THE BOOK OF HOSEA Lesson 01, Introduction It is not possible to properly teach the fascinating and important Book of Hosea without establishing a historical and theological background as context. That is what we shall begin with today in our Introduction to the Book of Hosea. If you haven’t studied…

THE BOOK OF HOSEA Lesson 02, Chapter 1 We’ll open Hosea chapter 1 today, but before we do I’ll advise you ahead of time that we’re going to crawl through the first several verses at a snail’s pace because much has to be explained for us to operate from the…

THE BOOK OF HOSEA Lesson 03, Chapter 1 Continued We’ll review last week’s lesson a little more extensively than I’ll typically do throughout our study of Hosea. This is because I introduced you to some Hebraic concepts that are crucial for a proper and revealing understanding of the Prophet’s words.…

THE BOOK OF HOSEA Lesson 04, Chapters 1 and 2 Symbolism is at the heart of this Book of Hosea. At times trying to reconcile the biblical concepts of symbolic versus literal can be daunting; and all too often in the academic world (and even at the personal Bible study…

THE BOOK OF HOSEA Lesson 05, Chapter 2 Continued The first 3 verses of Hosea chapter 2 sought to make something very clear about the words that came before it, and those that would follow. It is that the goal (and the outcome) of God’s harsh discipline of Israel (symbolized…

THE BOOK OF HOSEA Lesson 06, Chapters 2 and 3 To this point in Hosea, we have seen God, through The Word that is speaking to Hosea, outline how He is going to deal with Israel… meaning the Northern Kingdom… as a result of their long-term idolatry and an unfaithfulness…

THE BOOK OF HOSEA Lesson 07, Chapters 3 and 4 As we continue with Hosea chapter 3 today, perhaps this is an appropriate moment to remind you that, much like a Parable, we have to be careful not to read into this prophetic narrative more than was intended. We are…

THE BOOK OF HOSEA Lesson 08, Chapters 4 and 5 Recently a couple spoke to me about their faith journey and how it had led them to Torah Class. They had been Mormons. They didn’t find any great fault with their Mormonism or their Mormon community, but rather only that…

THE BOOK OF HOSEA Lesson 09, Chapter 5 Besides the problem of disfavor, even anger, that comes from Yehoveh on account of idolatry, there is also the reality that idolatry is indelibly tied to the sin of immorality. We have been reading, and will continue to read in Hosea, of…

THE BOOK OF HOSEA Lesson 10, Chapters 5 and 6 We left off last time in Hosea chapter 5 verse 11. There it begins to outline what is going to occur to the Northern Kingdom of Ephraim/Israel as a result of her political recklessness; a folly in which the religious…

THE BOOK OF HOSEA Lesson 11, Chapters 6 and 7 As of this point in Hosea (chapter 6) we have left behind the symbolic story of the always faithful Hosea married to his habitually unfaithful wife, Gomer. While Hosea and Gomer actually experienced and lived-out all that we earlier read,…

THE BOOK OF HOSEA Lesson 12, Chapter 7 There’s a reason that Hosea is the first time I’ve created a commentary on an Old Testament book of prophecy. While, personally, in those books I find hope, promise, and validation of my faith, on the other hand I’m not sure of…

THE BOOK OF HOSEA Lesson 13, Chapters 7 and 8 Last time we met, we moved into the 4th and final segment of Hosea chapter 7 that begins with verse 13. This segment speaks of divine punishment against the political government of Israel and the destruction of Ephraim/Israel (the Northern…

THE BOOK OF HOSEA Lesson 14, Chapter 8 I wonder what any of us might do if God clearly and unequivocally told us that our worship of Him was not acceptable? It’s not that we need to improve upon what we do; rather He rejects our entire premise for it.…

THE BOOK OF HOSEA Lesson 15, Chapters 8 and 9 Last week the divine words of Hosea 8:12 ignited a talk on the irreplaceable value of The Law of Moses for Israel, and for Judeo-Christianity, as well as its impact on the entire human population of the Earth. And also,…

THE BOOK OF HOSEA Lesson 16, Chapter 9 So as not to get lost in the forest, not seeing because of the trees, we need to gather ourselves in the study of Hosea and remember something foundational. It is that what we are reading about and (hopefully) learning from, is…

THE BOOK OF HOSEA Lesson 17, Chapter 10 Douglas Stewart aptly characterizes the opening verses of Hosea chapter 10 as “Rejection of cult and kingship” (cult meaning Ephraim/Israel’s religious establishment and practices). Yehoveh is firmly distancing Himself from Israel’s monarchy as much as from their worship. But even more, Yehoveh…

THE BOOK OF HOSEA Lesson 18, Chapter 10 Continued As challenging as is the Book of Hosea to decipher, for several reasons I’ve already explained in depth, there is an overriding decision that teacher and student must make when attempting to plumb its depths: is this to be taken only…

THE BOOK OF HOSEA Lesson 19, Chapters 10 and 11 I ended our previous lesson speaking about a most crucial understanding that is necessary for a proper perspective not only of the source of our salvation, but also of what that means for us in a broader sense. The source…

THE BOOK OF HOSEA Lesson 20, Chapters 11 and 12 We ended our previous lesson with verses 3 and 4 of Hosea chapter 11. In this most poetic chapter of Hosea, we have God, through the agency of His faithful Prophet Hosea, expressing both His passionate love for His set-apart…

THE BOOK OF HOSEA Lesson 21, Chapter 12 A good way to frame Hosea chapter 12 is as Ephraim/Israel being depicted as a people who have forgotten who they are. They were set-apart as God’s covenant people, which not only came with the greatest of privileges but also with serious…

THE BOOK OF HOSEA Lesson 22, Chapters 12 and 13 We left off at Hosea 12:10 last time (or 12:9 depending on your Bible version), when God was calling to remembrance just who He was and what His relationship was with Israel. This was clearly necessary because Ephraim/Israel’s worship had…

THE BOOK OF HOSEA Lesson 23, Chapters 13 and 14 We concluded at Hosea 13:9 last time, which begins a 3-verse section that is essentially a divine statement as part of an oracle that involves a controversy and a dispute. The dispute is that God is telling Israel what they…

THE BOOK OF HOSEA Lesson 24, Chapters 14 END Today we conclude our study of the Book of Hosea. Hosea preached and warned Israel about their consistent double-mindedness and unfaithfulness to Yehoveh and this mainly by means of disobedience to the terms of the Covenant of Moses. Using primarily the…