Jensens survey of the old testament adam 242

2. Setting. In the days of Hosea, the
Northern Kingdom of Israel was politically
plagued by anarchy, unrest, and confusion.
The quick succession of kings (Chart 102)
suggests such an instability. One political
faction favored alliance with Egypt; another,
with Assyria. One writer comments on 7:11


thus, “Israel was like a silly dove…
fluttering everywhere but to God.”17
Economically, the nation was prosperous.
Spiritually, it was the darkest hour of Israel.
Idolatry, immorality, and haughty rejection
of God’s love spelled disaster. Israel was a
backslidden people when Hosea preached to
them (14:4). Read 2 Kings 15-17 to feel how
black the darkness was.
3. Theme. The theme of Hosea is this: the
tender-loving God o ers one last chance of
restoration to hardhearted, adulterous
Israel. Israel is the unfaithful wife who has
deserted her husband and gone after other
lovers. God through the prophet Hosea
invites her back: “Return, O Israel, to the
LORD your God” (14:1). Read these passages
about God’s love: 2:14,15,19,20; chapter 3;
11:3,4,8; chapter 14; compare Romans
11:22. John has been called the apostle of

love in the New Testament; Hosea could be
called the prophet of love in the Old
Testament.
4. Language and style. Hosea’s style is
abrupt, short, and sharp (“he ashes forth
brilliant sentences”). But tenderness is the
book’s prevailing tone. Scroggie says, “His
message is one of the most profound and
spiritual in the Old Testament.”18 The
authoritarian tone is heard throughout the
book, even though the familiar declaration
“thus saith the LORD” appears only four
times. Symbols and metaphors abound
throughout the book, the prominent one
being that of marriage (chap. 1-3). The
messages of chapters 4 to 14 were
apparently not compiled with an outline in
mind. Transitions are hard to detect because
they are submerged in the emotional
makeup of the book. As one writer observes,
“The sentences fall from him like the sobs of


a broken heart.”19
II. SURVEY
1. Scan chapters 1-3. Who are some of the
main characters of this narrative? At this
point, don’t ponder over questions that come
to your mind concerning the Lord’s
instructions to Hosea.

2. Study the survey Chart 103. Observe
that there are two main divisions in the
book. How do chapters 4-14 di er from 1-3
as to content? Scan chapters 4-14 to verify
this.
3. Spend the next hour or so making a
casual reading of chapters 4-14. When a
verse describes sin or guilt of God’s people,
mark S in the margin of your Bible. Keep
scanning until the subject changes to
judgment (J), invitation (I), restoration (R),
or grace (G). When there is a change of