Yahweh’s actions here—hedging with thorns, building a wall, obscuring Israel’s idolatrous paths—suggest about how He interacts with His people? What does this reveal about Yahweh’s character, and who He is?
4. “In that day, declares the Lord, you will call me ‘My Husband’” (Hos. 2:16). The remainder of
Hosea 2 presents a description of what life will be like when the marriage between Yahweh and His people is restored. Through a series of “I will” statements, Yahweh paints an enticing picture to woo Israel. How is the nature of true repentance (meaning to turn from one thing, and toward something else) reflected in the promises Yahweh makes in these statements?
5. What has been impactful for you in this first portion of the book? In what ways can you sense your relationship with Yahweh growing or changing?