From Hosea 1-7
Hosea is nearing the time when the house of Israel will end. The LORD announces his judgment in a strange way. By commanding Hosea to marry a prostitute and bear three children, giving them very strange and symbolic names. What would you call your children?
This post is part of my bible in a year series.
Passage and Comments
The beginning of Hosea locates the prophet within the reign of several kings of Judah and Israel. These kings near the end of the kingdom, just before the exile.
1 The word of the LORD that came to Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. (Hos 1.1)
When Hosea is called he is given a very strange instruction.
2 When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD.” 3 So he went and took Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. (Hos 1.2-3)
He is commanded to marry an unfaithful prostitute and have children with her.
‘So he went’. Hosea’s actions are symbolic and it is assumed he is being watched by people around him. His relationship with his ‘wife of whoredom’ is meant to mimic the LORD’s relationship with Israel.
4 And the LORD said to him, “Call his name Jezreel, for in just a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. 5 And on that day I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.” (Hos 1.4-5)
The names of his children are meant to by symbolic as well. His firstborn son will be called Jezreel and announces the end of Israel’s kingdom.
6 She conceived again and bore a daughter. And the LORD said to him, “Call her name No Mercy, for I will no more have mercy on the house of Israel, to forgive them at all.
7 But I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the LORD their God.
I will not save them by bow or by sword or by war or by horses or by horsemen.” (Hos 1.6-7)
His daughter is called ‘No Mercy’ because the LORD will have no mercy on Israel. Israel will be wiped out but the LORD will spare Judah.
8 When she had weaned No Mercy, she conceived and bore a son. 9 And the LORD said, “Call his name Not My People, for you are not my people, and I am not your God.” (Hos 1.8-9)
He calls his third child ‘Not My People’. I think in view of Israel again. 
So they have three children with the names.
- Jezreel – indicating the house of Israel will end
- No Mercy – indicating the LORD will have no mercy on Israel, and
- Not My People – indicating they are no longer his people
In light of the things prophets are occasionally called upon to do I lean toward thinking this really happened.
Hosea’s obedience would have far reaching consequences in his families life.
Hosea would have an ongoing reminder of what the LORD is going to do. The children themselves would bear these names for the rest of their lives. The people around them would glimpse the LORD’s commitment to fulfill these promises.
10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, “You are not my people,” it shall be said to them, “Children of the living God.”
11 And the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall appoint for themselves one head. And they shall go up from the land, for great shall be the day of Jezreel. (Hos 1.10-11)
In an unexpected twist the LORD renews his promise to Abraham (Gen 15) to massively multiply the house of Israel and renew his relationship with them.
They will return from exile (gathered together) and come under one king (head).
Story of Israel
“‘The Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore’ recalls the promise to Abraham (Gn. 22:17; 32:12), and is, therefore, an indirect way of saying that the covenant will be restored. In the place where either refers to a location where names were publicly given, or simply means ‘instead of’.
The promise that Israel and Judah will be reunited occurs in several places in the OT (e.g. Is. 11:12–13; Je. 23:5–8; Ezk. 37:15–28).
It is difficult to see how it was fulfilled historically, since the northern kingdom of Israel ceased to be a nation in 722 BC when the capital city Samaria fell to the Assyrians. People were deported, and populations were mixed up over vast areas of the Assyrian empire.” (Butterworth, G.M., 1994. Hosea. In D. A. Carson et al., eds. New Bible commentary: 21st century edition. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, p. 768.)
Story of Jesus
It is possible to see fulfillment in a few ways. One way is in the gospel.
43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”
44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (Jn 1.43-49)
Jesus Christ is the king of Israel. The one leader mentioned in Hos 1:11.
All true people of God from all nations (including Israel and Judah) are united under him.
Copyright © Joshua Washington and thescripturesays, 2016. All Rights Reserved.
